THE EPISTLE LESSON 1 Thessalonians 5:12-18
THE GOSPEL LESSON Luke 14:15-24
SERMON "Too Busy for Thanksgiving"
WORSHIP NOTES
We end the Ordinary season with Thanksgiving Sunday in which we explore the meaning of gratitude and grace in the midst of a consumer world. This also marks the end of our exploration of the gifts of the Spirit, or as our gathering song has described them, "Fruits of the spirit, gifts from above, Symbols of grace and signs of your love." We open with joy and thanksgiving as "we gather together to ask the Lord's blessing," and we confess how difficult it is to be grateful in the midst of the distractions of our world. Yet we are assured of God's forgiveness and embody that forgiveness as we share the Peace of Christ together.
The central text this morning is the parable of the Wedding feast that on the surface appears to have little to do with giving thanks. Yet as we explore the meaning of this parable, we may be surprised to discover the true significance of living thankfully. The Affirmation of Faith is a charge from Paul to the church seemingly impossible to live out in our daily lives. In our response to God's Word, we come forward bearing our offerings, pledges, and food for the poor. This time is a celebration of God's blessings through the sharing of our resources to meet the needs of the church and the world today. We come singing songs of thankfulness, faith, and rejoicing in the abundance of the wedding feast that is God's love. We will end with a prayer for our Thanksgiving meal where all are invited down to the fellowship hall to enjoy God's Spirit together.
