In America, many churches plan a special Thanksgiving service, usually the Sunday before Thanksgiving, but sometimes on Thanksgiving Eve, and occasionally on Thanksgiving Day. If you’re looking for resources for prayers, psalms, and Thanksgiving poems for church, you’ve come to the right place.
These resources can also be helpful in fostering a more grateful heart. Whatever day of the year it is, it’s a wonderful day to be thankful to our Lord!
Uplifting Thanksgiving Prayers for Church
Whether you are a pastor looking for ideas, or someone who has been asked to say a Thanksgiving prayer, these sample prayers are here for your inspiration. You may also find these prayers helpful for saying a prayer at a Thanksgiving dinner, whether at home or a church event.
A Thankful Prayer for God’s Abundant Blessing
Dear Heavenly Father,
We come to You today with thankful hearts, for we know that You are the one who provides for us. In Your grace and compassion, You give us far, far more than we deserve. Thank You for your abundant blessings.
With each new morning, we thank You for the good things You bring into our lives – family, friends, and more. We are so grateful for the times of great joy and fulfillment.
We also want to thank You for the difficult times we’ve gone through, for the challenges and struggles. Your presence is there with us as well. We want to thank You for sustaining us through those hard times.
We ask these things in the name of Christ Jesus, Amen.
A Thanksgiving Prayer for God’s Grace
Dear Lord,
We thank You for this time of year, when Thanksgiving reminds us to reflect on the blessings You have given to us. We want to be thankful for that which You’ve blessed us with to enjoy in this world. And we also want to be thankful for the gift of Jesus Christ, who makes all the difference in our lives.
We are grateful for Your grace in our lives. We do not deserve a relationship with You, but Your salvation allows us to live in perfect peace with You. Thank You for the hope that You give us each day, knowing that Your mercies are new every morning, as seen in Lamentations 3:22-23.
Help our Christian life to reflect You this Thanksgiving and all year around.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
A Blessing Prayer for Church Family and Loving Friends
Oh Lord,
We are so thankful for this church community, for the loving friends that feel like family. Thank You for bringing us together at this time and place.
We give thanks for the opportunities we have to build each other up, to grow in our Christian faith together and support each other.
Thank You for the special times we’ve had together, that create wonderful memories. We pray that You would bless our congregation with unity, compassion, and understanding, as we walk out our faith together each day.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Prayer for Thankfulness During Difficult Times
O God,
Hebrews 13:5 NIV tells us You have said, “Never will I leave you.” We are so grateful for Your presence in our lives, especially during the difficult times.
We thank You that we don’t have to go through challenges on our own, that You are with us in the good times and the hard ones. Please give us the strength we need for each day.
Please also give us a grateful heart, and the perspective to see that You are carrying us through this difficult time. Please grant us peace of mind as we trust in You.
We pray for others who are facing challenges, that they will trust You during their struggles.
Thank You for reminding us that we have much to be thankful for.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
A Prayer for the Thanksgiving Gathering: A Prayer for a Special Day
Dear God,
As we look forward to Thanksgiving, we pray for the Thanksgiving gatherings. It is a special day for many, but it can also be a difficult one, with complicated relationships and complex challenges.
We pray that Thanksgiving would be a special day, that You would inspire grateful hearts and thankful people. We ask You for healing in difficult relationships, and for people to build each other up.
Thank You for the opportunity to gather together for Thanksgiving, and to celebrate with loved ones. May You be glorified at our gatherings.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
A Prayer of Thanks for the Year Ahead
Dear Lord,
We look back over the past 12 months and we see the blessings You have provided. We give thanks for all these ways You have blessed us. We don’t deserve even one of them!
We thank You for another year to serve You and love You. For each day You have planned for us in the next 12 months, we ask for Your strength, guidance, and blessings to do what You have called us to do. May we glorify You in the coming year!
We thank You for Your love for us and Your mercy on us!
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Thanksgiving Grace Prayer: A Prayer for Food and Fellowship
O Lord,
As we prepare ourselves for the Thanksgiving meal at this family dinner, we offer our thanksgiving to You on this beautiful day.
We thank you for the delicious food on this dinner table, from the turkey to the pumpkin pie, and everything in between. Please bless this food to our body.
We are grateful to You for the privilege of gathering at this table together. Help us to enjoy the blessings of fellowship as we partake of this abundance.
Thank you for blessing us with this meal, one of our favorite Thanksgiving traditions. May we glorify You at this table.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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Thanksgiving Psalms for Church
“Psalm” is defined as “sacred song or poem used in worship.” (source) These psalms of thanksgiving are fit companions to Thanksgiving poems for church. There are many instances of thanksgiving in the Book of Psalms; these Bible verses are highlights that could be a meaningful part of your church service.
1 Chronicles 16:8-12
“Oh give thanks to the LORD. Call on his name. Make what he has done known amongst the peoples. Sing to him. Sing praises to him. Tell of all his marvellous works. Glory in his holy name. Let the heart of those who seek the LORD rejoice. Seek the LORD and his strength. Seek his face forever more. Remember his marvellous works that he has done, his wonders, and the judgements of his mouth.” 1 Chronicles 16:8-12
Not every psalm in the Bible is in the Book of Psalms. This psalm was spoken during the Israelites’ celebration of bringing the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem. When we experience great things by the hand of God, we should bring our praises and gratitude Him, and tell others what He has done.
Psalm 30:11-12
“You have turned my mourning into dancing for me. You have removed my sackcloth, and clothed me with gladness, to the end that my heart may sing praise to you, and not be silent. LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever!” Psalm 30:11-12
We should be thankful for everyday blessings, of course. But sometimes we forget to attribute miracles to our Lord, and neglect our thanksgiving! When the Lord has figuratively or literally saved your life, remember to give Him the glory and the thanksgiving He deserves! And be thankful that as a Christian, He has saved you from an eternal life separated from Him.
Psalm 100:4-5
“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good. His loving kindness endures forever, his faithfulness to all generations.” Psalm 100:4-5
This psalm of thanksgiving reminds us how we should approach the Lord, with thanksgiving and praise. We thank Him for what He has done in our lives, and we praise Him for who He is.
Thanksgiving Poems for Church
There are many Thanksgiving poems for church, some short Thanksgiving poems, and some longer ones. We’ve listed one original poem here, as well as links to other Thanksgiving poems for church.
Thanksgiving Blessing Poem
A favorite quote of mine is by Max Lucado. “What if you woke up this morning and had only the things you thanked God for yesterday?” This profound thought has always humbled me. I want to be more thankful, yet I find myself struggling to be faithful at giving thanks each day. This Thanksgiving poem for church sprang from the sentiment contained in this quote.
If this Thanksgiving poem for church is helpful, you may use it in your church service; all other rights in this terms of use are reserved.
Thanksgiving Blessing Poem
by Juliana Gordon
For my countless blessings
I thank my God each day.
By providing what I need,
God reminds me how to pray.
If each day only began with the blessings
I thanked God for the night before,
I would have very little of what He provided,
And seek to thank God more.
By God’s grace, He provides for us,
By His grace, we live.
To be thankful is one small task,
To God our thanks we give.
We offer Him thanksgiving.
As ev’ry Christian knows,
The Lord sustains us as we live,
Each blessing He bestows.
Other Thanksgiving Poems and Quotes
This collection of Thanksgiving poems for church could be a good fit for your church service, bulletin, or social media. Many of these Thanksgiving poems for church, if not all, are in the public domain; the quotes are not in the public domain.
Thanksgiving Poems for Church
- Ralph Waldo Emerson’s We Thank Thee. This poem highlights the great beauty of nature, reminding us to be thankful for God’s creation. It’s an excellent addition to your choices for Thanksgiving poems for church.
- Paul Laurence Dunbar’s A Thanksgiving Poem. This poem reminds us that our undeserved blessings are so numerous from God.
- Ella Wheeler Wilcox’s Thanksgiving. This is a beautiful poem about being grateful for everyday blessings, as well as being thankful during difficult times.
Thanksgiving Quotes
- “I pray for you, that all your misgivings will be melted to thanksgivings. Remember that the shadow a thing casts often far exceeds the size of the thing itself (especially if the light be low on the horizon) and though some future fear may strut brave darkness as you approach, the thing itself will be but a speck when seen from beyond. Oh that He would restore us often with that ‘aspect from beyond,’ to see a thing as He sees it, to remember that He dealeth with us as with sons.” – Jim Elliot, as quoted by Elisabeth Elliot, in Shadow of the Almighty: The Life and Testament of Jim Elliot
- “The Christian who walks with the Lord and keeps constant communion with Him will see many reason for rejoicing and thanksgiving all day long.” – Warren Wiersbe
- “Gratitude is what you feel. Thanksgiving is what you do.” – Tim Keller
Printable “I Am Thankful For..” Activity
This free printable is available for instant download. You can use it for ministry use, or for home use. You can’t sell printed copies of it or the digital file.
It’s great for doing some gratitude journaling on your own. Or you can use it in a group setting, like a family gathering or a classroom, to get a sentence or two from each person, detailing what they are thankful for this year. What a wonderful keepsake that would be!
Download your printable “I am thankful for…” worksheet here.
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We pray that these Thanksgiving prayers, psalms, and inspirational Thanksgiving poems for church are helpful to you in planning your church service or your family gathering.
Cultivating a thankful heart can help us see the faithfulness of God to provide what we need each day. We don’t need to feel alone if we can see how the Lord is working in our lives and in the lives of others. It also helps us to take our eyes off of our problems, and put them on our Heavenly Father! He will sustain us.
May these words of thanksgiving inspire you to be more thankful every day of the year!
If you liked Thanksgiving Prayers and Thanksgiving Poems for Church, you may also like these blog posts: Bible Verses to Pray for the Church, Pray for America, and Inspirational Words for Pastor Appreciation.