CHESAPEAKE — Reaching out to the Christian community in ecumenism while helping the disadvantaged has always been the mission of the annual Chesapeake Thanksgiving Gathering.

“Thanksgiving is such a universal occasion,” the Rev. Charles Case, of Chesapeake United Methodist Church, said. “For the Christian community in Chesapeake, it is a great opportunity to bring the community together and celebrate the Lord.”

This year the service will be at St. Ann’s and, as always, an offering taken will go to pay for Christmas food baskets given out each year by the Chesapeake Community Outreach, a food and clothing pantry that serves the eastern end of the county.

This year the goal is to help 650 families with food baskets that will have a turkey, potatoes, vegetables and other staples.

Last year $3,000 was received for the food basket program.

“It is so helpful to build a bigger Christian community rather than just each local church doing its own thing,” Case said. “It is a cooperative expression of thanks to God. It is part of building a giving opportunity that transcends denominational divides.”

The Rev. D.L. Webb of Sybene Missionary Baptist Church will preach with other pastors participating along with special music.

Also those attending are asked to bring a personal care item, such as soap, shaving cream or shampoo that will be given out by the CMO as needed.

The CMO began in 1985 with seven churches with its outreach center at the Chesapeake Village Hall. Today, 17 churches throughout the county are part of the CMO that works out of the Chesapeake Community Center.

The Rev. Charles Moran, pastor of St. Ann’s, has been part of the ecumenical service since it began 10 years ago.

“The most important thing about it is we come together to experience honoring and loving people,” Moran said. “As we grow in this very present moment of loving people then we understand who God is because God is love. We don’t do that because we belong to any particular Christian church, but because Jesus asked us to do it.”

The service will be 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 24