In Hebrew, Arabic and English, leaders of many faiths shared prayers of gratitude and generosity on Monday to start a week of community programs celebrating Thanksgiving.
The annual interfaith prayer service presented by the Scranton Area Ministerium was held at noon at St. Peter's Cathedral.
Pastors, nuns, a rabbi and an imam set a reverent tone for the week's feasts, including the Friends of the Poor's Thanksgiving dinner tonight and the Family-to-Family dinner basket distribution on Wednesday, both at the Scranton Cultural Center.
In songs and readings, they emphasized gratitude for God and people more than things.
The concept of families helping families through challenges has a basis in sacred texts, the Rev. Virginia Miner, pastor of Peckville Presbyterian Church, said during her reflection.
"Family to family works," she said, "whether it's the family of our birth and our ancestors and our descendents, or that great crowd of family called our friends and our neighbors, and even the strangers in our midst."
The service was punctuated by periods of silent reflection, songs sung by the Holy Cross High School choir and the resonant bell struck between verses of a prayer.
The Rev. David Searing, pastor of St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Scranton, encouraged thanks for the region's faith leaders and the comfort they offer a community that reaches out for help.
"No matter what that hand may look like, always reach back," he said.
Contact the writer: llegere@timesshamrock.com