Thanksgiving Eve Worship ~ 2026

 

Tonight's Service Leader is Rev. Richard Rikli, Emeritus

 

The liturgy tonight is Vespers found on page 229ff.

 

Stand

 

Common Versicles Psalm 51:15; Psalm 70:1

 

Psalm 67 Psalm 67; antiphon: v. 7

¹May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us,
²that your way may be known on earth,
your saving power among all nations.
³Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!

⁴Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth.
⁵Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!

⁶The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, shall bless us.
⁷God shall bless us;
let all the ends of the earth fear him!

L O Lord, have mercy on us.

C Thanks be to God.

 

Sit

 

Office Hymn-

 

789 Praise and Thanksgiving LSB 789

Text: Albert F. Bayly, 1901–84
Tune: Gaelic, 19th cent.
Text: © 1987 Oxford University Press. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110001518
Tune: Public domain

 

Old Testament Reading Deuteronomy 8:1–10

L A reading from Deuteronomy, chapter 8.

¹“The whole commandment that I command you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land that the Lord swore to give to your fathers. ²And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. ³And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. ⁴Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years. ⁵Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you. ⁶So you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and by fearing him. ⁷For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing out in the valleys and hills, ⁸a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, ⁹a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. ¹⁰And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.”

L O Lord, have mercy on us.

C Thanks be to God.

 

Epistle Reading Philippians 4:6–20

L A reading from Philippians, chapter 4.

⁶Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

⁸Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ⁹What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

¹⁰I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. ¹¹Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. ¹²I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. ¹³I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

¹⁴Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. ¹⁵And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. ¹⁶Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. ¹⁷Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. ¹⁸I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. ¹⁹And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. ²⁰To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

L O Lord, have mercy on us.

C Thanks be to God.

 

New Testament Reading Luke 17:11–19

L A reading from Luke, chapter 17.

¹¹On the way to Jerusalem [Jesus] was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. ¹²And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance ¹³and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” ¹⁴When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. ¹⁵Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; ¹⁶and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. ¹⁷Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? ¹⁸Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” ¹⁹And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”

L O Lord, have mercy on us.

C Thanks be to God.

 

Responsory Psalm 86:11; Psalm 119:105

 

Sermon ~ Rev. Richard Rikli, Emeritus

 

Stand

 

Antiphon (Common) Psalm 141:2

 

Sit

 

Offering

 

Offering Hymn-

 

892 Come, Ye Thankful People, Come LSB 892

Text: Henry Alford, 1810–71, alt.
Tune: George J. Elvey, 1816–93
Text and tune: Public domain

 

Kneel/Stand

 

Prayers:

 

Kyrie Mark 10:47

 

Lord’s Prayer

C Our Father who art in heaven,

     hallowed be Thy name,

     Thy kingdom come,

     Thy will be done on earth

          as it is in heaven;

     give us this day our daily bread;

     and forgive us our trespasses

          as we forgive those

          who trespass against us;

     and lead us not into temptation,

     but deliver us from evil.

For Thine is the kingdom

     and the power and the glory

     forever and ever. Amen.

 

Collects:

 

Introduction to Collects Psalm 102:1

 

Collect of the Day

P O Lord, absolve Your people from their offenses that, from the bonds of our sins which by reason of our frailty we have brought upon ourselves, we may be delivered by Your bountiful goodness; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

 

Collect for Peace

L O God, from whom come all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works, give to us, Your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey Your commandments and also that we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

 

Benedicamus Psalm 103:1

 

Benediction 2 Corinthians 13:14

P The grace of our Lord T Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

 

Sit

 

Closing Hymn-

 

712 Seek Ye First LSB 712

Text and tune: Karen Lafferty, 1948
Text and tune: © 1972 Maranatha! Music, admin. EMI. Used by permission: Michael Mohr no. Personal Permission

 

Acknowledgments

Vespers from Lutheran Service Book

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2026 Concordia Publishing House.