Berlin church celebrates 225th anniversary
On Sunday, October 13th, the First Congregational Church of Berlin celebrated its 225th anniversary with a special service, potluck lunch, concert, and display of photos and artifacts from throughout the years. The service featured historical costumes worn by members of the congregation and music from the church’s founding in 1798. There was also a “Stories of Old Berlin” shared by Janine Kelly and a guest appearance by the church’s first pastor, Reverend James. Hobart (enacted by City Councilor Rob Griffin). Lunch was a sumptuous feast provided by church members, and the evening was lively with laughter and reminiscences. Everyone took their time to view an exhibition of photographs of the church’s long history. In the afternoon, music director Christopher McWilliams will lead the choir, with guest musicians Kailea Silvers (cello) and Lotta Suter (violin), performing works by Beethoven, Haydn, Mozart, Handel, and more. A concert was held. The 225th celebration was a great day for the First Congregational Church of Berlin. First Congregational Church of Berlin looks forward to many more years of service and celebration. —Rob Griffin Suter
haunted movie theater
Are you ready for some chills and some laughs? Rick Winston presents ‘Haunted Cinema: Movies About Ghosts and the Paranormal’ at the Savoy Theater on Monday, October 28th at 7pm. “Paranormal depictions can be portrayed as straight chills, romantic dramas, or lively comedies,” says Winston, former co-owner of the Savoy and instructor at the Montpelier Senior Activity Center . “Here are 20 clips that illustrate the flexible nature of the paranormal genre.”
Old Hollywood classics (The Uninvited and The Ghost and Mrs. Muir) will also be screened. Current independent films (“A Ghost Story”), novel adaptations (“The Innocents”), and international films such as “The Devil’s Backbone” (Mexico), “The Orphanage” (Spain), and “The Dybuuk” (Poland) Movies, and “Kaidan” (Japan). Tickets can be purchased at savoytheater.com or at the door.
Recommend a book about Vermont
The public is soliciting book nominations for the 2024 Vermont Book Awards. Nominations must be received by December 31st. Eligible titles must be published in 2024 and written by a Vermont author (defined as someone who lives in Vermont for at least half of the year). The awards are divided into four categories: children’s literature, fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. Self-nominations are also welcome. Self-published books and anthologies containing works by multiple authors are not eligible. Each year, a rotating panel of judges reads and considers the nominations before selecting finalists and winners in each category. Winners will be announced at a ceremony in spring 2025. The winner will receive a $1,000 cash prize and an art trophy commissioned by the Vermont Arts Council and created by a Vermont artist. The award was established in 2015 by the Vermont College of Arts and is currently produced in partnership with the Vermont Humanities Council (VHC) and the Vermont Department of Libraries. Miciah Bay Gault joins the VHC staff as Director of Development and will continue to manage the awards program. For more information, visit vthhumanities.wufoo.com/forms/vermont-book-award-nomination. —Paivan Rukamhan
Four state troopers assist Helen in her recovery.
Four members of the Vermont State Police are in North Carolina to help respond to the damage caused by Hurricane Helen last month. Lt. Thomas Motzer, Sergeants Christian Hunt and K-9 Loki, and Officers Clay Knight and Zachary Trocchi departed Vermont in a cruiser at approximately 4 a.m. on October 16 for a 14-hour journey to Newton, North Carolina. I set off for a drive. Members of the Vermont State Police assist local law enforcement agencies in providing community safety and security. The deployment was made in response to a request from the North Carolina Office of Emergency Management through the Emergency Management Assistance Agreement, which provides for the sharing of assets between states in times of need.
Vermont Women’s Rally
Vermont will host a women’s rally on Nov. 2 at 10 a.m. on the state Capitol lawn in Montpelier. This event is planned as a sister event to the National Women’s March in Washington, D.C., on the same day. State parking lots will be open and public parking will be free. Melinda Moulton will be the host. Taiko drummer and singer-songwriter Patti Casey will also perform. Beverly Little Thunder and her daughter Rushanya Echeverría will speak together to acknowledge the land and honor the original indigenous peoples. Vermont Poet Laureate Bianca Stone delivers a poem. Former Governor Madeleine Kunin and Rep. Becca Balint are scheduled to speak at the rally. Charity Clark, Vermont Attorney General. Jessica Berquist, Planned Parenthood Vermont Action Fund Director. Retired state legislator and women’s rights leader Anne Pugh will speak, along with Kia Morris, Kennedy Jensen, Christine Hallquist and Jayna Artsaf. Rebecca Ellis will speak on behalf of Senator Peter Welch. The gathering will conclude with a performance by singer-songwriters Dwight and Nicole. This event highlights the power of women to fight discrimination and support women’s human rights. Additional event information can be found at vermontwomensrally.com. Unless otherwise noted, the news on this page is compiled by Bridge staff via press releases.
