A Tradition of Gratitude: Our Journey of Hosting Thanksgiving Dinner in Rapid City
- Bishop Joseph
- Nov 17
- 2 min read
Thanksgiving has always been more than a holiday for our family—it’s a reminder of how community can transform a life.
When I first came to Rapid City with my family, we arrived with grateful hearts, hopeful spirits, and little understanding of what Thanksgiving truly meant. We didn’t have extended family nearby. We didn’t have a community to sit around a table with. But what we did have was the kindness of local families here in Rapid City. Their generosity opened their homes and hearts to us, and in those early years, we learned what Thanksgiving was really all about: belonging.
Those simple acts of hospitality planted something deep within us.
And in the years that followed, we felt called to do the same for others—anyone who needed a place to go, a warm meal, or a community to call home for the holiday.
So we prepared our first Thanksgiving dinner.
We didn’t have tables, chairs, or supplies. We borrowed tables from Destiny Foursquare Church and stepped out in faith with nothing but a simple vision: create a space where everyone could be welcomed, seen, and served with dignity. That first year, 130 people walked through the doors. They were served a hot meal, and even more importantly, they found a warm and genuine community.
We knew right then—this would not be the last time.
Since then, this dinner has become an annual tradition, growing far beyond what we ever imagined. Our celebrations have taken many forms:
Serving a Thanksgiving meal at Harvest Church, where volunteers from all backgrounds came together to love and serve others.
Weathering the COVID-19 pandemic, when community members teamed up to pack and hand out more than 150 hearty meals for pickup.
Partnering with Cornerstone Rescue Mission to serve Thanksgiving dinner to more than 100 unhoused men and women in our city.
Filling the Hilton ballroom with more than 200 guests for a beautiful Thanksgiving banquet full of laughter, gratitude, and hope.
Every year, no matter the challenges or changes, one thing has remained the same:
This dinner is a celebration of community. A space where no one sits alone. A table where everyone belongs.
And this year, we’re doing it again—with the same heart, the same vision, and the same invitation:
You are invited
Come and share a meal.
Come and share community.
Come and share Thanksgiving with us.
From our family to yours—thank you for being part of this story, for helping build a tradition that reflects the very best of who we can be when we come together.
If you feel compelled help us keep the tradition going by donating or volunteering your time to help us continue to provide a sense of community to many in our city.
Luke 14:16–17 (Parable of the Great Banquet) “A certain man was preparing a great banquet… and he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’”
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