Welcome back to another episode of five minutes in church history. On this episode we'll be

talking about Fort Caroline. Now I need to distinguish this is not sweet Caroline. Some of you

might know what that is. No, this is Fort Caroline, and this was a

fort that was established along the St. John's River in Florida in 1564.

Now this is a bit of a trick question that I have for you.

When was the first Thanksgiving on American soil?

You might be tempted to think of New England after all.

Thanksgiving traditions all point us back to New England.

But you actually might be wrong, the first Thanksgiving service

likely occurred or Thanksgiving Day.

The first Thanksgiving Day likely occurred on June 30, 1564 at Fort Caroline, which is near the modern day city of Jacksonville in Florida.

This was a group of French Huguenots.

In 1562, their leader had made an exploratory trip to the coast of Florida and found this delightful place at the St. John's River, a place for a settlement.

And in 1564, 200 French Huguenot settlers landed in Florida and set up Fort Caroline.

They landed in June, and by June 30th, they decided to have a service of Thanksgiving and

celebration for coming to this new world and this is what they said on that

momentous day on the morrow about the break of day I commanded a trumpet

to be sounded, that being assembled we might give God thanks for a favorable and happy arrival. Then we sang a Psalm of

Thanksgiving unto God, beseeching him that it would please him of his

grace to continue his accustomed goodness toward us, his poor servants, and aid us in all our

enterprises that all might turn to his glory and the advancement of our king.

Now there's a fascinating line in there

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