Can you believe the Leyden Cafeteria has been serving the community at the Franklin County Fair since 1933--82 years!? We still use the same recipes that were used that first year: Clam chowder and beef stew. In addition to the chowder and stew, baked beans, regular dinners, breakfast and many specials are served. In the beginning, seats made from horseshoe kegs were on three sides of the booth under a tent. Now everyone comes into the booth, where we have tables and chairs to seat about 70 people at a time. Only through the efforts of many people have we been able to keep our little white church on the hill open.
The fair runs from Thursday, September 9th through Sunday ,September 13th. Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be served. The booth has three shifts, and a minimum of 30 people are needed each day. A fair entrance ticket will be given to each person who volunteers for a shift. This is an opportunity to meet neighbors, have a good time, share your talents and raise much-needed funds for the church. A good percentage of funds will be cycled back into the community through services and projects. If you are interested in working a shift or two, please call Gilda at 413-773-7932 or 413-522-3185. We are also looking for bean bakers and desserts such as cookies, pies, bars, puddings, etc. If you can help, please call Valerie at 413-772-0924. If your specialty is in the kitchen, call Rita at 413-774-5218. We are also looking for donations of non-perishable items such as paper towels, napkins, mayonnaise, Bisquick, hot chocolate, Clorox, elbow macaroni, coffee/decaf, tea bags, plastic wrap, aluminum foil, deli foil, cooking spray, sponges, Brillo/SOS pads, canned corn, spaghetti sauce, ketchup, pancake mix, sandwich bags, canned tuna, jams and jellies, peanut butter, flour, plastic flatware, 7-oz cold/hot cups, quart and gallon freezer bags, dish detergent, vinegar, vegetable oil, and bottled water. Any of these items can be dropped off at the church in the Fellowship Hall any time of day or night. If you have any questions, please call Gilda, Valerie, or Rita. Hope to see you there!
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Worship this Sunday, July 26th at 8:45 am will feature scripture from Ephesians 3:14-21 read by Rita Klaus sharing Paul’s prayer for the indwelling of Christ in the hearts of all. Rev. Cheryl Meachen’s sermon, titled, Abundant Grace: Rooted and Grounded in Love, will explore the idea that the fullness of God’s glory means something much different than a prosperity gospel. The Children’s Time, titled, A Church Picnic, will teach about miracles and sharing through the telling of the story of the loaves and fishes from John 6:12. Marilyn Kugler will lead the choir and music. Contact us via e-mail [email protected] or phone 413-774-6441. The church is located at 15 West Leyden Road across from Town Hall and is handicap-accessible. All are welcome! (Written for Leyden Life Newsletter) As I drive over Brattleboro Road to worship with the precious congregation at the Leyden United Methodist Church each Sunday morning, a variety of wildlife crosses my path. Virtually every trip in my first two months as pastor here included at least one deer sighting. That was exhilarating for me since they hold deeply spiritual meaning. I purchased a Muslim prayer rug when I was exploring the ruins at Ephesus in seminary in 2009. (That’s the site of the community called “Ephesians” in the Bible.) This intricately woven, silk work includes two deer at the heavenly gate. Between plying my friends and I with glass after glass of hot, sweet apple tea with two sugar cubes and an impossibly tiny spoon, the Turkish salesman told us that deer symbolize healing and guide one into heaven. In Native American lore I’ve also learned that in many ancient and indigenous traditions the antlers are a symbol of spiritual authority because they grow above the physical head, reaching towards the realm of spirit. They signify regeneration, because they die and grow back, bigger than before. My impressions of other animals like rescued turtles, rafters of turkeys and scampering goose families are less profound, but equally enjoyable. I especially delight in the swallows that dart out in front of us as we pass the Franklin Farm, playing and flying upward in a tornado-like swirl beside the cows munching the pink clover blossoms. The red-winged blackbirds that fly by as we pass the marshy area remind me of Robert Pirsig’s cross-country journey with his 11-year-old son in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, when he says, “at age eleven you don’t get very impressed with red-winged blackbirds.” It seems that is true at age 17 too since my son isn’t nearly as filled with glee as I am at seeing the wings of these spectacular avians ablaze with color. When a loon surfaced ten feet off the bow of my kayak during our recent vacation, my son did sit up and take notice and when it sang its mournful song so close we could see its throat vibrate, both of us were in awe. He seemed pretty impressed with the mink that snuck up behind an unsuspecting frog, making it lunch before rejoining its family that day, as well. Summer is the perfect time to slow life down to notice all of the little things that whiz by during our busy lives, things that are always going on but just beyond our view. In summer, the windows are open so we can smell the fresh cut grass, as well as the pungent skunks. There are days when the sky couldn’t be any more blue. We fall asleep to the sweet sounds of crickets and sights of fireflies, damp from the day’s humidity, only to wake and pull on another blanket when the morning’s brisk air chills our toes. There is so much more than roses to stop and smell. In fact, that may just be our reason for being, to enjoy this beautiful creation, not in some far off future, but now, along the way. In Chapter 17 of the wonderful classic that is lingering once more on my Audible playlist, Pirsig writes, “Mountains should be climbed with as little effort as possible and without desire. … (W)hen you are no longer thinking ahead, each footstep isn't just a means to an end but a unique event in itself. … To live only for some future goal is shallow. It’s the sides of the mountain that sustain life, not the top. Here's where things grow.” Enjoy these lazy days of summer: take time to notice the skunks as well as the grass growing sweetly on the sides of your life’s mountain. Rev. Cheryl L. Meachen Pastor Cheryl preaches at the Leyden United Methodist Church which holds inspired worship at 8:45 each Sunday morning at 15 West Leyden Road across from Town Hall. Our facilities are handicap accessible and we offer Sunday School during our worship services. Come as you are, there are no fashion police. We welcome everyone to share communion on the first Sunday of each month. After worship every week you are invited to join us in our downstairs fellowship hall for delicious fresh baked goodies and friendly conversation.
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May 2016
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