In the spirit of coming together, New Life Christian Center will hold this year's Thanksgiving Day Community Service at 7 p.m. Nov. 18.
New Life Christian Center Pastor Frank Hensley will be one of many California pastors to conduct the service in prayer, fellowship and above all: giving thanks.
"We just have a belief that all the Christians from different churches can come together and that there's a real call for us to assemble," Hensley said. "We want to just give thanks to God."
A number of pastors, along with the California Ministerial Alliance, will take turns leading the congregation in worship. Pastor Jeremy Barnard will lead the crowd in songs, and the Rohrbach brothers will offer their voices in gratitude for the evening service. Hensley said children's ministry also will be offered for ages 6-12.
"I will be doing the main message," Hensley said. "I want to emphasize something, and that's this. There is a real need for Christians to come from different churches and come together for this.
"In the Bible, it says this is the will of God: to give thanks. It's always the will of God. Many times, we want to know what that is, and it's really just one of the keys that will cause us to come to know.
"When we come to him in thanks, it's really the highest expression of faith and of grace."