Excellent message from ‘Got Questions’
The original thanksgiving celebration was held by the Pilgrim settlers in Massachusetts during their second winter in America in December, 1621. The first winter had killed 44 of the original 102 colonists. At one point their daily food ration was down to five kernels of corn apiece, but then an unexpected trading vessel arrived, swapping them beaver pelts for grain, providing for their severe need. The next summer’s crop brought hope, and Governor William Bradford decreed that December 13, 1621, be set aside as a day of feasting and prayer to show the gratitude of the colonists that they were still alive. More Here
From Lifeway Research!
How can you encourage your church to be a place of thanksgiving, especially as Thanksgiving Day rolls around?
By Chris Hulshof
Let’s face it. If there’s a holiday that’s completely lost in the shuffle nowadays, it’s Thanksgiving. Between a culture fascinated by Halloween and the businesses that can’t wait for you to start your Christmas spending, Thanksgiving is the holiday that rarely gets our attention. Or worse yet, it becomes just one more thing we’ve forgotten.
Yes, we remember that it’s Thanksgiving Day, but we spend so little of the day in actual thanksgiving. Yet, as believers, praise and thanksgiving should continually be on our lips (Hebrews 13:15). How can we encourage our churches to be places of thanksgiving, especially as Thanksgiving Day rolls around? Let me suggest four ideas. You might be able to pull off some of these ideas this year. But others you might save for another year.
