Posted: Nov 16, 2020

Faithful Thanksgivings

Did you know that Thanksgiving isn’t just a holiday for schools, banks, and offices, but it is a liturgical holiday in The Episcopal Church too? There are prayers, readings, and more appointed in the prayer book to celebrate Thanksgiving in the church and in our homes. Even more, there are a variety of resources written by clergy, church staffers, and more across our denomination to help up us use the season of Thanksgiving as on opportunity to remember that all good, right, and joyful things come from the Lord our God.

This year, consider joining us in the sharing of some of these prayers and rituals from our own Mo. Kim Reinholz. Each one provides the opportunity for us to center ourselves on what matters most in life and what it is for which we are thankful.

Prayers for Setting the Table

Plates – Dear God, we give you thanks for all those who serve. They demonstrate the love that you have for us and the love that we have for one another. Let us remember that service is an act of love. Amen.

Utensils – Dear God, we give you thanks for those who labor. They demonstrate to us that the work you have set before us is ongoing even in these times of rest and reflection. Let us remember that labor is an act of love. Amen.

Salt and Pepper – Dear God, we give you thanks for those who sustain our lives. They demonstrate the preservation that you have given us in the life of Christ. Let us remember that our sustenance is an act of love. Amen.

Candles – Dear God, we give you thanks for those who add light to the world. They demonstrate for us the hope of your eternal salvation. Let us remember that hope is eternally dawning and every day begins with an act of love. Amen.

Grace at the Meal

Give us grateful hearts, our Father, for all your mercies, and make us mindful of the needs of others; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

After the Meal (Or while you are waiting for the food to be prepared)

Call, Zoom, email, or write a note to any of the people you know who are servants, who are laborers, people who sustain faith, or those that add light in the world. Tell them that they reflect God’s nature to you and that you are thankful for their life being connected to yours.