Ecumenical Thanksgiving worship Nov. 19
By Rev. Dr. Craig Lindsey
For decades, going back to the 1960s, the Churches of Skaneateles have united for one Ecumenical Thanksgiving Celebration, over the last 15 years on the Sunday prior (11/19) to Thanksgiving at 4pm. This year’s celebration of Thanksgiving will be unique, as the First Presbyterian Church 97 East Genesee Street, who are hosting this community Worship Service at 4pm Sunday, November 19th, have also invited the St. Andrews Society of the Masons of New York State to join us for a “kirk’n of the tartans.”
Any who have read or been watching the television show Outlander know that The Battle of Culloden was a decisive massacre of the Scottish by the British Empire. After which, for several years, the wearing of ancestral family tartans was outlawed. The tartans symbolized more than a pattern of plaid, each family had their own tartan, so this was an outlawing of family identity and heritage and tradition. Annually, in a celebration of Thanksgiving, individuals and families came to church (in Scottish = The Kirk) for a blessing of their family and heritage, called a Kirk’n of the Tartans.
As part of the worship of God, the choirs of each of the churches (and any other singers) are invited to mass for rehearsal at 3pm at First Presbyterian Church. All of the pastors of the community (Owasco and Skaneateles Falls) are sharing in leadership and witness together, with Rev. Leroy Kettinger preaching, and Rev. Dr Craig Lindsey serving as host. We will sing the wonderful Welsh Hymns, have a set of bagpipes, and a grand celebration. Whether you have a Kilt or are Scottish, or not, the invitation of all the churches is that we come to give thanks to God and for a blessing of our families. An Offering of Giving Thanks will be received to benefit the Skaneateles Food Pantry which began through the Skaneateles Ecumenical Clergy Association. Non-Perishable Food items are also encouraged to be contributed.
A look at diversity
An issue of regular concern in Skaneateles has been our lack of diversity.
First Presbyterian Church recently worked to encourage greater diversity in a special world-wide Communion celebration. Rev. Dr. Craig Lindsey consecrated the elements of Bread and Cup in English; then invited a woman Elder to break a loaf saying the words in the Dutch of her childhood; a Deacon broke a third loaf stating the words in Korean; a new American who came to Skaneateles as a refugee from South Sudan broke a loaf speaking in Dinka “Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, took bread, blessed and broke it, saying ‘This is my body broken for you’.”
So also then, a leader of the church who had been Bar Mitzvah-ed Orthodox Jewish; then Associate Pastor Bolivar who became an American Citizen this summer, originally from Colombia, broke a final loaf reciting the consecration in Spanish.
This was then repeated with the Cup of the New Covenant, before serving the assembled congregation. A unique characteristic, allowing this celebration in this way in the Presbyterian Church, is that the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) ordains members of the church for leadership, just as we do pastors.
Ordination is for life, as a setting apart for holy responsibility. Others may find this strange, in that it appears as though Presbyterians “ordain the laity”, which is a violation of grammar. In truth, the roles and responsibilities of each office are unique (Minister, Elder, Deacon), however leadership in the Presbyterian Church is a setting apart for particular responsibility with the questions of ordination, prayer and paying on of hands by those who have been ordained. The heritage of the First Presbyterian Church is that during the Civil War, this church was used as part of the Underground Railroad.
The congregation sponsored refugees from the Netherlands during WWII; refugees from Viet Nam during that conflict; refugees from Bosnia in 1998 during the Serbo-Croatian War; and refugees from South Sudan who were called Lost Boys because of their struggle. Whether Male or Female, young or aged, regardless of our race and culture of origin, all are welcome, prayed for and share together at the First Presbyterian Church of Skaneateles.
