Giving thanks
Children's sermon
Object:
a picture of a family at Thanksgiving dinner
Good morning! Who can tell me what today is? (Let them
answer.) That's right. Today is Thanksgiving Day. And what do we
do on Thanksgiving Day? Do we have a big dinner like the folks in
this picture? (Let them answer.) Are you going to have a special
dinner today? (Let them answer and ask them to describe their
dinners.)
That's great. I know you are looking forward to all that
good food. Before you eat that dinner, I know you will be saying
a prayer thanking God for all that you will be eating. Saint Paul
told the people in Greece that we should always be happy and
thank God for all that He gives us. Beside that great dinner,
what else should we thank God for? (Let them answer and draw them
out to expand on their many blessings.)
Yes, we all have a lot to thank God for today. There are
many people in the world, however, who do not have all these good
things to thank God for today. In some parts of the world, little
children like you will have nothing at all to eat today. I wish
we could invite these children to eat with us today, but they are
too far away and there are just too many of them. There is
something, however, that we can do today and I want to ask you if
you will do it. When you sit down to your dinner today, will you
ask your father or whoever says the table prayers to say a
special prayer for these children and ask God to provide food for
them? (Let them answer.) Good! We know God will hear your prayer
for these hungry children. Let's practice by saying a prayer for
them right now.
Dear Lord: There are many hungry children in this world today.
Please provide food and other blessings for them. Amen.
answer.) That's right. Today is Thanksgiving Day. And what do we
do on Thanksgiving Day? Do we have a big dinner like the folks in
this picture? (Let them answer.) Are you going to have a special
dinner today? (Let them answer and ask them to describe their
dinners.)
That's great. I know you are looking forward to all that
good food. Before you eat that dinner, I know you will be saying
a prayer thanking God for all that you will be eating. Saint Paul
told the people in Greece that we should always be happy and
thank God for all that He gives us. Beside that great dinner,
what else should we thank God for? (Let them answer and draw them
out to expand on their many blessings.)
Yes, we all have a lot to thank God for today. There are
many people in the world, however, who do not have all these good
things to thank God for today. In some parts of the world, little
children like you will have nothing at all to eat today. I wish
we could invite these children to eat with us today, but they are
too far away and there are just too many of them. There is
something, however, that we can do today and I want to ask you if
you will do it. When you sit down to your dinner today, will you
ask your father or whoever says the table prayers to say a
special prayer for these children and ask God to provide food for
them? (Let them answer.) Good! We know God will hear your prayer
for these hungry children. Let's practice by saying a prayer for
them right now.
Dear Lord: There are many hungry children in this world today.
Please provide food and other blessings for them. Amen.
