“Now Thank We All Our God” is not an American hymn.  However, we sing it every Thanksgiving. Only a man after God’s own heart could have written a hymn of such rejoicing.  He had nothing in this world over which he could rejoice and once he had a chance of obtaining it – he saw it ripped away by war and the plague. 

“Now Thank We all our God, with heart and song and voices,
Who wondrous things hath done, in whom His world rejoices.
Who from our mother’s arms, hath blessed us on our way,
With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.”

The words were written in 1636.   Since 1858, the hymn has been found in most hymnbooks.  German poet and pastor, Martin Rinkart, was the son of a cooper in Eilenberg, Saxony.  His father worked long hours for poor wages.  The family barely survived the Thirty Years War.  The war caused fugitives to flock to the walled cities for protection.  Rinkart stayed his entire life in his village helping his flock face the troubles of war as the armies pillaged the farms and shops, ate the food, and left ruin behind them.  Once the war had ceased, there was famine - for no one had sown crops.  If that wasn’t enough, the plague came upon the people as well.  All day, Rinkart visited the sick and dying.  He buried 5000 people, sometimes reading funeral services for 40-50 people at one time.  8000 people died in one year, one of which was his wife. 

“O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us,
With ever-joyful hearts and blessed peace to cheer us;
And keep us in His grace, and guide us when perplexed
And free us from all ills in this world and the next.”

Rinkart gave all he had.  He knew what it meant to depend upon God for everything, even his peace.  He had little time to write hymns but it is assumed that he sang to relieve the life he was called to lead.  When peace finally came to the land, Rinkart was around 30 years old and already dying.

While all of life was whirling around him, it is amazing that Rinkart wrote this hymn of Thanksgiving for his congregation.  He wanted to remind them of who God really was and is today.  We sing it today for our Thanksgiving as well.

“All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given,
The Son, and Him who reigns with them in highest heaven –
The One eternal God, whom earth and heav’n adore;
For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.”

Students in the Spotlight
Melodie Jack competed in the annual Dallas Piano Solo competition at Park Cities Presbyterian
Church and was chosen as a finalist in her division, ranking 6th out of approximately 24.  Congratulations!

November and December Dates:
November 16 and 17 – Shakespeare Festival 7:00 pm
November 17 – Festival of the Arts – 4th-6th grades 10:30am -12:00pm
November 20-24 – Thanksgiving Break
November 29-30 – Hot Dog Lunch
November 30 – Festival of the Arts 7th-12th grades 7:00 pm
December 4-5 Chick-fil-A Days
December 6-7 Picture Retake Days
December 7 Fall Music Festival 7th-12th grades 7:00pm
December 8 Festival of the Arts – Grammar School
December 11-12 Pre-ordered Hot Dog day
December 13-14 Last day of school (Logic School will release at 2:30)