A RITUAL OF THANKSGIVING

MATERIALS NEEDED

· A tub full of sand (those aluminum turkey roasting pans work very nicely) for every ten people participating in the ritual

· A pillar candle for each tub

· Enough small candles (used Christmas Eve candles work very well, as would birthday candles) for each person participating to have four each.

· A dark room or place

Fill up the tubs with sand high enough that the small candles will stand up in them as you move through the ritual. Put the tubs on the floor in the center of your ritual space. Put the pillar candle in the middle of the tub of sand. Give each person four small candles. Gather the group around the tub(s), and begin. If you have more than fifteen people, you may want to make two or more circles and have each move through the ritual simultaneously.

Reader 1: We gather to give our gratitude and thanksgiving up to God. The Psalmist says in Psalm 30 verses 4 and 5, “Sing praises to God, O you faithful ones, and give thanks to God’s holy name. For God’s anger is but for a moment, God’s favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”

Reader 2: We remember that God is the giver of all gifts; God is our comforter in times of trial; God brings people into our lives to love us, teach us, care for us, and soothe our pain. We light this candle to remember God’s gifts, God’s blessings, and God’s bounty in our lives.

Light the pillar candle in the tub of sand

Reader 1: Every one of us has been nurtured by the generations before us; people who worked for justice and safety in our lives. Take a few moments in silence and think about the adults in your life who have cared for you that you would like to thank God for. It could be a parent, grandparent, teacher, coach, aunt, uncle, or neighbor. When you are ready, take one of your candles and light it off of the center God candle in thanksgiving for that person or those persons. Say their name or names and put your candle in the sand. You may say a few words about them if you wish.

Give everyone a chance to light one candle and place it in the sand. Let people know they can simply light their candle and put it in the sand in silence if they don’t wish to speak. When everyone has placed their candle, move on.

Reader 2: Every one of us has friends who are precious to us and give us joy and support. People in our lives with whom we can laugh and cry. Take a few moments in silence to think about the friends in your life that you would like to thank God for. When you are ready, take one of your candles and light it off the center God candle in thanksgiving for that person or those persons. Say their name or names and put your candle in the sand. You may say a few words about them if you wish.

Reader 1: Everyone in this room has lived through a difficult or painful experience, and learned from it and come out stronger because of it. Take a moment to think about those experiences. You may not be thankful that whatever it was happened to you or someone else, but you are grateful for what it taught you, and the strength it gave you. It could be as simple as living through a time when you were teased, or as difficult as the death of someone close to you. When you are ready, take one of your candles and light it off the center God candle in thanksgiving for what you learned and the strength you developed because of that experience. If you are comfortable, say a little about the experience and what you gained from it.

Reader 2: Everyone in this room has gifts and talents given to them by God. We are created in the image of a God who is creative, compassionate, wise, loving, full of energy, and so much more. Take a moment in silence and think about the person on your left. What gifts and talents do you see in them? Are they a good listener? Do they have athletic, artistic or musical talent? Are they kind? Do they love children, old people, or animals? Do they have a radiant smile? What do you appreciate about this person sitting on your left? When you are ready, take one of your candles and light it off the center God candle in thanksgiving for that person. As you light your candle say what it is that your appreciate about them.

Give everyone a chance to light one candle and place it in the sand. When everyone has placed their candle move on.

Reader 1: Take a moment to look around the room. Notice how much brighter it is than when we began with only a single lit candle. Remembering to lift up our gratitude to God who can make the darkness grow bright. God’s light only multiplies as we remember to express our thanksgiving for all our blessings.

Reader 2: Go from this place with the light of gratitude in your hearts. Go in peace.

Deepening Faith: Youth Ministry Resources and Some Miscellaneous Advice

Rev. Lizann Bassham, Front Porch Spirit Press