IT DID END UP RAINING, BUT THE TOWN DID NOT LET ITSELF GET RAINED OUT! I AM VERY PROUD OF THE HARD WORK PEOPLE PUT IN TODAY ON BEHLAF OF THE TOWN!
WINCHENDON
TOWN MEETING
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.
A TASTE OF WINCHENDON 2025
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
Easter Sunrise Service
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.
COUNTING THE COST FOR OUR LITTLE TOWN
A $4,000,000.00 CHALLENGE
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!
H.I.N.T AND L.I.A.N.
COYOTES
I am awake most mornings between 3 and 5 A.M. I am always out with Snug (the youngest Maltese) at that hour. We don’t usually venture far from the house, especially in this cold, but yesterday we discovered another reason to stay close to home.
We were just finishing our loop around the house and were standing by the light pole at the edge of our driveway when the shrieking started.
At first I thought it was someone in trouble. Then I saw them crossing the road about a hundred feet in front of us. Snug and I beat a hasty retreat back into the house. Country livin’…….Time to start carrying a big stick I guess.
TOY TOWN FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS 2024
Last weekend was Winchendon’s Festival of Lights.
My volunteer position was as a greeter at The Breakfast with Santa. It was mostly traffic direction and helping one of the vendors carry her boxes up to the craft fair.
The dining room stayed full for most of the morning, and Santa was kept busy taking pictures with the kids and handing out candy canes.
Ms. Grinch also put in an appearance.
While the breakfast was going on downstairs at The Toy Town Senior Center, The great hall upstairs was hosting a craft fair.
My daughter Melanie is on The Parks and Recreation Committee which hosted the whole day.
The town wide Cookie Crawl started at 9 A.M. and went until 2 P.M. Area business provided cookies that could be gathered in these boxes.
The town held a gingerbread house competition and a letters to Santa time. Then the whole night was capped off with the tree lighting at Grout Park on our local Bike Path.
How does your town or family ring in the holidays?
Notes From the Vicarage 