Today’s author is Melanie Hill, PoP’s interim director for children & family ministry.
Our middle school youth group, God Rocks, made the “table runner” pictured above. On a riff of Praying in Color, we put a simple, “God, you hear our prayer….” In the middle and then I led them a guided meditation on things they might be thankful for. Together we drew and doodled and connected our prayers with a variety of colors and designs.
As it was just after All Saint’s Day, we began by giving thanks for a saint we’d known in our lives and now honored. We moved on to praying for friends and enemies, classes and teachers, favorite foods and activities, favorite books and movies. On and on we prayed, holding people on our hearts and reflecting on all we’re grateful for.
It’s a long sheet of paper. Together we covered about eight feet in a half hour. We stood and admired our work and I pointed out this would make an excellent Thanksgiving table runner. “Cool!” said one of our prayer artists.
And it is cool! If you’re looking for an intergenerational activity this Thanksgiving, it’s hard to go wrong with this one. Sit some friends and family down around a long sheet of paper down the middle of the table and some colored pencils/markers/crayons. Have someone draw something like “We Are Thankful For….” or “God We Thank You For….” In the middle and then set the challenge to fill the whole runner. If you’re really ambitious, you could make this a tablecloth!
If you are someone who sets the Thanksgiving table a week ahead of time, you can do this another way: paper a door in your house and invite everyone to draw or write something they’re especially thankful for this year.
These Thanksgiving prayers and memories can easily be rolled and saved through the years—very interesting to watch the handwriting of young and old change, as well as the blessings we celebrate.
God we thank you for this season of gratitude and feasting. Give us thankful hearts and people to share time and prayer with. In Jesus’ name we pray….AMEN.