On Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving I participated in an ecumenical Thanksgiving Prayer Service for the area Catholic Churches and Protestant communities in Okalona/High View. I must say it was a very nice service. Area pastors and I met once a week for about a month planning it. There were scripture readings, traditional hymns, prayers, a collection for the poor, and a couple homilies. I gave a "Thanksgiving Prayer," a task I learned I would be doing shortly after I got there! I came prepared to just read one of the readings. But the roles got shuffled a bit at the last minute. Here's what I prayed:"Father, all-powerful and ever-living God, we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks and we pray that our actions will always be inspired by you and so please you. Lord, we approach you from various communities this evening but we all together give you thanks. Help us to never forget You, from whom all blessings flow. Through our joint acknowledgment of you, water the seeds of unity and bring Perfect Unity among us to a speedy fruition. We pray for this and we offer you our thanks through your Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever. Amen."
Afterwards in the parish hall we enjoyed MANY pies. There was an impressive turnout as this has been annual tradition going back since the late 50's.
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