By Stacey Tinsley | Bossier Press-Tribune
Families and little ones at First Bossier gathered Thursday, Nov. 20, for the church’s annual Mother’s Day Out (MDO) Family Thanksgiving Feast — a cherished event that brings the entire preschool ministry together to celebrate gratitude, faith and community through a Christ-centered lens.
For the First Bossier MDO program, Thanksgiving is more than a holiday meal — it is a heartfelt opportunity to pause, give thanks to God and reflect on the blessings He has provided throughout the year.
“This feast is the one time we have everyone together as a big group, and we can show our thanks to the families who trust us with their little ones,” said Wendy Walker, director of First Kids Preschool Ministry and MDO.
During the event, the 4-year-old and bridge classes performed a special Thanksgiving song while a video played featuring the children sharing what they are thankful for. Each class created unique shirts to wear for the celebration, and some even designed placemats to use during the meal — all made with little hands and big hearts.
Throughout November, the children have been learning about thankfulness through Bible lessons and Scripture memorization. The verse guiding their lessons this month was Psalm 100:4, which reminds believers to “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.”
Walker explained that while the children — ranging from infants to 5 years old — are just beginning to understand gratitude, the ministry is intentional about planting seeds of faith early. “We start laying that foundation for them,” she said. “It’s amazing to see their little hearts begin to grasp the idea of being thankful for God’s blessings.”
The atmosphere at the feast was filled with laughter, songs and heartfelt fellowship as families shared a meal and reflected on God’s goodness. For many parents, it was a touching reminder of how faith and family go hand-in-hand, especially during the Thanksgiving season.
Walker said her prayer is that every family left the event feeling appreciated and uplifted. “I hope that each family we serve will feel our gratitude for them,” she said. “Without them sending their little ones to us, we wouldn’t be able to have this ministry.”
At Thanksgiving time, First Bossier’s MDO program continues to model what it means to cultivate gratitude from the youngest age — teaching that true thankfulness begins not at the dinner table, but in the heart of worship and praise to God.
