By PHOEBE DONALD ROBINSON / Community Columnist

Once a year, the city of Columbiana gathers to worship as a community. The annual Community Thanksgiving service will be Sunday, Nov. 20, at the First Baptist Church of Columbiana at 6 p.m. This year’s speaker will be the Rev. Lori Carden, senior pastor of Columbiana United Methodist Church.

The community service is sponsored by four local churches that rotate the place of worship and speakers: First Baptist Church of Columbiana; Columbiana United Methodist Church; Columbiana Church of the Nazarene; and Macedonia Baptist Church. Long time — Methodist church member Jackie Cates does not remember how long this service has been going on Needless to say — it’s been a long time.

Baptist Pastor Mike Miller has organized this service for years. After the service, a reception is held by the host church that Miller calls, “A Taste of Heaven.” Church members make homemade pies and desserts, and the sweet feast is one of the traditional highlights of the night.

The service and pie feast is free and open to all.

It is a time for a community to gather together and give thanks. In these difficult economic times as well as a nation that is divided by distinct differing political views, a service of gratitude is a respite from this time of troubles.

Carden’s message for the Thanksgiving service is titled, “Be Thankful for Freedom.”

“Thanksgiving is a time to be grateful for our freedom. I will speak on the foundations of our nation and the opportunities that our freedom provides for us,” said Carden. “As believers in Christ, it is also a time to celebrate our freedom in the Lord.”

The churches of Columbiana invite you to come and worship as a community, share fellowship with one another and taste a little bit of heaven right here on earth, physically and spiritually, on Sunday, Nov. 20 at 6 p.m. at Columbiana First Baptist Church.

 

Phoebe Donald Robinson can be reached by email at phoeberobinson@bellsouth.net.