HELEN REDMAN, DIRECTOR
NEWSLETTER
November 2001
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HELEN REDMAN, DIRECTOR NEWSLETTER November 2001 |
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HOLIDAY TRADITIONS AROUND THE WORLDThe Thanksgiving holiday celebrated every November in the United States is a cherished American tradition. Never have I been so proud to be called an American as I am this holiday season since the September 11 terrorists attacks on our country. This Thanksgiving will long be remembered as American people come together to give thanks to God for His love, protection and guidance.The roots of this holiday go far back in human history. In prehistoric times, the first Americans observed many rituals and ceremonies to express gratitude to a higher power for life itself. A Seneca Indian ritual, for example, states, "Our Creator...Shall continue to dwell above the sky, and this is where those on the earth will end their thanksgiving." In South America, many of the native Indian cultures contain expressions of gratitude and thanksgiving, and in modern Brazil a special public day of thanksgiving and prayer has been designated for the fourth Thursday of November every year since 1949. The ancient Greeks worshipped Demeter as their goddess of all grains. Each autumn the festival of Thesmosphoria was held to honor the goddess. For over 3000 years Jewish families have been celebrating an autumnal harvest festival called Sukkoth. It begins the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Tishri, 5 days after Yom Kippur the most solemn day of the Jewish year. During this 8-day long festival the Jews build small huts of branches which recall the tabernacles of their ancestors. The celebration of the spring-time harvest festival by the ancient Egyptians was dedicated to the honor of Min, their god of vegetation and fertility. When the Egyptian farmers harvested their corn, they wept and pretended to be grief-stricken to deceive the spirit which they believed lived in the corn. The Roman celebration of Cerelia, a harvest festival, was dedicated to the honor of Ceres. Ceres was their goddess of corn. It was also an autumnal festival held each year on October 4th. Offerings of the first fruits of the harvest and pigs were made to Ceres. The celebration included music, parades, games, sports and a thanksgiving feast. The 15th day of the eighth lunar month is Ch'usok, the Harvest Moon Festival in Korea. It is begun by honoring ancestors. Families visit the grave of their ancestors to bow and clean the area for the coming winter. Ch'usok is most of all a time to give thanks for the autumn harvest and reaffirm familial and community ties. with gratitude in your hearts...Eph. 5:20; Col. 3:16 WORLDWIDE MISSIONARY EVANGELISM
W.S. McMasters, President
W.M.E. had their 36th mission conference in Walker, LA October 1-4 with 85
missionaries and their wives in attendance from around the world. Over $300,000
was raised for missions during the conference. Pastor Charles Green of New
Orleans and Pastor Kilpatric of Pensocola, FL were the main speakers. They both
did an outstanding job.
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