Thankful, Grateful and Blessed: A Beautiful Autumn Afternoon at Arbor
From heartfelt worship and homemade autumn fare to missionary updates, a meaningful biblical message and a dedicated time of prayer, Arbor Christian Fellowship’s Women’s Ministry Autumn Lunch was a sweet reminder of God’s goodness and the joy of serving Him together.
There is something special about gathering around a table in autumn — sharing a meal, lifting our voices in praise and remembering the many ways God has been faithful. On Saturday, Oct. 10, the women of Arbor Christian Fellowship enjoyed a lovely afternoon together at the Women’s Ministry Autumn Lunch, centered on the theme Thankful, Grateful and Blessed.
From the first bite to the final notes of worship, the afternoon offered a beautiful blend of Christian fellowship, joyful celebration and encouragement in the Lord.
A Table Set With Love
The fellowship hall welcomed the ladies with a beautiful spread of homemade dishes, each prepared with so much love. The menu featured delicious soups, fresh salads, freshly baked goods and a hearty selection of desserts. A custom caramel apple dipping station was a particularly delightful addition — a sweet, seasonal treat that brought all the flavors of fall to the table.
Beyond the delicious food, the afternoon offered something even sweeter: time to slow down, enjoy one another’s company and celebrate the blessings of belonging to a church family.
Little Voices, Big Praise
One of the afternoon’s sweetest highlights was a special performance by the Arbor Angels, a precious group of children who sang their hearts out for the Lord. Their joyful rendition of “Be Thankful” encouraged everyone to remember all God has done, give thanks from the bottom of their hearts and celebrate the simple, wonderful truth that Jesus is good to us!
Worship continued as Aggie Cruz Armstrong led the ladies in praise. In a beautiful, spontaneous moment, the Arbor Angels joined her for an acoustic-guitar-led rendition of “Goodness of God.” The voices of young and old blended together in a heartfelt expression of worship, reminding everyone that God’s faithfulness gives us reason to praise Him in every season of life.
A Message That Goes Beyond the Tagline
The afternoon’s theme, Thankful, Grateful and Blessed, was more than a seasonal sentiment or a familiar phrase. Arbor Women’s Ministry Director Linda Baldwin shared a beautiful, biblically grounded and inspiring message that invited the ladies to look more deeply at what it truly means to live with thankful hearts and recognize the blessings God has entrusted to them.
Rather than treating thankfulness, gratitude and blessing as simply words to celebrate, Linda unpacked their deeper spiritual significance, pointing the ladies toward the purpose behind God’s goodness. Our blessings are not meant to end with us. They are opportunities to reflect His love, serve others and make Christ known.
“We’re blessed so that others may know Him,” Linda said. “We’re not to be blessing hoarders.”
It was a powerful reminder that a life marked by gratitude is also a life of generosity. The blessings we receive — whether material provision, spiritual encouragement, meaningful relationships or opportunities to serve — can become a testimony to the goodness of God when we share them with others.
In a season when it is easy to focus on what we have, Linda’s message called the ladies to consider how God might use what He has given them for His glory. True thankfulness does not stop at counting our blessings; it moves us to offer those blessings back to the Lord in service to others.
Putting Blessings Into Action
That spirit of generosity was reflected in an important and visual announcement from Women’s Ministry leader Lou Cobb about Operation Christmas Child. Her presentation offered a tangible reminder that the blessings God places in our hands can be shared with children around the world, carrying both practical gifts and the message of Jesus Christ.
Operation Christmas Child, a ministry of Samaritan’s Purse, sends gift-filled shoeboxes to children in need around the world, along with opportunities for them to hear about the love of Jesus. The announcement gave the ladies a practical way to put the afternoon’s message into action: to look beyond themselves and consider how even a simple gift can become part of a greater Gospel purpose.
Together, Linda’s message and Lou’s announcement beautifully illustrated the heart of the theme. We are not blessed merely for our own comfort or enjoyment. We are blessed so that we can bless others and, above all, so that others may come to know Him.
Celebrating God’s Work Around the World
The gathering also provided an opportunity to hear an update from Arbor’s very own homegrown missionary to South Africa, Allyson Roestorf. Baby Liam was there, too, making the occasion especially sweet as the ladies heard about the work God is doing through this beloved missionary family.
Missionary updates are a treasured part of Arbor’s Women’s Ministry gatherings. They bring the work of the Gospel beyond the church walls and remind us of the men and women who have answered God’s call to serve, often far from home and at considerable personal sacrifice.
For the women of the Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU), supporting these faithful servants means more than remembering their names and hearing their news. It means faithfully lifting them up in prayer.
A House of Prayer
A meaningful part of the afternoon was a dedicated time of prayer for missionaries, with special attention given to those celebrating their birthdays that day. Led by Tina Johnson, this time brought the ladies together with one purpose: to ask the Lord for His protection, strength, provision and continued work through those serving Him around the world.
The sacrifices missionaries make can be humbling and sobering to consider. Their spiritual battles and daily burdens are not always visible to those of us at home, yet Scripture reminds us of the reality of the fight:
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” — Ephesians 6:12
As WMU women, we have the privilege of standing alongside these servants by fighting fiercely for them in prayer. We may not be able to join them in the places where they serve, but we can faithfully bring their needs and ministries before the Lord.
At Arbor, we desire for our church to be a house of prayer, remembering Jesus’ words: “My house will be called a house of prayer” (Matthew 21:13). Prayer is foundational to the work of ministry, and James 5:16 offers this encouragement: “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
As the ladies prayed together, the room reflected a quiet joy. Smiles graced faces of every age, a lovely reminder that even amid different circumstances and seasons of life, we can find encouragement and peace as we turn our hearts toward the Lord.
Creativity, Fellowship and a Grateful Heart
The afternoon concluded with a fall-themed craft led by the ever-creative Elizabeth Johnson. It was a fitting end to a gathering filled with opportunities to connect, create and enjoy the beauty of the season together.
From the homemade dishes and caramel apples to the children’s joyful singing, Linda’s inspiring message, the Operation Christmas Child announcement, the missionary update, heartfelt worship and dedicated time of prayer, the afternoon offered countless reasons to give thanks.
The ladies left with more than memories of a lovely lunch. They were encouraged by the work God is doing through His servants, reminded of the importance of faithful prayer and challenged to share the blessings they have received so that others may know Christ.
Perhaps that is the heart of being thankful, grateful and blessed: not simply recognizing the good gifts God has given us, but responding with worship, generosity and faithful service.
What a blessing it is to gather as a church family, lift our voices together and stand united in prayer — giving thanks to the One who has been, and always will be, so very good to us. May we never become blessing hoarders, but instead live with open hands and grateful hearts, sharing the goodness of God with a world that needs to know Him.