WINCHENDON

Juggle-O-Rama

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My newest role in the community is as a friend of the library. The friends sponsor programs at the library that promote its mission and vision. The first project I was privileged to be a part of was a juggling workshop for kids used to promote the library’s summer reading program.

The auditorium was packed with kids several from our church. I am so in love with this little town that provides so much for its citizens.

Here are some pics.

Manuel King, the director of the Beals Memorial Library opened the show with a push for the summer reading program.

BALANCING THE BABY

ALL THE KIDS HAD A GREAT TIME.

SEVII WAS A LITTLE YOUNG FOR THE WORKSHOP. HE STILL HAD FUN PRETENDING THE THROWING SCARVES WERE SPIDERWEBS AND TRAPPING HIS FATHER IN THEM.

TOWN MEETING

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Monday night was Winchendon’s Spring town meeting. For those of you not familiar with town meeting…”A New England Town Meeting is an example of direct democracy. It’s a form of local government where residents directly participate in making decisions about their town’s affairs, such as local laws and budgets, without elected representatives. ” Ai Overview

This was the town meeting where the town had to appropriate the money for the town budget which would increase property taxes significantly or not appropriate the funds which would close the library, the senior center and the parks and rec department by June 30th.

It was a long meeting, four hours, and well attended.

In the end after a lot of discussion we passed the budget to a mixed reaction, but it passed. I have set a meeting with the heads of the Senior Center, the Parks and rec. department and the library to see how the church may become a more effective resource for the town.

Easter Sunrise Service

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Yesterday was Easter Sunday. Our congregation gathered with two other local congregations as part of the council of churches for an Easter sunrise service in the town’s old center.

It was cold and windy, but those were small prices to pay for the work of church unity.

A $4,000,000.00 CHALLENGE

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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.

Photo by Ron Lach on Pexels.com

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!