Day Of Thanksgiving
Worship
Lectionary Worship Aids
Series VI, Cycle A
Object:
Words Of Assurance
Have confidence in the Lord, who can forgive your sins, restore your sense of values, and give you eternal life.
Pastoral Prayer
O Lord, our Heavenly Father, from whom comes every good and perfect gift, and under whose loving care we abide always, we bow before you as a fellowship of kindred minds to thank you now, our God, with hearts and hands and voices.
We praise you that you have surrounded us with your infinite goodness, that you have continually poured forth your benefits age after age, and that of your faithfulness there is no end.
For the beauty of the earth, and the bounty it produces for our physical needs, for the order and constancy of nature which brings day and night, summer and winter, seedtime and harvest -- for all your gifts of mercy, we are thankful.
For the power of love that binds us together as families and inspires us to establish our homes, to clothe our children, and to provide food for their growth, and for the resources of mind and strength that enable us to do this, we give you hearty thanks.
For our work that calls us, for our country founded on your precepts of liberty and justice, for our schools that lift us above the plane of ignorance, and for the countless organizations whose purposes are for the welfare and happiness of humankind -- these too have all come forth because of your love for us as your children -- we express our profound thanks.
Above all, O God, we praise you for your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives within our hearts; for your Holy Spirit, who renews, comforts and inspires our souls; for your Word that reveals truth to our minds; and for your Church whose prophets, saints, martyrs and ministers have helped us remain steadfast in our faith. For all these channels through which our spiritual needs are met, we raise our voices in humble thanks.
God of the nations, you have blessed our land with prosperity, and power, and liberty. May our prosperity be an occasion for generosity; our power, an occasion for responsibility; and our liberty an occasion for self-discipline in holy exercises and good works. Open our ears to the warning that all good gifts turn to ashes when they are hoarded. Let our blessings bless the world by the grace that is in us. As we pray for our country we pray that minority groups may be fairly treated and that there will be peaceful interaction among all peoples in this great land of ours.
And now may the memory of your goodness fill our hearts with joy and gratitude, and may our lives be an acceptable expression of our thankfulness now and in all the days to come; we pray in the name and in the spirit of Christ our Lord. Amen.
Benediction
May each of your days be a Thanksgiving Day -- empty of complaints, filled with gratitude, punctuated by acts of sharing, and characterized with a smile. Now may the blessing of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit go with you. Amen.
Have confidence in the Lord, who can forgive your sins, restore your sense of values, and give you eternal life.
Pastoral Prayer
O Lord, our Heavenly Father, from whom comes every good and perfect gift, and under whose loving care we abide always, we bow before you as a fellowship of kindred minds to thank you now, our God, with hearts and hands and voices.
We praise you that you have surrounded us with your infinite goodness, that you have continually poured forth your benefits age after age, and that of your faithfulness there is no end.
For the beauty of the earth, and the bounty it produces for our physical needs, for the order and constancy of nature which brings day and night, summer and winter, seedtime and harvest -- for all your gifts of mercy, we are thankful.
For the power of love that binds us together as families and inspires us to establish our homes, to clothe our children, and to provide food for their growth, and for the resources of mind and strength that enable us to do this, we give you hearty thanks.
For our work that calls us, for our country founded on your precepts of liberty and justice, for our schools that lift us above the plane of ignorance, and for the countless organizations whose purposes are for the welfare and happiness of humankind -- these too have all come forth because of your love for us as your children -- we express our profound thanks.
Above all, O God, we praise you for your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives within our hearts; for your Holy Spirit, who renews, comforts and inspires our souls; for your Word that reveals truth to our minds; and for your Church whose prophets, saints, martyrs and ministers have helped us remain steadfast in our faith. For all these channels through which our spiritual needs are met, we raise our voices in humble thanks.
God of the nations, you have blessed our land with prosperity, and power, and liberty. May our prosperity be an occasion for generosity; our power, an occasion for responsibility; and our liberty an occasion for self-discipline in holy exercises and good works. Open our ears to the warning that all good gifts turn to ashes when they are hoarded. Let our blessings bless the world by the grace that is in us. As we pray for our country we pray that minority groups may be fairly treated and that there will be peaceful interaction among all peoples in this great land of ours.
And now may the memory of your goodness fill our hearts with joy and gratitude, and may our lives be an acceptable expression of our thankfulness now and in all the days to come; we pray in the name and in the spirit of Christ our Lord. Amen.
Benediction
May each of your days be a Thanksgiving Day -- empty of complaints, filled with gratitude, punctuated by acts of sharing, and characterized with a smile. Now may the blessing of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit go with you. Amen.
