Ice Cream Social & Blessing of the Animals
Each summer the Community Club and Church host this special event. The ice cream social is a wonderful opportunity for neighbors and visitors to get together and have ice cream with homemade blueberry sauce, chocolate sauce or the valley’s own maple syrup. The Blessing of the Animals Service emphasizes the teachings of St. Francis, who believed the animals of God's creation inhabit the skies, the earth and the sea and have a part in human life receive God’s blessings. St. Francis of Assisi was an Italian friar who lived in Italy in the 13th century.
Blessing of the Animals and Community Club Ice Cream Social Photos
Service of Gratitude
The Service of Gratitude is held on the Sunday following Thanksgiving. The annual service of prayer and music was envisioned and organized by Dr. Cleo Kearns. Practitioners of various religions ranging from Taoism and Islam to Christianity and Buddhism have discussed their spiritual practices; shared their prayers of praise and thanks; and sang together.
Concerts
Over the past few years, there have been a number of concerts series mainly held in the summer to bring the community together to enjoy music, one another and this beautiful building with wonderful acoustics as well as being a fund raiser. Performances have been given by Tympanon (Quesbecois traditional songs), Gordys (R&B classics), Never Too Late (folk originals and classic oldies), Sunflower Quartet (classical music from Mozart to Joplin), Ford Daley & Paul Barker (Gospel music) and Seranata (light classical, folk and popular favorites). Seranata, a trio of singers with recorders, harp and piano, has been very generous in providing music for many of the church events.
A Youth Talent Show presented in the fall of 2018 featured musical styles from classical to Cape Breton and more. The purpose of the show was to raise money for local students to register for the Vermont Rural Leadership Summit Conference. The show was very well done and well received.
A piano has been gifted to the church by the daughters of Eloise Twombly Kay and Barbara. Eloise was the daughter of Herbert and Kay Schlichting and the granddaughter of Harvey and Margaret Newcomer, founders of Camp Wyoda. Eloise spent her summers for the past 35 years on Middlebrook Road. Eloise’s winter residence was Aiken, South Carolina. She played the cello with the Augusta Symphony for 48 years and taught piano for over 25 years.
After much coordination and upright Everett/Yamaha piano set in place, Eli Mansur played his original composition on it. To see the video, click here. Turn up the volume as it is a wonderful composition.