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Interfaith Thanksgiving Celebration
Each November, Interfaith Works hosts a community Thanksgiving gathering that celebrates the strength and joy that our cultural and faith diversity bring to our community. Representatives from many different faiths share stories, music, dance, and readings from their cultural traditions. A free-will offering will be accepted to benefit the programs of Interfaith Works and another local non-profit serving the people of our community.
Save the date for our 27th annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Celebration: "A Celebration of the Whole Human Family" on Sunday, November 21, 2:30 - 4 p.m. Our host congregation this year is Tumwater United Methodist Church, 1401 Lake Park Dr. SW, Tumwater, WA 98512
(2 blocks from Trosper - tum right after Mega Foods. Bus Route #12 - from downtown, get off at Linwood & Lake Park Dr. Walk 2 blocks).
This widely diverse program features music, words, and songs from many faiths. Whether this would be your first time or your twenty-seventh, you will learn and experience something new and wonderful about your neighbors of other faiths. And you’ll get to meet and visit with some of them as you enjoy light refreshment after the program.
Recent Years:
2008 Celebration: "Giving Thanks: A Presentation by Many Faith Traditions" at Westminster Presbyterian Church. Children’s and adult choirs, vocal and instrumental soloists, prose and poetry, all resounded together as expression of our gratitude. Over $1400 was recieved in support of GRuB (Garden-Raised Bounty, www.goodgrub.org) and Interfaith Works programs.
2007 Celebration: "Earth Gratitude" at the United Churches of Olympia was a huge success, with about 300 attendees enjoying 11 presentations on Earth Gratitude from various faith communities:
- Calling in the Directions by Steve Tracey from Center for Spiritual Awakening
- Alleluia! Handbell Ensemble from First Christian Church
- Choirs from Temple Beth Hatfiloh, St. Benedict's Episcopal Church, and Unity Church of Olympia
- Readers, Musicians, and Singers from:
- Bahá'í assemblies in Thurston County
- The United Churches of Olympia
- St. Andrew's United Methodist Church
- Unitarian Universalist communities in Thurston County
- Community for Interfaith Celebration
The almost $900 raised was split between the Nancy Hoff Memorial Housing Assistance Fund and Garden Raised Bounty (GRuB).
2006 Celebration: "Rejoicing Together in Unity" at Lacey Presbyterian Church had over 300 people of all ages enjoying an interactive experience of expressions of gratitude from diverse faith communities. Instrumental and vocal music, dance, poetry, and prayer offerings were contributed:
- Benedictine Sisters of St. Placid Priory singing & leading songs of rejoicing,
- Kol N'Shama singing Jewish choral music,
- "Love" by Mary Baker Eddy,
- Kids of the Mosque singing "Give Thanks to Allah",
- Joyful Ringers Bell Choir,
- A Baha'i prayer set to music,
- and more!
Non-perishable food items for the Thurston County Food Bank were collected.
2005 Celebration: "We Choose Gratitude" at First United Methodist Church of Olympia drew about 200 people to learn how people of other faith traditions express gratitude. Participants contributed expressions of thanks to a banner, which was then hung at the front of the auditorium. They sang, talked, and ate together: Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Bahá'ís and more. Over $900 was raised for the IW Nancy Hoff Memorial Housing Assistance Fund.
2004 Celebration: "Harvest of Gratitude" at St. John's Episcopal Church raised over $400 for the IW Emergency Overflow Shelter and included a responsive interfaith litany about thanksgiving.
2003 Celebration: "Sharing Gratitude" at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd raised $1000 for the Refugee and Immigrant Service Center and for Interfaith Works (at the time, Associated Ministries). The program included a Baha'i benediction, a Qur'an recitation, a liturgical dance, "Giving Thanks" by Mohawk Chief Jake Swamp, and "Mah Gadlu" sung by the Temple Beth Hatfiloh Choir.
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