JORDAN - The people of the Jordan-Elbridge community have a lot to be thankful for.
Jill Connor / TheCitizen
Pastor Fred Bolio, the leader of the First Baptist Church of Jordan, gives the welcome for the Thanksgiving service on Wednesday evening. Throughout the service photos from residents of things they were thankful for were projected on the screen on the right.
Pastor Fred Bolio, the leader of the First Baptist Church of Jordan, gives the welcome for the Thanksgiving service on Wednesday evening. Throughout the service photos from residents of things they were thankful for were projected on the screen on the right.
Members of the area's five churches gathered to celebrate those blessings Wednesday evening with the annual ecumenical church service.
The Rev. Kate Day of Christ Episcopal Church said that the celebration is a joint effort of all the churches and the Jordan-Elbridge Area Church Board and has been a tradition for many years.
This year, the First Baptist Church of Jordan played host, while Day had the honor of serving as the leader of this year's service.
“It is a pleasure to have everyone here,” Pastor Fred Bolio of First Baptist Church, said. “It is great to see everyone here from all the different churches at this time of year.”
The service was a combination of readings as well as choral selections that reflected the mood and ideas of the season.
Leaders of the area's churches took turns leading the readings and the singing, touching on themes like giving and sharing with others, as well as togetherness and the importance of taking time to remember all the things one can be grateful for.
Throughout the service, projected onto a large screen were images sent in by members of the various congregations, showing images of children and grandchildren, families, pets, rainbows and leaves and food, demonstrating all that there is to be grateful for.
Day said that this was a new introduction to the service this year, one that she worked on busily all afternoon leading up to the service.
“We got a lot of snapshots,” Day said. “That was my idea. I've been trying to do more visually in my work and my ministry and my preaching.”
Kay has found visuals to be a beneficial addition to her efforts as a pastor.
“Images are very powerful,” Day said. “People feel a lot more when they see things. It is a very powerful tool. Songs and stories are great, but it is also nice to see things and to see things that people are grateful for I think makes it all much more powerful.”
As images of congregation members' personal lives flickered on the screen, Day took the time to share some insights from her personal life.
Day said that she hopes to continue to incorporate these visual displays into her own ministry as well as future ecumenical services.
She said that this marked 11 years serving the Jordan-Elbridge area.
“This is the longest I have been able to serve in one place,” Day said. “This is my eleventh Thanksgiving in Jordan. It has been wonderful getting to know the community, it is a real privilege to be able to be here and be a part of this community.”
Over the past 11 years, there are two things Day has become increasingly thankful for.
Day said that along with friends and family, she is personally grateful to be able to be here and part of the community and she is also grateful for all the stories she has heard and learned in her life, both from scripture as well as other people, particularly her parents.
“In Holy Scripture we have stories from another time and another place and about another people,” Day said. “But they are about God at work.”
Day went on to say that even though the meaning was always explicit, the stories she heard from her own parents and her family have also been proof of God at work.
“I always loved the stories my dad told,” Day said. “I had to learn to read between the lines and I've gotten better at that as I've gotten older.”
Day said she was particularly fond of the stories her father told about his time flying in the South Pacific during World War II.
Day said her father always put a humorous spin, even on the stories where he was in the most danger, but still in these stories she has found a vital strength.
“They tell about how God healed,” Day said. “And that gives me hope.”
During this holiday season and at all times, hope if a valuable commodity.
During the service a collection was taken to help benefit the ecumenical food cupboard.
Day said that this year there has been a greater demand put on the cupboard as more and more people face difficult financial times.
But she said there is a place that she hopes everyone can find strength.
“I'm going to suggest,” Day said. “That there is a precious source of hope. And that is listening to your friends and family and their stories. They will tell you explicitly or implicitly that God is at work and that these stories can give us hope
The Rev. Kate Day of Christ Episcopal Church said that the celebration is a joint effort of all the churches and the Jordan-Elbridge Area Church Board and has been a tradition for many years.
This year, the First Baptist Church of Jordan played host, while Day had the honor of serving as the leader of this year's service.
“It is a pleasure to have everyone here,” Pastor Fred Bolio of First Baptist Church, said. “It is great to see everyone here from all the different churches at this time of year.”
The service was a combination of readings as well as choral selections that reflected the mood and ideas of the season.
Leaders of the area's churches took turns leading the readings and the singing, touching on themes like giving and sharing with others, as well as togetherness and the importance of taking time to remember all the things one can be grateful for.
Throughout the service, projected onto a large screen were images sent in by members of the various congregations, showing images of children and grandchildren, families, pets, rainbows and leaves and food, demonstrating all that there is to be grateful for.
Day said that this was a new introduction to the service this year, one that she worked on busily all afternoon leading up to the service.
“We got a lot of snapshots,” Day said. “That was my idea. I've been trying to do more visually in my work and my ministry and my preaching.”
Kay has found visuals to be a beneficial addition to her efforts as a pastor.
“Images are very powerful,” Day said. “People feel a lot more when they see things. It is a very powerful tool. Songs and stories are great, but it is also nice to see things and to see things that people are grateful for I think makes it all much more powerful.”
As images of congregation members' personal lives flickered on the screen, Day took the time to share some insights from her personal life.
Day said that she hopes to continue to incorporate these visual displays into her own ministry as well as future ecumenical services.
She said that this marked 11 years serving the Jordan-Elbridge area.
“This is the longest I have been able to serve in one place,” Day said. “This is my eleventh Thanksgiving in Jordan. It has been wonderful getting to know the community, it is a real privilege to be able to be here and be a part of this community.”
Over the past 11 years, there are two things Day has become increasingly thankful for.
Day said that along with friends and family, she is personally grateful to be able to be here and part of the community and she is also grateful for all the stories she has heard and learned in her life, both from scripture as well as other people, particularly her parents.
“In Holy Scripture we have stories from another time and another place and about another people,” Day said. “But they are about God at work.”
Day went on to say that even though the meaning was always explicit, the stories she heard from her own parents and her family have also been proof of God at work.
“I always loved the stories my dad told,” Day said. “I had to learn to read between the lines and I've gotten better at that as I've gotten older.”
Day said she was particularly fond of the stories her father told about his time flying in the South Pacific during World War II.
Day said her father always put a humorous spin, even on the stories where he was in the most danger, but still in these stories she has found a vital strength.
“They tell about how God healed,” Day said. “And that gives me hope.”
During this holiday season and at all times, hope if a valuable commodity.
During the service a collection was taken to help benefit the ecumenical food cupboard.
Day said that this year there has been a greater demand put on the cupboard as more and more people face difficult financial times.
But she said there is a place that she hopes everyone can find strength.
“I'm going to suggest,” Day said. “That there is a precious source of hope. And that is listening to your friends and family and their stories. They will tell you explicitly or implicitly that God is at work and that these stories can give us hope
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