By Donald Wittkowski
If sleigh bells represent the arrival of Christmas, then it might be said that the bells at St. Peter’s United Methodist Church herald the start of the Thanksgiving season.
At precisely 7 p.m. Tuesday, the church bells began chiming for a community-wide ecumenical service that brought nearly 300 worshippers together at St. Peter’s to celebrate the holiday.
“It’s a blessed time to give thanks,” Dr. Richard Stanislaw, a leader at St. Peter’s, said in welcoming remarks that symbolized the spirit of Thanksgiving.
The ecumenical service includes clergy members from churches across Ocean City and has become an annual tradition on the Tuesday night before Thanksgiving. The historic St. Peter’s, a community landmark at Eighth Street and Central Avenue, was the host church for the service this year.
Church leaders used their remarks Tuesday night to underscore what they said was the true meaning of Thanksgiving.
“Gratitude to God and gratitude to others make it possible to live in peace and harmony,” said the Rev. Elizabeth Mallozzi, of United Methodist Communities at The Shores.
Rev. Marcia Stanford, of Macedonia United Methodist Church, said Thanksgiving is a particularly important time to extend a helping hand to the needy, especially those who might otherwise go hungry or have no shelter during the holiday.
“Help us to show our gratefulness by helping our fellow man,” Stanford said while appealing to God.
Stanford stressed that Thanksgiving should not be thought of as strictly a time for turkey dinners or the holiday shopping rush. She called on God for mercy and grace.
“Lord, we take this time to put everything else aside,” Stanford said.
A secular part of the service included Mayor Jay Gillian reading from President Barack Obama’s Thanksgiving proclamation. Obama has called Thanksgiving the “quintessential American holiday,” referring to its beginnings in 17th century America as a harmonious celebration between Native Americans and the early European settlers.
“Rooted in a story of generosity and partnership, Thanksgiving offers an opportunity for us to express our gratitude for the gifts we have and to show our appreciation for all we hold dear,” Gillian said, reading from the presidential proclamation.
Worshippers at the service joined with clergy to recite prayers and sing hymns. Wearing white gloves and burgundy robes, members of the Bell Choir of St. Peter’s performed “Peal Con Brio.”
The service gave St. Peter’s a chance to showcase a series of upgrades, completed this year, with the theatrical lighting, sound system, altar, carpeting and tile floor, among other improvements.
The church, built in 1908, began the first phase of the renovation project after Hurricane Sandy in 2012 caused extensive flooding inside the building, said Phil Young, facilities manager for St. Peter’s.
“You couldn’t believe what it looked like before. It was real dark,” Young said of the church’s old lighting. “Now, it looks real nice.”
