A Song of Thanksgiving

              Let all things now living a song of thanksgiving
            to God the Creator triumphantly raise!
        Who fashioned and made us, protected and stayed us,
                  Who still guides us on to the end of our days.

Dear friends at St. Paul’s Church,
    It is with deep gratitude to you and to God that I write to you on this first day after my official retirement from St. Paul’s.
    Thank you for a beautiful last liturgy on Sunday morning – it was wonderful to have all my church family together under one roof, singing my favorite hymns (one of which begins and ends this note to you.) It was wonderful to give you all Communion one last time. It was wonderful to receive all the hugs at the peace, to hear Don Lewis’ beautiful tribute, to feel Gay Blundell’s hand laid gently on my shoulder, and to receive the oil of healing (most lavishly and abundantly) from Don Dallmann. Rachel’s music was superb, as usual – please be good to her as she is such a treasure.
    Thank you for a wonderful reception - no congregation I know puts on a more delicious coffee hour! Thank you for the loving cards and letters; thank you for the many gifts - especially the books of Psalms and Common Prayer, the wonderful plaque of St. Paul, and the promise of a completed Labyrinth in June.
    And most of all, thank you for your friendship. Remember, Rob and I will be worshiping at other altars this year 2005, but we will be living in Cambria and want to always remain your friends.

We too should be voicing our love and rejoicing;
With glad adoration a song let us raise.
Till all things now living unite in thanksgiving:
“To God in the highest, hosanna and praise!”

Text: Katherine K. Davis, b. 1892
Tune: The Ash Grove
Lutheran Book of Worship