Hello from The Meetinghouse!
While seemingly quiet from the outside, a lot has been going on over the last month.
- The Meetinghouse has been incorporated as “The Ridgebury Meetinghouse, Inc.” to ensure the long-term preservation of the campus, and the application for tax exempt 501c3 status is almost complete.
- A Board of Directors has been appointed. We look forward to introducing them to you once the board has been formally constituted.
- The permits for construction are almost complete. General Contractor Gerald Roche has been working with the Town Health and Building Departments, as well as the state, to ensure that all permits are in place, so that construction is not interrupted once begun.
The Café & Market
The BIG question as to who will be operating the café and market is still in discernment. One proprietor has asked us to reach out to you to ask what do you (really!) want? For example, if prepared foods are offered for dinner, how often would you make use of this option? What staples would you want to see in the market? What offerings in the café? Please respond with your suggestions and we will pass them along.
Events & Collaborative Partners
While we will not be fully re-opened until after construction, there is a lot going on! Please check out the upcoming EVENTS at Meetinghouse.life, and also explore our collaborative partners’ website: Art in Common and Cornerstone Home & Gardens. Ridgebury Congregational Church continues to offer worship at 10am on Sunday mornings. To learn more: Ridgebury.life.
We especially hope that you will join us for Gospel Brunch on April 30 at 12:30 pm with Theatre Barn Pamme Jones and Meetinghouse Sara Vokes singing. Brunch will be catered by Loree’s Kitchen. Tickets are available here.
An Invitation to join us! The historic roots of the Meetinghouse provide a unique context. Standing at the intersection of Ridgebury Road and George Washington Highway for over 250 years, this campus has witnessed the community coming together to make key decisions impacting Ridgefield and the surrounding area, as well as our country. The Meetinghouse offers a unique third space to build the bridge between diverse communities and foster collaborative interaction. If you would like to be a part of shaping the future community and program of The Meetinghouse, we welcome you!
As one house, many rooms, we are committed to:
- Community by providing a brave space in which to gather, exchange ideas, and build relationships as an antidote to isolation and loneliness;
- The Arts by nurturing creativity through visual, performing, written, and musical expression;
- The Land by intentionally protecting this open space and restoring the commons;
- Wellness offering a space to re-center self and reconnect body, mind, and soul;
- Leader Formation through holistically nurturing and equipping next generation leaders.
Join us in making that happen! We welcome you onto one of the five teams listed above. Just let me know where your energy is calling you.
With gratitude for this shared journey,
Debbie
Deborah Rundlett
Director | The Meetinghouse
