Pender’s Mini Outdoor Food Pantry is finding a new way to help our neighbors!
We’re introducing Meal in a Bag—easy-to-prepare meals made from shelf-stable ingredients, gathered together in a bag with a simple recipe.
Each bag will contain the ingredients needed to prepare a meal at home, making it easier for individuals and families to turn pantry staples into something nourishing to share around the table.
We invite the Pender community to help by donating ingredients for these meal bags or assembling bags for our outdoor pantry. We’ll focus on simple recipes that use affordable, easy-to-store ingredients and require few additional items.
It’s a small way to make a big difference. Every bag is a reminder that our neighbors are not forgotten and that a caring community can make a difference, one meal at a time!
Best Practices for The Pender Mini Pantry
Avoid Glass Jars: Always stick to cans, plastic pouches, or boxed items. Glass can easily crack or shatter if the outdoor temperature drops to freezing, or if bags are dropped into the box.
Watch the Pests: Use heavy-duty, zipper-locked plastic bags (like 2-gallon Ziplocs) to assemble the kits. This keeps damp air out and prevents pests from smelling the cardboard boxes inside.
Print clear, simple directions: Keep instructions to 3 or 4 simple steps. Mention if a can opener or a heat source is required right at the top of the card so someone can easily see if it fits their current situation.
Prioritize Pop-Top Cans: Whenever possible, choose cans with pull-tabs so people who lack a can opener can still access the food.
Check for Water/Basic Needs: Design meals that only require water or a single common pantry staple (like oil or water) rather than fresh milk or butter if you aren’t sure what the recipient has on hand.
Here are the first three suggestions:
The “No-Cook” Quick Meal (Great for any weather)
What goes in the bag: 2 cans of chunk chicken breast or tuna (pop-top), 1 sleeve of ritz or saltine crackers, 2 fruit cups or applesauce pouches, and a few single-serve mayonnaise/relish packets.
Why it works: If someone does not have access to a stove, a microwave, or clean water at that exact moment, they can still open this bag and eat a complete, high-protein meal immediately.
Tailored Chicken Rice Skillet
What goes in the bag: 1 can of premium chunk chicken breast (pop-top), 1 box or pouch of flavored instant rice (like chicken or garlic herb), 1 small can of peas and carrots, and 1 can of chicken broth.
Why it works: Instead of requiring fresh butter or milk, the recipe card can instruct them to use the canned chicken broth as the cooking liquid for the rice. It adds great flavor and uses only what is inside the bag.
Hearty Three-Bean Vegetarian Chili
What goes in the bag: 1 can of black beans, 1 can of kidney beans, 1 can of corn, 1 can of diced tomatoes, and 1 packet of mild chili seasoning mix.
Why it works: It is incredibly filling, completely plant-based, and highly resilient to temperature shifts while sitting in an outdoor pantry structure.
And, for Thanksgiving:
The above casserole could be packed with a disposable baking pan.
Watch for more information about suggested recipes. Thank you for helping share God’s love in a practical way!
Each Thursday from now until December 24, there will be a new Faith-Based Christmas Craft you can make with your family.
Here’s the fourth:
Looking for simple Christmas crafts that keep the focus on Jesus? Some of the most meaningful moments of the season happen in small, ordinary activities at home.
Here are 10 easy, low-prep crafts your family can make together this Christmas, each one paired with a Bible verse to help keep the true meaning of the season front and center. They work for a range of ages, so siblings can craft side by side, and most use simple supplies you probably already have at home.
4. Joy to the World Cards
Verse:Luke 2:10
Make cards your kids can give to grandparents, neighbors, or friends, spreading a little extra joy this Christmas.
Supplies:
Blank folded cards or cardstock
Markers, crayons, or colored pencils
Stickers, foam shapes, or glitter glue
Optional: pre-printed Joy to the World or Merry Christmas phrases
Instructions:
1. Decorate the front of the card with Christmas images or messages.
2. Inside, encourage your child to write a kind note or draw a picture.
3. Add stickers or glitter for fun.
4. Deliver the finished cards to family, neighbors, or friends.
As part of Pender United Methodist Church’s worship service on Sunday, November 8, 2026, Maya and Greg Berry shared a special message about Pender’s commitment to Faith Promise Missions and the importance of supporting mission work around the world.
Maya serves as Chairperson of Pender’s Missions Committee and is passionate about helping our congregation stay connected to the missionaries and ministries we support.
Faith Promise is more than financial giving. It is an opportunity to share God’s love, encourage those serving in the mission field, build relationships across cultures, and make a difference in communities around the world.
We invite you to watch Maya and Greg’s presentation and learn more about how Pender continues to answer Christ’s call to serve.
For 40 years, Pender United Methodist Church has been making a difference through Faith Promise Missions. Through the generosity, prayers, and commitment of our congregation, we continue to support missionaries and ministries sharing the love of Jesus Christ around the world.
What Is Faith Promise Missions?
Faith Promise is a call and a covenant of giving above and beyond your regular contributions to Pender. These additional gifts are dedicated to supporting world missions, our missionaries, and their work in communities around the globe.
Last year, Pender set a Faith Promise goal of $93,000. Through your generosity, we were able to provide $71,000 in support of missions.
This year, our goal is $73,000.
Although our goal is lower this year, our commitment to supporting our missionaries remains strong. Some missionaries have retired or left the mission field, and our roster has been adjusted accordingly. We currently support 66 missionaries in 24 countries, along with one mission project.
Our support provides more than financial assistance. It creates a sense of community and connection for missionaries serving far from home. We receive regular ministry updates from those we support, and in return, they know that Pender is walking alongside them.
In fact, some missionaries have described receiving communications from Pender as feeling like getting a handshake—a reminder that they are remembered, supported, and connected to a church family back home.
Pender provides quarterly support to each missionary, with every missionary receiving the same amount.
Celebrating 40 Years of Faith Promise
In 2027, Pender hopes to celebrate 40 years of Faith Promise Missions with a special Faith Promise Missions Conference. More information about this exciting milestone will be shared in the coming months.
This anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate all that God has accomplished through the faithful giving and prayers of our congregation over four decades.
Meet Some of Our Missionaries
Our missionaries are serving in many different places and circumstances. Here are a few recent stories and prayer requests shared with Pender.
Paraguay: Pastor Robert and Joy Varga
Pastor Robert and Joy Varga have a wonderful story about how a simple act of kindness has grown into an opportunity to share God’s Word.
For a while, neighborhood children began stopping by their home asking for treats and a Bible story. Pastor Robert happily welcomed them, offering something sweet and reading them a story from the Bible.
Before long, the children wanted to come back for more!
Pastor Robert made a little agreement with them: if they wanted more stories and treats, they would also have some Bible reading homework to complete. The children eagerly accepted the challenge.
Now they come faithfully, calling out, “Pastor! Pastor!” They are ready to have their homework checked, hear another Bible story, and enjoy a treat.
The word has spread throughout the neighborhood, and more children have begun coming to visit. The story even has a funny twist: the Vargas family has a parrot that has learned to call out “Pastor! Pastor!” after hearing the children so often!
Please pray for Robert and Joy as they continue building relationships with these children and sharing God’s love with their neighborhood.
France: Pastor Magid Drozza
Pastor Magid Drozza and his ministry team serve among the Muslim community in France. Sharing the Christian faith in France can be challenging, particularly when reaching out to Muslim neighbors, and the current climate has made this work even more difficult.
Recently, however, an unexpected opportunity opened up. A local Christian radio station contacted Pastor Magid and invited him to participate in a Christian broadcast.
He has begun using this opportunity to reach listeners in his area, particularly those in the Muslim community.
Please pray for Pastor Magid and this new radio ministry. May these broadcasts open doors, build understanding, and allow God’s message of hope to reach those who might not otherwise hear it.
Colombia: Bob and Carmen Morrison
Bob and Carmen Morrison work with pastors in Colombia, particularly those serving in rural communities.
Many of these pastors face the challenge of balancing their responsibilities to their congregations with the demands of family and home life. Bob and Carmen seek to encourage, strengthen, and support these pastors as they continue their ministry.
Please pray for Bob and Carmen, as well as the rural pastors they serve. Pray for encouragement, strength, wisdom, and the support they need in both ministry and family life.
Spain: Donald and Carol Page
Donald and Carol Page have an exciting opportunity to celebrate!
For the first time, Christian educators from across Europe are coming together for a European Christian Educators Conference. This gathering will bring leaders and educators together to share ideas, build relationships, and work toward a more united approach to Christian education throughout Europe.
Please pray for Donald and Carol and everyone involved in this important conference. May it strengthen Christian education, encourage those serving in ministry, and inspire new opportunities to share faith with future generations.
How You Can Help
Faith Promise Missions depends on the prayers and generosity of our Pender family. Every gift helps maintain connections with missionaries and supports the work they are doing around the world.
As we look toward this year’s goal of $73,000, we invite you to prayerfully consider making a Faith Promise commitment above and beyond your regular giving.
Please also remember these missionaries in your prayers:
Robert and Joy Varga — Paraguay
Magid Drozza — France
Bob and Carmen Morrison — Colombia
Donald and Carol Page — Spain
Become Part of the Mission
Pender’s Faith Promise Missions Committee currently has nine members and welcomes new people who would like to become involved.
Committee members include Karen Cross, Martin and Virginia Patch, Becky Bryan, Linda Kanya, Stan Kurzia, Arlet Williams Ugwu, and Greg Berry, along with other committee leadership.
If you are interested in learning more, joining the committee, or helping further the mission of Jesus Christ, we would love to hear from you.
For 40 years, Pender has been answering the call to share God’s love around the world. Together, through prayer, generosity, and connection, we can continue that mission for generations to come.
Thank you, Pender, for making world missions a part of who we are!
Most people searching for a gratitude guide aren’t looking for a checklist. They’re looking for relief from stress, from comparison, from the quiet feeling that something is missing. Here’s what research and Scripture agree on: gratitude works, and it works faster than most people expect. Dr. Robert Emmons at UC Davis found that people who kept weekly gratitude journals reported 25% higher happiness than those who didn’t. Not after years of practice, but within weeks. The Bible made the same case centuries earlier: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). This guide gives you a practical, daily way to build that habit: one verse, one reflection, and one action step at a time.
What Does Gratitude Actually Do for Your Mental Health?
Gratitude is more than a mood. It’s a practice that measurably changes how the brain processes daily experience. Dr. Robert Emmons at UC Davis has spent decades studying gratitude’s effects, and his research consistently shows that people who practice gratitude regularly report 25% higher happiness compared to those who don’t.
What makes this significant is that these benefits don’t require a major life change. They come from small, repeated acts of noticing and naming what is good. Scripture frames this the same way. Not as a one-time attitude adjustment, but as an ongoing posture: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18). The practice shapes the person over time.
How to Practice Gratitude When Life Feels Heavy
The hardest part of gratitude isn’t knowing it’s good for you. It’s doing it when things are hard. When a relationship is strained, when a job disappears, when grief moves in and doesn’t leave, being told to “just be grateful” can feel hollow.
The difference between toxic positivity and genuine gratitude is honesty. Gratitude doesn’t require pretending things are fine. It requires looking for what is still true and good even when circumstances aren’t. The Psalms model this consistently: writers who were afraid, grieving, and exhausted still chose to return to what they knew about God’s character: “I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.” (Psalm 9:1). That wasn’t written from a place of comfort. It was written as a choice.
A simple practice for hard seasons: before naming what is wrong, name one thing that is still true. One person who showed up. One moment of unexpected grace. One breath that came without asking for it. That’s where gratitude starts, not at happiness but at honesty.
What Does the Bible Say About Gratitude?
Gratitude runs throughout Scripture from beginning to end. The Psalms are the Bible’s longest book, and a significant portion of them are expressions of thanksgiving offered in real circumstances, not ideal ones. “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” (Psalm 107:1) is a refrain repeated in moments of rescue, not in moments of ease.
The New Testament carries the same thread. Paul writes from prison: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6). The instruction isn’t to be thankful because life is going well. It’s to bring thanksgiving into the hard thing, as part of the act of bringing it to God.
Gratitude in Scripture is also communal. It’s expressed in worship, in community, in telling others what God has done: “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” (Psalm 100:4). It’s not just a private discipline. It’s something that grows when it’s shared.
Does Gratitude Journaling Actually Work, or Is It Just Positive Thinking?
Gratitude journaling is one of the most studied interventions in positive psychology, and the results consistently distinguish it from general positive thinking. The difference is specificity. Positive thinking tends to be broad and aspirational: “things will get better.” Gratitude journaling is concrete and backward-looking: “here is the specific thing that happened, and here is why I’m grateful for it.”
Dr. Emmons’ research at UC Davis found that the act of writing gratitude down, not just thinking it, produced significantly stronger outcomes than reflection alone. There’s something about putting words to gratitude that makes it real in a different way. It creates a record that can be returned to when life gets heavy, which is part of why this 30-day guide includes a written action step each day, not just a reflection question.
Gratitude journaling is also not about manufacturing emotion. On days when you don’t feel grateful, writing down even the smallest observable good, whether that is sunlight through a window, a meal on the table, or a text from a friend, is the practice. The feeling often follows the act, not the other way around.
How Do You Build a Gratitude Habit That Actually Sticks?
Most gratitude habits fail not because people don’t want to be more grateful, but because the practice has no anchor. No time, no trigger, no routine to attach to. Research on habit formation consistently shows that new behaviors stick when they’re tied to an existing routine rather than added as a separate obligation.
Here are three simple anchors that work:
Morning anchor — Before checking your phone, name three things you’re grateful for. It takes less than two minutes and reorients attention before the day’s demands set in.
Mealtime anchor — Use a meal, breakfast, dinner, or any consistent one, as a prompt to name one moment of grace from the day. This works especially well with families and children.
Evening anchor — Before sleep, write one sentence in a journal or the notes app on your phone. One sentence is enough. “I’m grateful for _____ because _____.” Specificity is more powerful than length.
Colossians 2:6–7 frames habit beautifully: “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Overflowing isn’t the starting point. It’s what happens after roots go deep. The 30-day practice below is how the roots form.
Can Gratitude Help With Anxiety or Stress?
Yes, and the mechanism is more direct than most people realize. Anxiety tends to pull attention toward what is uncertain, unresolved, or threatening. Gratitude pulls attention toward what is present, concrete, and good. These two orientations compete for the same mental space, which is why even a brief gratitude practice can interrupt an anxious thought pattern in the moment.
Philippians 4:6–7 makes this connection directly: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” The prescription isn’t “stop being anxious.” It’s “bring the anxiety to God with thanksgiving”, and the peace follows that act. The gratitude doesn’t deny the hard thing; it carries it into God’s presence.
Your 30-Day Gratitude Challenge
The daily practice below gives you one Bible verse, one reflection question, and one action step for each of the next 30 days. You can work through it on your own, at the dinner table with your family, or alongside a friend. There’s no right pace, the goal is consistent practice, not perfection.
Day 12 – 📖“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.” – Psalm 28:7
Reflect – Who strengthens you when you feel weak?Action – Thank God for them—and thank them personally.
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives. ~
