'Tis the season to give thanks, and during the Thanksgiving holiday, some churches feel it's best to do it in unison.

For years now, two separate groups of churches — three in Lithonia and four in Stone Mountain — have been holding joint services and worshipping together at Thanksgiving.

This year, they will do it again and it doesn't matter that they are not even of the same denomination.

In Lithonia, no one can remember exactly when Big Miller Grove Missionary Baptist, Ousley United Methodist and First Afrikan Presbyterian churches held their first service together, but today it's a tradition.

Each year, the churches — which are located within a mile of each other near Panola Road — rotate from church to church, the pastors take turns preaching and the choirs take turns singing.

The service is always held on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. This year, Bishop Miles Fowler and Big Miller Grove will host the Nov. 22 service, which starts at 7 p.m.

Ousley's pastor, Dr. Rodney Smothers, will bring his choir to sing, and Dr. Mark Lomax, pastor of First Afrikan, will preach.

In Stone Mountain, St. Timothy United Methodist, Rock of Ages Lutheran, Memorial Drive Presbyterian and Hillside Presbyterian Church have been worshipping together during the holiday season for at least 20 years.

This year, their joint worship service takes place at 7 p.m. on Nov. 20 at St. Timothy.

During the hourlong service, choirs from each of the participating churches perform and at least one of the pastors preaches. This year Pastor Hugh Williams of Rock of Ages will be giving the sermon.

As in years past, all of the proceeds from this year's service go to mission works such as the Food Pantry in Stone Mountain, which is associated with First United Methodist Church, and Clothes Closet, run jointly with Indian Creek Baptist Church in Stone Mountain.

With both groups of churches, no one remembers exactly when and why the churches first got together in joint Thanksgiving worship. First Afrikan Church only started in 1993, so members know their tradition started after that.

Tonya Fulton, who is executive secretary to Bishop Fowler at Big Miller Grove, says she has been at the church for eight years, "and I'm still not sure how it got started," she said.

Besides the Thanksgiving service, the churches also do other things together. This year, they worked together to assist hurricane victims.

Itihari Toure, the Christian education minister at First Afrikan Church, said worshipping together helps connect their faith community across denominational lines.

"It helps us appreciate the differences in our services and the similarities," Toure said.

The Stone Mountain churches also do other things together.

The Rev. Berry Davis, pastor of Memorial Presbyterian Church, who has participated in the joint services for 11 years, says his church and Rock of Ages have also been getting together for vacation Bible school for years.

The churches in the group also used to do Sunrise Services together at Stone Mountain Park for Easter and in the past, they have also held joint Good Friday services.

The Thanksgiving services are open to anyone who would like to attend.

Big Miller Grove Missionary Church is at 380 Big Miller Grove Way, off Panola Road in Lithonia, For more information, call 770-981-3800.

St. Timothy United Methodist Church is at 5365 Memorial Drive in Stone Mountain. For more information, call 404-292-5969.