CUSP to host annual Thanksgiving worship service

HOLLAND — Christians Uniting in Song and Prayer invites the community to attend their annual community-wide Thanksgiving service, this year held at 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 19.

The event, held at Grace Episcopal Church at 555 Michigan Ave. in Holland, is meant to uplift, inspire and challenge and will include congregational singing from the Holland Ecumenical Choir. The choir includes 50 singers from about 20 area congregations and will be accompanied by the DeSales Brass.

CUSP Chair Mary Johnson said the event will include three readings: an Old Testament reading, a New Testament reading and a gospel reading with a Psalm in between.

“There will be lots of scripture readings, there will be prayers of petition for the community and the world, and there will be lots of singing — both congregational and then some where the congregation will just be listening,” Johnson said.

Johnson said the songs were carefully selected to fit with the scripture readings and are meant to have a message.

In order to plan events like this one, Johnson said, the CUSP Board meets year-round about once a month.

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“At the last supper, Jesus prayed we would all be one,” Johnson said. “We feel strongly about our faith and we feel strongly that we need to live it in the correct and authentic way. Disagreements tend to lead to splintering and that is harming the body of Christ.

“Our big overall objective is to use these occasions for public worship to heal those divisions and to get people used to enjoying praying with people of other denominations.”

Johnson said she invites everyone to come out this year to be moved and feel a sense of unity.

Visit cuspholland.weebly.com to learn more.

— Contact reporter Austin Metz at ametz@hollandsentinel.com.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: CUSP to host annual Thanksgiving worship service