Thanksgiving Proclamations

Beloved President Abraham Lincoln guided the United States through the nightmare that was the Civil War. Even as brother fought against brother, Lincoln invited the divided nation to set apart a Day of Thanksgiving and Prayer. Today we are again divided. As we set aside a day to celebrate Thanksgiving, let us listen to Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1863. Then, let us learn how Lincoln’s proclamation established the national Thanksgiving holiday, how it encourages us to recognize our blessings and acknowledge the Source of those blessings, how it exhorts us to pray for our nation, how it has many similarities to George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1789, how it calls the nation to unity, and how it applies to our own lives. Don't miss out on Lincoln's words of wisdom!

Celebrate Thanksgiving by hearing Massachusetts Governor Curtis Guild Jr.'s Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1907. Guild encourages us individually to spend time with our loved ones and corporately to be grateful for our blessings and to use them to help others. He reminds us of the example of the Pilgrims, who kept their eyes on God, trusting Him to bring good out of their difficult trials. Let us, too, remember to keep our eyes on Him and to be thankful to the Lord our Provider.

Celebrate Thanksgiving by hearing President George H. W. Bush's Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1989. Note how President Bush models his proclamation after first President George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1789, how we need to pray to the "ruler of Nations," and how we need to focus on being grateful for God's blessings. Let us remember to be thankful too.

This Thanksgiving, take a few minutes to appreciate all that God has done for the citizens of the United States. Step back in time and learn about President George Washington and his Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1789. Washington wanted Americans to be thankful to God for the creation of the country and to pray for His continued blessing on it.