REDLANDS, Calif. — The Redlands Area Interfaith Council will celebrate Thanksgiving with a patriotic tribute to America's 250th anniversary on Sunday, Nov. 15, featuring historical reenactments, music and participation from several local faith communities.
The annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Celebration, a Redlands tradition since 2010, will take a different approach this year with a program highlighting the nation's history.
The celebration will feature a fife and drum ensemble and appearances by performers portraying 11 historical figures, including six former U.S. presidents and five influential women. The presentation will begin with George Washington, who issued the nation's first presidential Thanksgiving proclamation in 1789.
Representatives from local faith communities will participate in the traditional opening procession, with invocations offered by Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church, Congregation Emanu El, the Islamic Community Center and the Sikh Community of the Inland Empire.
Rabbi-Cantor Jennifer Bern-Vogel, left, thanks University of Redlands President Dr. Krista Newkirk for her keynote message during last year's celebration. (Photo by Judy Cannon)
A community choir will perform under the direction of Nathan Romero, while Tina Skousen will lead the children's choir.
The event will also include a voluntary offering benefiting YouthHope Foundation, a local nonprofit selected by the council as this year's charitable recipient.
The celebration will begin at 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15, at First Evangelical Lutheran Church of Redlands, 1207 W. Cypress Ave. A meet-and-greet reception hosted by council members will follow in the church's social hall.
