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Litany of Thanksgiving for Workers in the Church

by The Rev. Thomas L. Weitzel
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

 

 

I appreciate getting calls from you on worship matters that concern the congregation that you are serving. I find that such calls many times provide inspiration for liturgical materials that are quite useful for many others.

 

Such was the case when Pastor Bill Andrews, serving as interim at St. Thomas Lutheran Church, Bloomington, IN, called and asked if I knew of any liturgical material for recognizing with thanksgiving the many volunteer ministries within a congregation. Indeed, I did not, although I did mention that we had been having an annual Volunteer Recognition Reception following worship at my church for many years.  I know of other congregations who have full banquets with skits and entertainment of various kinds to accompany good words of thanks from congregational leaders and the pastor.  But beyond that, I was unaware of any liturgical material beyond a simple prayer of thanksgiving for such occasions.

 

Given the question, it seemed like a good thing to develop an Exhortation and Litany of Thanksgiving for Workers in the Church. I offer it here for your use. It would replace the Prayer of the Church. Please note the petition toward the end for spring graduates that may not be appropriate to your situation.  Many thanks to Pr. Andrews for providing the inspiration and occasion for its writing.

 

A good time for using this is as the nine month program season is ending, such as late Easter Season, on the Day of Pentecost if there are no Confirmands or Baptisms, early in the Pentecost Season.  Another option would be as the program season begins in the fall, perhaps even as part of Rally Day.  I may also be used by itself at a Volunteer Recognition Banquet or other social occasion recognizing volunteers in the church, although I do think the morning worship setting is best.  Of course, it is the sort of occasion that can be used at any time.

 

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Exhortation:

P. We are truly blessed by God and enriched in our fellowship by the many people of this congregation who volunteer their time and their talent in small and large ways for the benefit of this church and for the advancement of the gospel of Christ in this place. St. Paul tells us that there are varieties of gifts and varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone as a manifestation of the Holy Spirit for the common good. There is no insignificant work that is done among us. All efforts -- from maintaining our property to cleaning the church to leadership to visiting the sick to praying for one another and for our ministry -- all are important efforts by which we are mutually blessed and by which our ministry prospers.

    At the same time, St. Paul teaches us to give thanks always to God through Christ in whom he has given us every blessing, including the blessing of one another. It is therefore appropriate on this day that we should recognize the work that is done by so many faithful and dedicated people, giving thanks to one another and to Almighty God for making the Spirit manifest among us in such a variety of ways.

 

Litany of Thanksgiving for Workers in the Church:

A. Let us pray. Almighty God, you have called us into fellowship as the Church of Jesus Christ in this place, and you have blessed us and enriched our lives through your Holy Word and Sacraments. You strengthen us and inspire us with your Holy Spirit to live lives of mutual love and service in the world. For all this, and, above all, for the gift of your Son and our salvation, we give our heartfelt thanks and praise.

C. We give you thanks, O Lord.

 

A. For those who lead and those who follow; for officers and councils and committees and boards:

C. We give you thanks, O Lord.

 

A. For ushers and greeters, for assisting ministers and readers, for acolytes and servers, for musicians and choirs:

C. We give you thanks, O Lord.

 

A. For prophets and seers, for teachers and preachers, for those who visit and for those who call:

C. We give you thanks, O Lord.

 

A. For cleaners and dusters, for maintainers and fixers, for those who cook and those who eat:

C. We give you thanks, O Lord.

 

A. For administrators and helpers, for counters and record keepers, for bulletin folders and envelope stuffers:

C. We give you thanks, O Lord.

 

A. For those who give and those who pray, for those who plan and those who guide; for those with wisdom and those with inspiration:

C. We give you thanks, O Lord.

 

A. For youth workers and youth, for parents and grandparents, for loving sisters and brothers in Christ:

C. We give you thanks, O Lord.

 

A. For our past and for our future, for the many ways that we embody Christ for the needy in the world, for mission and ministry and for a purpose for being the Church:

C. We give you thanks, O Lord.

 

A. Keep us ever close to your Word and Holy Sacraments, that we might find strength to endure to the end:

C. We dedicate our lives to your service.

 

A. Bind us to your love, and through that love, to one another, for the sake of the gospel:

C. We dedicate our lives to your service.

 

A. Make us cheerful givers and faithful workers for the kingdom of your Son:

C. We dedicate our lives to your service.

 

A. Make us one in the body of Christ that we may acknowledge with gratefulness the importance of all our members and all our gifts for the mission that you give us.

C. We dedicate our lives to your service.

 

A. Lift up the weak among us. Heal the sick. Relieve the distressed. Comfort the mourning. Especially we pray for _________________, and for all those we name in our hearts before you. Silent prayer. Be our strong rock and a refuge to keep us safe.

C. Hear our prayer, O Lord.

 

A. Bless our youth, and especially those who graduate this spring. In all ways show your favor in their lives that they may live in virtue and faith and enrich the world by your calling.

C. Hear our prayer, O Lord.

 

P. Holy God, Blessed Lord, we thank you for all the good people of faith that you have raised up among us for the work of the gospel. Multiply our gifts by your Holy Spirit. Be in our hands and our minds and our words that we might bring your love to the world. And prosper our work to the glory of your holy name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C. Amen

 

P. God has made you one people through your baptism into Christ. Through your brothers and sisters, you know his peace and love. The peace of the Lord be with you always.

C. And also with you.

All share the peace of the Lord.

 

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At Holy Communion, the service continues with the offering. If there is no Communion, then the service continues with the Lord's Prayer and the Benediction.