“Stuff The Turkey”
No one can tell me exactly how or when the tradition changed but “Harvest Thanksgiving” at Isthmian has mutated into the American celebration of Thanksgiving and traditional Christian Harvest Thanksgiving services. As I have been told, during the time of the late Rev. Scarlett, Harvest was a ‘festival’ of produce from the fields and a lot of “baked goodies, pickles, etc” which were brought along with monetary Offerings.
Since the Occupation of Panama by Americans, and the coming of American missionaries and pastors to work in the congregation there has been a shift in emphasis from the celebration of Harvest like in Scarlett’s days, to the American Thanksgiving. Families have Thanksgiving Dinners, and Parties, and this year the Stewardship Committee is in full swing planning a Fundraising event called “Stuff the Turkey”.
Harvest Thanksgiving Service & Banquet
This will happen on the same day. Next Sunday, November 26th from 11:00am until whenever it ends. (Yes I’m serious) There will be the morning worship service which begins with the Procession of gifts (fruits, vegetables, etc..), all the regular parts of the liturgy, then immediately following we move into the Banquet where we will eat and enjoy additional performances from the children and groups in the church. So like I said, we will finish when it ends 
But what about the Turkey? Oh yes….There will be a Gigantic Turkey on the table where the gifts will be laid out. This Turkey has a slot in the stomach where the congregation will place their monetary offerings, thus ‘Stuffing the turkey’. We will receive as many ‘walk up offerings’ as it takes to make that turkey full.
Now I can tell you, this is a FAR leap for me. When one goes into a new context it is true that you never know what to expect. Talk about a steep learning curve. I have a couple things that come to mind that I am wary of, and which I am not a big fan.
a) Worship service turning into a concert – this is the practice in many places even in Jamaica. It is not uncommon to find Harvest Services turn into what we call “Rallies” where the service is reduced to little more than an “event” focusing on us rather than giving Glory to God.
b)American Thanksgiving is not on my list of celebrations -Â I respect the focus on families giving thanks to God for God’s abundant provisions. However, I am more sympathetic to the Native Americans who cannot say thanks for their pillage, plunder and subsequent dispossession of their land. It would be equally difficult to see West and South Africans celebrating European Conquest Day (I just made that up there is no such day)!!
The dilemma in this issue is who really needs to be thankful and clearly it’s going to be the one who has benefited the most. So should give thanks at American Thanksgiving time?
In the meantime, a turkey will be stuffed and some will give thanks. And I’ll be back with more later…
Blessings,
Marvia
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