This year being an election year, there are many opposing thoughts and beliefs on what is best for the country and our communities. However, this Thanksgiving season a group of religious leaders is looking to unite people and bring peace into their hearts.

Together they are sponsoring the 12th annual Ecumenical Thanksgiving Celebration. The theme this year is “The Ripple Effect: Together We Create Waves.”

Scheduled for Thursday, November 17, 7 p.m., the service will take place at Temple Kol Emeth, 1415 Old Canton Road in Marietta/East Cobb.

“This year’s event will focus on the welcoming spirit of the United States and will feature many stories about making positive changes in the lives of others,” said Bassem Fakhoury from the Roswell Community Masjid. “Ithink it’s a very timely and apt subject in light of the negative political rhetoric associated with the election cycle.”

The community is invited to attend this unique opportunity in joining seventeen different local churches and other faith-based congregations in a celebration of life and unity. Come to learn about the various religions and find things in common with others.

“For me, meaningful interfaith partnership begins by learning about other faiths,” said Reverend Jeff Jones, a minister at the Emerson Unitarian Universalist Congregation. “It is out of our not knowing that people sometimes respond out of fear. And so by learning about other faiths, each of us becomes an ambassador of interfaith work and ministry in the community.”

The program will be filled with music, humor and reflections offered by some of the faiths. This will be followed by some reflections given by inspirational speakers representing Baha’i, Christianity, Earthkeepers (First Nation), Islam and Judaism.

“We are happy to open our doors to the community,” said Hal Schlenger, the event chairperson. “One of the good examples of Coexisting and learning is that you will hear the beautiful Islamic call of prayer sung from a Jewish synagogue’s pulpit. While we each pray a little differently, the purpose is the same.”

The Ecumenical Thanksgiving Celebration is an uplifting and often humorous program where those in attendance can also participate and be a part of something positive. During the reception after the program, there is a Wall of Words where anyone can write their thoughts, comments or feedback on a wall and share what moves them.

“We hope the take away from this year’s program is being the change you want to see,” Schlenger said. “So as a community we can do that. The change we want is to see that our religious differences are relatively minor compared to the commonality we all share. This program becomes an opportunity for you to meet people of other faiths and realize they are pretty much the same as you are.”

For more information regarding the Ecumenical Thanksgiving Celebration, visit the Facebook page or contact Hal Schlenger, hal.schlenger@earthlink.net or Temple Kol Emeth, 770-973-3533.

(Pictured above are the religious leaders who participated in last year’s Ecumenical Thanksgiving Celebration: Front row: Mansoor Sobhani, Sikh Educational Welfare Association; Gurudwara Sahib; Rabbi Steven Lebow, Temple Kol Emeth; Gillian Renault, Vedanta Center of Atlanta; Noor Abbady, Roswell Community Masjid; Hal Schlenger, Temple Kol Emeth. Middle row: Asst Imam Amjad Taufique, Islamic Center of Marietta; Monsignor Patrick Bishop, Transfiguration Catholic Church; Father Jim Nixon, St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church; Rabbi Erin Boxt, Temple Kol Emeth. Back row: Rev. Richard Burdick, Unity North Atlanta Church; Dr Tim McConnell, Eastminster Presbyterian Church; Jeff Hickman, North River Church of Christ; Yusof Khalousi, Baha’i Faith Center for Learning; Imam Furqan Muhammad, Masjid Al-Muminum; Rev. Brian Germano, East Cobb United Methodist Church; Rev. Jeff Jones, Emerson Unitarian Universalist Congregation.)