November Reflections: The Ministry of Thanksgiving
Dear Fellow Ministers and Servants of Christ,
A word from Michael Mooney, Exec. Elder.
As the cool air of November arrives, our hearts turn toward the season of Thanksgiving, a sacred time for gathering with loved ones and remembering the goodness of God. Gratitude is the soul’s memory, and this month invites us to pause, reflect, and offer praise for the countless mercies of the Lord. The Psalmist declares, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!” (Psalm 100:4, ESV). This divine invitation is not a suggestion but a call to approach the presence of God with hearts already full of gratitude. Thanksgiving, then, is not merely a response to God’s blessings but the very doorway through which we enter His presence. Every blessing, from the breath we draw to the fellowship we enjoy, calls us to acknowledge the Giver of every good and perfect gift.
This November, as members of the National Association of Christian Ministers, let us renew our devotion to a ministry marked by gratitude. Our calling is not only to proclaim Christ but to reflect His grace in humble service. In a world often ruled by complaint and consumption, the Church must stand as the living embodiment of gratitude. Let Psalm 100:4 remind us that thanksgiving is not seasonal but spiritual, not a holiday but a holy habit. Let our congregations hear the sound of thanksgiving rising above every challenge. May our homes, our pulpits, and our hearts overflow with praise to the One from whom all blessings flow.
“Let gratitude be the bridge between our calling and God’s continual provision.”
Jehovah Jireh at Work through the NACM in Nigeria
As you likely know, Jehovah Jireh is one of the names for the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It means, God provides. He has done so again in Nigeria for our Africa Nigeria Elder, Freewater Issah.
You have likely heard about the severe persecutions against Nigerian Christians. Our Nigeria Elder, Freewater, has escaped kidnapping and attempted murder more than once. Although he considered fleeing to a safer country with his family, he felt compelled to remain and not forsake the Nigerian Christians he had been discipling for many years.
A couple of months ago, he and his family were homeless because they could not afford the rent for the building they had been living in and using for ministries. Yet our Jehovah Jireh was not finished. After connecting with Elder Freewater, three NACM members, of their own accord, supplied the funds needed to pay a year of rent and get him back into that building.
Then one of those NACM members was moved by the Lord to sell some assets in order to provide the funds to buy that building outright. Now Elder Freewater owns the building and continues his NACM chartered ministries to community children and to young Nigerian men and women whom he is training for Christian ministry. Elder Freewater’s dream is being fulfilled. Praise God, Jehovah Jireh, for His wonderful provision to establish His witness there.
God’s work, done in God’s way, will never lack God’s supply. (J. Hudson Taylor, missionary to inland China, late 1800s.)
“Each testimony of provision is a thread in God’s tapestry of grace. Let us give thanks for His hands at work among us.”
Exec Elder Presentations at NACM State Gatherings
A word from Rodger Niemeier, Exec. Elder. I had the joy of presenting a NACM Update via Zoom and phone at four NACM Gatherings so far this year: Pennsylvania (June 7th), Washington (September 6th), Oklahoma (October 4th), Texas (October 18th), and Alabama (November 8th). It was such an encouragement to meet so many NACM member ministers at these Gatherings. May the Lord continue to draw those called into ministry to the NACM as we near 40,000 members.
The NACM Chaplaincy Program continues to grow. While pastors (40 percent of NACM membership) and evangelists (17 percent) make up just over half of our members’ ministries, 12 percent are chaplains. That number is increasing, as is the overall call to chaplaincy across the United States. We now have nearly 4,500 chaplains and 1,673 members enrolled in the NACM Chaplaincy Course preparing to be licensed upon completion. Chaplains are God’s home missionaries beyond the church walls.
“Each gathering reminds us that the body of Christ is alive, active, and advancing. Fellowship strengthens faith.”
“As we look ahead, let us continue to gather, pray, and strengthen one another in every region where God is moving His people.”
Valdosta Gathering with Laying on of Hands
December 13th, 2025, 1:00 PM
Georgia ministers,
I am proud to announce that I have secured a space for December 13, 2025, in Valdosta, Georgia for an Ordination Confirmation by Laying on of Hands.
The event will be held at the Wingate by Wyndham, 1800 Club House Drive, Valdosta, GA 31601, from 1 pm – 3 pm. This will be a free one day event where we will be able to fellowship with one another.
There will be fellowshipping, worship, and laying on of hands for NACM ministers who have been approved ahead of time.
Note: If you are desiring ordination, you must fill out the application on the NACM website and be approved ahead of time through NACM. This is NACM policy. There will be the laying on of hands and prayer for you at the meeting, and you will receive an Ordination Confirmation Certificate.
I am excited to get together with our brothers and sisters in South Georgia. I want this to be the biggest event yet, so even if you have already received the laying on of hands, you are still invited.
For those of you in the Atlanta area who would like to travel down with me, let us discuss renting a car or van if we have enough people.
Love you all, and I am excited to worship with you again.
– Elder Elbert Webster
Event Location:
Wingate by Wyndham
1800 Club House Drive
Valdosta, Georgia 31601
View Venue Details
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For more information, contact
elbert.webster@gmail.com
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