Canton churches, temples unite for interfaith Thanksgiving service
By Guest“It was already a red-letter day for giving thanks and cash,” said Rev. Roger Peltier, minister at First Parish Unitarian Universalist in Canton. Peltier was referring to Thanksgiving Sunday on November 18, when Canton area churches came together before a crowd of more than 250 strong for the first Interfaith Thanksgiving Service to be held in many years in Canton.
Though Peltier was, himself, a lead organizer of the event, he credits Rabbi David Grossman from Temple B’nai Tikvah for hosting the evening, along with the Reverend Dr. John Tamilio III from the Congregational Church of Canton for preaching.
“It was an eloquent, relevant, and timely evening,” Rev. Peltier said.
“I know it sounds like the setup for a joke: A rabbi, a priest and a couple of ministers get together … and humor was important to our message, but this group of clergymen were dead serious in setting our intention to create solidarity and unity for Canton’s faithful,” said Rev. Peltier.
A family friend of Rev. Peltier was among the shooting victims at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh just two weeks prior to the Thanksgiving service. Rev. Tamilio reminded the crowd that, “As we stood in vigil against gun violence and anti-Semitism earlier this month, so do we stand now in solidarity, in gratitude, and in love with our Jewish brothers and sisters.”
Canton’s civic pride was on full display during the service with the presence of state Representative William Galvin, Selectman Thomas Theodore, Police Chief Ken Berkowitz, Fire Chief Charles Doody, and Sal Salvatori leading the Boy Scouts of Troop 77 in presenting the flag and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance before a crowd-stirring singing of the National Anthem. It was Chief Doody who took the offering for the Canton Food Pantry and Canton Area Helpline, which brought in just over $1,250. “This was so much better than we had hoped for,” said Doody, “and it will benefit Canton citizens greatly — a huge thank you!”
There were many more thank-yous throughout the night. Rev. Peltier, citing a passage from 1 Thessalonians 5:18, said, “In everything give thanks …” and went on to tell a Simpsons joke about the Unitarians, pleasing the crowd. Rev. Peltier’s levity stood in contrast to Rev. Tamilio’s moving message, confessing himself a “descendant of the people who have the blood of anti-Semitism on their hands.” Rev. Tamilio went on to call his congregation a “thanks-giving people,” citing their Puritan roots, while also calling the gathered people the same through acts of love. Rabbi David Winship from Temple Beth David read Psalm 100 and Father Tom Rafferty from Canton Catholic Community read from the New Testament, rounding out the service.
Of note was the over 30-voice “Festival Choir,” made up of singers from participating Canton choirs, offering their rousing rendition of the National Anthem and holiday favorites like We Gather Together and Now We Thank Our God. The night’s surprise came with an excellent performance of Rabbi Grossman’s “Back in Town Quartet” singing the crowd-pleasing numbers I Believe and Love at Home.
After this Thanksgiving the local houses of worship will continue to give thanks for all the common ground they share. But the newly convened Canton Clergy Network is excited to take a leadership role in Canton’s interfaith life again. “We can envision standing together with our town’s leaders in vigil and in protest for those causes that speak to the quality of our lives,” said Rev. Peltier. “With the opioid crisis, the continued mass shootings, the problem of immigration, homelessness and hunger, there seems no shortage of need for prayer and for faithful action.”
Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=46406
Posted by 
