Third time is proving more than the charm. Rather it shows what can be accomplished when people work together.

On July 3 will be the third event organized by the newly resurrected Ironton Ministerial Association.

The first association event was a celebration for Martin Luther King Jr. Day followed by an Easter sunrise service at Woodland Cemetery.

This time the evening will be an old-fashioned fellowship wiener roast and apple pie contest. In fact, Robert Hall of Ironton First Church of the Nazarene is touting it as the first-ever apple pie contest for Lawrence County. The Ironton Community Choir will lead in a sing-a-long with the Praise Team from First Baptist Church, the location of the event.

There will also be a keynote speaker — Vietnam War veteran and retired Marine Corps Lt. Col. Vance Huston.

The evening should be one of fun, fellowship and inspiration, just the right combination to kick off the start of the July 4 celebration.

But more importantly, it is an example of how churches can come together.

The ministerial association meets monthly where they discuss what they can do for their community. It has been a long while since Ironton has had a ministerial association. Too much indifference in the past.

But that has all changed. The organization has gotten re-energized and is slowly and surely bringing good things to the city. It is an example of ecumenism at its highest.