'Renewal, Reflection, Reconnection' to be theme of interfaith Thanksgiving program
"Renewal, Reflection, Reconnection" will be the theme of the ninth annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Program at 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22, at the Blue Lotus Buddhist Temple, 221 Dean St. in Woodstock. It is sponsored by FaithBridge, a consortium of local faith communities.
The evening program will feature music and reflections from the many faith traditions represented in McHenry County, include Hindu drumming by Ravi Subramanyan, Native American flute, Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim, and Hindu chants, and Christian song. An offering will benefit local food pantries and Woodstock Area Community Ministries. A time of food and conversation will follow.
In addition to monetary contributions, attendees are invited to bring donations of $25 gift cards for Aldi, Jewel, or Target, to be gifted to Chicago-area refugees fleeing war and terror.
FaithBridge was started in 2007 to encourage interfaith communication, understanding, cooperation, spiritual practice and action. It grew out of a Columbus Day gathering which included people of various ethnic and religious backgrounds. FaithBridge also sponsors Face-to-Face; Faith-to-Faith, an interfaith certification course for lay people, and the annual Interfaith Prayer Breakfast honoring Martin Luther King Jr. The breakfast will be Monday, Jan. 18, at D'Andrea's Banquets. Rev. Zina Jacque, pastor at the Community Church of Barrington, will give the keynote address on the theme "Staying Awake." Tickets will be available at the Thanksgiving program.
FaithBridge's member organizations include the McHenry County Jewish Congregation, the Blue Lotus Buddhist Temple of Woodstock, the Center for Spiritual Evolution in Cary, the American Muslim Community Organization, the Palatine Presbyterian Church, the Bethany Lutheran Church, the First Congregational Church of Crystal Lake, and the Department of Mission and Spiritual Care of Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington.
For information, contact Vimala Bhikkhuni at vimalajf@gmail.com, Rev. Teri Peterson at pastor@palatinepres.com, or Rabbi Maralee Gordon at (815) 455-1810 or hamsa@mc.net.