Celebrating Gratitude: Thanksgiving Chapel 2025

On Thursday, November 20, 2025, the Chatham Hall community gathered for our annual Thanksgiving Chapel and dinner, a celebration of gratitude, kindness, and connection. This year, the service emphasized living with thanks, recognizing blessings in our lives, and honoring those around us.

The evening began with handbells led by Jane W. ’26 and the St. Mary’s Choir performing Harvest Blessings, Richly Showered under the direction of Mr. John Scott. After Chaplain Barksdale’s words of welcome, Charlie H. ’29 called us to worship with gathering words of praise and hope, reminding us to say “yes” to joy and peace.  

The liturgy continued with readings from four different faith traditions, centering our hearts, minds, spirits, and bodies in gratitude.  To center our hearts, Madeline I. ’27 offered a Jewish prayer by Rabbi Judith Z. Abrams, read in both English and Hebrew.  To focus our minds, Becky Y. ’27 shared a quote from the Dalai Lama and Tibetan Buddhism, bookended with the chime of a singing bowl.  To lift our spirits, Lauren Lamothe ’18 read Psalm 148, representing all Abrahamic faiths. To embody our words, Odette Kugler read Gratitude by Edgar Albert Guest, accompanied by an interpretive liturgical dance by Ana G.C. ’26. We ended this first movement of our service with Jordan M. ’29 and Isa W. ’29 leading the Humanist Litany of Thanks, giving voice to our awe for creation, community, and human potential.

As we prepared to celebrate Holy Eucharist together,  Olivia G. ’26 read  from the Gospel of John, Chapter 6, so that we could consider what Jesus meant when he said “I am the bread of life.”  In her homily, Chaplain Beth Barksdale helped our community understand the context of this statement and that Jesus was responding to demands from his followers to “show them a sign” and to give assurances of his “work” compared to other prophets.  She said, “I can almost hear Jesus’ calm response as he tells the people that such work is God’s work and not of our own doing. ‘The bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.. and I am the bread of life.’  If we continued to read the passage, we would also hear Jesus say, “I have come not to do my own will, but God’s.  Follow me, he might add, let me show you by example. Your human actions can also feed thousands.”

Inviting us to consider signs of thanks and giving that we have seen lately, Chaplain Barksdale linked the simple message of Harry Styles’ “TPWK” (treat people with kindness) to spiritual action in daily life. Inspired by the Kindness Tree Project, created by Mone S. ’27 and Chisette J. ’26, the homily ended with a showing of the banner, covered in colorful notes of affirmation and hope.  Mirroring the gratitude and generosity of the Chatham Hall community, we shared loving kindness as a way of passing the peace. 

As part of the liturgy, Kenissa B. ’27 led the Litany of Sharing Bread, emphasizing that the bread, friendship, joy, and even stillness we share are sacred. Mother Becky Crites presided over the Eucharist, with music from Mr. John Scott (piano) and Mr. John Andrade P’27 (guitar), and Eleanor W. ’27 offered the Post Communion Prayer. The service concluded with the recessional hymn We Plow the Fields and Scatter, a Muslim prayer by Mohamed Farhane, and a Hindu blessing offered by Anushree A. ’27, highlighting our interfaith spirit.

Following the service, the community came together in Yardley Hall for the traditional Thanksgiving dinner, celebrating friendship, family, and shared gratitude. From the Kindness Tree to the planting of 27 new trees donated by alumni, the evening was a reminder of the power of giving, living thanks, and nurturing a compassionate, connected community.