Prayer of Dedication: Thanksgiving

Here’s a prayer of thanksgiving and dedication for the offering. It was written by Rev. Michael Mair, Minister of St. David’s Broomhouse, Edinburgh and posted on the Church of Scotland’s Weekly Worship website.

Prayer for the Offering

Giving God,

We give You thanks and praise

for all of Your gifts to us.

We know that you are the source of every good thing,

light and love come from You.

You have created us,

and you continue to breathe life into us

through the power of Your Holy Spirit.

You have given us so much,

and it is because we recognize the gifts You have given to us

that we now give to the work of Your kingdom.

We now dedicate this offering

to the work of Your kingdom here on earth.

May this collection be used wisely and diligently,

that Your love may be known widely.

As we dedicate this offering,

we offer ourselves too,

for these gifts of money are but tokens of ourselves.

Take and use us,

that our hands may reach out in service,

our feet may walk the difficult path of reconciliation,

and that our words may be words of peace.

For this we pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. 

~ written by Rev. Michael Mair, Minister of St. David’s Broomhouse, Edinburgh and posted on the Church of Scotland’s Weekly Worship website. http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/

A Litany of Thanksgiving

Here is a responsive litany of thanksgiving, written by Greg Goebel and posted on Anglican Pastor.

Litany of Thanksgiving

Let us give thanks to God our Father

for all his gifts so freely bestowed upon us.

For the beauty and wonder of your creation,

in earth and sky and sea.
We thank you, Lord.

For all that is gracious in the lives of men and women,

revealing the image of Christ,
We thank you, Lord.

For our daily food and drink,

our homes and families, and our friends,
We thank you, Lord.

For minds to think, and hearts to love,

and hands to serve,
We thank you, Lord.

For health and strength to work,

and leisure to rest and play,
We thank you, Lord.

For the brave and courageous,

who are patient in suffering and faithful in adversity,
We thank you, Lord.

For all valiant seekers after truth, liberty, and justice,
We thank you, Lord.

For the communion of saints,

in all times and places,
We thank you, Lord.

Above all, we give you thanks

for the great mercies and promises

given to us in Christ Jesus our Lord;

To him be praise and glory, with you, O Father,

and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen. 

~ written by Greg Goebel and posted at AnglicanPastor.com. http://anglicanpastor.com/thanksgiving-day-prayers/

Prayer: Words Matter

Here’s a prayer of intercession inspired by what scripture says about how we use words (especially James 3:1-12). It was written by Stephen Fearing, and posted on LiturgyLink.

Prayer for Others

Gracious God,

today’s scripture reminds us that words matter

and that the way we choose our words

holds within it the capacity to either harm or heal, to wound or welcome.

In this time when words are tossed around so casually,

may our words be used to build up the Body of Christ

and share love and compassion in a broken and battered world.

Holy and Merciful God, hear our prayer.

Healing God,

we pray for those who have been hurt by words of late:

for refugees and immigrants with or without documentation,

for women and girls who have endured words of sexism,

for people of color who hear words of racism,

for people with disabilities who are told they are “less than,”

for elderly people who are told they are useless,

for young adults who are told they are entitled, selfish, and irresponsible.

God of the Living Word, help us speak the truth in love

and to care for one another with the words we choose to speak.

Holy and Merciful God, hear our prayer.

God of Healing and Wholeness,

we lift up to you our words of prayer

for the people near and dear to our hearts

as we lift them up silently before you…

Holy and Merciful God, hear our prayer.

Triune God,

we love you for you hear our voice and our supplications.

We lift these prayers to your ears

along with the prayer you taught us to pray, saying:

Our Father… 

~ excerpted from a long prayer written by Stephen M. Fearing, Beaumont Presbyterian Church, Lexington, KY. Posted on Liturgy Link.  https://www.liturgylink.net/  

Prayers of the People: James

Here’s a prayer of intercession based on the book of James.  It was written by Rick Morley, and posted on his A Garden Path blog. 

He writes: The following version of the prayers of the people is inspired by the Epistle of James, and might be used when a reading from the letter is preached on or highlighted in the service in some other way.

Prayer of Intercession

(inspired by the book of James)

Father of Lights, from whom comes every perfect gift,

hear our prayers which we offer fervently to you,

and in the name of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.

We pray for the church,

that we might show forth our faith in action,

regard all with impartiality,

and be quick to listen and slow to anger.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for our nation,

that whenever trials may befall us,

that God may grant us endurance and wisdom.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for the world,

that the lowly may be raised up,

and that mercy may fall on us all.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for the sick, the injured, the vulnerable,

and those undergoing all forms of adversity,

that they might all be raised up; especially ______.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for those celebrating this week, especially ____.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for those who have died (especially ____),

that they would draw near to God, and that God would draw near to them.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

Gracious God,

let our prayers be offered to you

with the gentleness that is born from your wisdom from above,

that is pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, and full of mercy. Amen.

 

~ written by Rick Morley, and posted on his A Garden Path blog. http://www.rickmorley.com/archives/1895

Prayer for the Offering

Here’s an invitation to the offering and a prayer of dedication. It comes from the Life in Liturgy website (link below).

Invitation to the Offering

Giving is not a casual act—

it relates God’s work to our work.

Peter writes:

“as each has received a gift,

employ it for one another,

as good stewards of God’s varied grace,

that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.”

Let us give as people

whose work is inextricably linked to God’s great works

of creation, redemption and empowerment.

Offertory Prayer

Almighty God,

giver of every good and perfect gift,

teach us to give to you all that we have and all that we are,

that we may praise you not with our words only,

but with our whole lives.

~ posted on Life in Liturgy. https://lifeinliturgy.wordpress.com/

Centering Prayer

Lord God, the source of all good things,

we pause in your presence and hold our day before you. 

Still us, calm us, guide us as we enter this day.

~ posted on Third Space. http://third-space.org.uk/

Prayer of Confession: Psalm 15

Here’s a congregational act of confession inspired by the suggested scripture readings for the fourth Sunday after Epiphany. It was written by Stephen Fearing and posted on Wild and Precious Life.

Prayer of Confession

(inspired by Psalm 15)

Holy God,
we do not deserve to be in your dwelling place.
We have not led a blameless life.
We have not done what is right in your sight 
or spoken the truth that you have sealed in our hearts.
We have done evil to both those we love 
    and to those we refuse to love as we should.
We have not been faithful stewards of that which we have been blessed
    and have hoarded that which should be shared

    with the least of these.
Hear our cry, God of our hope,

as we confess that which weighs us down…

Redeeming God,
save us from our foolishness and guide us to your wisdom.
Gather us in your righteousness and redemption.
Forgive us for we are seeking your light and your salvation.
Cleanse us of our brokenness that we might do justice,
    love kindness, and walk humbly with you.  Amen.

Assurance of Pardon

Because we are not worthy to enter God’s dwelling,

God came to dwell with us

through the body and being of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. 

Christ came to be with us, amongst us, and for us. 

Hear the good news of the Gospel: 

in Jesus Christ, we are forgiven!  Alleluia!  Amen!

~ written by Stephen Fearing, and posted on Wild and Precious Life. http://www.stephenmfearing.com/

Call to Worship: All Good Gifts

In deep gratitude we come to worship God.

We recognize God as the source of all goodness.

All good gifts come from the Spirit of God:

love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, gentleness are all of God.

We come with grateful hearts, not for things, but for who God is.

We gather to show our gratitude in song and prayer.

~ posted on The Presbyterian Church in Canada website. http://presbyterian.ca/

Opening Prayer of Praise

Here’s a prayer of thanksgiving and praise for the start of worship. It was posted on My Redeemer Lives website.

Prayer of Praise

O God from whom every gift derives,

we gather to worship You this day.

You are an awesome God,

greater than our comprehension or our imagination.

You are beyond any word we could ever use to describe You.

And yet, through Jesus, we know the intimacy of Your vast love.

We have come to You in thanksgiving and praise,

to know that You are God

and to place our lives anew into Your perspective.

Enlarge our vision this hour with Your Word.

Instill in us, again,

Your hope in place of our despair,

Your peace where our hatred threatens,

Your joy amidst our depression,

Your love overwhelming our apathy.

May Your Holy Spirit surround

and indwell this congregation now,

and forevermore.

In Jesus we pray. Amen.

~ posted on My Redeemer Lives website. http://www.myredeemerlives.com/prayers.html

Prayer for Others: In Gratitude to You, O Lord

Here’s a prayer of intercession and thanksgiving from the Christian Brothers of the Midwest.

Prayer of Intercession:

In Gratitude to You, O Lord

God of the living,

with all Your creatures great and small

we sing Your bounty and Your goodness,

for in the harvest of land and ocean,

in the cycles of the seasons,

and the wonders of each creature,

You reveal Your generosity.

Teach us the gratitude that dispels envy,

that we may honor each gift as You cherish Your creation,

and praise You in all times and places.

That this day may be holy, good and joyful:

we pray in gratitude to You, O Lord.

That we may offer to You our worship and praise along

with the work of our hands, minds and hearts:

we pray in gratitude to You, O Lord.

That we may strive for the well-being of all creation:

we pray in gratitude to You, O Lord.

That in the pleasures and pains of life,

we may know the love of Christ and be thankful:

we pray in gratitude to You, O Lord.

That we may be bound together by Your Holy Spirit,

in communion with all Your holy ones,

entrusting one another and all our life to Christ:

we pray in gratitude to You, O Lord.

That we may always and everywhere give thanks to You, O God,

for all of our blessings and giftedness:

we pray in gratitude to You, O Lord.

~ posted on the website of the Christian Brothers of the Midwest.

www.cbmidwest.org/

Prayer: We Are Most Grateful

Here is a prayer of thanksgiving from Bruce Prewer’s Australian Prayers.

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
God, our Father in Christ, it is good to be alive,
to share life with each other in your wonderful creation:
We are most grateful, and we thank you, Lord.

You have given us the opportunity to see the fruits of the harvest,
to watch trees in the wind, to inhale the fragrance of the seasons,
and to feel the warmth of the air:
We are most grateful, and we thank you, Lord.

God, it is good to rest in the evening, and to rise in the morning,
to walk upon this good earth, to hear your whisper in many places,
and to sing your praise with many friends:
We are most grateful, and we thank you, Lord.

Lord, like a generous friend you share the whole world with us,
and you fill our cup to overflowing with the wine of gladness:
We are most grateful, and we thank you, Lord.

We want to sing, dance, and pray,
in gratitude for every good thing in your creation!
Especially we want to embrace and express your Spirit;
the Spirit that filled our Lord Jesus to overflowing,
the Spirit of mercy, forgiveness, courage, and new life;
the Spirit of love, laughter and peace:
We are most grateful, and we thank you, Lord.

For your presence with us, around us, beneath us,
within us, behind us, and in front of us:
we, your children, are most grateful,
and we thank you, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

~ written by Bruce Prewer (Australian Prayers), alt. Posted on David Beswick’s Beswick.info website.

http://www.beswick.info/rclresources/HThg95L3COS.htm

Prayer: A General Thanksgiving

Here’s a prayer of thanksgiving from the Book of Common Prayer/Book of Divine Worship. 

Thanksgiving Prayer

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.

~ from the Book of Common Prayer/Book of Divine Worship.  Posted on ChurchYear.net  http://www.churchyear.net/thanks.html

Prayer of Thanksgiving: God of All Blessings

Here’s a prayer of thanksgiving adapted from a prayer by Vienna Cobb Anderson.

Thanksgiving Prayer

God of all blessings,
source of all life,
giver of all grace:

We thank you for the gift of life:
for the breath
that sustains life,
for the food of this earth
that nurtures life,
for the love of family and friends
without which there would be no life.

We thank you for the mystery of creation:
for the beauty
that the eye can see,
for the joy
that the ear may hear,
for the unknown
that we cannot behold filling the universe with wonder,
for the expanse of space
that draws us beyond the definitions of our selves.

We thank you for setting us in communities:
for families
who nurture our becoming,
for friends
who love us by choice,
for companions at work,
who share our burdens and daily tasks,
for strangers
who welcome us into their midst,
for people from other lands
who call us to grow in understanding,
for children
who lighten our moments with delight,
for the unborn,
who offer us hope for the future.

We thank you for this day:
for life
and one more day to love,
for opportunity
and one more day to work for justice and peace,
for neighbors
and one more person to love
and by whom be loved,
for your grace
and one more experience of your presence,
for your promise:
to be with us,
to be our God,
and to give salvation.

For these, and all blessings,
we give you thanks, eternal, loving God,
through Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

~ adapted from "Prayers of Our Hearts" © 1991 Vienna Cobb Anderson. Posted on BeliefNet.com

http://www.beliefnet.com/Prayers/Christian/Gratitude/Prayer-Of-Thanksgiving.aspx

Prayer for Others: Harvest Thanksgiving

Here’s a prayer of thanksgiving and intercession for a harvest celebration.  I can’t remember where I found it.  If you know who wrote it, please let me know so that I can credit them properly.

Prayer of the Church – Harvest Thanksgiving

Our heavenly Father cares for us and knows our need.

In our prayer, let us cast our cares on him in the name of Jesus.

Merciful Father,

you have protected the fruits of the earth

and crowned the year with your blessing.

We give you thanks for physical health,

for the use of our senses,

and for our intellect and thought.

Make us good stewards of our abilities

that we may bring glory to your name every day. 

Lord in your mercy: hear our prayer

We give you thanks Almighty God

for supplying us with water.

Help us to care for and manage our water resources wisely. 

Have mercy on those who are suffering drought,

and supply clean water to all who need it.

Lord in your mercy: hear our prayer

We give you thanks, gracious Father,

for all the good things the earth produces. 

By your provision we are clothed and fed and lack no good thing. 

Care for those who live in want

and teach us to be generous with the gifts you have first given us.

Lord in your mercy: hear our prayer

We give you thanks, Lord God,

for the opportunity to work, learn and rest.

Help us to serve you and others faithfully in our vocation;

and provide work for the unemployed.

Bless all places of learning and students.

Help them to learn what is good, true and beautiful,

to distinguish between right and wrong,

and to contribute to the needs of our society.

Give them strength and growth for the challenges ahead.

Lord in your mercy: hear our prayer

Heavenly Father,

we give you thanks for works of beauty of every kind. 

By such things you have enriched and added joy to our lives. 

Bless and encourage all that is good and uplifting

in our arts, music and culture.

Lord in your mercy: hear our prayer

Almighty God,

we thank you for the financial gifts you have blessed us with. 

Teach us to use these gifts in ways that are pleasing to you. 

Warn and correct us when we falsely put our hope in worldly wealth. 

Grant our church the necessary funds

to carry out its work of ministry and mission.   

Lord in your mercy: hear our prayer

Dear Father,

we thank you for the gift of parents and children,

family and friends. 

Let the light of your love shine in our homes. 

Help us to overcome strife and conflict

with your patience and forgiveness. 

Help parents in the task of raising children. 

Comfort the lonely, and bring them into good company.  

Lord in your mercy: hear our prayer

We thank you Lord God for the blessings of a free and peaceful society. 

Help those in government and positions of responsibility

to maintain honesty and truth, justice and peace. 

Encourage all our citizens to lead good lives and strive for the common good. 

Lord in your mercy: hear our prayer

Lord God, unless you care for us and give us what we need,

all our work is in vain.

Keep our hearts and minds set firmly on your word,

so that we may always trust in you,

and be generous with the gifts you have given us.

We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

~ Source unknown. If you know who wrote this prayer, let me know so that I can credit them.

Thanksgiving Prayer

Here’s a thanksgiving prayer written by O. Eugene Pickett.

Thanksgiving Prayer

For the expanding grandeur of Creation,

worlds known and unknown,

galaxies beyond galaxies,

filling us with awe and challenging our imaginations:
We give thanks this day.

For this fragile planet earth,

its times and tides, its sunsets and seasons:
We give thanks this day.

For the joy of human life,

its wonders and surprises, its hopes and achievements:
We give thanks this day.

For our human community,

our common past and future hope,

our oneness transcending all separation,

our capacity to work for peace and justice

in the midst of hostility and oppression:
We give thanks this day.

For high hopes and noble causes,

for faith without fanaticism,

for understanding of views not shared:
We give thanks this day.

For all who have labored and suffered for a fairer world,

who have lived so that others might live in dignity and freedom:
We give thanks this day

For human liberty and sacred rites;

for opportunities to change and grow, to affirm and choose:
We give thanks this day.

We pray that we may live not by our fears but by our hopes,

not by our words but by our deeds. 
We give thanks this day.

~ O. Eugene Pickett. Posted on Xavier University’s JesuitResource.org website. http://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/Thanksgiving-Prayers.cfm

Opening Prayer: Source of Every Blessing

Here’s an opening invocation inspired by the 18^th century hymn, Come, Thou Fount of Ev’ry Blessing.  The prayer was written by Bruce Prewer.

           

Prayer: Tune Our Lips

Come to us, God, source of every blessing,

and tune our lips to sing your praise.

Not because we have to but because we sincerely want to,

not because we are afraid, but because we are full of gratitude.

Come to us, God, source of every blessing,

and tune our lips to sing your praise.

Not so that we might gain some advantage over other people,

not so that we might try and buy our way into heavenly favours.

Not because you need our praise to keep your happy,

not because our songs are sweeter than any other sinners.

Come to us, God, source of every blessing,

and tune our lips to sing your praise.

Not in order that we may prove more righteous than our neighbours,

not in order to make our church appear more worthy than any other.

Not because our words will impress you by their wisdom,

not because we might be damned if we fail to get it right:

Come to us, God, source of every blessing,

and tune our lips to sing your praise.

Come to us, God, source of every blessing

and tune our whole lives to sing your praise!

Amen!

~ written by Bruce Prewer, and posted on Bruce Prewer’s Prayers for Sojourners page. http://www.bruceprewer.com/b_sojournes.htm