The Service of Thanksgiving and Remembrance will be held on Sunday, Sept. 8, at 9 a.m. in the Locust Street Park in Columbia. The purpose of the annual service is to recognize the community's first responders and military veterans and to remember the victims of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
The speaker for this year's service will be the Rev. Dr. James L. Banach, a Civil War re-enactor chaplain. His message, given in his authentic uniform and presented as if he is speaking to an 1863 audience in Gettysburg, will highlight how today's first responders echo the Army and civilian volunteer responders during and after the Battle of Gettysburg.
This year, members of First St. John's Lutheran Church of York will participate with Columbia's St. Paul's Lutheran Church as the partner congregation. A pianist and accompanying trumpeter from First St. John's will perform Christian and patriotic songs, and a bagpiper will play "Amazing Grace" while a cash offering is received to benefit the Columbia Food Bank.
The Color Guard of Catholic War Veterans Post 1306 will lead the opening and closing processions for the service, which will include the service leaders, civic and first responder personnel, and represenatives of local veterans' organizations. Current active-duty and retired military personnel are invited to wear their uniforms or some insignia of their branch of service, unit, and rank.
St. Paul's Church will serve a "y'all come" picnic brunch in the park immediately after the service. All who attend the service are welcome, with their family and friends. Attendees should bring lawn chairs for the morning. In the event of rain, the service will gather in St. Paul's building, which is directly across Locust Street from the park's gazebo. Restrooms are avaiable in the church building's assembly hall.
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