Mount Vernon Mayor Matt Starr used this year’s Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast to challenge the community to think about gratitude in a deeper way.
Held Wednesday at Mount Vernon Nazarene University, the annual breakfast brought together community members for a message centered on remembering what God has given, noticing the people around us and turning gratitude into service.
Click HERE to hear the full address!
Starr opened by asking a simple question: what are we in danger of forgetting because something louder has captured our attention?
Throughout the message, he drew from Scripture and the stories of people including Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Viktor Frankl to show how gratitude can remain even during difficult circumstances. He also reflected on public service, noting that criticism is often louder than appreciation and that leaders have to be careful not to let the loudest voices define the whole community.
Starr said gratitude is not about ignoring problems. Instead, it is about remembering what is good while still working to improve what is broken.
He shared several local examples of what that can look like, including people who offer encouragement, pray for others, create second chances and quietly serve without recognition. Starr also pointed to WNZR’s Joe Rinehart as an example of someone who took time during an interview to ask a guest how he could pray for her.
Another theme was the idea that gratitude should lead to action. Starr said receiving grace, encouragement or another opportunity should eventually move people to extend those same things to someone else.
He also reflected personally on being given another chance with his health and how that experience changed the way he viewed gratitude and responsibility.
Near the end of the message, Starr returned to the idea of attention—encouraging those in attendance to notice the people they may be overlooking, remember those who have helped them and take the time to say thank you.
He closed by reminding the audience that Christian gratitude is ultimately rooted in God’s grace, and that a strong community is one that notices, remembers, serves and gives thanks.
Click HERE to learn more about the City of Mount Vernon!
Rise and Shine 
Leave a comment