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FOOD DONATIONS BLESSED AT THANKSGIVING INTERFAITH SERVICE
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SHU Mail and Duplicating Center Manager Art Gerckens brought a big box of food into University Commons in celebration of the annual Thanksgiving Interfaith Prayer Service. All food donations will go to St. Charles Food Pantry in Bridgeport. |
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The blessing of the food took place during the event. |
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Students Dan Gavagni, '12 (left), and Kristen Deely, '10, loaded up the Campus Ministry van with food donations. In back is Coordinator of Volunteer Programs Dawn Doucette. | Campus Ministry hosted their annual Thanksgiving Interfaith Prayer Service in University Commons on November 19th in honor of the upcoming holiday. Leading up to the event, students, faculty and staff were encouraged to donate boxes of food that will be given to the St. Charles Food Pantry in Bridgeport.
During the service, representatives of the Islamic, Jewish and Christian traditions were on hand to offer prayers of thanks. Dr. Kareem Adeeb, founder, imam and president of the American Institute for Islamic and Arabic Studies, Professor Brian Marks, Ph.D. of the Finance and Economics Department, and Father Mathew Cherian, University chaplain, bestowed blessings on all in attendance, celebrating the overwhelming generosity of those who provided the bounty of food for donation.
A musical interlude was offered by sophomore Allegra DeVita who, with piano accompaniment by Academic Music Program Director Dr. John Michniewicz, performed “The Blue Green Hills of Earth”. Carol-Anne Dabek of Campus Ministry shared a heart-warming story of strength following her battle with cancer, focusing on how thankful she is for those around her who have helped in her journey to survival. Sophomore Rebecca Ramirez offered the Jewish Prayer of Thanksgiving in Hebrew while senior Jared Faircloth shared his Christian Prayer of Thanksgiving. All prayers seemed to center around the importance of family, friends, community and the blessing of God’s love.
The service concluded with a blessing of the gifts by all of those in attendance. Student volunteers packed up the donations and loaded them onto vans for delivery to St. Charles Food Pantry. The Community of Sacred Heart University has collected food for nearly 200 families this year.
Back to November 2008
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