Interfaith Thanksgiving Service

All are invited to gather together in gratitude for the resilience and compassion expressed throughout our larger community this past year. Our annual Community Interfaith Thanksgiving Service will be held this year on Tuesday, November 20th, at 7:00 p.m. at the historic, downtown First United Methodist Church.

The Greater Santa Barbara Area Clergy Association, the sponsor of this event, includes clergy and religious leaders from over 100 local faith communities and is dedicated to fostering mutual understanding, tolerance, and appreciation among all faith communities.

Participants will include representatives of the Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Quaker, Unitarian, Roman Catholic and Protestant traditions, as well as an Interfaith Choir.

This year’s guest speaker is the Rev. Marvel Hitson, a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary and currently the Director of Congregational Health and Trauma Chaplain with the Institute for Collective Trauma and Growth. She was based out of the Montecito Center alongside the HOPE 805 Team and other community partners supporting Santa Barbara County in the aftermath of the Thomas Fire and Debris Flows. She is currently working towards long-term recovery through Riviera Care Center in collaboration with the Community Wellness Team.

A free-will offering will benefit the Unity Shoppe and the Institute for Collective Trauma and Growth. Light refreshments will be served following the service in the Social Hall, where there will be information tables of many local helping agencies and non-profits.

First United Methodist Church is located at the corner of Anapamu and Garden Streets, one block from the SB Courthouse. Free parking is available behind the church with the parking entrance off Garden Street. For more information call 963-3579 or visit the website www.fumcsb.org.