Unemployment still high, bad weather moving in, roads backing up with holiday travelers ... What better night to find shelter, share some prayers, enjoy the voices and say thanks.

Almost 1,500 Charlotte-area residents did just that Tuesday at the 36th annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service at Temple Beth El.

Monsignor John McSweeney, pastor of St. Matthews Church in Ballantyne, hit the appropriate note with his keynote speech: "The Gratitude Factor."

The 90-minute gathering, sponsored by Mecklenburg Ministries, pulled together many of the area's races, cultures and faiths. The evening featured performances by 200 voices of the Interfaith adult and children's choirs, along with calls for understanding, cooperation and acceptance across denominational and racial lines.

The service had special significance for Temple Beth El, which helped start the tradition back in 1976 and takes pride in reaching beyond its congregational lines. The celebration took place in the temple's newly renovated building, and in Hebrew tradition, 36 means "double life." Above the altar were these Hebrew words. "Welcome to our home."

"There couldn't be a better way to kick off the Thanksgiving week of celebration," said Rabbi Judy Schindler, now in her 14th year at Temple Beth El.

"...All the different faiths. Opening all our doors. Welcoming everyone in, and offering gratitude for what we have."

The holidays hit at an unsettling time in Charlotte. Layoffs, pay cuts and a statewide jobless rate well above the rest of the country may cut into the celebratory mood.

What better reason to celebrate, said Maria Hanlin, executive director of Mecklenburg Ministries.

"We have our relationships, our families, our faiths," she said. "We can hear the music. We can taste the wonderful food. It lifts us above the mess and the difficulties of our lives, and we can focus on higher things."