Yesterday, The Beals Memorial Library, in Winchendon, hosted the 2025 Legislative Breakfast to discuss library policy for our region. I was blessed to be in attendance with about 70 other leaders in our town.

We heard a lot about the history of libraries in New England and about the benefits of having a library in a town. We also heard about some of the specific benefits that Beals brings to our town.

But even as we celebrated the accomplishments and benefits of our library we learned that our town, Winchendon, faces a $4,000,000.00 shortfall this year that comes largely because of an increase in insurance and retirement costs for town personnel (something I am keenly aware of as our own church insurance costs have soared this year).

If our town cannot come up with a solution to meet this challenge, then our library, our senior center and our parks and recreation department will all be shuttered.

I spoke with the head librarian briefly after the meeting. I told him I was bringing this information to my congregation. I am beginning to pray into this. I am beginning to speak into this. I don’t yet know what God will do, but I feel like He is going to do something!