FaithBridge, a group that encourages interfaith communication, will host its Thanksgiving program, “Welcoming the Stranger,” at 4 p.m. Sunday in Crystal Lake.

All are welcome to attend the free annual event, which takes place at First Congregational Church, 461 Pierson St.

Speakers from Indigenous, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist and Christian traditions will address the topic and theme “Welcoming the Stranger: We Are All Immigrants” from diverse religious and faith perspectives, according to a news release.

Additional educational information and resources will be available from the McHenry County Rapid Response Team and the Immigration Solidarity Taskforce.

Staple food donations and monetary funds will be collected in support of the Woodstock, Cary-Grove and Crystal Lake food pantries.

This year’s keynote speaker is Deacon Pam Shearman from the Metropolitan Chicago Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, whose presentation is titled, “Welcoming the Stranger – Living out our Faith in Awareness, Alignment and Action.“

“Pam brings both personal and professional understanding of the immigrant experience to this discussion. She has lived as an immigrant abroad, and her family is bicultural,” according to the release.

Shearman’s call to diaconal ministry was with the Illinois Community for Displaced Immigrants, and she served with ICDI as director of spiritual care visitation at four detention centers in Illinois and Wisconsin.

Other presenters include Gina Roxas of the Trickster Cultural Center, who is a member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation; Abdul Waris of the American Muslim Community Organization; Bhante Rahula of the Blue Lotus Buddhist Temple; and members of FaithBridge. Music will be provided by Tricia Alexander.

FaithBridge launched its first interfaith Thanksgiving event in 2007, the year the organization was founded. This year’s theme was developed and will be moderated by co-founder and board member Rabbi Maralee Gordon.

“Being welcoming has been such a part of who we are as a country and as people of faith,” Gordon said. “So many of our faiths speak to the importance of welcoming the stranger.”