Churches in Stone Mountain and Lithonia are coming together for joint Thanksgiving events to give thanks for the season and help people in the community.

The joint services have become a tradition for St. Timothy United Methodist, Memorial Drive Presbyterian and Rock of Ages Lutheran churches in Stone Mountain and for First Afrikan Presbyterian, Big Miller Grove Missionary Baptist and Ousley United Methodist churches in Lithonia.

Potluck Thanksgiving

This year, the Stone Mountain churches, all located on Memorial Drive, will meet at Rock of Ages Lutheran Church on Nov. 17 from 5-7 p.m. at 5135 Memorial Drive. A new addition to the group this year is the Rest Stop Church, also located on Memorial Drive.

This year’s event will be different from the previous ones, also held for decades.

These churches and others are part of an ecumenical ministry that distributes lunches to about 70 people every weekday at Rock of Ages.

As an extension of that ministry, the churches will worship together during a potluck dinner that is open to the community.

To make donations for the event or for more information, call Memorial Drive Presbyterian at 404-292-8212 or St. Timothy’s at 404-292-5969.

Communitywide service

Decatur Cooperative Ministry, which works to prevent and alleviate homelessness, will hold a “Communitywide Thanksgiving Service” on Nov. 18 at 7 p.m.

The worship service will be held at Decatur Presbyterian Church, 205 Sycamore St. in Decatur.

Guest speaker is the Rev. David Lewicki, co-pastor of North Decatur Presbyterian Church. His sermon is titled “Thank You, Lord.”

The Cooperative Ministry partners with more than 38 congregations that have been invited to the service, which is open to the public.



Lithonia gives thanks

The Lithonia community will celebrate Thanksgiving on Nov. 18 at Antioch-Lithonia Missionary Baptist Church.

Participating churches for the 5-7 p.m. event include Lithonia First United Methodist Church, Fishers of Men, First St. Paul AME Church and Higher Level Worship Church, among others.

The sermon will be delivered by the Rev. Rod Dewberry, pastor of Fishers of Men Community Church. The James C. Ward Chorale will provide the music.

Refreshments will be served after the service, said the Rev. James C. Ward, pastor of Antioch-Lithonia Baptist Church.

Antioch-Lithonia Church is at 2152 Rock Chapel Road in Lithonia. For more information, call 770-482-1277.

Thanksgiving worship service

First Afrikan Presbyterian, Big Miller Grove Missionary Baptist and Ousley United Methodist Church will hold Thanksgiving worship together on Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. at Ousley UMC, 3261 Panola Road.

Big Miller Grove Bishop Miles E. Fowler will deliver the sermon and First Afrikan’s Tam choir will sing.

The churches, which are located within a one-mile radius on Panola Road, have co-hosted the annual joint worship service for nearly 20 years.

The public is invited. For more information, call 770-981-0180.

‘A Day of Thanks and Giving’

Fairfield Baptist Church will host “A Day of Thanks and Giving” on Nov. 22.

The Thanksgiving Day service, which starts at 9 a.m., is a collaborative effort of 10 churches.

The Rev. Andre Grier, pastor of the Union Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, will deliver the sermon.

The service will be followed by an outpouring of social services and Thanksgiving dinner for about 200 pre-registered families.

The co-sponsoring churches include Big Miller Grove Baptist Church, Christ Our Hope Catholic Church, Corpus Christi Catholic Church, Exousia Light House International, Flat Rock Community Church, New World Harvest Ministries, Solid Rock AME Zion Church, Union Missionary Baptist Church, and White Oak Hills Baptist Church.

Fairfield Baptist is at 6133 Redan Road in Lithonia. For more information, call 770-482-7660.

Dial to preach at Greenforest

Greenforest and Rainbow Park Baptist Church are co-hosting a joint Thanksgiving Day worship service at Greenforest Community Baptist Church on Nov. 22.

The service starts at 10 a.m., and Rainbow Park’s pastor, the Rev. Steven N. Dial Sr., will preach. Dial is a former youth and young adult pastor at Greenforest, at 3250 Rainbow Drive in Decatur.

For more information, call 404-486-1120.