Menifee Mom: Church Faiths Come Together

By Karen Thomas

Recently, I was able to attend the Holiday Interfaith Service held at the United Church of Christ in the Sun City community in Menifee.

It was a diverse meeting with messages and music shared from The United Church of Christ, The Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-Day Saints, St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church, United Methodist Church, Center for Spiritual Living Menifee Valley, Temple Beth Shalom, and the Faith Lutheran Church.

This is not the first time they have held this meeting. Last year it was held at the St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church. The differing locations show just how committed they are to being inclusive.
It was a unique experience to hear from so many different religions and see everyone find common ground. There was no debating, no arguing, no quoting scripture to try to prove others wrong. Each speaker simply shared an uplifting message about showing gratitude and being thankful for the good we have in our lives.

My children were able to attend as well. They found it interesting to hear from other faiths and to attend a meeting in a different church's chapel. t was a great opportunity for them to see that even though we may differ in our beliefs, we are all sincere in our worship and are all good people trying to live a good life.

The meeting was organized by the Menifee Interfaith and Community Service Council. This group consists of representatives from different churches as well as different community service organizations.

I really like that we have this group of people who are dedicated to bringing our community together.
This is an organization that deserves our support. They really are just about doing good and improving our city. The interfaith service I attended included a canned food drive to benefit the Menifee Community Cupboard. In the past, they have teamed up with Habitat for Humanity and organized community service days to help clean up areas of our city.

I know I've touted community service on several occasions. But it really is the key to making our city a great place to live and making our schools a great place to send our children. Most churches preach about doing service and loving those around them. The Interfaith and Community Service organization we have here in Menifee puts those words to action.

Karen Thomas is a stay at home mom of four daughters, has been on the PTA board at her kids' school for four years, and is a volunteer at her church, in addition to her activities as a volunteer soccer referee, a piano teacher, and a runner. Her column will appear here every other week. Comments are welcome.