A full thanksgiving feast, the evening celebrates the American heritage and recognizes our shortcomings. This Kansas City tradition demonstrates our commitment to expanding the American ideals to include the religious adventure of the entire human family.

The participation of children who ask why 11 kinds of food are upon the table emphasizes connecting the heritage of the past with our hopes for the future. “This full Thanksgiving meal includes foods symbolizing the American heritage,” says David E Nelson, past convener of the Greater Kansas City Interfaith Council. “But while Pilgrims’ deliverance from religious oppression can be celebrated, our proud heritage is stained by oppressing Native Americans, blacks, and others, and we must now place the American ideals of freedom and hope in the context of the religious adventure of the entire human family,” he said.

Children ask questions, such as, “Why do we eat cranberry sauce?” and “Why do we have pie?” and adults answer from the script. The texts for this observance include William Bradford’s History of the Plymouth Plantation. There are 81 short parts, including traditional Thanksgiving hymns.

The ceremony with the meal began at 6 with greetings from our host, the Rev R Stan Runnels, and lasted about two hours. The meal is complete, with the traditional turkey, cranberry sauce, pie, and all the fixin’s, and a vegetarian option.

Last year our honorees were Mahnaz Shabbir, a Muslim leader who has brought better understanding of her faith to our community and to the nation, and the Reverend David E Nelson, DMin, who since 1988 has pioneered and pursued  interfaith work here with energy, skill, and vision. Previous honorees are (2006) interfaith community volunteer Gayle Krigel and futurists and long-time CRES supporters Nancy and Gordon Beaham, (2005) former Kansas Attorney General the Hon. Robert Stephan and former Catholic Chancellor George Noonan, (2004) Marc Wilson, Director and CEO of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and Laurence Sickman, his deceased predecessor, (2003) Congressman, the Hon. Dennis Moore, (2002) Kansas City Mayor Pro-Tem, the Hon. Al Brooks, (2001) Kansas City Star columnist and Presbyterian lay theologian Bill Tammeus, and Kansas City Star publisher Art Brisbane, (2000) Kansas City Mayor, the Hon. Kay Barnes, and (1999) Hindu leader Anand Bhattacharyya and Muslim leader A Rauf Mir, MD.

Over the years, the ceremony has been hosted by the Grand Avenue Methodist Church, Rockhurst University, the Village (Presbyterian) Church, All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church, Saint James Lutheran Church, Unity Temple on the Plaza, Shawnee Presbyterian Church, Grace and Holy Trinity (Episcopal) Cathedral, Temple B’nai Jehudah, Central Baptist Theological Seminary, Congregation Beth Shalom, the Community Christian Church, St Monica Catholic Church, and St Andrew Christian Church, the Rime Buddhist Center and Monastery, and Immanuel Lutheran Church.