Why We Should Be Thankful as Black Greek Members

Every Thanksgiving season gives us a chance to slow down and really pay attention. For many of us in Black Greek Letter Organizations, that pause hits a little different. We are not just thankful for food, family, and time off. We are also grateful for colors, calls, and a legacy that reaches across generations.

When you stop and think about it, being a member of a BGLO is more than crossing a line. It is receiving a living inheritance. Our founders dreamed of more for us at a time when the world tried to shrink our possibilities. Gratitude is one way we honor what they built.

We Are Connected to a Legacy Bigger Than Us

Every Black Greek organization was born in a climate of struggle and resistance. Our founders did not simply want a social group. They wanted a safe place for Black excellence to grow when so many doors were closed.

Whenever you put on your letters, you step into a story that started long before you did. That alone is a reason to say thank you. You are part of something that carries history, hope, and a vision for what Black leadership can look like.

We Are Surrounded by People Who Understand Our Journey

Life can be loud and lonely. One of the quiet blessings of being in a BGLO is this simple truth. You are not walking alone.

Line brothers and line sisters have seen your insecurities and your strengths. Chapter members held you accountable, cheered for your wins, and sometimes corrected you when you were drifting. Alumni showed you what it looks like to grow up and keep serving.

There is something powerful about walking into a room, hearing a familiar call, and knowing instantly, “These are my people.” That kind of understanding is rare. It is worth being thankful for.

We Grow Through Service and Purpose

From the beginning, Black Greek organizations have tied identity to service. We do not just wear letters. We show up for communities.

Think about the tutoring, voter registration, food distributions, mentoring, scholarships, and health programs that your organization has supported. Those projects are not random at all. They are part of a spiritual and cultural assignment to lift people who are often overlooked.

I think about this every year when I remember my mentor and college professor, Dr. Francine Childs, a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. While I was at Ohio University, she hosted an annual Thanksgiving celebration for students who could not afford to go home for the holidays. Her living room would fill up with students from all over the country and all over the world. There would be food, laughter, music, and that feeling you get when you realize you are seen and cared for.

One year, I finally asked her, “Dr. Childs, why do you do all of this?” She told me that when she was a student in Texas, she did not have the money to go home for the holidays. She spent Thanksgiving in her dorm room, alone, while she knew other students were surrounded by family and food. She made a quiet promise to herself that if she ever had the chance, she would make sure no student had to spend the holidays by themselves.

That moment stayed with me. It showed me the true nature of giving back. It is not just about big public events. It is about remembering your own pain and turning it into someone else’s comfort. That is the spirit I see at the heart of Black Greek life when we serve, mentor, and open our homes and hearts to others.

Being thankful is easier when you know your actions have ripple effects. Every hour spent serving reminds you that your presence matters. You are part of a movement that still pushes freedom, learning, dignity, and unity forward.

I also think back to my college years as a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. Our chapter took part in the Sleep Out for the Homeless, where we built makeshift cardboard houses and spent the night outside to raise awareness. We passed out hot chocolate, shared information about homelessness, and collected donations for GoodWorks, the local shelter in Athens, Ohio. It was cold, uncomfortable, and unforgettable.

This act of being uncomfortable on purpose to bring attention to someone else’s pain is one of the reasons many of us join fraternities and sororities in the first place. We want to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes. As the saying goes, “To understand someone’s journey, walk a mile in their shoes.”

That experience taught me that service is not just an event. It is choosing to feel a fraction of what others live with every day, then deciding to do something about it.

If you want practical tools to serve with intention as a Christian in Greek Life, you can explore the Christian Greek Life Study Guide at

(https://gamma.app/docs/Christian-Greek-Life-Study-Guide-ihr8fq0g089n32t).

We Carry Wisdom from Our Founders Into a New Generation

Our founders did not just give us shields and mottos. They handed us values that can shape how we lead, how we work, and how we love.

Things like scholarship, honor, integrity, faith, sisterhood, brotherhood, and uplift are not just words on a banner. They are a playbook for how to live. When we are thankful, we stop treating these words like decoration and start treating them like direction.

If you have ever wrestled with what it means to be Christian and Greek at the same time, you are not alone. Many believers have asked hard questions about BGLOs and faith. If you are in that space, you might find it helpful to read “Are BGLOs Sinful? A Biblical Response for Christians” at

(https://gamma.app/docs/Are-BGLOs-Sinful-A-Biblical-Response-for-Christians-qj85c0up8fdigh5).

Gratitude does not ignore those questions. It says, “I am thankful enough for my faith and my letters to seek clarity, not confusion.”

We Have Space to Heal and Celebrate at the Same Time

One quiet blessing of Greek Life is that it gives us room for both joy and healing. We celebrate founders days, neophyte presentations, reunions, and conferences. At the same time, we show up for each other during grief, transition, and loss.

Some of the most sacred moments happen when the music is off, the crowd is gone, and it is just you and a brother or sister who will not let you give up. That mix of celebration and care is something to thank God for.

Gratitude Keeps Us Grounded and Focused

It is easy to drift. Careers get busy. Family demands grow. Church, community, and personal goals compete for your time. In the middle of all that, gratitude pulls you back to center.

When you are thankful, you remember why you crossed. You remember late nights of study, hard conversations, and the standards that were set for you. You remember that your letters are not a costume you wear once in a while. They are a daily invitation to live with purpose.

Gratitude keeps your ego in check, your service sincere, and your leadership rooted in something deeper than likes and applause.

Where to Go If You Want More

If you are a Christian in Greek Life who wants to grow in clarity and peace, there are resources created just for you.

You can start with the Sacred Greeks hub at

(https://sacredgreeks.com),

where you will find tools, articles, and conversations about faith and Greek Life.

For a guided next step, you can explore the Christian Greek Life Study Guide here:

(https://gamma.app/docs/Christian-Greek-Life-Study-Guide-ihr8fq0g089n32t).

If you want daily tools, prompts, and reflections on your phone, you can also download the free Sacred Greeks Life App at

(https://sacredgreekslife.com).

It is designed to help you pray, reflect, and move with intention as you serve in your chapter, your church, and your community.

Final Reflection

As you move through this season, take a moment to breathe and reflect. Think about who you were before you crossed. Think about who you are now. Think about the people who poured into you, challenged you, and believed in you when you doubted yourself.

Being part of a Black Greek Letter Organization is a blessing and a responsibility. It shapes how you see yourself, how you show up in the world, and how you leave a mark on the people around you.

So here is the question to carry with you.

How will you express your gratitude in the way you live your letters, love your people, and honor God in this next season of your Greek journey?

About the Author

Dr. Lyman Montgomery is the founder of SacredGreeks.com and the author of Sacred, Not Sinful: A Biblical Response to the Black Greek Letter Organizations Debate. He focuses on Christian Black Greek Letter Organization Apologetics, helping fraternity and sorority members follow Jesus with clarity, integrity, and impact.

Byline: By Dr. Lyman Montgomery, Founder of SacredGreeks.com and Author of Sacred, Not Sinful