Friend of The Falls Church Episcopal,
One of the things I love about the Book of Common Prayer is that it contains a prayer for just about any occasion. And at this time of year, I like to turn to the section simply entitled “Thanksgivings.” There are some beautiful prayers there to give thanks to God for everything from the diversity of races and cultures to the restoration of health, from the birth of a child to those who have served heroically…there are all kinds of prayers tucked back there.
And there is one prayer – simply called “A General Thanksgiving” that I commend to you this week:
Accept, O Lord, our thanks and praise for all that you have
done for us. We thank you for the splendor of the whole
creation, for the beauty of this world, for the wonder of life,
and for the mystery of love.
We thank you for the blessing of family and friends, and for
the loving care which surrounds us on every side.
We thank you for setting us at tasks which demand our best
efforts, and for leading us to accomplishments which satisfy
and delight us.
We thank you also for those disappointments and failures
that lead us to acknowledge our dependence on you alone.
Above all, we thank you for your Son Jesus Christ; for the
truth of his Word and the example of his life; for his steadfast
obedience, by which he overcame temptation; for his dying,
through which he overcame death; and for his rising to life
again, in which we are raised to the life of your kingdom.
Grant us the gift of your Spirit, that we may know him and
make him known; and through him, at all times and in all
places, may give thanks to you in all things. Amen.
For the beauty of the world. For the mystery of love. For tasks which demand our best. For all this and more, we thank you Lord.
Happy Thanksgiving and we'll see you on Sunday,
Kelly