Thanksgiving Let s Be Grateful Sunday Service Children s Story

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1 Thanksgiving Let s Be Grateful Sunday Service Children s Story Materials: Photocopied prayer of I AM Thankful for each child Picture of George Washington OPTIONAL: Link for lion finger puppet #4 school.ws/t/lionset.htm Link for mouse finger puppet #4 school.ws/t/mouseset.htm Preparations: - Prepare any necessary materials. - Invite children up to steps of altar. - Reader of story sits in a chair with children sitting on floor in front of her. - Include children s story, even if there are no children in your congregation, to welcome families who may come to the service. - You can add your own creativity to the stories. You may feel comfortable using puppets, props or presenting them just as they are written. - Feel free to adjust the content to fit your time frame. However, for the spiritual development of the child, we encourage keeping as much of the Ascended Master s Teachings as possible. Good morning and welcome everyone and Happy Thanksgiving. Who can tell me some facts about the first Thanksgiving celebrated in our country?? (Allow children to answer.) (Answers might be: pilgrims and Native Americans grateful for a good harvest; Pilgrims grateful for religious freedom; Pilgrims grateful for Native Americans help.) 1

2 Does anyone know when Thanksgiving was first declared a National holiday in the United States? (Allow children to answer.) On October 3, 1789, declared by President George Washington. Our country had recently won their independence from England. Many of our founding fathers worked long hours, days and months to create our new government as described in the United States Constitution that they wrote. In gratitude for this new government, George Washington made the following proclamation and declared Thanksgiving Day as a national holiday of our new United States of America: Here is a portion of what President Washington wrote in this proclamation: (Hold picture of George Washington in front of your face while reading, as if it were him speaking. Place the following words on the back of the picture.) Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection,.whereas both houses of Congress requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God, especially in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One (referring to national government) now lately instituted, for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed." We can see that our Thanksgiving Day has a lot of historical importance in our country. It is a day to express gratitude to God for the many blessings in our lives. 2

3 Gratitude is a virtue that is important to express each day, not just on Thanksgiving Day. Would any of you like to share something, small or large, that you are thankful for? (Allow children to answer.) Today our story is an Aesop fable. Aesop was one of Lanello s embodiments. Aesop was a Greek slave in the sixth century B.C. who won his freedom from his master because of his wisdom, wit and ability to teach life lessons through his fables that have morals. Morals are conclusions at the end of the story that point out what is the right way to act. Let s hear how the virtue of gratitude plays a part in this story. *****Start using the finger puppets here**** A Lion lay asleep in the forest, his great head resting on his paws. A timid little Mouse came upon him unexpectedly, and in her fright and haste to get away, ran across the Lion's nose. Roused from his nap, the Lion laid his huge paw on the tiny creature and said, How dare you wake me up! Don't you know that I am King of the Forest? "Pardon, O mighty King of the forest, cried the little Mouse. Forgive me for disrupting your sleep. Please spare me!" begged the poor Mouse. I didn t mean to wake you up. It was a mistake. Let me go and some day I will surely repay you." The Lion was much amused to think that a Mouse could ever help him. But he was generous and so lifted his paw to free the Mouse and said: How could you ever repay me? What an absurd idea!. But 3

4 you have made me laugh, and put me into a good mood again, so I shall let you go. Some days later, while stalking his prey in the forest, the Lion was caught in a hunter's net. Unable to free himself, he filled the forest with his angry roaring. The Mouse recognized that voice. The Mouse, whose heart was filled with feelings of gratitude toward the mighty Lion, quickly scurried to help her new friend. My friend, the lion is in trouble,' cried the mouse and soon found the lion trapped in the hunter's snare and struggling to get out. Hold still, Your Majesty,' squeaked the mouse. 'I'll get you out of there. Running to one of the great ropes that bound him, the little Mouse gnawed and gnawed until the rope parted, and soon the Lion was free. "You laughed when I said I would repay you," said the Mouse. "Now you see that even a Mouse can help a Lion." The Mighty Lion humbly bowed to his new little friend, in gratitude and thanksgiving and said, 'I did not believe that you could be of use to me, little mouse, but today you saved my life. What is the moral of the story? (Allow children to answer.) Moral: Gratitude is the sign of noble souls. CONCLUSION: Who was grateful in this story? (Allow children to answer.) Yes, 4

5 the mouse felt gratitude to the lion for not harming him and the lion felt gratitude to the mouse for helping to set him free. The nobler a person is, like George Washington, the more easily he or she expresses gratitude. Our beloved Guru Ma shared in one of her Thanksgiving sermons the following message about the people living in our country: Many, many people across this nation enter into the true spirit of Thanksgiving and bring food to others who would otherwise not eat. So America is a generous nation. Let us keep our hearts generous, because if our hearts become like stones, then we will be able neither to give nor to receive. Let s try each day to express our gratitude for something in our life. This could be something large like freedom or small like having hot water for our showers. Let s show George Washington, now the ascended master Godfre, and Lanello and Guru Ma that we are grateful members of our country and church and community. Can we each remember to give thanks for something in our lives each day? Let s end with our prayer, I AM Thankful by Lanello. (Hand out prayers.) Thank you for sharing in our children s story and Happy Thanksgiving to all of you and those on the broadcast. 5

6 I AM Thankful O mighty heart of God so pure, I AM grateful now to thee. O gracious arms of light secure, I AM grateful so to be. O circling bond of Love, endure, I AM grateful to be free. AM I for thy love. I AM, O God above. AM I in thy name. I AM for each God- flame. I AM Thankful O mighty heart of God so pure, I AM grateful now to thee. O gracious arms of light secure, I AM grateful so to be. O circling bond of Love, endure, I AM grateful to be free. AM I for thy love. I AM, O God above. AM I in thy name. I AM for each God- flame. 6

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