God of grace, giver of great gifts of insight and hope,
thank you for every epiphany that will happen today.
For every one following a sign from heaven,
for every one taking long journeys when they don’t know the way,
for every one falling on their knees before a baby,
for every one giving gifts from their heart,
for every one being bowled over by love,
God of great gifts,
for the world as we know it, we give you thanks!
The world in all its nearness,
our own special corners, our own dearest vistas,
the way it meets us each morning when we open our eyes.
For the food you provide, we give thanks,
the shape and feel of it in our hands,
the taste of it in our mouths,
a rich harvest produced by your rain, your sun, your soil.
We open ourselves to this bounty.
We give thanks for the way you people the world,
the particularity of each special person we know and love,
God of grace,
thank you for the little things.
For the gift of this one little day in the great span of time.
For the little beauties;
the sunlight on blankets in the morning,
the fragrance of coffee,
the smile of someone who cares for us,
the texture of the day unfolding as it should.
Thank you for the gift of normal days,
peaceful, pleasant, ordinary.
Open our eyes to the little blessings we so often take for granted.
Thank you for sending a Saviour
who knew the pleasures of everyday life,
Thank you for bare trees outlined in white,
and steely gray skies brooding over the blue lake.
Thank you for the sound of wind
rushing all the way from the far north.
Thank you for the crack of ice puddles
under our feet, and the cold smell of winter.
In this dark season, thank you for Christmas,
and the gift of a child of hope.
Thank you for news so good,
it still rings out as voices around the world
speak of good tidings of great joy
our mercies are new every day, God.
When I could hardly catch my breath,
fear clenching my stomach,
and every horizon dark,
you were there for me.
Whether I stood on the precipice
of grief and pain, or loneliness and despair:
you heard me calling.
My prayers not echoing in empty chambers,
not ricocheting into nothingness;
God of every blessing, for your protection
and all the good of this past year,
accept our heartfelt and humble thanks.
For every closed mind
that has creaked open just a crack;
For every call to arms
that was not heeded;
For every homemade bomb
that was not left in the shopping mall;
For every generous gift
that made the difference between life and death;
For every time past mistakes
have given us pause;
For every estranged family member
God of all creation, our chief end
is to glorify you,
and enjoy you forever.
Our deep delight is in your presence,
our fondest thoughts are of you,
our strongest longing is for your house.
In this hour of worship,
help us to become who we are meant to be–
a community that breathes thankfulness,
voicing your praise in all we do. Amen.
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory. [Isaiah 6:3 NRSV]
The Lord of hosts is with us.
Let us lift up our hearts!
We lift them up to the Lord!
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God!
It is a good and joyful thing to give God thanks and praise!
Let us pray:
Holy God, we come together as your people
searching for sacred space,
longing to be cherished,
craving a real connection.
1. In the name of Jesus Christ, I welcome you to worship!
2. It is a delight to be together in the house of God!
1. We lift our voices with joyful hearts!
2. It is right to give God thanks and praise!
1. May the grace of God, the love of Jesus,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit
be with us now in this hour and always.
Amen.
I am a Mennonite pastor currently teaching theology at Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo, Ontario. I’ve served congregations in Ontario and most recently, Alberta.
I love to write and to lead worship! If you are finding my writing helpful, I would love to hear from you! Feel free to use or adapt the material here, it is all written by me. If printing material, please credit “Copyright Carol Penner www.leadinginworship.com” (and say whether you modified it). If publishing, please contact me for permission. Contact me at carol@leadinginworship.com
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