100 years ago — 1923
E.R. Smith has moved into the lower rooms of the Kelsey house.
W.P. Bishop is driving a new Chevrolet Sedan. Mrs. John Surdam has purchased the car formerly owned by W.P. Bishop and is learning to drive it.
LIME ROCK — Hilen Eggleston is on the sick list, suffering from throat trouble.
Charles Vosburgh was struck and knocked down by Dr. Thomas’ auto in the Casino driveway last Thursday. Dr. Thomas had driven into the Casino driveway to turn around and was unaware of Mr. Vosburgh’s presence. Mr. Vosburgh’s injuries fortunately are not serious and he suffered principally from the shock and jar, as he is not in the best of health.
Adv.: Lost — A Ball Brand rubber boot, between Taconic and Lakeville. Will finder please leave same at the Lakeville Post Office.
Gasoline is going down and automobilists may now buy it as low as 23 cents per gallon in Massachusetts and New York.
50 years ago — 1973
According to figures released by the state this week, Cornwall is the marryingest town in the state, with Falls Village running a close second. The state’s Department of Health says that there were 26 marriages in Cornwall (population 1200) last year, or 21.7 marriages per 1000 people there. Falls Village’s rate for 1972 was 21.6. Town Clerk Kay Fenn pointed out that Cornwall has become a popular location for out-of-towners who apply for a marriage license on Monday or Tuesday, say “I do” on Friday or Saturday and promptly disappear from Cornwall forever.
Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Gentile, who have operated the Apothecary Shop in Lakeville since the mid-50s, have sold their business to Richard O. Walsh of Fairfield and look forward to a well-earned rest. Mr. Gentile, termed by his associates as “a very hard-working guy,” came to Lakeville in 1932 shortly after completing his education as a pharmacist and worked for about 10 years in Vincent Leverty’s drug store in the Holley Block.
Members of the Canaan Housing Authority received confirmation this week that their long fight to bring housing for the elderly to the community has ended successfully. Authority Chairman Art Baldwin said that he received word Friday that the State Bond Commission has approved Canaan’s grant for $384,000 to build 24 units of housing.
Members of the North Canaan Congregational Parish got a first look at the young man who is to be their new minister last Sunday and liked what they saw. The Rev. Peter A. Dakers of Trumbull was invited to preach last Sunday in the East Canaan church by the Pastoral Selection Committee. Following the service he was approved to fill the vacancy created when the Rev. Robert Loesch left for Madison, Conn.
First they recycled bottles, then paper — now cars! Canaan First Selectman Leo Segalla announced this week that old cars are now being crushed at the Canaan sanitary landfill site, and that Canaan and Falls Village residents are invited to bring their junk vehicles for the pickup.
25 years ago — 1998
While driving eastbound on Route 112, Theodore Brun, 79, of Mt. Kisko, N.Y., lost control of his car which crossed the lawn at 363 Lime Rock Road and struck the house. The car was hurt worse than the house or the driver.
NORFOLK — It was built as a theater in 1883. Over more than a century it has also been home to grocers and butchers and a barber shop. For the past five years it has been simply a vacant building on the main highway through town. Apple House as it came to be known because of the last grocer to occupy the street level space was purchased this week by playwrights and producers Maura Cavanagh and Richard Smithies of West Cornwall and New York City. They plan to begin immediately renovating the three-story shingle-style building and reopen it as The Greenwoods Theatre.
These items were taken from The Lakeville Journal archives at Salisbury’s Scoville Memorial Library, keeping the original wording intact as possible.
"They had this in mind from last year," girls varsity head coach Les Funk of Pine Plains said. Funk said the young team wanted the sectional title and "never gave up," until they won it Wednesday, March 5, at Mount Saint Mary College.Photo by Nathan Miller
Naveah Rennie, no 34 of Pine Plains, was the Bombers' dominant scorer, racking up 20 points by the end of the matchup against S.S. Seward Institute during the Section IX Class C finals at Mount Saint Mary College on Wednesday, March 5.Photo by Nathan Miller
Lent: Time to consider social gospel movement
We are entering the annual Christian season of Lent this week.With its 40 days of contemplation and “little Easter” Sundays, it is a time to remember the healing ministry and the sacrifice of Jesus.During this season, we are invited to think deeply about our role as agents of grace and love in our hurting world.
There is a long history of making sacrifices and commitments for Lent, modeling our discipleship and hopes for a more heavenly world. It is through this lens that I invite you to join us in considering what gifts and services the community needs that we can commit to bringing forth in the weeks leading up to Easter.While many lean into solitary introspection during Lent, it may be particularly advantageous to use our meditations and sacrifices for the greater good this year.
John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, advised his followers centuries ago that “The gospel of Christ knows of no religion, but social; no holiness but social holiness. Faith working by love is the length and depth and breadth and height of Christian perfection.”These words are connected to the firm belief of Wesley that a Methodist was fundamentally one who loved God with all their heart, mind, strength, and soul, along with loving one’s neighbor as oneself.He believed that being in love with God naturally also required loving other people, as every person was a beloved soul coming from the same source of life that we are.
Consequently, Wesley stood against slavery long before it was a popular view, prioritized caring for those who were poor and imprisoned, and made a point to do good to as many as he could for as long as he was physically able.
Indeed, the Methodists are not the only Christians who believe such things.These thoughts are primary messages of the Christian faith.In more recent history, we can note that during the time of the Golden Age, at the end of the late 19th century, the Christians mobilized to counteract the abject poverty, child labor, dangerous working conditions, and lack of education of the time.Famous theologians such as Washington Gladden, Walter Rauschenbusch, and W.E.B. DuBois began the Social Gospel movement, enacting with new verve the passion of Christ that empowers the community toward building the Kingdom of God.As Christians, they believed in uplifting the downtrodden and creating a community where all had a chance to thrive.Child labor laws were enacted, better working conditions were secured, Sunday School helped provide education, settlement houses were created, and the Salvation Army was born.
The social gospel movement continued in another wave of reforms and empowerment through the Civil Rights era.Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his intellect, energy, and life to help secure the reforms that enabled persons of color to vote, go to non-segregated schools, and have the right to share public spaces without discrimination.Like Christ, he paid the ultimate price for his prophetic vision.However, his impact on our society was formidable, lasting far beyond his short lifetime.
As Christians, it is very clear what to do in times of hardship, crisis, or challenge.Throughout the centuries, our call has been to help heal the world, doing whatever we can to uplift and transform loneliness into community, reminding each one how precious they are and how important it is to unite for the sake of the whole.Individually, the challenges can be overwhelming, even too much to bear.Collectively, we can do all things through the One who strengthens us.As they say, “We have the receipts!” We can do it again.
This Lent, let us give up our pessimism and fear, replacing it with a commitment to community and hope.Yes, things can seem dreadful, but our souls are not served by allowing ourselves to descend into the dark.We are keepers of the light.Let us do all within our power to create brightness so that its warmth may strengthen all as we live into the Social Gospel movement for our time.Chin up, friends, we can do this.We simply must be willing to get serious about doing it together.
Rev. Dr. Anna Crews Camphouse is pastor of Canaan, Lakeville, Millerton, and Sharon United Methodist Churches
Lead Pastor of the Northwestern Hills Cooperative
Parish UMC