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The Community Thanksgiving Service almost didn't happen this year, said John Waak, pastor of Our Saviour's Lutheran Church.

The service is one of The Victoria Ministerial Alliance's annual projects, but the group of clergy skipped a couple meetings, unintentionally forgetting to organize the holiday service, Waak said.

"We were a little concerned the community churches wouldn't get the opportunity to have one this year," Waak said. "So here at Our Saviour's we just decided to launch into it."

Our Saviour's Lutheran is hosting the service at 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 23. Waak will deliver the message.

"It's kind of a neat thing," Waak said. "As Christians, we do a lot of things separately as individual churches, but to come together and worship as believers one time a year, it's a great thing."

Other clergy involved are Rev. J. Jason Fry, pastor of First United Methodist Church; Arlie Lammers, interim pastor of First Christian Disciples of Christ; Rev. Karen Stocks of First Presbyterian Church; and Pastor Walter Ford of New Wine Fellowship Ministries.

"It's not just for the churches whose pastors are involved in the service," Waak said. "It's a great time for all the churches in Victoria to get together."

The idea for the ecumenical service originated years ago mostly by accident, said Rev. Msgr. Michael Harrold, pastor of Our Lady of Victory Cathedral.

Harrold met Jim Shamburger, pastor of Victoria's First Baptist Church, in the foyer of Citizens Medical Center. The two were talking and Harold, thinking aloud, asked Shamburger: "Why don't we have a community Thanksgiving service?"

"The idea popped out, and we developed it from there," Harrold said.

An ecumenical choir, directed by Genie Fuhrman of Our Saviour's, will sing the Don Besig and Nancy Price piece "We Will Rejoice." Anyone can be in the choir. The rehearsal will begin at 5:45 p.m. Nov. 23.

This year's offering will be canned goods benefiting Victoria Christian Assistance Ministry. No monetary offering will be received during the service.

"It's been a tradition for Christians to get together on the Sunday evening before Thanksgiving and just give thanks to the community," Waak said.