Thanks-giving
Children's sermon
Object:
An offering plate (either empty or full -- adapt
according to whether your offering is before or after your
children's sermon)
HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Why do we have a Thanksgiving holiday?
(Let them answer.) We want to give thanks because we feel so
grateful for all that we have. What are some things you have for
which you are thankful? (Let them answer.) For food, clothing,
school, church, parents, friends -- there are so many things we
are thankful for, aren't there? I don't even think we could count
them all.
If we are thankful, who are we thankful to? (Let them answer.) We are thankful to God, aren't we? We know that all things come from God. That is the main reason we come to worship God today. It's our way of saying, "Thank you, God, for all that you give us."
Now in saying the word THANKSGIVING I actually say two words. Which two words are they? (Invite them to answer.) The word "thanksgiving" is actually the combination of the word "thanks" with the word "giving." That is why I brought this offering plate with me today. This offering plate is part of something very important. It is important that we learn to give THANKS and also that we learn to GIVE. We give THANKS with our words and prayers to God. Part of sincere THANKS is also GIVING our money. We give to God through the church offering. This money is used for (whatever your church uses today's offering for: paying the bills or feeding the hungry of your community.) God uses the church offering to do good in this world. The only way God can do that is if our THANKS is deep enough so that it reaches all the way down to our pockets and we also GIVE.
Soon this offering plate will be full of THANKS. Then we can truly call this day THANKSGIVING.
Dear God: THANK YOU! Amen.
If we are thankful, who are we thankful to? (Let them answer.) We are thankful to God, aren't we? We know that all things come from God. That is the main reason we come to worship God today. It's our way of saying, "Thank you, God, for all that you give us."
Now in saying the word THANKSGIVING I actually say two words. Which two words are they? (Invite them to answer.) The word "thanksgiving" is actually the combination of the word "thanks" with the word "giving." That is why I brought this offering plate with me today. This offering plate is part of something very important. It is important that we learn to give THANKS and also that we learn to GIVE. We give THANKS with our words and prayers to God. Part of sincere THANKS is also GIVING our money. We give to God through the church offering. This money is used for (whatever your church uses today's offering for: paying the bills or feeding the hungry of your community.) God uses the church offering to do good in this world. The only way God can do that is if our THANKS is deep enough so that it reaches all the way down to our pockets and we also GIVE.
Soon this offering plate will be full of THANKS. Then we can truly call this day THANKSGIVING.
Dear God: THANK YOU! Amen.
