09TITSG

Interfaith Thanksgiving Service

Tuesday, November 24, 2009. 7:00 -8:30 PM

Temple Israel, 2215 Mahan Drive

Tallahassee, FL 32308

This evening I was invite to be part of the Tallahassee Interfaith Thanksgiving Service of Gratitude at Temple Israel where 26 different congregations participated in delivering a message of gratefulness and peace. VTS and I arrived there with two brown bags full of food for donation to the ECHO. We met with several clergy and friends. By 7:00 PM the hall was full.

After sounding of the Shofar (ram's horn) by the Rabbi of Temple Israel the service was called to open. The Tallahassee Boys' Choir then sang a song. After a welcome song in Hebrew, I was asked to speak. I spoke about An Immigrant's view on Thanksgiving and read a Thirukkural (திருக்குறள்) verse on Praise of God (கடவுள் வாழ்த்து) and a verse on Gratitude (செய்ந்நன்றி அறிதல்).

Then people from other congregations spoke (Pastor of New Life United Methodist Church, Rabbi of Temple Israel, Imam of Masjid Al-Nahl, Minister, Unitarian Universalist Church, and Reading of Buddhist faith). Then following Interfaith Choir we all said Closing prayers and concluded the service. The Tallahassee Boys' Choir sang "America the Beautiful".

The audience would have been around 400 people. It was a great service.

Updated: Wednesday, Nov 25, 2009 by TS.