In Everything

DOWNLOAD the Small Groups Resources for this Worship Series (PDF)

Fellowship – Snacks or a Meal (10 minutes with snacks; longer, obviously, if there is a meal).

Gathering Time (5-10 minutes). In pairs or groups of three, ask participants, “Briefly describe your favorite Thanksgiving Day from your past.”

Group Dialogue (Approximately 30 minutes). Read Philippians 4:4-13.

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, Rejoice” (Philippians 4:4). Who comes to your mind when you hear “rejoice’? Why do you think the person acts that way? What might you learn from the person?

“This is not to say, even here on the threshold of Thanksgiving, that there isn’t room for grief or sadness. Suffering strikes even during the holiday season. Some might be dreading gathering with family, knowing there is pain there… We don’t ask to accept the brokenness or endure abuse, but note that we see beyond the pain of the moment to a wholeness that is offered. We give thanks for the promises of God, even when we can’t feel them at the moment” (Nov. 19 planning worship).

• How have you experienced this? Can you think of someone who needs to hear those words? How might you reach out to them?

“Joy, says Paul, is revealed in gentleness, in how we treat those around us, in how we respond to slights against us, and in how we reach out to those who are hurt. “Let your gentleness be known to everyone,” says Paul. Let it show. Joy is found in the knowledge and experience of the nearness of God (The Lord is near), a nearness that diminishes anxiety and brings out a willingness to connect with God with gratitude and with hope (in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God). Joy is found in that communion, that peaceful confidence that comes from living in Christ” (Nov. 19 Preaching Notes).

• What would it look like to live this way?

“I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances, I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need” (Philippians 4:12). “Approximately 842 million people are estimated to be suffering from food insecurity or chronic hunger, regularly not getting enough nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life” (https://umcmission.org/advance-project/982920/). “More than 34 million people in the US face hunger, including 1 in 9 children” (https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america).

• As you prepare for the Thanksgiving feast, how could you and your church give thanks to God by helping those who are hungry?

Prayer (10 minutes). Share prayer requests and respond appropriately.

Sending Forth (2 minutes). End with the following prayer, a similar prayer, or the Lord’s Prayer:

Gracious and loving God, we give thanks for your many blessings in our lives. We rejoice in You always, finding our joy in the Lord. We pray that your peace, which surpasses all understanding, will guard our hearts and minds as we bring our anxieties to You. In Thanksgiving week, help us cultivate a spirit of thankfulness in our daily lives and express our gratitude not only in words but also in our actions. Amen.

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Rev. Motoe Yamada Foor, Director of Adult Discipleship, served in local churches for twenty years. She has a wealth of experience at various organizational levels of the United Methodist Church and in ecumenical organizations such as the World Council of Churches (WCC). She also enjoys serving as a coach to help people grow as disciples.