2024 CONFERENCE RECAP
Opening worship on Wednesday morning included a delightful sermon by Dr. Emery Cummins on gratitude. Cummins serves the Presbytery of San Diego as moderator and is a ruling elder at Point Loma Community Presbyterian Church. He recommended three ways to transform an abstract idea of thankfulness into workable steps for understanding and practice.
First, he suggested acknowledging that for which we are grateful. We can find examples from popular culture, ranging from Auld Lang Syne to White Christmas, reminding us to focus on what we have rather than what we don’t have.
Next, we can express our gratitude to God, family members, friends, and beyond. “Silent gratitude,” he said, “is not much use to anyone.
The last step is to make gratitude your default attitude. This helps us respond more positively when life is challenging.
Changing one’s mindset can occur at any stage of life, including as an older adult.
“As we age it is easy to get caught up in the losses we have experienced across the years. But if these become the object of our attention, we overlook the host of things for which we have to be grateful,” he reminded the audience.
