Small Church October 12, 2025

Conversation Guide for October 12, 2025

The Book of Romans: Recovering God’s Yes

A Thanksgiving Liturgy: An Abundance of Grace

This week for Small Church…

As we work our way through the book of Romans with our series, Recovering God’s Yes, we have been reminded that this is a text which doesn’t divide but can heal and bring things together in God’s love. Last Sunday, while teaching on Romans 5: 12- 21, Todd shared that through Jesus, we are freed from seeing the world through absolutes: right and wrong or good and evil. Because of Jesus there is an abundance of grace (5:17) where all are welcomed into God’s loving embrace. We do not have to compete with one another for God’s love, or for our salvation, it is freely given to us through Jesus’ sacrifice for all of the world. Thanks be to God for that!

And speaking of thanks… one reaction we can have to this gift of abundant grace is to respond with gratitude. What a better weekend to take on a posture of thanksgiving.

For Small Church this Thanksgiving Weekend we have prepared an all-ages liturgy of gratitude. This can be done for your usual Small Church gathering. However, we also imagine that this liturgy could be shared during a Thanksgiving dinner with friends and family.

We pray that this ritual of thanksgiving will help you, and those with you, to recognize the abundance of God’s grace present in the world.

Gather Together in Thanks

Have one person share the text aloud, with everyone joining in with the bolded response.

Words adapted from Joy Mead’s Harvest Liturgy

Contemplate with Thanks

Spend some time with this song. You can listen to a recording of it, sing it together, or simply read the lyrics together.

Read aloud before sharing the song:

May this Thanksgiving weekend be the place where you are reminded of God’s abundant grace. In the midst of this busy weekend, may this be a time to pause and give thanks for what God has provided, for us, for others, and for the world.

We know that not all is perfect in the world, at times grace might feel far away, and gratitude can be an uncomfortable stretch. Yet, taking joy and delight in what God provides in our lives, in our communities, and for the world, is a way to stand against the despair and fear in our world.

As you listen to the lyrics of this song, reflect on the following questions:

What brings you joy and delight in the midst of despair?
How are you reminded of God’s abundant grace and provision in the world?

All -Ages Activity and Discussion

Make a Thanksgiving Seed Mosaic

Using this template arrange dried beans, seeds, or grains to decorate the pumpkin.
You can make mosaics as individuals, or all work on one together.
You can glue the seeds down to save this art for later, or if you want to reuse the beans, simply place the seeds on the paper as a temporary piece of art.

While you do this activity together, discuss some of the following questions:

Share about a time when you have been surprised by a gift which you didn’t ask for. How did you say thank you?
What does it feel like when you share something with another person? Something that you really love and treasure?
Share about some of the ways which you can say thank you to God.
What are some of the things in your life, which make you want to say Thanks be to God?

Download Template (PDF)

Closing Blessing

Share this blessing together as a way to close this Thanksgiving liturgy.