Reprinted with permission from Jessica Hill and the Windsor Journal November 27, 2000

Clergy Association sponsors annual Thanksgiving celebration

By: Jessica Hill, Special to the Journal                                                  November 27, 2000

This past Sunday marked a community Thanksgiving celebration at the Congregation Beth Ahm in Windsor.

The Windsor Clergy Association sponsored the annual event, gathering clergy from all over Windsor of all denominations to participate.

Participants in the evening's celebration included the Rev. Richard Hanna Huleatt, Rev. May Angela Davis, and Retired Clergy Rev. Robert Lane of The First Church of Windsor, the Rev. Charles Tilted of Archer Memorial A.M. Zion Church, the Rev. Edie O'Donnell of Wilson Congregational Church, Pastor Frank Buonomo of Connecticut Valley Church of Christ, the Rev. Gordan Illausky of Christ the King Lutheran, Deacon Don Norton of St. Mary's Church in Windsor Locks, and Rabbi Alan Leikowitz of Congregation Beth Ahm.

The evening began with the Children's Choir singing in both Hebrew and English. The children, led by Rabbi Leikowitz, extended a prayer for peace to everyone attending. Following in tradition of our forebears more than 300 years ago, Mayor Mary Hogan proceeded with the Public Proclamation for a Day of Thanksgiving.

"A Psalm for Connecticut" was read by Deacon Don Norton: "The endless waves that wash our shores, lakes that mirror the heaven, rivers that course to the Sound, Connecticut, Thames, and Housatonic, and all the streams that seek their banks, Praise the Lord for ever and ever."

The Rev. Edie O'Donnell shared a personal experience to show the truth of Thanksgiving. A member of her congregation named Susan was ill with cancer. Susan's condition was very grave and she was in the hospital. While her husband was at work members of the congregation spent hours in rotation staying by Susan's side so she was never alone. One day when O'Donnell was singing at the visitor's desk the receptionist remarked in amazement the amount of dedication and time members of the congregation had spent visiting. She told O'Donnell she had never seen anything like it in all her years of working in the hospital.

"She is so blessed to have all of you," the receptionist said. To which O'Donnell replied, "No she is a blessing to us."

The evening wrapped up as it had begun with the Children's Choir offering peace: "I wish the best for you."

©Windsor Journal 2000