Name: 14th Annual Gratitude Celebration
Start: 2025-11-14T17:30:00-05:00
Location: Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent

Join us for a Celebration of Gratitude — a warm evening of shared food, songs, poems and prayers.
14th Annual Gratitude Celebration
Friday, November 14th, 5:30pm-10pm
Hobbs Hall at the Kent UU Church
228 Gougler Ave,
Kent, Ohio 44240
Bright Blessings, Dearest Friends and Soul Family!
Wishing you a holiday season filled with loving kindness and abundant blessings.
With everything going on in the world and in our hearts, we recognize the critical importance of gathering in community. Once more, we return to our annual gathering to lift up Gratitude with one another, through a community meal, sharing of songs, poems, stories or creative works, and pouring our longing and powerful intentions and love into each other’s hearts, and into the world. What do you feel called to share that expresses gratitude in a way that is meaningful for you? We will have a multi-faceted community concert! We honor our grief, our healing, and every miracle that brings the light of love, connection, hope and truth to our souls.
We will gather Friday evening from 6 to 10pm on Friday, November 14th at Hobbs Hall, on the grounds of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent.
Those who want to tune in but aren’t able to come in person will be able to join on Zoom starting at 7pm to see and support the Gratitude Shares! https://zoom.us/j/94387914569
We will have a cozy seating space for the concert as well as dancing/movement space. There will be a community mandala project as well as some art supplies available for creating.
Please bring a dish to share if you are able, with ingredients labeled for those with food sensitivities.
Attendees are also invited to bring donations for a Kent UU youth ministry- the UUYJ (UU Youth for Justice) community meal/free store. Donated items like shampoo, feminine hygiene products, and toilet paper (full list posted) are much needed and deeply appreciated.
This event is truly “By the Community, For the Community.” Each year we uplift someone within our greater local community with our support. The event is free to attend with donations encouraged! Our love donations this year will go to 16 year old Evangeline - Eva - who has a congenital heart condition and is in critical need for a heart transplant. Eva has been confined to the hospital since August 28th, as you can imagine, the medical expenses are piling up. She is unable to leave until she receives a new heart. Even though she is on the 1B list, we have no idea when a donor will be found.
Eva then faces a very long road to recovery.
Eva also has two younger sisters, so her mom and stepdad are juggling a lot of responsibilities to make sure that everyone is cared for.
Eva and her family are grateful for support for medical care, constant transportation, and meals.
We are all envisioning her surgery will lead to her vibrant future! Please consider donating at this link.
Donations can also be made in person at the event if that is preferred!
https://gofund.me/6fd47a981
We are grateful to the Kent UU Church for welcoming us with open arms! Thank you to Jeremy Johnston for so many years as our talented Master of Ceremonies. And thank you to all involved in making this event smooth and heartwarming for all, especially Dawn Heartsong, Emily Hall, Laura Einsel, Randy and Renee Ruchotzke, and for every year prior to 2023 - Paul Sherlock has been such a wonderful host for this event and so many more! We love you forever Paul!
Here is a zoom link for those who would like to attend but cannot do so in person: https://zoom.us/j/94387914569
Join Zoom Meeting (starting at 7pm)
We look forward to seeing you there!