[ RELIGION ]
Churches will hold
services to give thanks
before holiday
Many island churches will hold services next week as an opportunity for prayerful thanksgiving before the traditional holiday feasting. All are open to the public.
>> Three congregations that worship at First Christian Church, 1516 Kewalo St., have a special reason to celebrate. Their annual Thanksgiving dinner at 5 p.m. tomorrow will also be the grand reopening of the Fellowship Hall, restored after an Aug. 27 fire that did $150,000 worth of damage. Interim Pastor Jon Bullock will speak at the festivities uniting the Disciples of Christ congregation with Dong San Christian Church and Ke Anuenue O Ke Aloha members.
>> "Hope for the Future" will be the theme of the 7 p.m. Wednesday Interfaith Thanksgiving Service, which will be hosted this year by Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin, 1727 Pali Highway. This is the 42nd year of the longest-running ecumenical gathering in Hawaii, which originated among Nuuanu congregations. Choirs and other participants will represent 11 Buddhist, Catholic, Jewish, Hindu and Protestant congregations.
>> Eight Christian organizations will participate in the Windward Coalition of Churches' annual Thanksgiving Community Service. The 7 p.m. Wednesday event at St. John Lutheran Church, 1004 Kailua Road, Kailua, will feature dance by the Women's Community Correctional Center halau and music by the combined choral and hand-bell choirs of several churches. The offering will go to the Women's Prison Scholarship Fund, and canned goods will be collected for the St. Anthony Food Pantry.
>> A Mililani community Thanksgiving service will begin at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Christ Lutheran Church, 95-1361 Meheula Parkway. Mililani Presbyterian Church is co-sponsor. Adult and child choirs will participate, and the Rev. Jim Tweedie will speak. Child care service is available.
>> The annual Thanksgiving Day Worship at Central Union Church, 1660 S. Beretania St., will begin at 9 a.m. Thursday, but the music begins at 8:45 a.m. with an appearance by the Honolulu Boy Choir. Participants from 12 churches and community organizations will include the Advent young adult choir, an Hawaii State Hospital halau, the Samoan Men's Gospel Herald Choir and the Rev. Dan Kong, pastor of Central Baptist Church, whose message will be "Display for Gratitude." Nonperishable food items will be collected for distribution to the needy.
>> The 10 a.m. Thanksgiving Day service at Community Lutheran Church, 4429 Malaai St., Salt Lake, will feature a historical presentation about the Pilgrims. The Rev. Charles Gumm will speak about "Thankfulness in the Midst of Prosperity." A traditional holiday meal will follow at the parsonage.
Click for online
calendars and events.
