I lean toward Thanksgiving as my favorite holiday. As General Superintendent, I’m thankful for the privilege of serving the North American General Conference of The Wesleyan Church, consisting of Canada and the United States. Since Thanksgiving 2025 was celebrated in Canada on October 13 and will be observed in the U.S. on November 27, I feel like I get over six weeks of Thanksgiving this year! In reality, Thanksgiving is not bound by time, geography or circumstances. We ought to be “always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph. 5:20).
Canadian Thanksgiving took place during Pastor Appreciation Month, which is celebrated every year in our Wesleyan Church family. We love and honor our pastors, giving thanks for the women and men across the world who faithfully seek to glorify God and build the body of Christ. We recognize the sacrifices they make to shepherd God’s people and equip all believers for works of service. It’s sobering that across our global church family some have sacrificed their livelihood or even their lives. In my quiet time I utilize a prayer folder which includes pictures of our missionaries and ministers across the 100+ nations in which our Wesleyan family resides. I give thanks for their service while asking God to supply their needs according to his riches in Christ Jesus.
Thanksgiving in the U.S. is this month. It’s fitting that we additionally give thanks for Wesleyan laity who are disciples and make disciples. Over 90% of our Wesleyan family is laity and their kingdom contribution is enormous. I celebrate when clergy give thanks for laity and in turn laity give thanks for clergy, for we are all members of one body. Each of us is providentially placed by God where we work, worship, live, learn or play … empowered by the Holy Spirit to be witnesses in places here, near, far and hard. We thank our great God who so loved the world and join him in loving and reaching our neighbors and the nations. In many localities, the nations are our neighbors!
I’m struck how God’s Word repeatedly links giving thanks and offering prayer. You can’t be ungrateful and truly prayerful, and you can’t be grateful without being prayerful.
- “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Phil. 4:6-7). Thanksgiving bracketed by prayer. You lead in by prayer and petition and lead out with presenting your requests to God.
- “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you” (Col. 1:3). “We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers” (1 Thess. 1:2). “I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers” (Eph. 1:16). Thanksgiving is always, always, continually expressed in prayer … it’s not stopped!
This past summer, I participated in 13 of the 22 district conferences that occurred in North America. There were many highlights, but most moving for me was a focused prayer time in which the delegates participated. Across the 22 conferences, they were asked by a general officer or their district superintendent to identify one space beyond the church’s walls where they live, work, learn or play. The delegates were then asked to gather in groups of two or three, share that one space and then pray for each other and the one space God had placed on their hearts.
I was so grateful to those who joined me in prayer for the Fit Club where I exercise. When we finished, I looked across those sharing and praying spaces where the hope and healing through the power of Jesus Christ could be found — it seemed like a bit of heaven on earth! They were partnering in praying on offense for those in their one space — seeking to be disciples who make disciples.
Every local Wesleyan Church is to annually submit their Local Church Service Report (LCSR). This year, we asked each church to identify who they saw as a “prayer leader” in their local church: “Please list the name and email of your church’s prayer coordinator.” Literally hundreds of prayer leaders were identified! During November, I’m praying for a portion of those leaders each day so by the month’s end, I’ve “thanked God” for each one and the intercession they offer.
Pause for a moment to allow God’s Word to permeate you with thankfulness and prayerfulness. Pray for:
- Devotion: “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful” (Col. 4:2).
- Seeking the will of God: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess. 5:18).
- Reaching more people: “All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God” (2 Cor. 4:15).
- Peace and unity in the body of Christ: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful” (Col. 3:15).
- Faithfulness in word and deed: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Col. 3:17).
Most of all, give thanks: “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (2 Cor. 9:15).
Dr. Wayne Schmidt is the General Superintendent of The Wesleyan Church.
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