Thanksgiving Day Dinner Prayer 2009

We are gathered together this Thanksgiving Day to give thanks to God, and we are thankful.

O Lord, with humble hearts we ask your blessing on this table and place. We celebrate this time of year because our Lord was born; But let us not forget that there are others who may mourn.

Touch those who may be suffering; touch every wounded heart; touch all those burdened souls; when they feel distant, set apart. Remove the pain, and fill their hearts with happiness and mirth, and let them all rejoice now in the Savior's holy birth.

Oh God, Creator of the world and Lord of our nation,

• We thank You for your many blessings.
  
  
• We thank You for the relationships You have given to us -- for family and friends.
  
  
• We thank You for the fellowship of believers in Christ
  
  
• We thank You for friends in a world where many walk alone
  
  
• We thank You for food in a world where many walk in hunger
  
  
• We thank You for faith in a world where many walk in fear
  
  
• We thank You for giving us eyes to see, ears to hear, mouth to talk, legs to walk,
  
  
• We thank You for those who are near to us, for those physically present, and for those who are near, though in distant places, and those who have come home to you.

We, also want to thank You for all the bad experiences and broken hearts. We have learned that you were there for us too

Creator of the universe you give us these gifts of food to nourish us and give us life. Bless the food that you have made and human hands have prepared. May it satisfy our hunger, and in sharing it together may we come close to one another. Come Holy Spirit, as this food feeds our bodies, So we pray you would nourish our souls.

As you blessed many with the five loaves and the two fishes, may we too, know your blessing as we share this food, your peace in our hearts and your love in our lives.

For this our daily bread, and for every gift which comes from you O God, we bless your holy name. Bless us O Lord and these gifts that we are about to receive from thy bounty Through Christ our Lord. Amen.