October 7 World Communion Sunday
Thanksgiving Sunday and Last of Creation Time
Joel 2:2127
Do not fear, O soil, for God will provide.
Psalm 126 (VU p. 850)
Those who sow in tears reap in joy.
1 Timothy 2:17
Offer prayers for everyone.
Matthew 6:2533
Do not worry about what you will eat or drink.
Spark
On Thanksgiving Sunday, we have a tendency to decorate our worship space and communion table with symbols of a bountiful harvest. However, as we witness climate change, farmers are seeing flooded fields, later planting, and poorer yields. As we celebrate Thanksgiving, we need to have an awareness of how the year has been for those who produce our food and look for different ways to be grateful in times and circumstances where there have been food-producing difficulties.
Theme Engagement Question
What is your faith harvest at this time of year? As an individual? As a congregation?
With Children
Begin by acknowledging Thanksgiving and getting folks thinking about all for which they are thankful. To explore gratitude with the whole gathered community and not just the children, pass out sticky notes and pens to everyone. Ask congregants to write one thing for which they are thankful on each note. Help the younger members think of something and write it down for them. Then invite everyone forward to stick their notes to a Wall of Thanks (a designated wall or prominent area near the front). To close, read aloud some of the notes or integrate them into a prayer now or later in the service.
Sermon Starter
Although it is Thanksgiving, the gospel reading addresses worry head on. This can easily connect to congregation members because anxiety disorders are the most prevalent type of mental illness in Canada. What types of worries would your congregation members be holding this week? For example, think of those who are stressed members of the sandwich generation, trying to meet the needs of family members of both younger and older generations. Or is the congregation worried about its future? Both the gospel and the Hebrew scripture readings proclaim the good news that God does provide. In the midst of worry, how do you see God providing? How can worry move to gratitude?
Hymns
Hebrew Scripture
VU 288 Great is thy faithfulness
VU 516 Come, you thankful people, come
MV 42 Praise God for this holy ground
Psalm
VU 232 Joyful, joyful
VU p. 884 You shall go out with joy
MV 40 Never ending joy
Epistle
VU 236 Now thank we all our God
MV 185 Evry day is a day of thanksgiving
MV 188 I thank you, thank you, Jesus
Gospel
VU 696 Homeless people, will you listen
General
VU 468 Let us talents and tongues employ
MV 182 Grateful
MV 187 We give our thanks
MV 202 Bread for the journey