GIVING THANKS: Community-wide Thanksgiving worship services open to anyone

Published 10:03 am Wednesday, November 20, 2024

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NATCHEZ — Community Thanksgiving worship services by the Natchez Ministerial Alliance and Ministerial Alliance of the Miss-Lou will help feed the community’s spirits while also helping to raise money to feed the hungry in both Natchez and Vidalia.

Starting at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 24, a community-wide Thanksgiving worship service will take place inside the Natchez Civic Center. While this is not a Thanksgiving meal, the event will be full of music and worship and is open to the public. An offering plate will be passed around to take up donations for the Natchez Stewpot.

These contributions will help the Stewpot meet its financial obligations throughout the year, whether its food or otherwise. The Stewpot feeds hundreds of hungry residents lunch year-round, seven days a week including holidays, and delivers food to shut-ins in the community.

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Another community Thanksgiving service takes place at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 26, at The River Assembly at 4810 U.S. 84 W. Vidalia, La., next to Dodge’s Chicken.

Rev. Troy Thomas, organizer, said this service involves six or seven different churches throughout the Miss-Lou and will also help raise resources to feed the needy.

“There is a program to feed the homeless right next to the Dodge’s. The program gives out boxes of food every month,” Thomas said. “They give the food out to people for free, but the food is not free. So, we’ll be taking up a donation to help them continue to do that. It takes finances to be a blessing. Any size donation will do. No amount is too small or too large.”

The service, which is also open to the public, will include music and refreshments.

“I’d love to get more people to come out in black and white attire and help us sing,” he said, adding there will be mics open for practice before the service starts.

Those interested in being part of the choir may call 318-421-1450 or 318-758-0805 for more information.

Those who cannot make it to the service but would like to contribute to feeding the hungry may send a donation instead at www.theriverassembly.com/give, click the “give now” button and choose “Feed the Hungry” as the fund in the dropdown menu.

“I look forward to meeting, to fellowship and worship with other churches of our area,” said The River Assembly pastor, the Rev. Jonathan Wolle.