InterFaith Aurora will be host to its 15th annual Thanksgiving Celebration of Music and Friendship, Sunday, Nov. 20th beginning at 3 p.m., at Society 57, 100 S. River Street, Aurora, Ill.. All presenting songs and religious praise from diverse groups throughout the Aurora area will celebrate this year’s theme: “Praying for Peace.”
“This event highlights how different faith communities work to bring understanding, inclusion, awareness, and friendship of each other in order to work toward a more harmonious and just community,” said Tammy Helfrich, the organization’s coordinator.
There will be readings from members of the Jewish, Sikh, Muslim, and Christian communities, as well as music from multiple faith communities. The celebration is open to the public.
Offerings raised from the celebration will be donated to The Community Fridge in Aurora, which is a part of Indivisible Aurora’s nonprofit organization. They are aiming to build stronger communities through the mutual aid practice of food sharing.
Prior year recipients were: 2021 Simply Destinee, 2020 Aurora Interfaith Food Pantry, 2019 The Neighbor Project, 2018 Jesse Torres Boxing Club; 2017 CASA Kane County; 2016 Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry; and 2015 Family counseling Service of Aurora, Ill..
Participating congregations in this year’s event include the following: Temple B’nai Israel, St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church, Wesley United Methodist Church, The Orchard Community, The Sikh Community, Aurora Human Relations Commission, Our Savior Lutheran, Al Aqsa Mosque, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, New England Congregational, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Baha’is of Aurora, and United for Peace.
InterFaith Aurora, a non-profit organization, has been in existence for approximately 23 years. The mission of the organization is based on the common belief that we are all children of God. We set for ourselves the mission of sharing and connecting. We believe that building understanding, acceptance, and love within the community in which we make our homes will help transform and heal the world in which we live.
For more information on how your congregation can join InterFaith Aurora, please contact Tammy Helfrich, tammy@society57.com.
— Submitted