Sunday, November 18, 2012
Offered by Victoria G. Curtiss, Associate Pastor

For this beautiful earth, for the wide sky and blessed sun, for water and hills, trees and grass, and for all the wondrous creatures, gracious God . . .

. . . we give you thanks.

For our senses by which we hear inspiring music, see the splendor of sunsets, taste autumn fruits, smell the fragrance of flowers, feel the softness of another’s caress, gracious God . . .

. . . we give you thanks.

For the laughter of children, the hugs of friends, the smile of a loved one, gracious God . . .

. . . we give you thanks.

For teachers, mentors, and heroes who have aided us in our journeys, gracious God . . .

. . . we give you thanks.

For a place we call home, for food that sustains us, for clothes that keep us warm, gracious God . . .

. . . we give you thanks.

For advances in medical research, the resilience of body and spirit, and your healing power, gracious God . . .

. . . we give you thanks.

For your comfort in our sorrows and grief, for your mending in our brokenness, and for opportunities to start over in newness, gracious God . . .

. . . we give you thanks.

For making us dependent on you, and even more for your being dependable, supplying all that we require and more from your treasure stores of eternal mercy, gracious God . . .

. . . we give you thanks.

For productive lives, creative expression, and quiet moments, gracious God . . .

. . . we give you thanks.

For the city in which we live and to which we commit ourselves in service, gracious God . . .

. . . we give you thanks.

For our ancestors who dreamed of a nation conceived in liberty, for ancestors first on this land who met the first European ships, for ancestors who were brought in chains from Africa, for ancestors who escaped the poverty or religious or political oppression of other lands, and for the rich heritage they all left us, gracious God . . .

. . . we give you thanks.

For our common bond as believers in Jesus Christ, for the joy of worshiping together, and for giving us a vision of a world in which all live in harmony, gracious God . . .

. . . we give you thanks.

For creating us in your image, for redeeming us through Jesus Christ, and for sanctifying us with the Holy Spirit, gracious God . . .

. . . we give you thanks.

We pray all this in the name of Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray together saying, Our Father . . .

Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church