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COMMUNITY-WIDE INTERFAITH 
THANKSGIVING SERVICE

Due to circumstances beyond MeckMIN’s control,
we deeply regret to announce that this evening’s Thanksgiving Service has been CANCELLED.

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While I was studying in Tokyo, I had to go through an experience that many young Americans face - my first holiday season away from my family. As one of the only Americans at the school, it was shaping up to be a

lonely Thanksgiving.

 

Instead of celebrating alone, I asked my other international friends to join me. They were reluctant at first, not understanding American traditions or foods. So, rather than ask them to make the foods we might expect for a traditional Thanksgiving, I asked them to bring a food that they would bring to family and friends back home. They instantly understood.

 

When Thanksgiving rolled around, we had an incredible wealth of food. My Malaysian friends brought

nasi goreng, my Spanish friends brought paella, Japanese friends brought karaage, and so much more.

A friend from Russia even helped me bake pumpkin pie from scratch!

 

As we celebrated together, my friends got a true understanding of what Thanksgiving means -

coming together across our differences and celebrating as a family.

 

Zach Surber
Senior Manager of Volunteer Services, Habitat for Humanity of the Charlotte Region

and chair of the 2023 Thanksgiving Service Committee 

The committee planning this year's Interfaith Thanksgiving Service, has kept the image of Zach's story of his holiday in Japan in mind as we have pulled the event together. We've invited people from several communities who make up the larger Charlotte-Mecklenburg area to come and speak, sharing their unique perspectives and experiences. You'll also get the chance to share in several small group conversations with those around you to hear their perspectives and share your own.  You may "taste" things that are familiar along with things you've never tried before. You may be delighted, you may be challenged, you may even choose to leave some of it on your plate, but our hope is that you'll walk away full of the richness that comes when we authentically share our full selves with one another. 

Meet this Year's Speakers and Musicians

Click on the picture to access full bios

Other Service Participants

Ramona Moore Big Eagle (Tuscarora), CEO of Dare to Soar Enterprises, as well as a speaker, author, storyteller, cultural educator, consultant, and workshop facilitator. 

 

Rev. Steve Lindsley, the Senior Minister/Head of Staff at Trinity Presbyterian Church of Charlotte. 

 

Rev. LeDayne McLeese Polaski, Executive Director of MeckMIN and a member of Park Road Baptist Church. 

 

Rev. Amy Brooks-Paradise, President of the MeckMIN Board of Director and an organizer with GreenFaith.  

 

Ayya (Ven.) Sudhamma, the abbess and Resident Bhikkhuni of the Charlotte Buddhist Vihara.  

 

Rev. Dr. Paul A. McAllister, Founder and President of Global Leaders in Unity and Evolvement and a member of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Charlotte

 

The Friendship Missionary Baptist Liturgical Dancers 

2023 SPONSORS
INDIVIDUAL SPONSORS

Becky Schisler
 

Beverly & Dick Hester

THANKSGIVING OFFERING
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An offering will be taken and will be split between MeckMIN and Crisis Assistance Ministries (CAM). Our friends there are telling us that they are seeing overwhelming need at this time in our community. As you are able, please plan to donate to the offering to support their work and ours. 

INTERFAITH FOOD DRIVE

Our partners at Loaves & Fishes / Friendship Trays say that need is as high as they have ever seen, and they are simply trusting day by day that donations will come in to replenish their limited supply. 

 

YOU CAN HELP! We will have food donation boxes at the service. Please consider bringing some of these high priority items: ​

  • Canned Meat: Tuna, Chicken, etc…

  • Canned Fruit: low sugar or in juice

  • Pastas – Canned or Dry Boxed

  • Low Sodium Canned Vegetables

  • Peanut Butter

 

NO GLASS PLEASE!

 

If your House of Faith or community Organization would like to host their own food drive, please click HERE for more information.

Hold a food drive to make an impact on hunger this Thanksgiving!

 

1. Determine date(s) and location

2. Register your food drive

3. Start collecting and have fun!


Check Out our Food Drive Tool Kit


For any food drive questions contact fooddrives@loavesandfishes.org |
704-343-5031

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2022 Thanksgiving Service
History of the Interfaith Thanksgiving Service

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.


 

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