Transcript: How did the first Pilgrims celebrate Thanksgiving? A look at the first Thanksgiving prayer provides a great reminder of the holiday. Hello, I’m Sam Rohrer with another Stand in the Gap Minute. History records Governor Bradford recorded the first Thanksgiving proclamation three years after the Pilgrims settled in Plymouth. One key phrase of his prayer records that God “has granted us freedom to worship Him according to the dictates of our own conscience.” While many today view Thanksgiving as a holiday to eat turkey and watch football, its origin celebrated our nation’s freedom to worship God. Let me encourage you to reconnect with this original Thanksgiving prayer. As you gather for the holiday with loved ones, remember to express appreciation for America’s religious liberties. More than ever, we need to remember our religious freedoms—and express them! May God continue to bless America as we seek to worship Him. Join us for more Biblical resources at American Pastors Network dot net.