To the Editor:

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and I am writing with the hopes that the tradition of having a Catasauqua community ecumenical Thanksgiving service can resume this year.

For decades, it was a tradition in Catasauqua that the mainline Protestant churches in town came together and held a joint service on the Monday night before Thanksgiving, consisting of each pastor performing different parts of the service and the choirs melding into one large body of song.

This service rotated its host site from year to year between each of the Protestant congregations: Holy Trinity Memorial Lutheran Church, Presbyterian Church of Catasauqua, Salem United Church of Christ, the former Grace Methodist Church (later New Bethany Methodist) and the former St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church.

We have not had an ecumenical Thanksgiving service, per my recollection, since 2018.

I took it upon myself to contact each of the church congregations and do what I can as just one person to request to resume having this service. I am happy to report there will be a service held 6:30 p.m. Nov. 22, hosted at Holy Trinity Memorial Lutheran Church, 604 Fourth St., Catasauqua. It remains unclear which congregations will be participating.

Some churches in our community have explained they do not doctrinally align themselves with ecumenicism. Regardless, I am very hopeful that we can all come together this Nov. 22 to revive a wonderful tradition that many of us in town have come to love and look forward to as the start of a great week.

As I am sure you are aware, Thanksgiving has extra special meaning in Catasauqua as the annual football game held against rival Northampton is played every year on Thanksgiving morning. It serves as the Homecoming game for all alumni who come back for the holiday.

On the Wednesday night before, there is a large bonfire and gathering, and on the Tuesday night before, there is a banquet celebration known as the Bury the Hatchet dinner. But, on the Monday night before, we have always had the ecumenical service to remind us all that we are brothers and sisters together in Christ, and regardless of our different denominations, we are all one group.

Thanksgiving week has many secular traditions in this town, but we need to be reminded of its Christian meaning first.

The service is open to all, regardless of creed. Please, come and share the harvest of Christ’s love.

Robert Zakos

Catasauqua