The Lincoln Squirrel – News, features and photos from Lincoln, Mass.

Police log for September 8-19, 2022

September 8

Lincoln Road (10:33 a.m.) — Caller was concerned about a party at Donelan’s who drove away in their vehicle with the trunk open. An officer was unable to locate the vehicle on Lincoln Road.

South Great Road (12:30 p.m.) — Caller reported a truck parked on Route 117 causing a hazard. An officer responded; the truck was off the roadway and not impeding traffic.

Concord Road (1:07 p.m.) — Officer checked on a party walking in the roadway on Route 126. They were walking home to Waltham; officer gave them a ride to the Weston town line on Route 117.

Conant Road (8:05 p.m.) — Caller requested a well-being check on the resident as they could not get in touch with the party. While en route, the caller canceled as they were able to get in contact with the resident.

September 9

Weston Road (8:01 a.m.) — Caller reported a truck blocking the roadway. An officer responded; a construction truck was looking to access a house on a common driveway on Weston Road. The officer assisted the party.

Mary’s Way (2:12 p.m.) — Caller reported a vehicle parked in a no-parking zone at Oriole Landing. They were advised to contact the management company as it’s on private property.

Harvest Circle (3:36 p.m.) — A police cruiser was on Harvest Circle for a medical emergency and a party backed into the cruiser, causing minor damage.

Huckleberry Hill (5:09 p.m.) — Fire Department reported an odor of natural gas outside the residence. National Grid was contacted.

Chestnut Circle (6:17 p.m.) — Caller reported their cat was missing. Animal Control was advised.

Silver Birch Lane (8:42 p.m.) — Caller reported their neighbor’s dog was barking. An officer responded and everything was quiet.

Lincoln Road (9:25 p.m.) — Officer responded to a two-car crash Lincoln Rd at Route 117. As a result of the investigation Yoshizumi Nagamachi, 62, of Arlington was arrested and charged with OUI–liquor. No injuries reported.

September 10

Cambridge Turnpike westbound (7:30 a.m.) — Caller reported various items were placed in their driveway in an apparent prank. An officer responded and took a report.

DeCordova Sculpture Park (8:33 a.m.) — Report of a party fishing in the reservoir. An officer responded and advised them to move along.

Sandy Pond Road (8:41 a.m.) — Caller reported finding a dog while walking on the trails and was concerned for its well-being. An officer responded along with the dog officer. The dog was healthy and the dog officer contacted its owner.

Patterson Road, Hanscom AFB (1:05 p.m.) — Caller from the school requested a well-being check on a student on base. Officers responded and everything was fine with the student.

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound (4:00 p.m.) — Officer checked on a vehicle pulled off the roadway. Everything was fine.

White Avenue, Concord (5:38 p.m.) — Concord Fire Department requested an engine in the area of White’s Pond. The Fire Department was canceled while en route.

Silver Birch Lane (9:48 p.m.) — Caller reported their neighbor’s dog was barking. Officer responded and everything was quiet.

Silver Birch Lane (10:25 p.m.) — Caller reported their neighbor’s dog was barking. Officer contacted the dog owner and told them to bring the dog in for the night.

September 11

Walden Street, Concord (1:21 p.m.) — Concord police requested assistance in checking the Pine Hill well on Walden Street, as they had a camera activation and their officers were busy. Officers responded and walked around the area; no sign of anyone.

Wheeler Road (8:15 a.m.) — Caller reported while running that a dog was off leash and was barking and being a nuisance. Party was advised of the leash law and was connected with Animal Control.

Oxbow Road (3:12 p.m.) — Wayland police requested assistance in locating a party with Alzheimer’s who walked away from their residence. Officers checked the area. Wayland police reported the party was safely located in Wayland.

September 12

Concord Road (8:54 a.m.) — Two-car crash at the intersection of Routes 126 and 117. No injuries; one vehicle was towed.

Vandenberg Drive, Hanscom AFB (1:56 p.m.) — Hanscom Security Forces requested assistance with a party at the gate who was involved in a crash and was possibly intoxicated. An officer responded and the State Police were on scene as well. Hanscom Security Forces handled the matter.

Concord Turnpike, Concord (3:18 p.m.) — Lincoln firefighters assisted Concord Fire Department with a multiple-vehicle crash on Route 2 westbound at the town line.

Lincoln Road (5:59 p.m.) — Report of an odor of gas outside the Bank of America. The Fire Department responded and checked and found no gas meter readings in the area.

September 13

Old Cambridge Turnpike (7:33 a.m.) — Caller asked to speak to an officer regarding a family member’s behavior. Officer responded and spoke to the party and assisted them with resources. The party was brought to Emerson Hospital suffering from a medical emergency.

Concord Road (8:51 a.m.) — Minor two-car crash. Officers assisted the parties with exchanging paperwork.

South Great Road (6:41 p.m.) — Officer checked on a party pulled to the side of the road. Party was programing their GPS.

Baker Farm Road (7:23 p.m.) — Report of residential debris dumped on the private way. An officer responded and took a report.

Deerhaven Road (9:00 p.m.) — Caller from Boston asked to speak to an officer regarding property that had not been returned to them and was currently believed to be at a residence in Lincoln. An officer found that the matter was civil in nature and explained the caller’s legal options.

September 14

Lincoln Gas and Auto, South Great Road (12:46 a.m.) — Officer found a bay door to the business was open. Officers checked inside; everything is secure and they were able to close the door.

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound (3:15 a.m.) — State Police were pursuing a stolen vehicle on Route 2 coming into Concord from Acton. Officers responded to the area to assist if necessary. The pursuit ended in Concord by Route 126. The Lincoln officers cleared the area and did not get involved.

Lincoln Road (9:56 a.m.) — Caller reported someone using a leaf blower. An officer responded and advised the user of the town bylaw.

Marguerite Avenue, Waltham (12:45 p.m.) — Waltham Fire Department requested an ambulance to a residence. Fire Department responded and transported a party to Newton-Wellesley Hospital.

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound (1:15 p.m.) — Report of a crash at the Lexington town line. Officers responded and the crash was located in Lexington; State Police and Lexington Fire Department handled.

South Great Road (2:31 p.m.) — Two-crash near Mt. Misery with minor damage. An officer responded and moved the parties into the parking lot., then assisted them in exchanging paperwork.

Trapelo Road (5:04 p.m.) — Two-car crash at Old County Road; no injuries.

September 15

Nothing of note.

September 16

Boyce Farm Road (12:38 p.m.) — Party asked to speak to an officer, but the matter was civil in nature. The caller was given their legal options.

Mill Street Extension (12:47 p.m.) — Officer delivered paperwork to a resident from the Registry of Motor Vehicles.

Cerulean Way (1:05 p.m.) — Caller reported hearing a loud noise the previous night and woke up to find a pane of glass on their door was broken. An officer responded and it did not appear to be malicious.

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound (2:56 p.m.) — Fire Department responded to a multiple-vehicle crash at the Concord town line.

September 17

Lincoln Woods (1:46 a.m.) — Caller reported hearing loud banging noise being made by one of their neighbors. An officer responded and spoke to the party; everything was quiet and it was unclear who was making the noise.

Wells Road (9:54 a.m.) — Caller reported a woman walking around the area smoking who appeared to be lost. An officer responded to the area and was unable to locate the party.

Donelan’s Supermarket (3:06 p.m.) — Fire Department assisted a party who locked their keys in their car.

DeCordova Sculpture Park (5:17 p.m.) — Officer responded to the parking lot for a report of a minor motor vehicle crash and assisted the parties with exchanging papers.

Ridge Road (8:33 p.m.) — Concord police reported finding property belonging to a Lincoln resident. An officer attempted to make contact with the resident.

September 18

Trapelo Road (10:29 a.m.) — Caller reported a man and woman at the corner of Trapelo Road and Silver Hill Road and the women appeared to be upset. Officers responded but were unable to locate anyone in the area.

Pierce House (3:22 p.m.) — Caller reported that friends were following them in their vehicle to an event at the Pierce House and they got separated and didn’t have a cell phone. An officer found them at Doherty’s garage and brought them to the Pierce House.

South Great Road (5:09 p.m.) — A resident called the station reporting having phone problems and that they didn’t have food. An officer responded and brought them some food. Officers followed up with the Council on Aging and Human Services.

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound (7:18 p.m.) — Caller reported a party walking along the highway. An officer located a juvenile who was walking back to Lexington; he contacted the parent, who picked them up.

September 19

Deerhaven Road (9:07 p.m.) — Call regarding a lost/stolen cell phone pinging in the area of Deerhaven Road. The matter is under investigation.

Bedford Road (4:23 p.m.) — Party reported a humming sound coming from a utility pole. An officer responded and did not hear anything coming from the pole.

Walden Street, Concord (8:43 p.m.) — Concord police asked Lincoln officers respond to the residence to assist with a mental health emergency.

News acorns

Order daffodil bulbs to benefit SSEP

Order daffodil bulbs to support South Sudanese Enrichment for Families (SSEF) Women’s Program by Friday, Sept. 30. All funds raised will go toward continuing education such as ESL and financial literacy. Pickup at the Lincoln mall on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 22 and 23, where SSEF will also sell vibrant cloth napkins made from African patterned fabric. Click here to order bulbs.

Scarecrow Classic 5K coming up

Register for the 10th annual Scarecrow Classic 5K, a road and trail race through Lincoln’s conservation land that raises funds for the LLCT, on Sunday, Oct. 16 starting at 9:30 a.m. Participants are encouraged to register by October 3 to guarantee their Scarecrow Classic T-shirt and (new this year) a Scarecrow Classic mesh running cap. A virtual participation option is also available through the registration form. Visit scarecrowclassic5k.com to learn more and register. 

Pumpkin picking in October

Matlock Farm, continually run by the Lincoln’s Flint family since the 17th century, will be hosting its annual pumpkin-picking event  in October. There will be hay rides, farm-themed photo ops, and more. The event is a great way to enjoy an autumn afternoon with your family in a safe, socially distanced setting. The events will take place on Saturdays and Sundays on all five weekends in October (weather permitting) from noon–4 p.m. in the field by 28 Lexington Rd.

Library offers virtual programs

The Lincoln Public Library will present the following virtual events hosted by the Tewksbury Public Library in collaboration with several Massachusetts libraries. Sponsored by the Friends of the Lincoln Library. Advance registration required.

Lincoln’s Feinberg profiled in news story

Gabriel Feinberg, a 2021 L-S graduate, was recently profiled in the sports section of the Metro West Daily News for his fencing, notably his role in the NCAA championship win for The Ohio State University Fencing Team and his spot on the Junior’s Men’s Epee USA Team. He hopes for to compete in the 2024 Summer Olympics. Read more on this Olympia Fencing Center web page.

Property sales in August 2022

7 Todd Pond Rd. — Carolyn Birmingham Trust to Nora Iluri for $1,752,00 (July 27)

46D Indian Camp Lane — Benjamin Herzig to Sungil Jung and and Yurim Yi for $322,295 (July 20)

143 Chestnut Circle — Donald Kennedy to Gloria Dimambro for $760,000 (July 15)

338 South Great Rd. — Stephen Amelia to Wajdi and Polina Kanj for $1,950,000 (July 13)

48 Conant Rd. — Meghan K. Lytton Trust to Jonathan Sheffi and Judyta Frodyma for $2,650,000 (July 12)

54 Conant Rd. — Meghan K. Lytton to Marit van Buuren and Willem Ruben for $1,625,000 (July 8)

23D South Commons — Philip Loheed to Rudolph Huspas for $678,910 (July 7)

0 Conant Rd. — Martha Davis Trust to Jame and Camilla Ross for $1,300,000 (July 1)

News acorns

Lincoln Dems co-host election discussion

Join an informational presentation and discussion, “Sorting Out the Midterms: How to Support Key Senatorial and Congressional Candidates in the National Midterms,” via Zoom on Thursday, Sept. 22 from 7–8 p.m., hosted by the Lincoln Democrats and Force Multiplier (FM) with speakers Tom Hallock and Ed Loechler, two of FM’s founders. Click here to register. This is not a fundraiser; no fee to attend.

Session on gardening and climate change

“Making a Meadow: Easy Tips for Incorporating a Native Meadow” with Lincoln Common Ground and eco-gardener Diana Rice will take place on Sunday, Sept. 25 from 2–4 p.m. Gardening to counter climate change is actually much easier in the long run than maintaining a turf grass lawn or traditional garden as it frees homeowners from from mowing and using chemicals, gas and lots of water to maintain a landscape. Supervised children and families are welcome. Click here for location and registration. Questions? Email Emily Haslett at emhaslett@gmail.com.

Grown-ups’ night at the Tack Room

All are welcome to LincFam’s Grown-Ups’ Night Out on the Tack Room patio on Wednesday, Sept. 28 from 7:30–9:30 p.m. Please RSVP by emailing info@lincfam.org.

Upcoming Lincoln Conservation Dept. programs

Autumn conservation trail walks — Join conservation staff on Tuesday mornings starting September 20 as we visit different trails in Lincoln. Registration is required in order to keep group size under 15 people and to ensure we can contact you in case of cancellation due to weather or public health concerns. Click here for destinations and registration link.

Ranger-led trail walks — Explore Lincoln’s open space and trails on the first Saturday of each month with Will Leona, Lincoln’s conservation ranger. Walks are generally 2 miles long and are appropriate for all ages. Click here to RSVP (select the tab at the bottom with the date you wish to participate). 

    • October 1 — Harrington Woods/Beaver Pond (meet at parking area on north side of Rt. 117 at Weston/Lincoln town line)
    • November 5 — Farm Meadow/Coburn East. Meet at Lincoln MBTA parking lot (free on weekends)
    • December 3 — Mt. Misery (meet at Mt. Misery parking lot on Route 117 at 60 South Great Rd.)

Volunteer conservation crew on Fieldwork Fridays — Town land management staff will host three volunteer workdays focused on invasive plant species control on September 30 (Codman South), October 28 (Beaver Pond), and November 18 (Sudbury River canoe launch). Volunteers will get a chance to make a positive impact on our conservation land and enjoy the great outdoors. Click here to RSVP (select the bottom tab with the date you wish to participate). Meeting location, event details, and waiver will be emailed to registrants prior to the workday. Questions? Email conservation@lincolntown.org or call 781-259-2612.

Garden Club event for prospective members

All Lincoln residents are cordially invited to the Lincoln Garden Club’s wine and cheese evening for new and prospective members on Sunday, Oct. 2 at 5 p.m. Come hear about the club’s many horticultural events and meet some members. Please RSVP to Ann Parke at annparke@verizon.net or Lucy Sprayregen at lucypage@aol.com.

Jacques Maroni, 1923-2022

Jacques Maroni

Jacques R. Maroni died on September 8, 2022, at the age of 99. Born to Robert and Valentine Maroni in Paris, France on January 9, 1923, he graduated from Lycee Janson de Sailly in Paris, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Class of ’43) and the Harvard Business School (Class of ’48). A U.S. Navy veteran who served in World War II, he worked for the Ford Motor Company for 37 years and was married to his beloved wife, Marilyn “Linette” Maroni, for 62 years.

He was raised in the 16th arrondissement of Paris and developed lifelong passions for tennis (competing as a junior in the French Open in 1938) and skiing (enjoying his last runs at Alta when he was 89). He was generally on the first and last chairs of the day, but always left the mountain to have lunch with his wife when she stopped skiing. 

After the fall of France in June 1940, his parents placed him and his brother on one of the last tugboats to leave the St. Malo harbor for safety in England, and later the U.S. He loved the energy of America and went to work at Ford after attending Harvard Business School on the GI bill. He held various executive positions over four decades, the most important of which was an assignment with an advertising executive and his assistant on marketing a new car. He married the assistant, and the marriage lasted. The car was the Edsel, and it did not.

He had prodigious curiosity. He held the patent for the automatic pilot and was the first person at Ford to use a computer in the fifties. He concluded his Ford career as Director of Energy and Environmental Planning, where he encouraged the company to support alternative sources of energy in the seventies and eighties.  

After retiring in 1988, he moved to the house his father built in Lincoln in 1952. There he focused on landscaping the fields, as his father had before him, and investing in technology. He loved the outdoors.

His singular focus, however, was always his family. He would hold hands with his wife, take pride in his daughter’s medical career and compare investment ideas with his son. However, he became most focused on his three grandchildren. Bopop (a name he warmed to gradually) loved their special days together when they were young and learning about their adventures when they became adults. He would often speak of his childhood in Paris, and took great pride in family trips with his grandchildren to explore his favorite city. 

He was born in his parents’ apartment in Paris in the 1920s and died in his parents’ home in Lincoln in the 2020s. To the end, he vividly remembered every decade. He loved new ideas, hated small talk and devoured books on future technology and world history in equal measure.

He leaves behind his wife, Linette Maroni of Lincoln; his sister, Claudine Harris of Iowa City, Iowa; a daughter and son-in-law, Jaman Maroni and Mike Terry of New York, N.Y.; a son and daughter-in-law, Kevin and Polly Maroni, of Brookline; and grandchildren Polly, Kate, and Jack Maroni.

Arrangements are under the care of Concord Funeral Home; click here to leave a remembrance. Donations in Maroni’s name can be made to Emerson Hospital.

Solar array at landfill could be built starting next summer

The town has cleared a major hurdle in its years-long effort to create a solar photovoltaic array atop the capped landfill next to the transfer station.

The National Park Service owns the land along Route 2A and up the beginning of Mill Street, over which the town must create utility access to the site. The federal government was “vigorously protecting their rights” but recently came to an agreement with the town for an access permit, Town Administrator Tm Higgins reported at the September 12 Select Board meeting.

There will be an informational meeting via Zoom (passcode: 335408) on Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 7 p.m. to explain the project background and impacts to abutters and others. According to an FAQ document that’s been distributed to abutters, the only noise from the installation once it’s operable will be a low hum from the inverter when the sun is shining and HVAC equipment inside the energy storage system as a volume that will be “negligible” at the nearby transfer station.

The solar array is expected to generate about 1 megawatt of electricity, which will feed into Eversource’s distribution system via the utility poles and power lines along Mill Street and be used to power town-owned buildings. The town will receive financial credits from Eversource for the energy produced, as well as annual property tax payments.

In 2017, residents approved a “land swap” arrangement whereby some of the landfill property was taken out of conservation status in exchange for putting the same amount of land elsewhere into conservation. That land is part of the Wang property on Bedford Road that the town purchased, now the site of an athletic field as well as nine acres of conservation land.

The town hopes to issue a request for proposals in October 2022 and receive competitive bids from solar companies by mid-November. Construction lasting 4-6 months could begin in summer 2023.

It may also be possible to create a trail link during the process of creating access to the site, Higgins said.

News acorns

Register for this weekend’s Hazardous Waste Collection Day

Lincolnites who want to bring materials to discard at the regional Hazardous Waste Collection Day on Sunday, Sept. 18 must preregister by the end of the day on Thursday, Sept. 15. Visit this Lexington town web page for more information and to register.

Select Board to discuss renaming Columbus Day

Last spring, Lincoln students wrote to the Select Board to request that the town change the name of the Columbus Day holiday to Indigenous Peoples’ Day. The Select Board will discuss the proposal during its meeting on Monday, Sept. 19 at 6:30 p.m. and will likely take the matter under advisement until its October 3 meeting to provide residents the opportunity to share their views before a vote is taken. The board’s meetings are held in a hybrid format, creating the opportunity for residents to attend in person or via Zoom (passcode: 378902). Those who are unable to attend but would like to provide input are welcome to e-mail the board care of Administrative Assistant Peggy Elder (elderp@lincolntown.org).

Share ideas for Complete Streets grants

Lincoln is in the process of preparing a new five-year Complete Streets Prioritization Plan. Complete Streets is a state-funded grant program to help municipalities improve their streets to accommodate users of all ages and abilities, whether driving, cycling, or walking. Each municipality is allowed up to $400,000 through a four-year rolling period.

Previous Complete Streets grants funded the pocket park with its bike repair station and informational kiosk, repairs to various bike path segments that had been damaged by tree roots, a new sidewalk segment on Lincoln Road near the Ryan Estate, and a crosswalk with flashing lights and a pedestrian island on Route 117 close to the Lincoln Road intersection.

Town officials will be using an online platform called Wikimapping to get public feedback on where in town you would like to see improvements for walking, cycling, driving, and public transit. Click here through the end of October to share your thoughts about transportation issues and opportunities. There will also be a public forum on Thursday, Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. via Zoom at this link (passcode: 783032).

My Turn: Are you tending to our collective garden?

By Barbara Slayter

Lincoln is a beautiful town, green and fragrant at this time of year as New England tips from summer into autumn. Lincoln’s residents take good care of their gardens beginning with the daffodils and tulips of early spring, on through the rhododendrons, day lilies, and black-eyed Susans into fall. The trails are well cared for and enjoyed.

But how well do we tend to our larger social and political garden beyond the borders of our gracious community? We are a thoughtful, well-educated group of people tending carefully to the professional and business interests for which we are trained. Are we paying attention to the political context in which we are able to pursue these interests as fully as we do?

A few pages into a different sort of “gardening” manual, How Democracies Die by Daniel Ziblatt and Steve Levitsky, will reveal just how much our national political garden needs attention. The precarious balance between Democrats and Republicans in both the House and the Senate requires our focus.

Surely we are not so complacent that we might stand by as the House becomes populated by newly elected 2020 election deniers. Are we ready for expanding fallout from the reversal of Roe v. Wade, for increasing culture wars against the LGBTQ community, or for a rollback on climate interventions?

It is time for us to examine the political garden beyond Lincoln and even beyond Massachusetts. What elections around the country are the most important — the most strategic — for preserving our democracy? How can we deploy our personal, limited funds and time most effectively to assure that we sustain not only our democracy, but the momentum we have recently been gaining with the chips and science legislation, the Inflation Reduction Act, health care for veterans, and more?

What can you do — what can I do, and what can each of us do — to put our energies where the stakes are high — maybe Georgia, New Hampshire, Wisconsin or elsewhere? Let’s help shape these elections in order to keep the House and the Senate Blue. This election isn’t about gas prices or gun safety. It is about threats to our democracy. Our national political garden needs some work. Let’s get at it!

For ideas and strategies that can address our national political landscape, join the Lincoln Democrats and Tom Hallock and Ed Loechler, co-founders of Force Multiplier, a Boston-based volunteer Democratic fundraising organization, for an informational (not fundraising) meeting about how to support key Senatorial and Congressional candidates in the midterms. Click here to register and get the Zoom link.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Correction

The September 13 story headlined “First Parish in Lincoln gets a dynamic duo” incorrectly said that Rev. Kit Novotny’s parents founded a UCC church in Wellesley Hills (they joined one but did not found it). The article also misstated Rev. Nate Klug’s college major. He studied English, while Novotny majored in theater and anthropology. The story has been corrected.

First Parish in Lincoln gets a dynamic duo

Nate Klug and Kit Novotny, co-ministers at the First Parish in Lincoln.

The First Parish in Lincoln began enjoying a two-for-one deal when Rev. Nate Klug and Rev. Kit Novotny — high school sweethearts who grew up in Wellesley — started their dual ministry in August.

Though both have an affinity for the arts, they came to their religious careers by slightly different routes. Novotny calls herself a “cradle Congregationalist” — her parents were lapsed Catholics who later joined a United Church of Christ (UCC) in Wellesley Hills. “The church was our community with a lot of my best friends growing up,” she said. “My parents were super involved and I was a pretty spiritually interested kid.”

Klug, meanwhile,  grew up without any religious tradition. “It was quite a surprise to me,” he said. “I kind of stumbled on faith on college.” After a friend’s father was killed, “I was just asking a lot of big questions… I got this germ of faith which was quite weird for my family.”

Both Klug and Novotny went to the University of Chicago, After graduating with a degree in English, Klug was interning for a literary magazine in Chicago when his editor invited him to a church service. “I was blown away by the sermon,” he said. “Eventually I was at a moment where a spiritual commitment was something I was ready for.”

Novotny, who majored in theater and anthropology, was involved in theater and improv in Chicago and was an intern at the famous Second City comedy club in that city for a year after she graduated. She also worked at comedy club in Iowa during her first ministerial job after grad school. “There’s definitely sermon fodder in standup,” she said with a laugh.

After they graduated from Yale Divinity School and were ordained in the UCC in 2013, they applied for a few jobs as a couple but eventually wound up serving as ministers in separate churches in the San Francisco area. A couple of years ago, they began looking for jobs back east so that they and their preschool-age daughters could be closer to their families (“we have four very enthusiastic grandparents in the Boston area,” Novotny said).

Because of the pandemic, Klug could continue his other work in California even after they moved to Massachusetts about a year ago and began looking for church posts locally. A poet and essayist as well as a minister (his latest book is Hosts and Guests: Poems), Klug teaches remotely in the MFA program at Dominican University in San Rafael, Calif., and in the creative writing at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley. Novotny is also a writer and a certified yoga instructor with training in trauma-sensitive yoga.

As seminary students, both had mentors who’d worked as co-pastors, so when they learned about the FPL opening, they approached it as a team. “We kind of introduced the idea to the search committee here,” Klug said. “They were really rigorous and diligent about finding out what it would be like. It was a real process of discernment on both sides [in asking] does the church want to take a leap of faith on both of us and vice versa?” They found that FPL is “a really creative place, a community church with a big spiritual tent — it seemed like a place that might be open to this kind of creative ministry model.”

As for the division of labor, the couple will split most things 50-50 and trade off preaching. “You can come to it a little more fresh when you don’t have to do it every week,” Novotny said. “The community will get a little more diversity of voice since we have slightly different styles.”

Both will do pastoral care visits and adult education. “This congregation is very interested in learning and are voracious readers,” Klug said.

They also have a few ideas for new approaches and events to engage the community. Klug will lead a group called “Poetry for Seekers” while Novotny will lead “Coffee and Compassion,” where she and participants can reflect on what requires compassion in the world and learn about tools for connection and emotional resilience. The pair is also co-authoring a blog, and they’ll take turns hosting “Theology on Tap” discussions at the Tack Room each month, with the first one scheduled for September 23. The events are open to all, including those who aren’t church members or who don’t live in Lincoln.

“Our first priority is building relationships and connections,” Novotny said. “Religion has a lot of baggage, some of it well deserved, that might keep people from walking through the door. There was a loneliness epidemic happening even pre-Covid, and religious institutions have been declining in popularity. I think there’s a longing where people aren’t all getting those needs met, so hopefully the church can keep reinventing itself” to foster those connections.