Thanksgiving Prayers

A Child's Thanksgiving Prayer

(may be prayed by the entire congregation)

On Thanksgiving Day,
I thank God for my family and my sister.
I thank God for the rain and the sun.
I thank God for my Teddy Bear.
I thank God for my teachers and for my friends.
I thank you, God, for life and love.

On Thanksgiving Day,
I pray to God for all the poor people
who are hungry today because
they have no food, no home, no family
and no friends. They are all alone.
Only God remembers the poor.

On Thanksgiving Day,
I pray for the children who are hungry,
who have no parents, and no loving church.
I pray that God will spend Thanksgiving with them.
Please God visit me and love me;
I am not poor, but I love you too.

 

A Thanksgiving Prayer

For the haunting rhythm of our universe,
we thank you, Creator and Lord.
For the still-reaching reachers of our world,
we thank you, Creator and Lord.

For giving us a history and a destiny,
we thank you, Redeemer and Lord.
For becoming yourself, a man among men,
we thank you, Redeemer and Lord.

For drawing us into the mystery of life and love,
we thank you, Spirit and Lord.
For touching us with stars and blades of grass,
we thank you, Spirit and Lord.

Amen.

 

A Litany of Thanksgiving:

Leader: People: Leader: People:  Leader: People:  Leader: People:  Leader: People:  Leader:  People: Leader: People: Leader:  People:  Leader: People:

Let us give thanks to God for all the gifts so freely bestowed upon us; For the beauty and wonder of your creation, in earth and sky and sea, We thank you, O God. For all that is gracious in the lives of men and women,  revealing the image of Christ, We thank you, O God. For our daily food and drink, our homes and families, and our friends, We thank you, O God. For minds to think, and hearts to love, and hands to serve, We thank you, O God. For health and strength to work, and leisure to rest and  play, We thank you, O God. For the brave and courageous, who are patient in suffering and faithful in adversity, We thank you, O God. For all valiant seekers after truth, liberty, and justice, We thank you, O God. For the communion of saints, in all times and places, We thank you, O God. Above all, we give you thanks for the great mercies and promises given to us in Christ Jesus our Lord: To Christ be praise and glory, with you, O God, and the Holy Spirit now and forever.  Amen.

Hymns & Songs

Opening Hymns: What Gift Can We Bring; We Gather Together; Come Ye Thankful People;

Hymns: Now Thank We All Our God; For the Beauty of the Earth; His Eye is on the Sparrow; Praise And Thanksgiving (Lutheran hymnal- tune is "Morning Has Broken")