First, Christ & Holy Trinity Church offered its Great Hall for the Saugatuck Congregational Church’s annual Thanksgiving feast.
Now, following last Sunday’s fire at the church, Temple Israel has opened its doors. Saugatuck Church’s regular worship service will take place this Sunday, at 10 a.m.
Temple Israel is also providing rooms for church school and child care.
A perfect example of “loving thy neighbor.”
I think there is more to it. I was told that Temple Israel held services for their congregation in the Congregational Church when Temple Israel was undergoing renovations.
It was in the 50s, before Temple Israel was built, that services were held in the Saugatuck Chuch — and then in the 60s, when there was a serious fire at Weston Elementary School, the Temple offered the school space for classes until it could be rebuilt.
In the mid-1970s, when one wing of what was then Long Lots Junior High burned down, classes were held at nearby St. Luke Church.
Westport has a great tradition of interfaith connections. Another example is the former Interfaith Housing effort (Now Homes with Hope). Other communities can only hope to achieve the same kinds of relationships that Westporters and Westport have benefited from over the years!
That also has a nice “back story ” to it, Dan. When St Luke parish was first formed in 1957, Sunday masses were celebrated first at Greens Farm Elementary and later at Long Lots Junior High until the present church was built.