The Interfaith Thanksgiving Service article was published in the Towne Courier this weekend. Read it here. The article has also been copied & pasted below.
Each year the East Lansing Interfaith Clergy Group organizes an interfaith Thanksgiving service, where members of different faiths gather to sing, to see the world through the eyes of others and to share in gratitude.
The Interfaith Thanksgiving Service will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 21 at Edgewood United Church, 469 N. Hagadorn.
Following worship, there will be light refreshments and a chance to meet with others.
The worship service involves prayer, scripture readings, a meditation/homily and a performance by a joint choir.
The faith communities represented include Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Unitarian Universalist, Church of Christ Scientist, Mormon, Bahai, Unity, Hindu, Buddhist and Quaker.
The event creates a number of unique issues for the organizers. There are practical difficulties of coordinating schedules, but also the challenge of creating an inclusive worship service which is respectful to the beliefs and practices of many different religious traditions.
"The worship is unifying," said Rev. Kari Nicewander, a pastor at Edgewood United Church, which hosts this year's service. "We include aspects of different traditions, and the songs and prayers are not explicitly Christian."
Rabbi Amy Bigman, of Congregation Shaarey Zedek, said her congregation participates "because by doing so we help to strengthen our community and make the world a better place.
"A very important part of our religion is practicing tikkun olam, which can be translated as repair or perfection of the world."
Rev. Kathryn Bert from the Unitarian Universalist Church of Greater Lansing said, "Our different faith communities hold Love in common, which some name as God, but by whatever name, connects us one to another in compassion and community...."
Each year the East Lansing Interfaith Clergy Group organizes an interfaith Thanksgiving service, where members of different faiths gather to sing, to see the world through the eyes of others and to share in gratitude.
The Interfaith Thanksgiving Service will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 21 at Edgewood United Church, 469 N. Hagadorn.
Following worship, there will be light refreshments and a chance to meet with others.
The worship service involves prayer, scripture readings, a meditation/homily and a performance by a joint choir.
The faith communities represented include Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Unitarian Universalist, Church of Christ Scientist, Mormon, Bahai, Unity, Hindu, Buddhist and Quaker.
The event creates a number of unique issues for the organizers. There are practical difficulties of coordinating schedules, but also the challenge of creating an inclusive worship service which is respectful to the beliefs and practices of many different religious traditions.
"The worship is unifying," said Rev. Kari Nicewander, a pastor at Edgewood United Church, which hosts this year's service. "We include aspects of different traditions, and the songs and prayers are not explicitly Christian."
Rabbi Amy Bigman, of Congregation Shaarey Zedek, said her congregation participates "because by doing so we help to strengthen our community and make the world a better place.
"A very important part of our religion is practicing tikkun olam, which can be translated as repair or perfection of the world."
Rev. Kathryn Bert from the Unitarian Universalist Church of Greater Lansing said, "Our different faith communities hold Love in common, which some name as God, but by whatever name, connects us one to another in compassion and community...."
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