Community Thanksgiving Service

Last night the Oriental community joined together for our annual Thanksgiving Service. It was held at the St. Peter's Catholic Church; they have the largest sanctuary and over 300 people attend this service each year. Their harvest decorations on the stage were so beautiful!

I was thrilled to see six pastors standing together up front, all from different denominations, leading us in worship together.

Adam is on the left. The other men represent the local Episcopal, United Methodist, Roman Catholic, Free Will Baptist, and Baptist congregations.

We enjoyed music from the Pamlico Brass group.

And anthems were sung by the Community Chorale, a group I sang with last year. I've been too busy to add a weekly rehearsal to my schedule this fall.
The pastors had met and assigned their various duties for the service, and this year Adam was given the task of preaching the Thanksgiving sermon. He did a great job! He preached about Ex. 24, the passage that describes the ascent of Moses and the elders of Israel, up the mountain to meet God, see heaven, and eat a meal. The text says that they saw God, and they ate and drank. Meals are all about fellowship, and God demonstrates this truth for us Himself. It was a good sermon.

In a day of so much denominational strife and party affiliation and political fighting, how sweet it is to enjoy the love and friendly spirit of other Christians, declining to focus on our differences, and choosing instead to celebrate our common faith. Happy Thanksgiving Week!