To the Editor:
Let us take the time in this holiday season to give thanks for the gracious and generous community in which we live and work. Let us take the time to rejoice in the freedom of the coming together of so many faiths to worship in our own different, and sometimes very similar, ways.
Let us acknowledge the recent Thanksgiving interfaith liturgy, so beautifully hosted by Rabbi Gordon Gladstone of Temple Beth Am, which was filled to capacity by our Bayonne community representing so many faiths. Joining Rabbi Gladstone was the Rev. Rose Cohen Hassan, Assistant Priest of Trinity Parish at Bergen Point and Calvary Episcopal Church; Rev. George Greiss of St. Abanoub Coptic Orthodox Church; Rev. Dorothy Patterson of Wallace Temple A.M.E. Zion Church; Pastor Earl Munyan of First Assembly of God; Bishop Thomas Donato, Auxiliary Bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark and Pastor of St. Henry Church; Rabbi Clifford Miller of Temple Emanu-El; Rev. Joseph Barbone of Our Lady of the Assumption; Rev. Vinh Quang Nguyen of St. Vincent de Paul Church; Rev. John Fencik of St. Mary’s Orthodox Church, and others.
We give thanks for the generous spirit that moved these churches and synagogues and the community to donate food, gifts and money so that the H.I.G.H.W.A.Y.S. ministry could help nearly 125 needy families at the Thanksgiving holiday. We also give thanks for the kindness of our Mayor Smith and the Bayonne Economic Opportunity Foundation.
And we remind our Bayonne community that all our faith communities celebrate the liturgies of the season – Christmas and Hanukkah – while the needs of the poorest among us continue. Please continue to be generous. It is not too late to donate gifts and necessities for babies, children and teens; to donate food for our holiday food baskets; and to contribute food and much-needed funds for our emergency food pantry. Please remember, and give thanks.
THE REV. GREGORY G. PEREZ
Priest-in-Charge
Trinity Parish at Bergen Point
Calvary Episcopal Church