Tradition continues with interfaith Thanksgiving service on Nov. 27

Thursday, November 21, 2002

Continuing a tradition of many decades duration, the annual Community Interfaith Thanksgiving Service sponsored by the Hingham Hull Religious Leaders Association will be held at the Old Ship Meeting House, 90 Main Street in Hingham, on Wednesday evening, Nov. 27, at 8 p.m..

Clergy and other religious leaders from a variety of congregations in Hull and Hingham will participate in the service. Participants in the service will include representatives from Congregation Sha'Aray Shalom; Temple Beth Sholom; St. Paul's Catholic Church; Glastonbury Abbey; Christ Church United Methodist; St. John's Episcopal Church; First Baptist Church; Hingham Congregational Church; House of Prayer, Lutheran; First Church of Christ Scientist; First Parish in Hingham, Old Ship Church (Unitarian Universalist); Second Parish in Hingham (Unitarian Universalist); New North Church; the Bahai Faith; and the Wellspring Multi-Service Center in Hull. The preacher will be the Reverend James Rafferty, from St. Paul's Catholic Church. His sermon will be, "Old Ship, New Ship."

An interfaith choir will be led by Judy Hardy, the music director and organist at Old Ship. Selections will include "Bringing in the Sheaves," by George Minor; "Let All Things Now Living," arranged by K.K. Davis; and "Look at the World," by John Rutter. Traditional hymns for the whole congregation to sing will include "We Gather Together" and "Come, Ye Thankful People, Come."

The Thanksgiving offering will benefit the social service programs of Wellspring Multi-Service Center. These include their adult learning program, domestic violence program, crisis counseling, and their thrift shop and food pantry.

The Old Ship Meeting House is the oldest wooden building in continuous use for religious services in the United States. It is a national historic landmark. Old Ship is wheelchair accessible and has a sound system to assist those with hearing impairment. For further information, please call Old Ship at 781-749-1679 during office hours, 9-12 on weekdays.