At a Thanksgiving community event held annually in East Cobb, faith groups in Cherokee, Fulton, and Cobb counties come together to enjoy time together, share traditions, and celebrate those who are working to improve their communities.
The 13th Annual Ecumenical Thanksgiving Celebration, an event put together by more than a dozen faith-based groups in the Cobb, Fulton and Cherokee counties, is scheduled for Thursday, November 16 at 7pm at Temple Kol Emeth.
This year’s theme is “Dare to Do,” and the celebration will provide inspirational messages from several religious leaders about ways to improve our local communities and ourselves. The event will also spotlight an interfaith effort, the Center for Children and Young Adults (CCYA), that is currently working toward helping homeless youth in the community.
Sharon Kane from Holy Trinity Lutheran says of CCYA, “Today’s young people face a host of stressful demands and choices in a divisive, unsettled world. It has been said that ‘it takes a brave heart to choose right.’ You’ll hear how CCYA provides the tools for disadvantaged youth to make good choices and fosters the courage they need to ‘Dare to Do!’”
The community is invited to attend this event and join 20 different local churches, temples, and mosques to celebrate different faith traditions with the common goal of taking action to improve communities. Come learn about the reflections of different faiths about how we can all work together to benefit the local area, followed by a reception at which you can talk with your neighbors of all faiths.
“Every year, every week, and every hour, we have an abundance of choices to make. This program will give you hope and inspiration to dare to make the right choices for you, your family, and our community, all wrapped up with humor and music,” shares Hal Schlenger from Temple Kol Emeth.
The program will include reflections, music, humor and thoughts offered by speakers representing Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and other faith communities about how we can dare to take a leap and work toward improving our communities together.
The Thanksgiving Ecumenical Celebration at Temple Kol Emeth is the most unique, diverse, inclusive, colorful, humorous, and flavorful Thanksgiving event in Atlanta one shouldn’t miss. In these polarizing and divisive times, reaffirming our faith in our common humanity and our shared values is a must, and that’s what the Thanksgiving Ecumenical Celebration is all about,” says co-host, Noor Abbady.
The Ecumenical Thanksgiving Celebration is a program that combines uplifting messages, music, and often humor to help those in attendance find common goals to benefit their local communities. During the reception after the program, guests can enjoy samples of treats from the different congregations and anyone can write their thoughts, comments or feedback about what moves them on the Wall of Words or on social media.
A unique feature of the Thanksgiving Celebration is that attendees are asked to leave their thoughts on the “Wall of Words.” Shown here is Wayne Davis from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
