Message from the Synod Leader: The Transforming Gift of Gratitude

We are hearing more and more about a remarkable and accessible tool for emotional and spiritual well-being: gratitude. Psychologists remind us that the simple act of giving thanks, even for the smallest of blessings, triggers chemical shifts in the brain that reduce stress and enhance our sense of peace.

I was reminded of this recently during a flight to Chicago. Browsing the airline’s entertainment menu, I discovered a wellness meditation featuring serene images of water and mountains. For seven minutes, the gentle voice guided us to breathe deeply and offer thanks—thanks for people in our lives, for ordinary gifts we often overlook, and even for our own bodies. As I participated, I could feel the truth of what the research affirms: gratitude reframes our thoughts, restores our perspective, and becomes one of the most effective coping tools we possess.

Of course, long before the field of psychology named these benefits, the psalmist, the prophets, and the apostles pointed us toward the power of thanksgiving. Scripture calls us not only to give thanks but to live thankful lives—offering ourselves as witnesses to God’s grace and beneficiaries of God’s steadfast love.

This year, my heart is especially full. I am profoundly grateful for the privilege of continuing to serve as your Synod Leader. With the approval of the Synod Assembly, we are stepping together into a new chapter of mission and ministry. I have come to love this region and the people who make it vibrant—our staff, leadership team, commissioners, and presbyters. Together, we represent a distinctive and faithful expression of the Body of Christ. Thank you for your confidence, your partnership, and the many ways you share your gifts for the flourishing of our community.

During the installation service, Rev. Patrick O’Connell encouraged the Synod to “get a bigger frying pan”—a call to expand our imagination and capacity. Rev. Dr. Rose Niles charged me and all of us to LIVE—to embrace life with courage, joy, and intention. This season invites us to do both: to allow gratitude to widen our faith and to discern where God is calling us to deeper self-care, renewal, and abundant living.

And yet, we know that gratitude does not ask us to overlook the world’s pain. Wars continue, families mourn profound losses, communities face hardship, and injustices persist. The call to give thanks is not an invitation to deny suffering—it is an invitation to remain grounded in hope. Scripture teaches us to give thanks in all circumstances, not for all circumstances. Gratitude becomes a spiritual discipline that steadies us when the world feels unsteady and strengthens our resolve to be agents of compassion, justice, and peace.

In seasons of sorrow or uncertainty, gratitude helps us recognize the small but profound graces that sustain us: a kind word, a shared meal, a moment of rest, the resilience of a community that refuses to give up. These glimpses of grace become the seeds of hope, empowering us to meet the world’s wounds with courage rather than despair.

As we enter this holy season, may our thanksgiving be both tender and bold—tender enough to acknowledge the brokenness around us, and daring enough to trust that God is still moving, still healing, still calling. May gratitude deepen our compassion, strengthen our faith, and renew our commitment to be repairers of the breach and bearers of Christ’s peace.

In giving thanks, even when the world is hurting, we participate in God’s ongoing work of healing and renewal. And that is a gift worth celebrating.

SanDawna Gaulman-Ashley
Synod Leader