Prayers of Thanksgiving

You may have noticed a dearth of posts around here recently and for that, my three and a half week old son apologizes.

This week, those of us in or related to the United States will celebrate Thanksgiving.  It is a time hallmarked by family, food, travel, and shopping.  Some will celebrate with an edge, remembering the Native Americans from whom we took so much.  Some, who have little for which to be thankful, will be frustrated and saddened by the happiness of others.  And still others will be excited at all of the ways they can spend enormous amounts of money at ungodly hours and call it “saving.”  No matter who you are or which situation you find yourself in, know that we at St. George’s are praying for you and are thankful for the ways in which you may have impacted us, whether you are a parishioner or just someone who stops by this blog to check in every so often.

If you’re in the Havertown area, why not stop by the Haverford Township Clergy Association’s Interfaith Thanksgiving Service?  It’s being held this year, at 8pm on Wednesday, November 23 at the Armenian Martyrs’ Congregation, 100 N. Edmonds Avenue.

If not, let me leave you with a form of prayer for Thanksgiving (ironically taken from the Church of England’s Common Worship) that you may use privately, or in place of the sometime agonizing ritual of going round the Thanksgiving table declaring for what or for whom you are thankful.

Let us give thanks to God,
the God of all peoples of the earth.

For the colour and forms of your creation
and our place within it,
we bring our thanks, good Lord:
your mercy endures for ever.

For our daily food,
and for those whose work and skill
bring your good gifts to us,
we bring our thanks, good Lord:
your mercy endures for ever.

For the gifts and graces inspired in human minds and hearts;
for insight and imagination,
for the skills of research
which bring healing and fulfilment to the lives of many;
we bring our thanks, good Lord:
your mercy endures for ever.

For the light and shades of the changing seasons,
and their variety and dependability;
for new life and growth out of barrenness and decay;
we bring our thanks, good Lord:
your mercy endures for ever.

For new hope and strength in our communities,
especially in your Church and among all you call to serve you,
we bring our thanks, good Lord;
your mercy endures for ever.

For all in whose lives we see
goodness, kindness, gentleness, patience and humility,
and all the fruit of the Spirit,
we bring our thanks, good Lord:
your mercy endures for ever.

For the life we have been given,
and for all those whom you have given us to share it,
we bring our thanks, good Lord:
your mercy endures for ever.

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.
~ 2 Corinthians 9:10

Fr. Ryan+