Station to carry Nov. 19 service live on radio, Web

People who can’t make a trip to San Angelo can still hear next month’s Bishop’s Thanksgiving Gathering.
KKSA radio (AM 1260) is broadcasting the Nov. 19 service live from First UMC, San Angelo, from 4 to 5 p.m. for listeners in Tom Green County.
The station, owned by Foster Communications Co. of San Angelo, plans to stream the broadcast on the Worldwide Web at www.kksa-am.com. That will make sounds of the service available to anyone with Internet access.
“If we can reach just one person with a message of hope in the world as it is today, it’s worth it,” said Fred M. Key, president of Foster Communications, about his decision to broadcast the service.
An active member of First UMC, San Angelo, Key chairs the Southwest Texas Conference Commission on Communications.
Bishop Joel N. Martinez has called the Thanksgiving gatherings each year since 2001. They are to be special times for people of the Southwest Texas and Rio Grande conferences to celebrate their many blessings from God.
Martinez has intentionally moved the Thanksgiving celebration around the San Antonio Episcopal Area since 2004. His goal was to give people from various districts in the Southwest Texas Conference an opportunity to attend.
The Rev. David Edgar, San Angelo District superintendent, said he expects worshipers to fill First UMC, San Angelo, to capacity for the special service. Participants are expected from across the district and Rio Grande congregations in Abiline, Ballinger and San Angelo.
Martinez scheduled the first gathering at Alamo Heights UMC, San Antonio, in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington. That service was telecast live via satellite.
The 2005 gathering was webcast live from First UMC, Corpus Christi.