Community Thanksgiving Service Is November 24 at St. Stephen’s

The annual Ridgefield community interfaith Thanksgiving service will be held at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church on Sunday, November 24, at 5 p.m. The event, sponsored by the Ridgefield Clergy Association (RCA), welcomes people of all religious traditions, and is a collective effort of the clergy, Christian and Jewish, who lead congregations in Ridgefield.                                  

Monsignor Kevin Royal, newly arrived at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, will give the Thanksgiving reflection, and First Selectman, Rudy Marconi, will read the Thanksgiving Proclamation. An offering will be collected to benefit those in need.                                               

Dr. Alcee Chriss. St. Stephen’s new minister of music, and Charles Frederick Secrease, artistic director of the Fountain Music Concert Series, are creating a program of choral selections, hymns, solo and instrumental music.                                                                     

Chuck Bonadies, pastor of the Ridgefield Baptist Church and chairman of the RCA, said of the service, “In a world filled with political and religious polarization, I cannot think of a better way to display love and community than joining together for the annual Thanksgiving service.” Rabbi David Reiner of Congregation Shir Shalom agreed, adding, “How wonderful it is for us to gather as a community and sit together and give thanks for all the blessings of our lives.”                                                         

Those interested in joining the combined choir are invited to attend a rehearsal at St. Stephen’s, Saturday, November 23, from 9 to 11 a.m. There will be a mandatory rehearsal the day of the service from 3:30 to 4:30. Anyone who intends to sing in the choir is asked to call the St. Stephen’s office at 203-438-3789 or email the Rev. Whitney Altopp at waltopp@ststelphens-ridgefield.org.

Caption: Cantor Deborah Katcho-Gray, the Rev. Whitney Altopp and Rabbi David Reiner, who gathered after last year’s Community Thanksgiving Service, will be at this year’s service at St. Stephen’s.