Order of Worship
Let us be as open vessels that God’s spirit may enter.
The Community Gathers: Experience God’s presence in the assembly. Please greet one another with joy and welcome new friends into our community of love.
You are welcome here…come and worship!
Focus: I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder. G.K. Chesterton
Gathering Music: Every Nurse (by Rob Duquette) -Rob Duquette
Welcome: An Invitation to name the gifts you have received over the past year…
Responsive Call to Worship:
L: In deep gratitude we come to worship God.
All: We recognize God as the source of all goodness.
L: All good gifts come from the Spirit of God:
love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, gentleness are all of God.
All: We come with grateful hearts, not for things, but for
who God is. We gather to show our gratitude in song and prayer.
Opening Hymn: An Autumn Morning Has Broken
Morning has broken, like the first morning.
Geese have awoken, distant but heard.
Praise for the winging, praise for the morning,
Praise for life springing fresh from the Word.
Sweet is the autumn, golden before us
As the bright leaves shine, and fall from the trees.
Praise for the beauty of pumpkin and harvest,
Praise for God’s whispers on the cool breeze.
Mine is the sunlight, mine is the moonrise.
Dawn sky and sunset – palette of play
Praise with our rising, praise with our resting;
God’s hope and blessing for every day.
Lyrics by Rev. Maren Tirabassi (with permission)
Invocation:
We gather this day to praise God for the abundance of gifts we have been given as we look ahead to joining with others around a table of plenty. As these gifts are a blessing to us, help us to be a blessing to others. Open our hearts to your word and your ways this day, O Lord. As we count our blessings around the table, help us to remember those who dwell in lands of poverty and war. Help us to find ways to reach out to them in ministries of hope and peace, for we ask this in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Lord’s Prayer:
Awakening: All These Things (by Rob Duquette) -Rob Duquette
Scripture Reading: A prayer for those who are Hungry, Joel 2:21-27, Matthew 6:25-33 -Anne Murray
After the reading, you may respond, “Thanks be to God.”
Sermon: To Give Thanks Rev. Paula Norbert
Meditation Music: Instr. ~ Rob Duquette
Musical call to Prayer: (two times) Hush now in quiet peace, be still your mind at ease. The Spirit brings release, so wait upon the Lord.
Prayers of the People:
Silent Prayers Pastoral Prayer
Offertory: Simple Gifts (by Joseph Brackett) -Rob Duquette
Doxology: Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise God all creatures here below. Praise God above ye heavenly hosts, Creator, Christ and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Prayer of Dedication:
Closing Hymn: Now Thank We All Our God #643 vs. 1 & 2
Benediction:
As you celebrate this Thanksgiving,
may the depth of your gratitude give you hope
to work toward a better harvest of the ground
and of the Spirit. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Recessional: Go in Peace
Go in peace and the peace of God be with you this day.
Go in peace and the peace of God be with you always.
celebrate and share the joy. Celebrate new life.
Go in peace and the peace of God be with you always
Thank you to guest musician today, Rob Duquette. Thanks to our reader and Zoom Host today.
Rev. Paula Norbert (207) 205-4951 or (pnorbert1217@gmail.com)
For Your Reflection…
“This a wonderful day. I’ve never seen this one before.” – Maya Angelou
“Both abundance and lack exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend… when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that’s present — love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature and personal pursuits that bring us pleasure — the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience Heaven on earth.”
–Sarah Ban Breathnach