Churches to hold Thanksgiving meets

Oahu churches have a tradition of observing the Thanksgiving holiday in interfaith gatherings.

» A 7 p.m. Tuesday night service will bring Christian, Jewish and Buddhist congregations together in Nuuanu for the 48th year in a row. They will meet this year at Nuuanu Congregational Church, 2651 Pali Highway. The theme will be “;Even Now, Our Souls Still Long to Sing,”; a reflection of hope in a time of natural calamities and global economic recession. Philippine Consul General Leoncio Cardenas will be guest speaker.

» At 7 p.m. Wednesday, members of churches in the Windward Coalition of Churches will join in a Thanksgiving Eve service of music, prayers and scriptural readings. This year the host is St. Christopher's Episcopal Church, 93 N. Kainalu Drive, Kailua. Participants may bring baked goods to share at the “;pie social”; hour following the service and canned food to share with the needy.

» Several island churches will join in “;E Pule Kakou, Uniting in Prayer,”; a movement that encourages people to join in prayer wherever they are. The focus on Wednesday is prayer at work or school; Thursday, prayer at home; Friday through Nov. 29, prayer in churches. The Rev. Cal Chinen, pastor of Moanalua Gardens Missionary Church, spearheads the effort. For information see www.epulekakou.com or call 839-4202.

Relaxation on agenda for 3-day retreat

A combination of spiritual renewal and physical relaxation is planned for a three-day Advent Retreat to be offered by the Sisters of St. Francis next weekend at Our Lady of Kea'au.

The event will open at 7 p.m. Friday at the retreat center, 83-300 Farrington Highway, Waianae. The all-day agenda for next Saturday will include workshops on guided imagery and journal keeping, prayer and mediation in the labyrinth, a reconciliation service and presentations on St. Damien and Sister Marianne Cope. Spa activities and swimming are available on grounds of the retreat center operated by the St. Francis Health Care System. It will conclude with a Mass and brunch Sunday. The cost is $100. For information, call Sister Beatrice Tom, 696-7255.

Lecture to focus on Christian trends

Trends in contemporary society that have realigned the Christian Church will be the topic of lectures next week by Phyllis Tickle, who frequently appears as a religion consultant for national television news programs.

Tickle will use her new book, “;Great Emergence: How Christianity Is Changing and Why,”; in a talk at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Clement's Episcopal Church, 1515 Wilder Ave. She will continue at 1:30 p.m. at an interactive discussion geared to leadership in faith communities.

Tickle, founding editor of the religion department of Publishers Weekly, is the author of several books on religion and spirituality and has been tapped as an expert on American religion and church history by newspapers, magazines and television networks. She will also preach at the 7:30 and 10:15 a.m. services Nov. 29 at St. Clement's.

Episcopal Church to celebrate alii

At a public religious service and luau next Saturday, the Episcopal Church in Hawaii will honor the Hawaiian alii who invited the denomination to the islands.

Episcopal Bishop Robert Fitzpatrick will preside at the 10 a.m. service in St. Andrew's Cathedral for the Feast of the Holy Sovereigns, marking the confirmation of King Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma in 1862. The Bishop's Luau on the cathedral grounds will follow from noon to 4 p.m. with musical entertainment by Kaumakaiwa Kanakaole, Kuuipo Kumukahi, Mahiehie and Halau Na Mamo o Pu'uanahulu.

Tickets are available at $25 for general admission seating, $25 for drive-through takeout meals and $50 for reserved seating and parking. For information see the Web page http://www.bishopsluau.org or call 561-1244. Proceeds from the event will benefit faith formation and education and the local diocese connection with the Anglican Church in New Zealand.