The Winona Ministerial Alliance is helping to spread a little love this season by holding their annual Thanksgiving service. Although after Thanksgiving, it’s their way of telling the community they don’t have to be alone this season.
Saxton Odom, pastor of Winona Church of God, said this years’ service will be held at Winona Baptist Church, Sunday, Nov. 25 at 5 p.m. The Winona Baptist Church choir will provide music, and Pastor Mark Williamson will speak.
Odom said the event has been held since 2013, and it rotates from church to church.
“Wherever we have the service at, that church is responsible for the music and their pastor is the speaker,” he said.
He said the funds raised will go toward funding community needs.
“If someone’s house burns or there is a pivotal loss, we try to step in and help out,” he said. “We started out as a transit ministry, and we kind of evolved into helping on a local needs basis.”
He said the goal of the alliance is to foster fellowship among pastors and churches with the goal of bringing the community together.
Part of the group’s mission statement states they will help “….financially with community needs as they arise and to ensuring these needs are legitimate.”
For example, Odom said if someone was having trouble with their utility bill they would refer them to the nonprofits in town that help.
However, if it’s a dire situation, the alliance will help out.
“If it’s a bad situation, we’ll step in and help out. But, our funds are limited, and we can’t help as many as we’d like to. That’s another reason for the program.”
Odom said a meal will follow the annual Thanksgiving service.
