Again this year at Pilgrim, to accommodate our cooks’ work and families’ plans, we are observing our country’s Thanksgiving Day on its “eve”, Wednesday, November 23rd, with Divine Service at 7:00 p.m. All are invited and welcome to attend!

Lutheran liturgical calendars generally are independent of political systems and nationalities, but the Day of National Thanksgiving is an exception of sorts. The Day is a uniquely North American observance, though Lutherans elsewhere often celebrated a harvest festival, generally earlier in the year. However, the scope of American Thanksgiving is broader than gratitude for the recent harvest. So, for some time, readings, a collect, and the like proper to a Day of General or Special Thanksgiving have been appointed for potential use.

A Day of National Thanksgiving is good for all of us to remember all of our blessings, but in the Church we at remember that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to God, chiefly for the glorious resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ, Whose death destroyed death and Whose resurrection restores to believers everlasting life.

For more information about the Thanksgiving Eve Divine Service or Pilgrim Lutheran Church, please use the contact information at right.

The image at the top of this page uses the uncredited cornucopia image found here, the uncredited chalice image found here, and the words of Psalm 116:12-13 from the English Standard Version (copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers).