Thanksgiving is a uniquely refugee and immigrant-centered holiday. Today is a reminder of our tradition of welcoming and sharing with newcomers who seek a better future. I hope that we never forget these roots, and the importance of welcoming the sojourner.
For Thanksgiving, St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Grand Forks, North Dakota welcomes new Americans in a particularly warm way. Every year, St. Mark’s hosts a “New American Dinner,” inviting community members, new Americans, and congregation members to join in a Thanksgiving feast. St. Mark’s says they host the meal to “meet, visit, get to know, and welcome the new people in our city.”
Check out the photos below from St. Mark’s New American Dinner:
Thank you for all you do to walk alongside new Americans to brighter tomorrows!