What are your memories of Thanksgiving? Do you have favorite moments from your childhood about the holiday? What faces appear when you think of Thanksgiving? What smells fill your heart, mind, and soul? What traditions have you taught the younger generations? Are there certain foods that are “a must” for the big meal?
Thanksgiving conjures up memories of family for me. As a child it was grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins that mostly gathered at our Thanksgiving tables. As I aged and lived far from family, church friends would include us for the Thanksgiving meal. When I moved back to Arizona, we started hosting gatherings at our home – that would include relatives, forever friends, church friends, work friends.
In 1997, The Church of the Palms started hosting a Thanksgiving meal. Pastor Len and his wife, Liz, provided the heart and soul and the stuffing with the congregation providing the welcome. The radical hospitality of that tradition continues to this day (and Len and Liz still provide the stuffing!). This year will be the 25th anniversary of this community event – every year since 1997 (except for two Covid years) we have celebrated God’s blessing with a meal.
If you are reading this on Thanksgiving day, please know that there is room for you at the table today on Thanksgiving and at our church. Namaste.
Shalom, Paul