Thanksgiving Family Worship Guide
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We are ecstatic that you’ve chosen to worship as a family this weekend.
Using this guide is simple:
- There are songs provided below that you may pull up to sing or listen-to together.
- (Talk about the lyrics of the songs and what they mean.)
- Read the passage in 1 Thessalonians 5 as directed
- Read “Thoughts From 1 Thessalonians 5″ and the following sections out-loud to your family/group to facilitate discussion about the passage.
- Read and discuss the “Family Worship” questions together.
- Pray together.
It is our prayer that this Family Worship Guide is a blessing to you and your family. Relax and have fun with your family worship! Don’t put too much pressure on yourself for it to be a “church-like service” It won’t all go as planned. That’s ok! We believe God will honor the effort to lead your family well.
Worship through Song:
Thoughts From 1 Thessalonians
1 Thessalonians was a letter written to Christians in the city of Thessalonica. They were faithful to the gospel, but through some difficult times they had lost some of their hope. The apostle Paul wrote this letter in part to encourage them and remind them of the hope they have in Christ. To help them remember that no matter their circumstances they should rejoice and be thankful, for they are children of God!
Read 1 Thessalonians 5:14-18
Are We Thankful, or Stressed?
Often in our lives we get so wrapped up in our own circumstances. We are consumed with our day to day activities, our jobs, our school work, our children and all of our worries and fears. They can be so consuming that we forget to stop and be thankful for the things that we have through God’s grace. The truth is that for many, this time of year is not a time of joy. It’s a time when we miss loved ones, mourn what we don’t have, or feel the pain of loneliness.
Not to mention the millions across our country that don’t have a warm meal, or a warm place to sleep. So this week we just want to stop and thank God for the incredible blessings he has given us. Not just material things, but things like family, friendships and
most importantly the fact that God has adopted sinful people like us into his family and eternal kingdom through the sacrifice of his own son, Jesus Christ.
Family Worship Discussion
This Thanksgiving weekend let’s spend some time really reflecting on the reasons we have to be thankful. Also, Thanksgiving should also be a time when we think about those around us that
might be in need. Those that need encouraging, that need forgiveness, that need help, that need to know someone is praying for them. Let’s spend some time looking at both.
Family Worship Questions
- What are you most thankful for?
- If you have had difficult things going on in your life, how can you still rejoice and be thankful to God through that difficulty? If things aren’t difficult currently, are you rejoicing in that blessing?
- Over the last year, how has God blessed you or answered prayer for you or your family?
- How does focusing on the gospel help us to live a life of thankfulness? How can you live in that truth more often?
- The passage calls us to admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, and be patient with them all. Who in your life do you think you could do a better job of encouraging, helping, or being patient with? What would that look like?
Family Prayer:
Take some time to pray that God would help you not only live in thankfulness, but to have a heart that longs to bless others as God has blessed us in Christ. If you need a little help, here are some things you could pray about together:
Thank God for all that he has done and will continue to do for you and your family.
Pray for our church
Pray for our community – Tom Watkins, Williams Elementary, Neighbors, etc
Pray that you would have a heart for those in need around you and that God would give you opportunities to share the love of Christ with them.
Memorize
As a family try and memorize this verse:
1 Thessalonians 5:18
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
From all the leaders at Freshwater we want to say we love you, we are praying for you, and it is our humble honor to lead and serve you. Happy Thanksgiving!