“Mutual, I’m sure” (White Christmas quote).
I wanted to share a book from my doctorate reading list. Including a spin on the movie quote above (see last paragraph). “A gift to love: Sermons from strength to love and other preachings” by Martin Luther King. Jr. (2012). King the great a civil rights leader was first and always a pastor, as he states;
I was a preacher of the gospel. This was my first calling and it still remains my greatest commitment. You know, actually all that I do in civil rights I do because I consider it a part of my ministry. I have no other ambition in life but to achieve excellence in the Christian ministry. I don’t plan to run for any political office, I don’t plan to do anything but remain a preacher (Forward X).
King’s theology as it appears on p. 88 “I do not pretend to understand all of the ways of God or his particular timetable for grappling with evil. Perhaps if God dealt with evil in an overbearing way that we wish, he would defeat his ultimate purpose. We are responsible human beings, not blind automatons; persons, not puppets. By endowing us with freedom, God relinquished a measure of his own sovereignty and imposed certain limitations upon himself. If his children are free, doing his will must a voluntary choice.” I noticed King speaks little to eternal life and focuses on what God’s children can do in the here and now, which makes perfect sense for social change and justice. King goes on to say that the Protestant Reformation “often emphasized a purely otherworldly religion which stresses the hopelessness of this world and calls upon the individual to concentrate on preparing their soul for the world to come” (p. 133). This reminds me that eternal life (a place in God’s kingdom to come) needs to be properly balanced with social issues of the present so that we are thinking of not only our salvation (future), but those around us in the present and especially those who are hurting, disenfranchised, marginalized folks (which transitions beautifully into his mutuality theology).
All men (people) are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.
I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be, and you can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be (p. Forward XV, 73).
Blessings, Pastor Michael
- All Saints’ Day, Nov. 1, 2026
- Daylight saving time ends, Nov. 1, 2026
- Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 2026
- Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26, 2026
- First Sunday of Advent, Nov. 29, 2026
Faithful Witnesses
Many churches observe All Saints’ Day on November 1, a time to remember believers who have died in the faith and give thanks for their faithful witness.
The story of Christianity is filled with ordinary people who held fast to Christ in both joyful and difficult seasons. Across the centuries, countless believers have followed Jesus with courage, and many have even given their lives while bearing witness to God’s love and the saving grace of Christ. Even today, Christians in some parts of the world continue to face persecution for their faith.
On this day, take time to remember our Christian heritage with gratitude. Give thanks for those who remained faithful before us, and ask God to help us follow Christ with the same courage, hope and steadfast faith.
The Journey of the Church Year
Advent begins on Sunday, November 29, in 2026. In many Christian traditions, Advent also marks the beginning of the church year. Rather than starting with a new calendar, the church begins by preparing to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
Advent leads to Christmas, followed by Epiphany, traditionally observed on January 6, 2027, to remember the revelation of Christ to the nations and the visit of the wise men. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 10, and guides believers toward Holy Week and Easter Sunday, March 28.
Forty days after Easter, Christians observe Ascension Day on May 6, remembering how Jesus “was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9, ESV). Pentecost follows on May 16, 50 days after Easter. On that day, the Holy Spirit empowered Christ’s followers and united them for the church’s mission.
The season after Pentecost continues until Advent arrives once more, inviting the church to begin the
sacred journey again.
It is No Secret: A Song Born of Transformation
Billy Graham’s public ministry gained national attention at the Rose Bowl in 1949, where a remarkable response marked the beginning of a historic movement. He returned to the same venue in November 2004, 55 years later, to commemorate that milestone.
Before the 1949 event, Billy appeared as a guest on a radio show hosted by songwriter and performer Stuart Hamblen. During the broadcast, Hamblen encouraged listeners to attend the meetings at the Rose Bowl. Before leaving, Billy invited Hamblen to attend as well. Though not a Christian at the time, Hamblen agreed. (His wife, however, was a believer.)
That evening, Hamblen did not go forward with others to profess faith in Christ, but he left deeply unsettled. Later that night, he went to Graham’s hotel, where he shared his restless spirit. Through Billy’s witness and prayer, Hamblen gave his life to the Lord.
Soon after, actor John Wayne asked him, “Stuart, what’s this about you hitting the sawdust trail?”
Hamblen replied, “That’s no secret, John, what God has done for me. He can do it for you or anyone else.”
Wayne responded, “That sounds like a song. Why don’t you write one?”
And so, “It Is No Secret (What God Can Do)” was born.
Hamblen later wrote many Gospel songs, once saying, “I try to write music with a spiritual uplift instead of a moral downbeat.”
Pardon Me!
The annual turkey pardon has been called America’s “most absurd holiday tradition.” Every November, the president oversees a tongue-in-cheek ceremony, pardoning bird pairs with yummy names such as Biscuits and Gravy, Tater and Tot, and Drumstick and Wishbone.
Theologically, pardon is synonymous with divine forgiveness, an action only God may take (see Psalm 130:3-4). Every sin, at its deepest level, is directed against God and his call to holy living. We can forgive someone for a personal offense, but only God can set aside the penalty for sin.
Pardon is also related to atonement, which refers to God reconciling sinners to himself, making us “at one” with him. The Hebrew verb usually translated into English as pardon involves the idea of restoration to full favor. —adapted from The Wired Word
November Mission of the Month: Veterans Path to Hope