Last Saturday we held the Fall Festival in Lewiston. The weather for it was gorgeous and it was good to see familiar faces as well as some new ones. It was a time of good food and fellowship. This Sunday (Nov. 15) in Utica will be the Utica Area Cancer Research Fundraising Group’s chili and soup supper, 3-7 p.m. at the Utica School. A freewill offering will be taken to support cancer research.

In my reading of James, I have been looking at the word “light”, since it says that God is the Father of lights (James 1.17). The New Testament uses “light” in a number of different ways. One of those, according to the Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, is “light” used for the proclamation of salvation, centered on Christ’s person, words, and works. So the nations will look for that light (Isaiah 42.6; 49.6; Luke 2.32) and find their hope fulfilled in Jesus. We disciples are to be that light (Matthew 5.14) so that others can see the gospel and turn from their present lives to a new life in Christ (1 Peter 2.9). It is good to remember as our time of daylight is getting shorter that Christ is the light of our lives and the gospel is the message of that light.
The verse, as I mentioned last time, also points to the gifts of God. That is something to keep in mind as we approach the Thanksgiving holiday. We have much to be thankful for and perhaps this would be a good time to name them.