Thanksgiving

Below are some worship resources which you are welcome to use at no charge. Please just use a copyright acknowledgment "Copyright Lisa Frenz 2003. All Rights Reserved. Used with permission."

Order of Worship

As you are able:

Stand = Congregation Stands, Sit = Congregation Sits

Prelude & Lighting of the Candles

Call to Worship - Choir: Let us Put on the Clothes of Christ all verses and refrain

(Tune: Clothes of Christ from Global Songs 2 page 32, Augsburg Fortress Press)

Litany of Welcome (spoken over music):

P: We gather now in the name of Christ, the one who calls us to bring in the kingdom of God: a kingdom not of houses, not of land, but a kingdom of love and acceptance, a kingdom where we are God's hands in this world.

All Sing Refrain Let us Put on the Clothes of Christ

Tune: Clothes of Christ

Text Source: Text: Bret Hesla

Music Source: Music: Bret Hesla

Let us put ... as equals with ev'ryone.

Let us put ... reunite the fam'ly of God.

P: Welcome each other. Welcome the stranger. Welcome all who come. As Christ welcomed everyone, no matter what their background, no matter what their social status; as Christ welcomed enemies and friends, outcasts and leaders, foreigners and neighbors, let us open our hearts and homes and lives. Let us be Christ to everyone we meet.

All Sing Refrain Let us Put on the Clothes of Christ

P: Welcome to this place. Welcome to this worship. Let us praise the God of all who has brought us here. Let us learn of God's love and share that love where ever we go. Be welcome here, for this is God's house.

All Sing Refrain Let us Put on the Clothes of Christ

Stand

Greeting of Peace:

P: Let us greet one another with a word of peace. Peace be with you.

C: And also with you.

(All share a word of peace.)

.Praise Song: Now Thank We All Our God

Tune: Nun Danket Alle Gott - rhythmic

Text: Martin Rinkhart, 1586-1649; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1829-1878

Music: Johann Cruger, 1598-1662

Now thank we all our God

with hearts and hands and voices,

who wondrous things has done,

in whom God's world rejoices;

who, from our mothers' arms,

has blest us on our way

with countless gifts of love,

and still is ours today.

Oh, may this bounteous God

through all our life be near us,

with ever joyful hearts

and blessed peace to cheer us,

and keep us in God's grace,

and guide us when perplexed,

and free us from all harm

in this world and the next.

All praise and thanks to God

the Maker now be given,

the Son, and him who reigns

with them in highest heaven,

the one eternal God,

whom earth and heav'n adore;

for thus it was, is now,

and shall be evermore.

Litany of Thanksgiving:

P: We praise and thank our God

C: For all that we have been given!

P: We praise and thank our God

C: For earth and oceans, rain and sun, for food and homes.

P: We praise and thank our God

C: For the blessings of life and faith and hope.

P: We praise and thank our God

C: For the Creator who made us, the Christ who saved us, and the Counselor who guides us.

P: We praise and thank our God

C: For family and friends, for neighbors and coworkers.

P: We praise and thank our God

C: For God has blessed us beyond all expectations.

P: We praise and thank our God

C: For all blessings which compel us to reach out to those with less, to be of service to any in need, to keep company with the unwelcome, to seek peace and make friends of our enemies.

P: Let us pray,

C: Lord God, you have enriched us, saved us, loved us. Open our hearts and minds to your will that we may be free to share everything we have, to give away whatever holds us hostage in spirit, that we may always know that possessions are just that: things, lovely to have, but in the end only good for the good they can do in this world. Keep us always in that work, the work of Christ and Christ's kingdom, the kingdom of God. Amen.

Lesson Song: Come, You Thankful People, Come

Tune: St. George's Windsor

Text: Henry Alford, 1810-1871, alt.

Music: George J. Elvey, 1816-1893

Come, you thankful people, come;

raise the song of harvest home.

All is safely gathered in

ere the winter storms begin.

God, our maker, does provide

for our wants to be supplied.

Come to God's own temple, come,

raise the song of harvest home.

All the world is God's own field,

fruit unto God's praise to yield.

Wheat and tares together sown,

unto joy or sorrow grown.

First the blade, and then the ear,

then the full corn shall appear.

Lord of harvest, grant that we

wholesome grain and pure may be.

Sit Lesson: Joel 2:21-27

Psalm Song: Psalm 126

W. Michael Aguilar III

Shandy Music Industries, P.O. Box 10402, Portland, Oregon 97296

Lesson: 1 Timothy 2:1-7

.Stand

Gospel Song: I Will Call Upon the Lord

Tune: O'Shields

Text & Music: Michael O'Shields, (c) 1981 Sound III and All Nations Music; assigned to MCA Music Publishing and The Lorenz Corporation)

Gospel: Matthew 6:25-33

Sit

Music for Meditation

Message

Stand

Theme Song: Living Thanksgiving

Tune: Thanksgiving Song - Dancing At The Harvest 99, Augsburg Fortress Press

Text & Music: Ray Makeever, (c) 1982 Ray Makeever, admin. Augsburg Fortress

Offering

Offering Song - Choir : Everything That We Have

Text & Music: Bret Hesla

(Tune: Everything That We Have - Global Songs 2 page 34, Augsburg Fortress Press)

Offering Prayer:

L: Let us pray,

C: God of all, thank you for the life you give me, the goods which you supplied to me, the power to make a difference in this world. Be with me in my daily tasks, my daily joys, my daily sorrows, so that every day, every minute belongs to you. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Thanksgiving Song: Oh, Sing to the Lord

Tune: Cantad Al Senor - With One Voice 795, Augsburg Fortress Press

Text: Brazilian folk song; English and Spanish tr. Gerhard Cartford, b. 1923, Tr. (c) Gerhard Cartford, admin. Augsburg Fortress

Music: Brazilian folk tune

Prayers of the People:

L: Creator God, we give you thanks for this day, this chance to worship with our neighbors and praise your name. For you are the One, the Only, the great I Am, the God of all creation. We bring to you our triumphs and sorrows, our joys and cares. Our daily lives, all that we are is yours. Hear the voices of your people: God in your mercy,

C: Hear our prayer.

L: God of love, you have brought us into community with people of every time and place. We give you thanks and praise for this gift. Open the hearts of all your people that we may see our differences as a joyful expression of your never-ending creation. Instill in us a spirit of acceptance and understanding. God in your mercy,

C: Hear our prayer.

L: Saving God, you have blessed us with life-giving grace through Christ Jesus. We ask that you sustain those who seek to alleviate the pain and suffering of this world. Give strength, courage, wisdom and knowledge to all doctors and orderlies, nurses and clerks, psychiatrists, researchers, and all other medical care givers, volunteers and professionals. Send your life-giving Spirit so that their ministries may bring healing and promote health. God in your mercy,

C: Hear our prayer.

L: God of mercy, be also with those who work to heal the wounds of societies and nations. Guide, protect and strengthen our lawyers and police, chaplains and pastors, healthcare and social workers, politicians, military, diplomats and all others who work for economic and social reform. Send your life-giving Spirit that they may promote your love and grace, bringing healing to those in conflict and stability to those who are vulnerable. God in your mercy,

C: Hear our prayer.

L: Healing God, you are the source of all health and well-being. We especially bring before you the children of our communities and the world who have no one, who are victims of neglect by parents, whom we have failed to guide, protect and nurture. Open our eyes and ears to the needs of the children around us and bring them into your loving care and keep them safe and whole. God in your mercy.

C: Hear our prayer.

L: We remember now before you all those who have suffered, are suffering, or who are in need of your protection and care . . .

(You may speak aloud the First Name of anyone you wish to mention.)

God in your mercy,

C: Hear our prayer.

P: With joy and gladness let us pray the prayer Christ Jesus taught us.

C: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.

Blessing:

P: The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine on you, And be caring towards you; The Lord lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace. (Numbers 6:24-26)

C: Amen.

Sending Song: Let All Things Now Living

Tune: The Ash Grove

Text: Katherine K. Davis, 1892-1980, (c) 1939, 1966 E. C. Schirmer Music Company

Music: Welsh folk tune

P: Go in peace. Serve the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God!

Postlude