Annual Interfaith Community Thanksgiving Service to Take Place November 19

Lansing area residents are invited to take part in the annual Interfaith Community Thanksgiving Worship Service at the University United Methodist Church on November 19^th at 7:00 PM, sponsored by the Interfaith Clergy Association of Greater Lansing.

The featured speaker for this year’s event is Imam Sohail Chaudhry from the Islamic Center of East Lansing, and many faiths and places of worship will be represented.

An offering will be collected to benefit the Firecracker Foundation, a non-profit which provides healing services to survivors of sexual trauma under the age of 18 and their families.

According to Peter Robinson, Pastor of the Pilgrim Congregational Church “The Interfaith Thanksgiving service brings people of all faiths together to celebrate that we are all one in our diversity. When there is so much bickering and strife, the Thanksgiving service reminds us of what is really important -- mutual respect, loving each other and being grateful for the blessings we have received.”

Dawn Christenson of the United Church of Christ echoed these sentiments, saying that “Interfaith worship builds bridges that promote diversity and unity, by eliminating walls of division.”

The Interfaith Clergy Association frequently sponsors interfaith gatherings in the community, including being a co-sponsor for the Diversity Celebration last year and more recently a prayer vigil at Congregation Shaarey Zedek for the victims of the Pittsburgh Synagogue shooting.

Shaarey Zedek’s Rabbi, Amy Bigman told ELi “I am proud of the work that the Interfaith Clergy Association of Greater Lansing does in our community to promote education and support for our fellow clergy persons and for the community at large. The yearly Thanksgiving service is always a highlight for me. Many members of the community have said that to see the many clergy of different backgrounds walk into the worship space together is moving. In today’s world, we need the affirmation that people of different faiths can come together to celebrate a shared holiday. I am proud to be the founder of this clergy group and to have become friends with so many of my clergy colleagues.”

The Community Thanksgiving worship service is open to everyone.

University Methodist Church is located at 1120 S. Harrison Road. Overflow parking will be available at University Lutheran Church and in the Red Cedar School Parking lot.

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