Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
– John 6:35
Dear People of St. David’s,
When you read this letter, we will be less than a week away from Thanksgiving. Growing up, I loved Thanksgiving for all the obvious reasons: my Grammie’s mashed potatoes, my Grandma’s stuffing, mac and cheese, and the pumpkin and blueberry pies from Delicious Orchards, a true New Jersey gem. As a sports-obsessed kid, I also loved watching football all day long and then running into the backyard with my cousins during commercials and halftime to reenact the unbelievable plays we had just seen on TV.
I remember the love that filled the table as we shared laughter and stories with family and friends. I can still picture it all, smelling the food, hearing the voices, and even remembering the jerseys worn by the players on the screen. It was the best. These are, to me, sacred memories.
Over the years, though, my Thanksgivings have changed. Many of the faces from those early holiday tables have joined the communion of “angels, archangels, and all the company of heaven.” They now enjoy the heavenly banquet that God has prepared for them and prepares for us.
That is the reality for all of us: as the years pass, Thanksgiving and every holiday tradition changes. We experience loss, grief, and transition. Our gatherings take on a new shape: not bad, simply different. It is okay to feel sad that things are not the way they used to be. That is normal. I want us also to remember that the one constant in our lives, the uniting force between us and those we love but see no longer, is Jesus Christ. In John 6:35, Jesus reminds us, “I am the bread of life.”
Jesus is our sustenance for the years ahead and the one who provides for us in times of great need. Because the holidays can be difficult for many, I invite you to join us on Tuesday, December 2 at 7 p.m. for the Starlight Service of Remembering in our Chapel. This service of Evening Prayer gives us space to remember loved ones who have died and who are especially missed during the holiday season. Those attending will be invited to print the names of their loved ones on stars and hang them on a tree at the front of the Chapel. I will be presiding, and the Rev. Nancy Webb Stroud will preach.
It is a sacred opportunity to worship Jesus, the bread of life, and to remember those who will not be seated at our Thanksgiving and Christmas tables this year.
Blessings,
The Rev. Thomas Szczerba, Jr.
Vicar
Published on November 20, 2025.