Pastoral Prayer (Nov. 19/Thanksgiving Sunday) Athens First UMC

[Like the old saying goes, "whenever Methodists meet, they eat." Pictured above is a packed Fellowship Hall for our "Thanks for Giving" covered dish meal which followed our 10:30 worship service. The church provided the turkey, stuffing, gravy, and drinks and people brought covered dish food and desserts to share. It was a little taste of the future heavenly banquet! The meal was a way of thanking our congregation for their faithful giving to both our general budget ministries as well as to our Capital Campaign. It was also a special day as we received six new members and celebrated a baptism. Click here for the sermon.] 

Gracious, Giving, and Abundant God, we your thankful people have come to worship and praise you this morning. We are here in this place because you have summoned us to be here.  You have called each of us by name and have gathered us to be your family. Thank you for our church family and for the many blessings we have enjoyed over this past year.

Thank you for new members and baptisms. Thank you for Sunday School classes and small groups. Thank you for choirs and soloists. Thank you for worship leaders and greeters. Thank you for blanket makers and flower arrangers.

Thank you for telecare callers and radio sponsors. Thank you for anthems and Worship U gatherings. Thank you for building renovations and air conditioning. Thank you for dish washers and table setters. Thank you for prayer cards and prayer chains.

Thank you for the Korean congregation and for Kappa Phi. Thank you for Wonderful Wednesdays and Music Sunday. Thank you for OU concerts and scout meetings. Thank you for officering envelopes and online giving. Thank you for clothing donations and Monday lunches. Thank you for water bottle give aways and Trimble backpacks.

Thank you for acolytes and church workdays. Thank you for preschool children and preschool teachers. Thank you for choral risers and moveable pulpits. Thank you for ushers and Leadership Board members. Thank you for refurbished pews and our lighted cross at night. Thank you for Sunday youth group and United Methodist Women.

Thank you for staff members and first time worship guests. Thank you for sermons especially the good ones. Thank you for a parking garage and meetings less than 2 hours. Thank you for casseroles and hazelnut coffee.

But most of all, even beyond all of these many blessings, we are most thankful for the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ in whose name we now offer this grateful prayer together saying…

“Our Father, who art in heaven…”