Thanksgiving 2020
One of the marks of unity held by Churches Uniting in Christ is racial justice and equality. In order to help our member congregations (and any interested Christians) explore that mark during the end-of-the-year holidays, we have put together the following congregational aides. For the holidays of: All Saints Day, Thanksgiving and Watchnight, we have invited renowned Christians to teach about the holiday through the lens of racial justice and to lead worship and/or preach about the holiday. We are also including some liturgies and prayers to help you use these videos in your congregational context. Please do use them in your context in whatever way works for you. There is no restriction.
Overview
While we commonly associate Thanksgiving Day with a shared table filled with loved ones featuring turkey and trimmings, accompanied by a time of sharing those things for which we are thankful, there is more to this day. The true and painful history has been erased over time with mythical hallmark sentiments of stereotyped natives and pilgrims. As Christians dedicated to eradicating racism, we take this moment to work towards the decolonization of Thanksgiving--holding in tension the realities of history, and our communal Christian call to repentance and hope. We are grateful for those who made this first attempt possible despite the devastation of COVID19 in Native reservations and communities. We hope these resources will be integrated in your ministry settings throughout the year.