An ecumenical thanksgiving service and dinner was celebrated November 23 at the Holy Trinity Church, Mckinley Road., Forbes Park. The event was sponsored by Santuario de San Antonio Church, Union Church of Manila and the Episcopal Church of the Holy Trinity. Officiants of the thanksgiving service were Pastor Charlie Pridmore, Fr. Reu Jose C. Galoy, OFM – represented by Fr. Efren Jimenez, OFM – and the Rt. Rev. Dixie Taclobao.
The readers were: Old Testament – Lance Masters; New Testament – Rebecca Oxley ; Gospel – HE Ambassador Akinyemi Farounbi. The address was given by Pastor Steve Ruetschle. Music was provided by the joint choirs of the Union Church of Manila; Santuario de San Antonio and Holy Trinity Church, with choir directors Eudenice Palaruan, Bob Grant and Domino Marcos. The guest choir – The Singing Christians under choir director Domino Marcos -gave an inspiring performance. Organist Ricky Salazar accompanied the choirs in their beautiful songs.
Special guests were HE Ambassador Philip Goldberg, Ambassador of the United States of America; HE Ambassador Asif Ahmad, Ambassador of the United Kingdom; and Ms. Tshireletso Ku, Charge d’Affaires Embassy of South Africa. An offering of thanksgiving from Leviticus 7:11-15 and its importance was the theme of the worship service. Pastor Steve in his sermon gave ways on how to give thanks offering:
(1) Give multiple thanks.
(2) Give thanks even for the sour things of life.
(3) Giving thanks is lifting it up to God.
(4) Give thanks for the atoning sacrifice – Jesus.
(5) Give thanks every day.
Concrete ways to practice thanksgiving such as saying thanks at every meal, keeping a thanksgiving journal, saying thank you in the morning upon waking up were a few of the practical suggestions given by pastor Steve.
A traditional thanksgiving dinner of turkey with stuffing, and cranberry, mixed vegetables, candied yams, pumpkin and apple pies with Caesars salad was served to the guests after the service.
Santuario de San Antonio Parish 