A Litany for Thankofferings

 


This litany may be used for a Thankoffering service or devotion outside the congregation’s regular Sunday service. Gatherings of synodical women’s organizations, circles, congregational units, or other groups can be occasions for Thankoffering. By custom, Thankofferings are often scheduled for November; however, they are appropriate any time of the year.

Preparation

Let everyone know that a Thankoffering will be received; remind them to bring their checkbooks. If there is a musician in your group, ask her to practice “For the Fruit of All Creation,” Evangelical Lutheran Worship 679, and “Now Thank We All Our God,” ELW 840.

Arrange to have enough offering envelopes for all, pens, and an attractive basket or two, small enough to pass from hand to hand easily. You might also have ready a copy of the DVD “Created in the Image of God: A Community of Women” to be shown before the litany. You may request a free copy of the DVD by calling the churchwide office at 800-638-3522, ext. 2730. Offering envelopes are available through our distribution partner, ELCA Resource Catalog: 800-638-3522, ext. 2580.

Prepare the gathering space with a focal point at the front or in the center; a small table covered with a cloth will be fine. On that table place a large white candle (remember matches or a lighter as well). Ask two people to serve as leaders, and give them a copy of this ritual in advance so that they will be familiar with their roles.

Opening

Leader 1: As we gather, let us keep in mind our Savior’s promise. (Light the candle.) Let this small flame remind us that where two or three come together in Christ’s name, he is here with us.

Leader 2: For generations, Lutheran women have gathered to give thanks to God for all the blessings of our lives, and particularly the blessings that come to us through this community of women.

Leader 1:
Let us repeat our Purpose Statement together.


All: As a community of women
       created in the image of God,
       called to discipleship in Jesus Christ, and
       empowered by the Holy Spirit,
we commit ourselves to
       grow in faith,
       affirm our gifts,
       support one another in our callings,
       engage in ministry and action, and
       promote healing and wholeness
            in the church,
            the society, and
            the world.

Litany

Leader 2: Let us reflect on the blessings that come to us and the blessings we pass on through our Thankofferings.

Leader 1: A blessing that comes to us through our community of women is the opportunity to grow in faith.

Leader 2: The blessings passed on through our Thankofferings include our many Women of the ELCA programs and resources that help women grow in faith together, including Sacred Spaces, Grace-full Living, Paths to Wholeness and so much more.

All: We are grateful that our Thankofferings make this possible.

Leader 1: A blessing that comes to us through our community of women is the opportunity to affirm our gifts.

Leader 2: The blessings passed on through our Thankofferings include our many Women of the ELCA publications, including Lutheran Woman Today magazine, Café for young women, the e-newsletter Bold Connections, Threads for individual partners, the womenoftheelca.org Web site, and so much more.

All: We are grateful that our Thankofferings make this possible.

Leader 1: A blessing that comes to us our through our community of women is our commitment to supporting one another in our callings.

Leader 2: The blessings passed on through our Thankofferings include the work of our Women of the ELCA scholarships committee, whose members help women all over the country complete their higher education, change careers, or grow in leadership, and so much more.

All: We are grateful that our Thankofferings make this possible.

Leader 1: A blessing that comes to us through our community of women is our commitment to ministry and action.

Leader 2: The blessings passed on through our Thankofferings include the work of our Women of the ELCA grants committee, as well as our partnerships with other organizations, including Lutheran World Relief, Lutheran Disaster Response, the Women’s Funding Network, Church Women United, World Day of Prayer, and the ministries of the larger ELCA, such as ELCA World Hunger and Global Mission, and so much more.

All: We are grateful that our Thankofferings make this possible.

Leader 1: A blessing that comes to us through our community of women is our commitment to promoting healing and wholeness in the church, the society, and the world.

Leader 2: The blessings passed on through our Thank-offerings include our Women of the ELCA Rachel's Day and Children’s Sabbath programs for children in crisis; our commitment to anti-racism by education, networking, and action; our commitment to cross-cultural and global education; our commitments to radical hospitality, to healing the environment, to world prayer, to discipleship, to faithful stewardship and service, and so much more.

All: We are grateful that our Thankofferings make this possible.

Leader 1: Our Thankofferings are our response in gratitude to all the blessings that come to us and flow through us. Our Thankofferings make all this possible. Let us bless the Lord, and in gratitude, bless the church, the society, and the world through our generosity.

Offering

“For the Fruit of All Creation,” ELW 679, may be played and sung as the offering is received.

Closing

Leader 2: Let us pray.

Generous God, we thank you for your many gifts, and we thank you further that you entrust us with passing on your gifts to others. Grant us grace always to act with bold and fearless generosity, seeing the face of your Son in all of your beloved children throughout the world. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

“Now Thank We All Our God,” ELW 840





Your Thankofferings support not only the programs and resources named in the litany above, but also the work of the Women of the ELCA churchwide board, training of synodical presidents and treasurers, training and support of Triennial Gathering promoters, the Triennial Convention and Gathering, and so much more.

Your Thankofferings also support the operations of the churchwide organization, including regular professional audits of our financial reporting, office space and equipment, technical services, and the like. None of this would be possible without your generosity. Thank you.

Make your check out to Women of the ELCA, and write “Thankoffering” on the check memo line. Mail your check to Women of the ELCA, P.O. Box 71256, Chicago, IL 60694-1256. Thank you for your continued generosity!