各位同仁平安：
以下是11月29日「週一禱告會」康克校牧分享的禱詞短文，
讓我們一起來親近天父—先求祂的國和祂的義。
誠摯邀請大家參加週一禱告會，一起禱告！
校牧室敬啟
I love Thanksgiving.
I’m a little biased, because I am an American and it is the most American of holidays. As much as the Fourth of July.
I’m also a little biased because I love being with family. And I’m quite fond of turkey, mashed potatoes, roasted yams,and bread stuffing.
But I love the tradition far more because it is something that can be meaningful to anyone, anywhere, at any time.
At a national level, the tradition began as early as 1789, when George Washington proclaimed a day of thanksgiving:
it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor… [it is] a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God… That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks–for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country… And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions– to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctuall
But it was Lincoln’s 1863 proclamation that stuck and that speaks more clearly to the heart of why each of us should feel thankful:
The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.
Blessings big and small. Blessings deep and wide.
We all need time to stop and count our blessings. Some of them have been rather large – maybe new relationships, new work, a baby, a raise, a friendship restored. But most often go unnoticed – our family, friends, food, homes, and the wonderful world in which we live.
Paul writes, “whatever is worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on it.” Few things are more worthy to dwell on than those things for which we are most grateful.
Be thankful.
我熱愛感恩節
這個陳述是有偏見的，因為我是一個美國人，⽽感恩節是最具有美國特色的節日，概念如同七月四日（美國獨立日）。
另外一個我熱愛感恩節的原因，是我享受和家人團聚的時光，還有配上火雞、馬鈴薯泥、烤地瓜和麵包塊。
但是我熱愛的不只是傳統文化，更是因為感恩節可以在任何時間、地點，對每個人都產生深遠的意義。
對國家來說，這個傳統最早起始於1789年，喬治華盛頓總統訂立了感恩節：
承認全能上帝的旨意是所有國家的責任，順服祂的計畫，感謝祂的好處，虛心祈求祂的保護和恩惠… [這是] ⼀個公開感恩和祈禱的日子，以感恩的心承認全能上帝所行的許多恩惠…這樣我們就可以團結一致，向祂表達我們誠摯而謙卑的感謝–為著祂的善意關懷和保護這個國家的人民……並且我們可以團結一切的禱告，以最謙卑的方式向偉大的主和萬國統治者祈求，懇求祂赦免我們國家和其他的罪–使我們所有人在公共或私人的位置上，都能適當、準時地履行多項職責。
但是直到1863年，林肯的公開宣示才更進一步清晰地解釋，為什麼我們每個人都應該要有一顆感恩的心：
今年來到尾聲，過去的一年中充滿了豐饒的田野、美好的天空，對於這些日常即能享受到祝福，我們容易忘記它們來自於恩惠，還添加上了其他的祝福，它們如此非凡，以至於能夠穿透和柔軟麻木已久的心，使我們警醒全能 神的眷顧。
各式各樣的祝福，長遠且深的祝福。
我們都需要片刻的靜止，數算恩典，有些祝福是明顯可見的，可能是一段新的關係、新工作、新生兒、工作升遷、或是一段被修復的友誼；但更多祝福是我們習以為常的，我們的家⼈、朋友、食物、家還有我們所生活的美好世界。
保羅曾寫道：「若有什麼值得稱頌的，這些事你們就當思想」，生活中會有些事情值得我們聚焦並且花時間獻上感謝。
心存感激。
