THANKSGIVING – HISTORY AND CUSTOMS

HISTORY OF THE FEAST OF THANKSGIVINGIn America, the fourth Thursday in November is celebrated as Thanksgiving Day. On

this day Americans give thanks to God for all the blessings they have received from Him.

In 1620 when the Mayflower Pilgrims left their ship at

Plymouth, they hastened first of all to give thanks to God for their preservation from

the perils of the sea.

One year later, after incredible hardships and the death of many of their number, the Pilgrims again

gave thanks, this time for the harvest they had planted and which God had blessed for them.

The Indians brought gifts for the feast — five deer, quantities of lobsters and eels and wild turkeys. We are told there were very few to prepare this feast for one hundred and forty

men.

Five women and a few young girls were all that remained of the women who had come on the Mayflower, and this small band prepared the food for three days of feasting.

In 1789 the Congress of the United States suggested

making legal a day of thanksgiving for signal favors from Almighty God, who had

afforded the nation an opportunity "peaceably to establish a constitution of

government for their safety and happiness."

President Washington liked the idea and issued a proclamation

to this effect.

Thanksgiving was proclaimed a National Feast Day and celebrated even during the civil war

MORE RECENT HISTORY

Thanksgiving is the most popular family feast in American culture.

Everyone comes home to family on this feast day.

American troops celebrate with traditional turkey.

A traditional religious service for the troops on Thanksgiving.

President Kennedy, pardons the life of a turkey before Thanksgiving.

President Bush visits the troops in Afghanistan on this feast day.

Turkey run in Kabul by an

American trooper on Thanksgiving

Day

No turkey spared for the soldiers’ feast

This idea of giving thanks to God when the harvest is in, is of course,

a very ancient custom. Moses commanded the Hebrews

to celebrate a harvest festival, and it is still known as Succoth, or the

Ingathering, and still celebrated.

There were festivals in ancient Greece in honor of Demeter, goddess of the fields,

and of Ceres in ancient Rome.

The English Harvest Home feast is also

very old.

Deuteronomy 26,8 The LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders; 9 and

he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O LORD, have

given me.”

THANKSGIVING IN THE BIBLE

Deut 8,3 He humbled you by letting you hunger, then by feeding you with manna, with

which neither you nor your ancestors were acquainted, in order

to make you understand that one

does not live by bread alone, but by every

word that comes from the mouth of the

LORD

Deut 8,17 Do not say to yourself, “My power and the might of my own hand have gotten me this

wealth.” 18But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, so that

he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your ancestors, as he is doing today

Thanksgiving in the Bible

Salm 100,3Know that the LORD is God. It is he that made us, and we are his;

we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name.

5For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all

generations.

Philippians 4,4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.

5Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with

thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

John 6,32 Then Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you

the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

34They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” 35Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry,

and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

TRADITIONS OF THANKSGIVING DAY

We couldn’t miss the

traditional Thanksgiving

day game.

Thanksgiving day parade New York City

Now thank we all our Godwith heart and hands and voices,who wondrous things has done,in whom his world rejoices;who from our mothers' armshas blessed us on our waywith countless gifts of love,and still is ours today.

O may this bounteous Godthrough all our life be near us,with ever joyful heartsand blessed peace to cheer us,to keep us in his grace,and guide us when perplexed,and free us from all illsof this world in the next.

All praise and thanks to Godthe Father now be given,the Son and Spirit blest,who reign in highest heaventhe one eternal God,whom heaven and earth adore;for thus it was, is now,and shall be evermore.

Psalter Hymnal (Gray), 1987

THANKSGIVING SONGS AND POEMS

THANKSGIVING by Florence Earle Coates

NOW gracious plenty rules the board,And in the purse is gold;By multitudes in glad accordThy giving is extolled.Ah, suffer me to thank Thee, Lord,For what thou dost withhold!

I thank Thee that howe'er we climbThere yet is something higher;That though through all our reach of timeWe to the stars aspire,Still, still beyond us burns sublimeThe pure sidereal fire!

I thank Thee for the unexplained,The hope that lies before,The victory that is not gained,—O Father, more and moreI thank Thee for the unattained,The good we hunger for!

I thank Thee for the voice that singsTo inner depths of being;For all the spread and sweep of wings,From earthly bondage freeing;For mystery—the dream of thingsBeyond our power of seeing!

THANKSGIVING GREETINGS