In the hustle and bustle of holiday time we tend to rush from one celebration to the next without taking time to fully appreciate any of them.

We sweep Hallowe’en trappings off store shelves, trundle in Christmas decorations, hardly doing justice to Thanksgiving in our rush to the malls so we can scoop up Black Friday bargains.

But one very encouraging giving of thanks has been occurring locally every Thanksgiving Eve for the past 25 years.

This year, the 25th Annual Thanksgiving Eve Community Worship Service took place at Temple B’nai Torah, hosted by area Lutheran, Episcopal, Roman Catholic churches and the Jewish temple.

The temple sanctuary was packed. People of diverse wisdom traditions all joined together in thanksgiving. Bishops, pastors, priests, rabbis, delivered their personal reflections on thanksgiving, an interfaith choir led the people in singing praise and, as the old Psalm declared, how good and how beautiful it was to see the people gathered together in unity.

The theme of the celebration was We gather – because we need community, together – because we need each other, in thanks – because our God is a great God, worthy of praise, giving – because the world needs what we have to offer.

What a joy it was, in this so-called “most unchurched area of our country,” to witness the visible progress of cooperation, respect and hope in our community. We do indeed have much for which we can be truly thankful.

And now, let’s take time to prepare to celebrate peace on earth, goodwill to all.

Thankfully, hopefully,

‘Lyn Fleury Lambert lives in Bellevue