Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ~1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
I really, truly love this time of year and especially the Thanksgiving holiday! I delight in the crisp Fall weather, the opportunity to reflect on the year and what I’m truly thankful for, time spent with my family, and the delicious food we will enjoy on Thanksgiving Day! I know many of you enjoy this holiday as well—and if I had to venture a guess, I think one of the reasons we enjoy Thanksgiving so much is because it’s so unlike most of our other big holidays!
Yes, Thanksgiving can be fraught for folks in all kinds of ways, but at its heart there is a simple though powerful idea: we give thanks for who we are and what we have to someone beyond ourselves. That ‘someone’, of course, is our good and gracious God! Rendering our thanks to God is the radical and life-giving act at the heart of this holiday—and, indeed, at the heart of all true worship!
The practice of giving thanks, whether on the fourth Thursday of November or on Sundays when we celebrate the Holy Eucharist—eucharist literally means ‘thanksgiving’—or in the small and quiet moments of life whenever the opportunity arises, is the practical outworking of affirming our faith in God. Giving thanks makes what we believe in our minds come alive in our hearts. And once thanksgiving is alive in our hearts, it can and must be manifested in the work of our hands!
I give thanks for the work of the hands of all our SFM team members: front-line workers, support staff, and all our leaders. Moreover, I am thankful for those donors, supporters, stakeholders, and church and community partners who join us in this work. What we all do together for children, families, and IDD adults truly makes a difference. In this season and throughout the year, let us continue to pursue our mission of providing healing and hope because it is our great and unceasing action of joy, prayer, and thanksgiving.
SFM Thanksgiving Prayer 2024
Bountiful God of heaven and earth: by your gracious providence you give the harvests of land and sea for the good of all your creatures.
As we gather around the Thanksgiving table with food that nourishes our bodies and gladdens our souls, help us to receive every good thing from your hand with thanks and praise; and inspire us with the joy of your abundant love to renew our commitment to provide healing and hope to all whom you call us to serve.
We pray these things in the holy name of Jesus Christ, our true friend and Savior. Amen.
