| |
Newsletter
I NOVEMBER 2006
THANKSGIVING
The American Thanksgiving holiday began as a feast of thanksgiving in the early days of the American colonies almost four hundred years ago.
In 1620, a boat filled with more than one hundred people sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to settle in the New World. This religious group had begun to question the beliefs of the Church of England and they wanted to separate from it. The Pilgrims settled in what is now the state of Massachusetts . Their first winter in the New World was difficult. They had arrived too late to grow many crops, and without fresh food, half the colony died from disease. The following spring the Iroquois Indians taught them how to grow corn (maize), a new food for the colonists. They showed them other crops to grow in the unfamiliar soil and how to hunt and fish.
In the autumn of 1621, bountiful crops of corn, barley, beans and pumpkins were harvested. The colonists had much to be thankful for, so a feast was planned. They invited the local Indian chief and 90 Indians. The Indians brought deer to roast with the turkeys and other wild game offered by the colonists. The colonists had learned how to cook cranberries and different kinds of corn and squash dishes from the Indians. To this first Thanksgiving, the Indians had even brought popcorn.
In following years, many of the original colonists celebrated the autumn harvest with a feast of thanks. After the United States became an independent country, Congress recommended one yearly day of thanksgiving for the whole nation to celebrate. George Washington suggested the date November 26 as Thanksgiving Day. Then in 1863, at the end of a long and bloody civil war, Abraham Lincoln asked all Americans to set aside the last Thursday in November as a day of thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November, a different date every year. The President must proclaim that date as the official celebration.
In 1939 President Franklin D. Roosevelt set it one week earlier. He wanted to help business by lengthening the shopping period before Christmas. Congress ruled that after 1941 the 4th Thursday in November would be a federal holiday proclaimed by the President each year.
|
 |
| |
LETTER
FROM THE ISF ASSISTANTS
Dear International Friend,
Once again we wish to extend to you, our dear International Friend, our warm and sincere greetings.
We have been thinking about the many blessings that God has given us. Just look around at the many modern conveniences we have that make life much easier for us than it was for our parents. Computers, cell phones, microwaves and a list of many other things have made everyday life much simpler. We are able to travel around the world with a speed that many years ago would have seemed impossible. We can almost instantly communicate with friends and family that are thousands of miles away. The danger is that in spite of all these things at our disposal we fail to really have a grateful heart for the simple things in life.
Do we really appreciate the things that count the most? When was the last time you sincerely thanked God for your family and friends that He has given you. What about the very gift of life that you have? It is easy to focus on the material things we have and forget to be thankful for the things that should be the most important. Take time today to thank God for those you love, and for those who love you in return. Most importantly thank God for His love that is beyond measure.
We will look forward to seeing you at the November ISF gathering. This gathering will be on Friday, November 17th at 7:30 PM in the beautiful Ballroom of the William Pitt Union . The William Pitt Union is located in Oakland on the corner of Bigelow and Fifth Avenue . To get to the Ballroom, use the entrance on Fifth Avenue and then follow the signs. At this gathering Dr. Bruce Campbell from Allegheny Wesleyan College will be the special speaker. There will also be special music, wonderful fellowship, a Traditional Thanksgiving Meal for you to enjoy, and of course there will be children's activities in the Kurtzman room. And remember it's all free!
We look forward to seeing you on Friday, November 17th !
--Terry
& Pam Tiberio, ISF Assistants
|
OCTOBER ISF
GATHERING (October 23, 2006)
80
were present from the following 7 countries: China, India, Indonesia, Morocco, USA.
|
Hope
to see you at the Thanksgiving ISF Gathering on Friday,
November 17th, at 7:30 PM in the Ballroom of the William
Pitt!
|
|
|
