Guest Speaker Rich Sander. Courtesy photo
SANTA BARBARA — All are invited to give thanks for our shared humanity and our common goals for peace at the annual Community Interfaith Thanksgiving Service on Tuesday, November 21st, at 7 p.m. at the downtown, historic First United Methodist Church. The Greater Santa Barbara Area Clergy Association (GSBAC), sponsor of this event, includes clergy and religious leaders from over 100 local faith communities and is dedicated to fostering mutual understanding, tolerance and appreciation among all faith communities.
Participating in the Interfaith Service will be representatives of the Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Quaker, Unitarian, Roman Catholic and Protestant traditions. The service will feature an Interfaith Choir. In order to allow participation from the greatest number of faith traditions, all worship music in the service will be sung without instrumental accompaniment.
This year’s guest speaker is Rich Sander, Executive Director of the local nonprofit, Uffizi Order, collaborating with and advocating for the marginalized including the homeless and other populations vulnerable to exploitation and trafficking. Rich joined the Free Methodist family in 2012 and began missional work on the Westside in 2013. Appointed lead pastor of Pueblo Free Methodist Church by the Free Methodist Conference in May of 2016, he’s passionate to see the Westside community seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.
A free-will offering will be received, and there will be light refreshments following the service.
The historic First United Methodist Church is located at the corner of Anapamu and Garden Streets, one block from the SB Courthouse. Free parking is available behind the church with the parking entrance off Garden Street. For more information call 963-3579 or visit the website www.fumcsb.org.