Unity is theme of annual gathering

Give Me a Good Stick: Destry Guthrie, 5, of Canadian rides a stick horse in a relay race Saturday during the Junior Ranch Rodeo Finals at the Amarillo Civic Center. The World Championship Ranch Rodeo will have its final performance at 2 p.m. today at the Cal Farley Coliseum. Steven Dearinger/sdearinger@amarillonet.com

By Don Munsch
dmunsch@amarillonet.com

Jen Shunatona Cale said she likes the spiritual and demographic dimensions of the annual Thanksgiving Gathering - an event that involves various faith communities and people of all ages.

"I just love the warmth and uplifting of the spirit from the fellowship and unity, and each year there is a different aspect or viewpoint that still produces the same fulfillment," said Shunatona Cale, committee member for the gathering, who said the event is more of a spiritual gathering than a religious event.

Members of different faiths and cultural groups will participate in the Seventh Annual Thanksgiving Gathering at 3 p.m. Nov. 24 at Temple B'nai Israel, 4316 Albert St.

"We Are One: The Circle of Humanity" will include meditations, poetry, music, dance and benedictions from many traditions. Participants include the Jewish community of Amarillo, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, the American Indian community, the Baha'i Faith and St. Andrew's Episcopal Church. Also featured will be the Broken Ground Drum, the Kwahadi Dancers, the color guard ceremony of the Vietnam Veterans Association, a children's choir and a candlelighting.

An autumn repast (all-vegetarian fare) will be at 5 p.m. with a community harvest soup, assorted salads and breads, dessert and beverages.

The event is free and open to the public. A free nursery will be provided for children 5 and younger. Each participating family is asked to bring a favorite salad, bread or dessert and a donation for the High Plains Food Bank in the form of canned meat or tuna fish, a boxed dinner, such as macaroni and cheese or peanut butter.

"We're going to have the Kwahadi Dancers present the hoop dance, and the hoop dance is very symbolic this year," said Sue Cohen, Temple B'nai Israel publicity chair. "Each hoop stands for the earth, the sky, the universe and the final hoop embraces all the other hoops, so in a sense it's very symbolic of this year's theme of unity, where everything just finds its place in this harmonious hole."

Cohen said the vegetarian dishes create a way, subliminally, to honor groups that are vegetarian. Cohen said several communities - including the Hindu, Laotian and Muslim communities - have been invited to the gathering.

Cohen said about 200 people attended last year's gathering.