THANKSGIVING EVE SERVICE
OPENING HYMN—All People That on Earth Do Dwell Christian Worship 601
Please stand
SPOKEN RESPONSES
Minister: The Lord Almighty grant us a quiet night and peace at the last. Congregation: Amen.
It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praise to your name, O Most High, to herald your love in the morning, your truth at the close of day.
CONFESSION OF SINS
Our help is in the name of the Lord the maker of heaven and earth. Let us confess our sins in the presence of God and of one another.
Silence for personal reflection
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we have sinned against you in our thoughts, in our words, in our deeds, and in all that we have not done. Forgive us in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Deliver and restore us, that we may rest in peace.
By the mercy of God we are redeemed by Jesus Christ, and in him we are forgiven. Let us rest in his peace until the rising of the sun, when we shall serve him in newness of life. Amen.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Let us pray.
Almighty God, your mercies are new every morning, and you graciously provide for all our needs of body and soul. Grant us your Holy Spirit that we may acknowledge your goodness, give thanks for your benefits, and serve you in willing obedience all our days; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Please be seated
FIRST READING
2 Samuel 7:18-22
18 Then King David went and sat before the L and said: Who am I, L God? And what is my house that you have brought me to this point?
19 Yet this was a small thing in your eyes, L God. You have also spoken about the house of your servant for a long time into the future. Is this the law for the man, L God?
20 What more can David say to you? You know your servant, L God. 21 Because of your word and according to the plan of your heart, you have carried out this great thing in order to make your servant aware of it. 22 Therefore, you are great, L God, because there is none like you. There is no God except you, in keeping with everything we have heard with our ears.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
PSALM OF THE DAY Enter His Gates with Thanksgiving Christian Worship 100
The choir will sing the first refrain and the verses. Please join in singing the remaining refrains and the final bolded verse.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always! I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if anything is excellent, and if anything is praiseworthy, think about these things. 9 The things that you learned, received, heard, and saw in me: Keep doing these things. And the God of peace will be with you.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
CHOIR ANTHEM
For the fruit of all creation, thanks be to God.
For his gifts to every nation, thanks be to God.
For the plowing, sowing, reaping, silent growth while we are sleeping, Future need in earth’s safe keeping, thanks be to God.
In the just reward of labor, God’s will is done.
In the help we give our neighbor, God’s will is done. In our world wide task of caring for the hungry and despairing, In the harvest we are sharing, God’s will is done.
For the harvests of the Spirit, thanks be to God. For the good we all inherit, thanks be to God.
For the wonders that astound us, for the truths that sill confound us, Most of all, that love has found us, thanks be to God. Thanks be to God.
Thanks Be to God
36 A certain one of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him. Jesus entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 Just then a sinful woman from that town learned that he was reclining in the Pharisee’s house. She brought an alabaster jar of perfume, 38 stood behind him near his feet weeping, and began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she began to wipe them with her hair while also kissing his feet and anointing them with the perfume. 39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would realize who is touching him and what kind of woman she is, because she is a sinner.”
40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” He said, “Teacher, say it.”
41 “A certain moneylender had two debtors. The one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he forgave them both. So, which of them will love him more?”
43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one who had the larger debt forgiven.” Then he told him, “You have judged correctly.” 44 Turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house, but you did not give me water for my feet. Yet she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but she, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.
46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with perfume.
47 Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; that is why she loved so much. But the one who is forgiven little loves little.” 48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.”
49 Those reclining at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
50 He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise be to you, O Christ. Please be seated
1
Shout to the L with joy, all the earth.
2 Serve the L with gladness.
Come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the L is God.
He made us, and we are his.
We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, his courtyards with praise.
Give thanks to him and bless his name.
5 For the L is good. His mercy endures forever. His faithfulness continues through all generations.
OFFERING
Members of Grace respond to their Savior’s love with offerings that are given joyfully, generously, regularly, and in a way that is proportionate to how the Lord has blessed them. Their cheerful gifts support the mission and ministry of our congregation. If you are a guest today, please know that we do not expect you to contribute to our congregation’s work. However, if you would like to give an offering to the Lord in response to his love to you, we are happy to receive it and put it to work in God’s kingdom. If you prefer, use your smart phone to give online by scanning this QR code:
Please fill out the Friendship Register located in the red folder at the end of the row and pass it along. Thank you!
Please stand
RESPONSIVE PRAYER
Give thanks to the Lord, who is good. His love is everlasting.
Come, let us praise God joyfully. Let us come to him with thanksgiving.
For the good world; for things great and small, beautiful and awesome; for seen and unseen splendors: We thank you, Lord God.
For human life; for talking and moving and thinking together; for common hopes and hardships shared from birth until our dying: We thank you, Lord God.
For work to do and strength to work; for the comradeship of labor; for exchanges of good humor and encouragement: We thank you, Lord God.
For marriage; for the mystery and joy of flesh made one; for mutual forgiveness and burdens shared; for secrets kept in love: We thank you, Lord God.
For family; for living together and eating together; for family amusements and family pleasures: We thank you, Lord God.
For children; for their energy and curiosity; for their brave play and startling frankness; for their sudden sympathies: We thank you, Lord God.
For the young; for their high hopes; for their candid criticism; for their search for freedom and fairness: We thank you, Lord God.
For growing up and growing old; for wisdom deepened by experience; for rest in leisure; for time made precious by its passing: We thank you, Lord God.
For your help in times of doubt and sorrow; for healing our diseases; for preserving us in temptation and danger: We thank you, Lord God.
For the Church into which we have been called; for the good news we receive by Word and Sacrament; for our life together in the Lord: We praise you, Lord God.
For your Holy Spirit, who guides our steps and brings us gifts of faith, hope, and love, who prays in us and prompts our grateful worship: We praise you, Lord God.
Above all, O God, for your Son, Jesus Christ, who lived and died and lives again for our salvation; for our hope in him; and for the joy of serving him: We thank and praise you, eternal God, for all your goodness to us.
Hear us, Lord, as we pray in silence.
Silent prayer
Give thanks to the Lord, who is good. His love is everlasting. Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.
SPOKEN RESPONSES
Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping that awake we may watch with Christ and asleep we may rest in peace.
Let us praise the Lord. Thanks be to God.
BLESSING
The almighty and merciful Lord the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit bless us and keep us. Amen. Please be seated
CLOSING HYMN Now Thank We All Our God Christian Worship 597 Please join us for Thanksgiving desserts in the Fellowship Hall following the service!
We thank those assisting in our Thanksgiving Worship: Minister Pastor Seth Scheuerlein Accompanist
Jim Bakken Vocalist
Naomi Kassulke Choir Director
Paul Kassulke Handbell Choir Director
Beth Kassulke Sound Technicians
Snavely, Danny Koehler, Sam Kassulke