Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service Moves to YouTube This Year

For many years, a group of churches in Western Massachusetts have been joining together to offer an Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service. The churches include Trinity Church, Shelburne Falls (which is four denominations), St John’s Episcopal Church in Ashfield, the Federated Church of Charlemont, the Congregational Church of Ashfield, the Congregational Church of Buckland and Shelburne Congregational Church. 

Last year, to our dismay but not a surprise, due to the pandemic, we were not able to have this service. This year, as all the churches are now open or doing some kind of hybrid services, we thought we might be able to come together. The clergy gathered to discern if this could happen safely and we ultimately decided that it was not possible in person. And so the 2021 Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service was born — not in person but on YouTube!