Interfaith Thanksgiving celebration helps us show gratitude for community
There is a wonderful old baseball story that recalls that Lefty Gomez, who pitched for the Yankees in the 1930s, held the World Series pitching record of six wins and no losses. One day he was asked by a sports writer for the secret of his success. He replied, “Clean living and a fast outfield.” The point is that no pitcher gets a no-hitter without the good fielding and batting of a superb outfield. Similarly, no one has ever achieved anything worthwhile without the help of many others.
We are so fortunate to live in a community that is committed to helping others. At 7 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 21, the Association of Religion Communities will be hosting a community wide interfaith celebration of Thanksgiving at the New Hope Baptist Church (12 Dr. Aaron B. Samuels Blvd.). Priests, ministers, an imam, rabbis, cantors, and laymen will be participating. We very much hope that you, the members of our greater Danbury community will attend, along with your children. This is the first “in person” community worship service since 2019.
Thanksgiving is an opportunity to express our gratitude for this remarkable community of Danbury, for its wonderful schools, restaurants, businesses, its natural beauty, and, most important, for those in our community who work for the betterment of all. But it wasn’t just an economic system and trade with the Native Americans that allowed the Pilgrims to prosper. It was their devotion to God and His laws. And that’s what Thanksgiving is really all about. The Pilgrims recognized that everything we have is a gift from God — even our sorrows. Their Thanksgiving tradition was established to honor God and thank Him for His blessings and His grace.
ARC’s Executive Director, Rabbi Ari Rosenberg, recently noted: “We are grateful for the ability to have already placed 39 homeless residents of the greater Danbury area into permanent supportive affordable housing units. We are grateful for the opportunity to have helped over 200 families embrace a future free from domestic violence. We are grateful for the blessing to provide a cornucopia of fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy and dry goods to over 1500 people. And that’s all just within the last four months.” When you attend this interfaith worship service you, too, will be involved in supporting ARC’S Domestic Violence Prevention Program, Comida Food Pantry, Urgent Assistance, Interfaith Peace Camp, and Homelessness Support Systems.
We can’t wait to see you when we gather for ARC’s Interfaith Thanksgiving Service. The offering will be equally distributed between the Ukrainian Red Cross and ARC’s general fund.
Please join us Nov. 21 (7 p.m.) at the New Hope Baptist Church.