Thanksgiving Liturgy
Before the meal…
Litany of Praise
Leader: Give thanks to the Lord for He is good…
Children: His love endures forever!
Leader: Give thanks to the Lord of lords…
Children: His love endures forever!
Leader: To Him who alone does great works…
Children: His love endures forever!
Leader: To Him who gives food to every creature…
Children: His love endures forever!
Leader: To Him who has remembered our low estate…
Children: His love endures forever!
Leader: To Him who has delivered us from our enemies…
Children: His love endures forever!
Leader: Give thanks to the Lord for He is good…
Children: His love endures forever!
Puritan Thanksgiving Prayer
(Invite a patriarch/matriarch of the family to read the following prayer)
O My God, You are the fairest, greatest, and first of all objects. When we think upon You, ten thousand delightful thoughts spring up, ten thousand sources of pleasure are unsealed, ten thousand refreshing joys spread over our hearts.
We bless Thee for the soul You have created, for saving it, for adorning it, and for sanctifying it. We bless Thee for the body thou hast given us, for preserving our strength and vigor, for providing senses to enjoy delights, for our limbs, hands, eyes, ears that do thy bidding; We bless Thee for thy royal bounty, for a full table and overflowing cup, for appetite, taste, sweetness, for social joys of relatives and friends, for ability to serve others, for opportunities of spreading happiness around, for loved ones already in the joys of heaven, for our own expectation of seeing You unveiled.
We love Thee above the powers of language to express. Even still, increase our love, O God, from now and through eternity. Amen.
Holding Hands and Singing
Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! Amen.
During the meal…
Stories of Laughter
Volunteer Reads: When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has indeed done great things for us; we are glad. – Psalm 126:1-3
Share together funny/joyful memories from this past year
Stories of Blessing
Volunteer Reads: God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. – 2 Corinthians 9:8-11
Share together material/spiritual blessings from this past year
Stories of Longing
Volunteer Reads: May the Lord grant you your heart's desire and fulfill all your plans! May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God set up our banners! May the Lord fulfill all our petitions! Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. – Psalm 20:4-7
Share together hopes/petitions for this coming year
After the meal…
Prayers of Intercession for our Nation
Leader: O Lord, we pray in thanksgiving for our nation. You have blessed us indeed, and we praise You for the land of our inheritance. We thank you for those who have gone before us, and we honor their legacy this day. May we learn from both their failures and successes, and may we be found faithful in our chapter of American history. Forgive us where we have inevitably failed, bring about repentance and revival, and pour out your blessings upon our culture and nation. God of all mercy…
Others: Hear our prayers!
Leader: O Lord, we pray for those who suffer in our nation. We lift up the orphaned, the widowed, the lonely, the childless, the depressed, the impoverished, the sick, and the homeless. We ask that you would comfort and relieve them, and grant them the knowledge of your hope and love. Give your people the desire and strength to serve the afflicted, and bring healing to our land. God of all mercy…
Others: Hear our prayers!
Leader: O Lord, we pray for our leaders. We lift up President Trump, our congress, and our justices. We ask that you bless them with wisdom, courage, and strength. We pray that you would grant them love and submission to Christ, that they would see your ways as good, and that they would lead our nation according to the heart of your law – love for You, and love for neighbor. We pray for our military, particularly for the protection of those serving in dangerous combat, and we ask that you would use our chaplains to proclaim to them the hope of salvation. God of all mercy…
Others: Hear our prayers!
Leader: O Lord, we pray for the American Church. Bind us together in love, restore our doctrine, purify our hearts, sanctify our habits, and improve our worship. We pray that your Church would once again rise up as a source of justice, a light of truth, a fountain of grace, and the witness of your salvation. We humbly ask that the renewal we long to see in our country begin within our congregations, indeed within our own hearts. God of all mercy…
Others: Hear our prayers!