Following the path we’ve taken the past few years, this year’s Thanksgiving weekend service provides a forum for reflection on the spiritual roots and rewards of thankfulness and for cultivation of an attitude of gratitude. This year, we’ll also consider the disconnect between the historical record and the mythological narratives of the Colonial Period (i.e., “Settler Colonization” Period) as they relate to the “First Thanksgiving” and the relationship between colonial settlers and Indigenous peoples. That disconnect, and its legacy of bigotry and racism, motivated the Unitarian Universalist community to initiate formal efforts to develop a more inclusive, authentic perspective on our country’s past. Among those efforts was the selection of The Indigenous People’s History of the United States as the UUA 2019-2020 Common Read, the subject of October’s TPUUF monthly book discussion.

We’ll also acknowledge the arrival of the season of Advent by lighting the first candle on our Advent wreath and by considering activities to help us prepare for the holiday season.

Topics: Gratitude