Showing Gratitude

Editorial by Kevin Costello

Gratitude: The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. (Oxford Dictionary of English).

As the end of 2023 rapidly approaches, what are you thankful for?

The top of my list is to be serving in the Pennsylvania Conference. Our family moved here about a year ago and have marveled at the amazing scenery and seasons ever since. While the beauty around us is becom-
ing more familiar, we continue to be grateful for the new friends we have made and anticipate making more friends in the future. Our family being together most of the year has also been a tremendous blessing. I would be remiss if I did not include our overall good health in my list of blessings. I could go on and on.

How about you?
Let me also share a few of the things I am grateful for in our conference:

• An office family that is truly committed to “Reaching Everyone, Everywhere”
• More than 100 evangelistic meetings that reached our communities this year alone
• The 340 new members who have joined our conference through baptism, as of September
• Record offerings given to fund evangelism, including more than $430,000 during camp meeting
• The significant tithe increase we are experiencing heading into December while prayerfully anticipating how God will continue to bless as we end the year
• The strong financial reserves that have been maintained in our conference, with several months of assets held on reserve
As the year-end approaches, what are you thankful for? Are you grateful for the church you attend each Sabbath? Perhaps now would be a good time to reflect on this and show gratitude by returning kindness with a generous gift to help meet your church’s needs, in addition to being faithful to returning God’s tithe. Let us unite together in being faithful to God and empowering the mission as we endeavor in “Reaching Everyone, Everywhere” in Pennsylvania.
 

Kevin Costello is the treasurer of the Pennsylvania Conference.