The Rev. Herbert Reynolds challenged the congregation at the annual Community Thanksgiving service in Brundidge Tuesday night to develop an “attitude of gratitude” during this season of Thanksgiving.

Reynolds also challenged the congregation to continue that attitude of gratitude into the winter season and into every season of their lives.

Reynolds, pastor of Greater New Zion Baptist Church, was the featured speaker at the Community Thanksgiving Service that was held at County Line Baptist Church with the ministers of the Brundidge Ministerial Association and choirs from New Hope Independent Holiness Church of God, County Line Baptist Church and Pike County High School participating.

Reynolds said the congregation was able to come together in worship because “we are blessed people.”

“Every day is not an easy sail for us,” he said. “But we must be like the Pilgrims who went through storms and trying times. God looked out for them and He looks out for us. He brings us to the harbors where He designed us to go. God has brought us where we are today and we should say ‘thank you.’”

Reynolds reminded the congregation that life has mountaintops and valleys and, in those valleys, it’s easy to cry out to God but on the mountaintops, it’s easy to forget to have an “attitude of gratitude.”

“When trying times come, thats when we cry out to God the most,” he said. “Sometimes God will bring us to our knees because that is the place where he can work with us better. But we must know that God looks on our hearts. He sees and knows our hearts. He will bring us through the valleys to the mountaintops.”

Even though the valleys might be so deep as to bring despair, Reynolds said one must give God thanks.

“Give God thanks and you will rise out of despair to victory. The Pilgrims could have despaired but they had an attitude of gratitude. We must develop attitudes of gratitude, each and every day. We must say ‘Thank you, God!’”

For 10 years or more, the churches of Brundidge have been coming together at Thanksgiving for a time of thanksgiving, worship and praise.

The Community Thanksgiving Service rotates among the churches with a different pastor invited to deliver the message each year.

The Rev. Bobby Hood, pastor of Salem Baptist Church, said that it is a wonderful thing when people of God dwell together.

“Where every brother and sister is a treasure,” he said. “Let us do together what God would have us to do.”