An inaugural Community Thanksgiving service was held at Calvary Chapel in Farmville Sunday, which saw participation from at least 10 area churches and saw community leaders speak such as Farmville Mayor David Whitus and Longwood University President W. Taylor Reveley IV.

“As I was thinking about coming together as a neighborhood of churches, really why would we do this? What’s our plan?” said Calvary Chapel Pastor Marvin Fisher at the service. “What’s our reasoning? My prayer plan is that their eyes will be lifted before our lord.”

Whitus said it was a great time to lift those across the country up.

“Our country has been through a lot, especially over the last six months with the hurricanes in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico and mass shootings in Las Vegas and then again in Texas. I’m sure there are a lot of people across our land that right now who find it a little hard to give thanks for the situations that they’re in. This is a great time to lift those people up.”

He said he was thankful for the community.

“We are a very caring community as is evidenced right here tonight,” Whitus said. “We have reached out so many times over the years when unfortunate incidences have happened. Here we have seen community come together and for that I am very thankful.”

Reveley echoed Whitus’ comment regarding troubles the country is having.

“So much of the country is having trouble and we get to be thankful for what’s before us everyday. The strong community, thriving businesses, a great hospital, thriving schools,” Reveley said. “All the aspects of life really are working well together because of our great friendships, our great partnerships.”

He said he hopes that the country can take some inspiration from Farmville given the way “we are as a community.”

Fisher said representatives from Farmville Area Churches come together once a month for lunch.

“Out of that we kind of just looked at it and said ‘hey why don’t we do a Thanksgiving service,’” Fisher said. “…So maybe we’ll tweak it and change it a little for next year. Our heart is to give thanks and praise the Lord and do it as a community of churches.”

He said at least 10 different churches were represented at the service either by providing a team, a leader for prayer or scripture reading.