Thanksgiving Prayers for Labor

From the Theology of Work Project:

We give because you first gave to us.

Giving God, just as we love because you first loved us, we give because you first gave to us.
Out of gratitude we bring gifts of money to be used for your kingdom work. With these gifts we also pledge to you our whole selves.
We give you our bodies as living temples; may we be your hands and feet. We give you our minds; may our thoughts support others and glorify you. We give you our time; may our presence encourage others.
We give you our relationships; may our interactions be a light to the world.
We give you our work; may we always strive to do our best and help others do theirs. We give you our play; may our leisure bring joy to many.
We give you our hopes and our dreams; may our goals reflect your mission.
Use these gifts, great God, through the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen. (Many more prayers collected by TOW here!)

From the Book of Common Prayer:

Almighty God, we thank you for making the earth fruitful, so that it might produce what is needed for life: Bless those who work in the fields; give us seasonable weather; and grant that
we may all share the fruits for the earth, rejoicing in your goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

and another:

Almighty God, whose Son Jesus Christ in his earthly life shared our toil and hallowed our labor: Be present with your people where they work; make those who carry on the industries and commerce of this land responsive to your will; and give to us all a pride in what we do, and a just return for our labor; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Crowdsource your Thanksgiving grace with Kyle Matthew Oliver, and be sure to include prayers for those whose work enabled us to eat!

From LaGretta Bjorn at the UMC Discipleship site:

How can we thank you enough for all you have given us, Lord?
We have so much, more than enough to supply all our needs.
As we present our tithes and offerings today, make us mindful of the people, especially the children, whose earthly needs we are called to supply.
In deepest gratitude, we offer ourselves back to you,
for your service and your will.
In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

From Interfaith Worker Justice:

Let us pray and give thanks to God for our bountiful lives. On this day, where family and friends gather to eat, drink and give thanks for all that we have, let us also remember those among us that have less to be thankful for. While we give thanks for this food, let us remember and pray for the farm workers whose labors made our meal possible. Let us remember and pray for the poultry worker, the canner, the truck driver, the grocery store clerk, and the cooks who made this meal and all of our meals possible. And while we pray in thanks, let us pray all people receive enough through their labors, so that all can live in security, and that no one go hungry for lack of decent wages. Let us seek and find ways to share our nation’s bounty with all those in need. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

And finally, here’s my favorite Thanksgiving hymn: