Reprinted with permission from The Vermont Standard

12/5/11

Wedding of Abigail Lechthaler & Russell Hurlburt on 11/22/11

I was pleased to perform the wedding ceremony for Abigail Lechthaler & Russell Hurlburt on 11/22/11, here in Tyson. It wasn’t determined whether Pearl & Neko (Russ’s dogs), were actually attendants or simply wedding guests, but they both seemed pleased with the marriage!

The Tyson Ladies Aid Christmas Party on the 1st was well attended this year. Gifts were collected for the teens of Windsor Youth Services & soft tissues for the residents of the Gill Home. The gift exchange always shows the creativity of the group & the food was delicious. We invite guests to gather with us & Chris Tomberello attended at my invitation & enthusiastically joined right in! My other guest was Owen, who charmed everyone with his bright smiles & “conversation”.

Such strange weather for the beginning of December. I was able to go for what I assume will be my final bike ride of the season on Saturday. It was a bit nippy as I made my way over to see Kathy Tuttle, but the sun was shining & the lakes were glistening. They seem to have changed from that dark brown color to a lighter shade with a hint of green. Now what that means, I am not sure. Won’t it be nice to have them back to their normal clarity – maybe in the spring…..

We had a small group of people who attended the Service of Remembrance at Tyson Church on Sunday afternoon. We sang a couple of hymns, read responsively, & lit candles for those we are missing. The Christmas season can often be a time of mixed emotions – the joy of the Holy Birth & the feeling of loss when loved ones are no longer with us to help celebrate. Hopefully that special time together was helpful & healing.

The lighting of the Plymouth Memory Tree (3:00 PM) will be one of the activities at the Coolidge Holiday Open House on Sunday, 12/11. There will be something for all age groups! The special postage cancellation (Holiday Station) will take place from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Cilley Store. I understand from Missy that folks can drop off their Christmas cards at the Plymouth Post Office ahead of time & she will cancel them on Sunday & put them in the mail on Monday.

Our annual Candlelight Service at Tyson Church will be Sunday, 12/18 at 7:00 PM. We have come through a difficult time since Hurricane Irene, but it is amazing how quickly & how well the pieces of our town have been put back together. Certainly there are those who are still in the throes of readjusting & resettling, so let’s not forget to continue to keep them in mind. I hope that community folks will attend our service & be uplifted by our time together. We will have refreshments downstairs following the service.