By Marlene Quaroni - Florida Catholic
Photographer: MARLENE QUARONI| FC
Ashlene Exavier and Juan Daniel Gomez, both third graders at St. Andrew School, sing "Make A Joyful Noise" during the interfaith Thanksgiving service held Nov. 24. They are part of the joint children's choir from Temple Beth Orr, Congregation Kol Tikvah, First United Methodist Church and St. Andrew Parish.
�We rotate between St. Andrew Church, Temple Beth Orr and First United Methodist Church,� said Rabbi Mark Gross of Temple Beth Orr. �This year, it was St. Andrew�s turn.�
The service began in 1989 when Rabbi Gross and other Coral Springs clergy had an idea.
�We said, let�s do something jointly for the community,� said Rabbi Gross. �And we�ve been doing this every year (since then) on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.�
In addition, the Coral Springs clergy get together for a National Day of Prayer on the first Thursday in May.
�It�s a wonderful counterpart six months apart,� said Rabbi Gross.
Sixteen clergymen and women from Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and Muslim faiths participated in the interfaith service. They read from scripture, sang songs and spoke. Joint adult and children�s choirs performed religious songs.
The service opened with the St. Andrew's Children�s Bell Choir playing gathering music and a blast of shofars from the Children�s Shofar Chorus of Temple Beth Orr.
Coral Springs Mayor Scott Brook read President Abraham Lincoln�s 1863 proclamation creating the last Thursday in November as an official day of Thanksgiving.
�I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States � to set apart and observe the last Thursday in November as a day of Thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent father who dwelleth in the heavens,� read Mayor Brook.
Father Puthusseril, St. Andrew�s pastor, said the service was about what unites the various faiths.
�Faith in God, a sense of gratitude and belonging to the family of mankind,� said Father Puthusseril. �Welcome, welcome, welcome.�
Michele Budde, who is Jewish, was among those who filled St. Andrew Church for the service.
�It was a beautiful spiritual service, very emotional,� said Budde. �I was very impressed with the whole evening, especially the singing of �God Bless America�. My grandfather was a cantor and so I have an appreciation for singing.�
Budde added that she would like to see the various faiths come together more often.
Her daughter-in-law, Jeanne Budde, and granddaughter, Bianca Thervil, joined her at the service.
Jeanne Budde, a Catholic, is cooking a Chanukah dinner and will light the Menorah candles this year for her mother-in-law and family.
�I�ve never attended an ecumenical service,� said Jeanne. �This opens you up to other religions.�
Photographer: MARLENE QUARONI | FC
Rabbi Bradd Boxman of Congregation Kol Tikvah, Rev. Craig Watts of Royal Palm Christian Church, Father Mathew Thundathil of St. Andrew Parish, Rabbi Mark Gross of Temple Beth Orr, Pastor Randy Cutter of New Dawn Community Church, Bishop William Friend, retired bishop of Shreveport, La., Yazid Ali, of the Masjid Jama'at al-Mu'mineen, and Father George Puthusseril, pastor of St. Andrew, sing "God Bless America" at the conclusion of the annual Coral Springs pre-Thanksgiving Interfaith Unity
