In the year 1975, Rev. Dr. Sidney Freeman, minister of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Charlotte and Rabbi Harold Krantzler of Temple Beth El came together to begin a tradition that embodied the beautiful tapestry of Charlotte's diverse religious community. A Unitarian Universalist and a Reform Jew put aside their religious differences and envisioned a Community-Wide Interfaith Thanksgiving Service that would encourage our neighbors to practice gratitude in ways that would unite and transform our community. Today, we celebrate and honor Rev. Dr. Sidney Freeman and Rabbi Harold Krantzler for their ability to see beyond the lines that too often create division within the human family. We continue to build upon their legacy by welcoming people of all faiths and backgrounds as we come together in gratitude to celebrate diversity and pray for unity. Each year this service is held in a different house of worship, and faith leaders across the community are invited to participate. Attendance at this service has reached as many as 1,500. Canned goods are collected for Loaves & Fishes; financial donations are shared by Crisis Assistance Ministries and MeckMIN. We hope you will celebrate this very special evening with us.
MeckMIN's 45th Annual
Community-Wide Interfaith Thanksgiving
"The Truth of our Connectedness"
Hosted by Temple Beth El, the theme for 2020 was “The Truth of our Connectedness”.
The key note speaker was Rev. Dr. Peter Wherry, Senior Pastor of Mayfield Memorial Missionary Baptist Church in Charlotte, NC. Dr. Wherry is the founding moderator of the United Missionary Baptist Association, which provides leadership to 70 churches in the region, with a constituency of over 40,000 people. He is also a pioneering leader of the Forward Together Movement.
Donations for this event were shared with Crisis Assistance Ministry. Your gifts support the work of MeckMIN in promoting interfaith collaboration and prevents homelessness for our neighbors who seek help at Crisis Assistance Ministry. CLICK HERE to make your secure online donation!
A Posture of Gratitude
Gratitude is an attitude but it is so much more than that.
Its reflection and introspection
And lifting burdens off your back -
The kind you have no control over
But may wrangle you to the ground.
Attitude gives you altitude and lifts you up all around.
It is the sunshine in a dark place of thought,
A light when you think, “What has this day brought?”
A gentle reminder of our Blessings, each day
The ones we keep and the ones we give away,
To help a fallen brother or a sister fighting despair,
The more we give the more we have to share.
Gratitude is the armor against all odds and disagreements
It’s the reason that we serve and set aside all of our grievance.
It gives us pause to count our Blessings and smell a fragrant flower
So thankful for each milestone and small steps every hour
I thank you Lord for giving me one more day to grow
I am your humble servant, of this, I’m sure you know.
By Nancy Nelson Ewing (November 2020)
