The Youth Programs Committee at the First Parish in Lincoln is hosting an interfaith candlelight vigil on Wednesday, March 20 from 6–7 p.m. at the white church for all children lost in both the Palestinian and Israeli communities. Children can bring a bird they’ve made for a specific child (see Birds of Gaza for ideas) or for children more broadly. Craft kits with various art supplies to create birds are still available outside the side door of the Stone Church. Birds can be fashioned out of any medium you choose (clay, paper, your own materials, etc.). A short prayer will be offered at the vigil that is appropriate for all ages.
Author Lorenz Finison will discuss his newest book, Bicycling Inclusion and Equity: Histories of New England and Beyond. His work provides a sweep of cycling’s social history, from the 1870s to the present day, from Boston through New England and across the nation. In-person event; no registration necessary.
Author Linda Booth Sweeney will read The Noisy Puddle: A Vernal Pool Through the Seasons to everyone and conduct a movement activity while teaching about vernal pools. No registration necessary. Best for families with children ages 4 and up.
A memorial for the late Susan Sugar will take place on Sunday, April 6 at 2 p.m. in the First Parish Church across from the library, with a reception to follow. Sugar died on Nov. 7, 2023 at the age of 90 (click here for her obituary).
The Lincoln Builder’s Club, the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts Freemasons, and the Mass. Tree Wardens & Foresters Association are giving away small fir seedlings statewide. Visit their tent on Saturday, April 13 from 9 a.m.–3 p.m. at the Simon W. Robinson Masonic Lodge at 3 Bedford St. in Lexington while supplies last. Sponsored by the 14th Masonic District representing Ayer, Bedford, Concord, Lexington, Lincoln, and Littleton.
The third annual blood drive in memory of Zack Wall, who died of cancer at age 16, will take place on Tuesday, April 23 from 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m. at Lovelane Special Needs Horseback Riding Program (40 Baker Bridge Rd., Lincoln). Click here to sign up to donate.
The Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable invites the public to a free wine and beer tasting to support its annual Shower for Shelters at Spirits of Maynard (4 Digital Way, Suite 3, Maynard) on Friday, April 26 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. The wines are imported from Italy and France by Kermit Lynch. Light refreshments will be provided by the Roundtable. There will also be a brief presentation by a survivor.
Please bring a new, unwrapped housewarming gift to the event, or leave them at Spirits of Maynard or Sudbury Wine and Spirits (410 Boston Post Rd., Sudbury). Families transitioning from shelters need new household items to help them establish their new homes. Requested items include twin-size sheets, pillowcases, blankets, comforters, and bed pillows as well as bath towels and face cloths, unscented cleaning products and laundry detergent, laundry baskets, kitchen utensils, flatware, dishes, drinking glasses, and small kitchen appliances. Gift cards for Target, Walmart, CVS, Walgreen’s, Market Basket, Hannaford, and Stop & Shop are also welcome.
On Sunday, April 28 from 2–4 p.m., support our local farm while doing tasks for all ages —raking, mulching, weeding, organizing, painting, and special box decorating for our littlest of volunteers. Come prepared to get dirty and please bring your own work gloves. Click here to sign up.
Amelia and Sylvie with Christine Doherty, owner of Twisted Tree (right).
Stop by the Twisted Tree Cafe on Sunday, May 5 for an exclusive pop-up event from 3–4:30 p.m. to benefit Lovelane Special Needs Horseback Riding Program. The café will welcome Amelia and Sylvie, two remarkable individuals with deep ties to Lovelane, as guest workers for the afternoon. Every purchase made during the event will directly support Lovelane’s mission of providing therapeutic riding programs for individuals with disabilities. It’s a chance to indulge in something sweet while making a meaningful impact on the lives of others and supporting Amelia and Sylvie.
What’s something you always wanted to do but weren’t able? Author Emily Falcon was held back by her heart condition until she was 35, but now she can run races. Her memoir, From the Sidelines to the Finish Line: A Chronic Illness Survivor’s Challenges and Everyday Triumphs is a story of survival and how her physical situation shaped and limited her. She intends this story to be a helpful resource to families, caregivers, and physicians who want to gain insight into a patient’s point of view.
The 18th annual L-S Boosters Golf Classic fundraiser kicks off on Friday, May 10 at 7:45 a.m. (breakfast and registration starting at 6:45 a.m.) at the Wayland Country Club (121 Old Sudbury Rd., Wayland. Money raised from this event goes directly to benefit L-S athletic teams at all levels. Over the years, the Boosters have approved grants averaging $50,000 per year totaling over $1.5 million. Click here to register to play, be a sponsor, or come to a post-golf lunch. Raffle tickets are also available online through Wednesday, May 8 at 8 p.m. Click here to purchase raffle tickets.
Sheryl Faye portrays Eleanor Roosevelt, who was the longest serving First Lady of the U.S. She was the first presidential spouse to hold press conferences, write a syndicated column, and speak at a national convention as well as advocating for women in the workplace, civil rights, Asian Americans, and World World II refugees. Cosponsored by Friends of Lincoln COA & Friends of Lincoln Library.
Join us for a poetry reading with Lincln resident Linda Lamenza, a poet and literacy specialist for Lincoln Public Schools. Her work has appeared in numerous publications, and her chapbook, Left-Handed Poetry, was a finalist for Hunger Mountain’s May Day Mountain Chapbook Series. Feast of the Seven Fishes, her first full-length book, is forthcoming.
Join Ministry Associate Sarah Klockowski and the Racial Justice Advocates for a special screening of “The Law and the Prophets” (2023), a compelling and thorough documentary exposing the systems of oppression that Palestinians face in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Israel. This film features interviews with eight individuals, both Palestinian and Israeli, who explain the laws and policies of the occupation. On her recent solidarity trip to the West Bank, Sarah met four of these modern prophets.
After the screening, we will be joined via Zoom by the filmmaker, Rev. Dr. Joshua Vis, and Rev. Chris DeBlaay. Josh and Chris are peace activists working to educate Americans on the realities of the occupation of Palestine. They lead tours to the region and, along with Sarah, were part of the 23-member delegation that traveled to the West Bank and East Jerusalem in late February. They will present material connected to their recent visit to the West Bank as well as insights from historians, activists, and other thought leaders.
If you will be joining us virtually, please Click here to register in advance for this meeting.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about how to join.
Lincoln’s Gropius House will host a musical soiree on Sunday, May 19 and celebrate Walter Gropius’s birthday with a musical event with musician, actor, author, and activist Kemp Harris. The performance will take place from 5:30–6:45 p.m. with a 15-minute intermission. This fundraising event supports the ongoing preservation and education mission of Historic New England’s Modern movement architectural icon and museum: the 1938 Gropius family home in Lincoln. Space is limited and reservations are required. Click here to purchase tickets ($100 for HNE members, $125 for nonmembers).
First Parish in Lincoln is hosting international Buddhist teacher Shantum Seth on Tuesday, May 21 at 7 p.m. Seth was ordained as a Dharmacharya (Dharma Teacher) by the renowned Zen Master, Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay) in 2001. He teaches in India and across the world, and leads pilgrimages, called “In the Footsteps of the Buddha” and other multifaith and transformative journeys. He is actively involved in social, environmental and educational programs, including cultivating mindfulness in society with educators, law enforcement, and socially responsible corporations.
Seth will speak about “The Path of the Buddha… Peace in Oneself, Peace in the World.” He will lead a guided meditation in Thay’s tradition, share his experiences walking with Thay in the footsteps of the Buddha, and discuss a new community to realize Thay’s vision in India: Plum Village II.
Author Bev Stohl ran the office of renowned linguist and social critic Noam Chomsky for nearly two and a half decades. Chomsky and Me: A Memoir is her account of those years, working next to a man described by the New York Times as “arguably the most important intellectual alive today.” There will be time for Q&A.
SVdP of Lincoln and Weston will also host a family-friendly spring concert on Tuesday, June 4 at 5:30 p.m. on the Weston town green. Enjoy popular melodies performed by Weston High School vocalists and the bluegrass band the Ruta Beggars. Bring your chair or blanket and a picnic. Suggested donation: $25.