The Meetinghouse

Worship at the historic Meetinghouse
2026-04-19 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-04-26 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-05-03 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-05-10 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-05-17 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-05-24 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-05-31 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-06-07 10:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York) and 1 more date | The Historic Meetinghouse, 605 Ridgebury Rd., Ridgefield, CT, 06877, United States
Join us for worship in the historic Meetinghouse!
Sundays at 10:00 am
Ridgebury Congregational Church (RCC) is a place to come together and gather as a spiritual community. You might know us as the historic white church on the corner, but we’ve always been so much more. We are a place to reconnect with soul, that you might be restored and renewed.

Acoustic Song Circle
2026-04-19 14:00 - 16:00 | The Meetinghouse, 602 Ridgebury Rd., Ridgefield, CT, 06877, United States
The monthly acoustic song circle is for anyone who enjoys singing or playing an instrument. Everyone takes a turn and may invite others to sing and play along.
The next Acoustic Song Circle will be Sunday, April 19, 2026 from 2:00 – 4:00 pm.

Live Music in Shield's Hall: Cohort B (NYC), XUR, & Waffle House of 1000 Corpses (NJ)
2026-04-25 18:00 - 22:00 | The Meetinghouse, 602 Ridgebury Rd., Ridgefield, CT, 06877, United States
Join us in Shield’s Hall for a tri-state night of rock & roll, distorted bass, and electronic noise-making chairs. Yes, chairs. Cohort B is coming up from NYC with XUR & Waffle House of 1000 Corpses from New Jersey! Doors at 6, Music at 7. All ages. See you there!

Special Writers’ Open Mic with WCSU
2026-04-26 15:00 - 17:00 | The Meetinghouse, 602 Ridgebury Rd., Ridgefield, CT, 06877, United States
Join Western Connecticut State University’s Department of Creative & Professional Writing Program for a Writers’ Open Mic with Pop-up Book Shop and Featured Reader, Cameron Phillips!

Hosted by Poor Yorick, the MFA program’s affiliated literary journal, this event celebrates both WCSU’s lifelong community of writers and the vibrant literary voices of the Greater Danbury Area. We’re excited to share our program’s long-standing tradition of these open mics with the local community beyond the boundaries of our campus with an evening of storytelling, poetry, and prose of every kind at The Market at The Meetinghouse. This event will feature a Pop-up Book Shop hosted by Rainy Day Paperback Exchange of Bethel, CT, offering a curated selection of used books.

This event is open to the public! All writers are welcome to read their works* and all readers invited to sit back and enjoy!

*Please note: Current WCSU MFA students will receive priority for reading opportunities.

Art x 4: Four Artists, Four Visions | Artist Talk
2026-05-05 17:00 - 19:00 | CT
Artist Talk
Tuesday, May 5, 2026 from 5pm to 7pm
The artists represented in Art X 4 see the artist talk as a conversation between viewer and art maker. To get the conversation going, each will share aspects that influence their work.

Linda Berry: The choice of paper is a key concern in her works on paper.
Bonnie Figgatt: Her earlier, exquisitely detailed botanical drawings have informed her more abstract prints.
Angela Liptack: What moved her to go from using fabric as a medium for quilt making to a medium for wall art.
Peggy Thomas: How nature – from tree bark to polar bears – inspires her clay art.

The artists hope the viewers will take it from there with questions and observations.

On display in The Meetinghouse Gallery
Art x 4
Four Artists, Four Visions
April 12 – May 24, 2026
Linda Berry, Bonnie Figgatt, Angela Liptack, and Peggy Thomas
Shields Hall, The Meetinghouse
The Gallery is open Tuesdays – Sundays 8:00 am – 4:00 pm for viewing. (Closed Mondays).

Artists’ Statement
We are four friends in art, a circle of artists with varied visions interpreted across disparate media: monotype, oil and acrylic, color pencil, pen and ink, watercolor, graphite, fabric, and clay. We share ideas, offer encouragement, and critique each other’s work. When one is juried into a show, we all cheer. When one learns a new technique, she shares it. We keep each other posted on show openings and other opportunities to experience art together. This show, Art x 4, exhibits our individual works, from landscape to portrait and from still life to fantasy.

Poet-Prophet Formational Journey Cohort
2026-05-06 16:00 - 17:30, 2026-05-20 16:00 - 17:30, 2026-06-03 16:00 - 17:30, 2026-06-17 16:00 - 17:30 | The Meetinghouse, 602 Ridgebury Rd., Ridgefield, CT, 06877, United States
You are invited to respond in these times as a Poet–Prophet—a fellow traveler on the Formational Journey—by joining a 12-week cohort of 8 meetings, weaving together:

Poetry of the soul: attentiveness, imagination, presence
Prophetic courage: truth-telling, discernment, hopeful action
Communal flourishing: connection, place-making, and the shaping of a sacred commons

Starting in March and running through June, we will meet on the first and third Wednesdays from 4:00-5:30pm in Shields Hall.
To register, simply email Deborah@Meetinghouse.life.
Register Now

Cohort Meeting Dates: the first and third Wednesdays from 4:00-5:30pm in Shields Hall.

March 4, 2026
March 18, 2026
April 1, 2026
April 15, 2026
May 6, 2026
May 20, 2026
June 3, 2026
June 17, 2026

AN INVITATION TO A JOURNEY
This is an invitation to a journey in response to a collective longing for wisdom and for courage in these times. These longings are not incidental; they are signs of a threshold moment—a time of both exile and emergence. In such times, the Formational Journey becomes our compass: an ancient path made new, guiding us from the reclamation of Core, through the shaping of Character, toward the embodiment of Community for the sake of communal flourishing.
Throughout history, such moments have called forth Poets and Prophets—not as titles, but as capacities of the soul formed over time. They help us remember what matters most and call us toward the world that longs to be born.
The Poet: Knowing and Being Known
The Poet emerges as we reclaim our Core—our true identity in Source. The Poet listens beneath the noise, attends to the subtle, awakens imagination, and restores our capacity to see. This is the Know of the inner journey: remembering deeply, locating ourselves in story and belonging, and discerning truth from illusion, presence from performance.
The Prophet: Giving and Acting in Truth
The Prophet emerges as Character is formed—through surrender, courage, shadow work, and the refining fire of love. The Prophet reads the signs of the times, discerns what is breaking and what is being born, and speaks truth in service of shalom. This is the Give of the outer journey: living with integrity, acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God and neighbor. Nurturing both Poet and Prophet brings alignment between what we profess and how we live.
Why This Journey Matters Now
We are living at a social, spiritual, and ecological inflection point. Our systems are strained, our communities fragmented, and our imaginations fatigued. The response is not simply new programs or institutions, but a return to formation—to journey together toward wholeness, wisdom, and courageous presence.
Formation teaches us to:

Connect with Source, one another, and the living world
Read our context with discernment and hope
Shape communities where belonging is nurtured and responsibility is shared

This is a practice that becomes our path.

NextStep Business
2026-05-07 17:00 - 18:00 | The Meetinghouse, 602 Ridgebury Rd., Ridgefield, CT, 06877, United States
NextStep Business: Small Business Education Program for Middle Schoolers
Thursday evenings, 5:00 – 6:00 pm
May 7 – May 28, 2026
Upstairs in Shields Hall
Cost: Tickets are free and may be reserved below.

NextStep is a small business education program created and taught by two local high school students. The program aims to introduce younger students to the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and leadership in an approachable, engaging, and interactive way.
NextStep was created after noticing that many students, like ourselves, are interested in business at a young age but don’t have the opportunity to learn these skills. Throughout the four-week program, students build their own business ideas step-by-step, learning how to develop a product, set pricing, understand profit, and create marketing strategies. Each lesson builds on the previous one, creating a cohesive experience where students see their ideas truly come to life.
The program focuses on collaboration, creativity, and confidence-building, allowing students to work together while also developing and presenting their own ideas. By the end of the program, students will have built a complete business concept they can take pride in.
The final session features a “Shark Tank”-style pitch, where students present their ideas and make investment decisions, bringing together everything they’ve learned in a fun and engaging way.
Bios:
Hunter Sucato and Danny Tiktin are students at Ridgefield High School with a shared interest in business, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Both are involved in business-related activities at school, including DECA and business classes, where they gain experience in areas such as operations, marketing, and strategy. They co-created NextStep to give younger students the opportunity to learn real-world business skills before entering high school. They hope to continue pursuing business and entrepreneurship in the future through higher education and their careers.
Danny is involved in many business classes, exploring leadership, entrepreneurship, and international business. Hunter plays an active role as a School Store Manager and will compete internationally representing the RHS School Store.

NextStep Business
2026-05-14 17:00 - 18:00 | The Meetinghouse, 602 Ridgebury Rd., Ridgefield, CT, 06877, United States
NextStep Business: Small Business Education Program for Middle Schoolers
Thursday evenings, 5:00 – 6:00 pm
May 14 – May 28, 2026
Upstairs in Shields Hall
Cost: Tickets are free and may be reserved below.

NextStep is a small business education program created and taught by two local high school students. The program aims to introduce younger students to the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and leadership in an approachable, engaging, and interactive way.
NextStep was created after noticing that many students, like ourselves, are interested in business at a young age but don’t have the opportunity to learn these skills. Throughout the four-week program, students build their own business ideas step-by-step, learning how to develop a product, set pricing, understand profit, and create marketing strategies. Each lesson builds on the previous one, creating a cohesive experience where students see their ideas truly come to life.
The program focuses on collaboration, creativity, and confidence-building, allowing students to work together while also developing and presenting their own ideas. By the end of the program, students will have built a complete business concept they can take pride in.
The final session features a “Shark Tank”-style pitch, where students present their ideas and make investment decisions, bringing together everything they’ve learned in a fun and engaging way.
Bios:
Hunter Sucato and Danny Tiktin are students at Ridgefield High School with a shared interest in business, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Both are involved in business-related activities at school, including DECA and business classes, where they gain experience in areas such as operations, marketing, and strategy. They co-created NextStep to give younger students the opportunity to learn real-world business skills before entering high school. They hope to continue pursuing business and entrepreneurship in the future through higher education and their careers.
Danny is involved in many business classes, exploring leadership, entrepreneurship, and international business. Hunter plays an active role as a School Store Manager and will compete internationally representing the RHS School Store.

Community Summit
2026-05-16 09:00 - 16:00 | The Meetinghouse, 602 Ridgebury Rd., Ridgefield, CT, 06877, United States
Something big is on the horizon! Save the date and stay tuned for details.

Special Writer's Open Mic with WCSU
2026-05-17 15:00 - 17:00 | The Meetinghouse, 602 Ridgebury Rd., Ridgefield, CT, 06877, United States
Join Western Connecticut State University’s Department of Creative & Professional Writing Program for a Writers’ Open Mic with Pop-up Book Shop and Featured Reader, Lisa Acerbo!

Hosted by Poor Yorick, the MFA program’s affiliated literary journal, this event celebrates both WCSU’s lifelong community of writers and the vibrant literary voices of the Greater Danbury Area. We’re excited to share our program’s long-standing tradition of these open mics with the local community beyond the boundaries of our campus with an evening of storytelling, poetry, and prose of every kind at The Market at The Meetinghouse. This event will feature a Pop-up Book Shop hosted by Rainy Day Paperback Exchange of Bethel, CT, offering a curated selection of used books.

This event is open to the public! All writers are welcome to read their works* and all readers invited to sit back and enjoy!

*Please note: Current WCSU MFA students will receive priority for reading opportunities

Zazen Sangha (Community) Meditation
2026-05-20 17:30 - 18:30, 2026-06-17 17:30 - 18:30 | The Meetinghouse, 602 Ridgebury Rd., Ridgefield, CT, 06877, United States
Join us for a free Zen Meditation (‘Zazen’) session at The Meetinghouse:
All are welcome to join us every third Wednesday of the month from 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm.
Open Community Class! Join Bob Beckett for a Zazen Sangha (community). Zazen is an ancient form of meditation that includes walking & sitting, offering a number of ways to explore the practice with zen methods and guidance. Each week, the session will begin with an introduction to Zazen meditation for first timers, and a review for experienced meditators. All are welcome free of charge!

In today’s fast-changing world, meditation offers a powerful path to balance and integration. At The Meetinghouse, we provide a variety of meditation practices throughout the year to help you reconnect with yourself.
Our Meditation sessions offer practical insights and benefits, including:

Gently shifting your focus from a restless mind to the present moment
Cultivating gratitude and compassion in daily life
Tapping into the heightened energy and focus that comes from meditating with a group

Whether you’re new to meditation or have an established practice, we invite you to join us!

RSVP for Class

RSVP for the class by finding it on the schedule linked above. You are also welcome to just show up!
If you need any assistance, email wellness@meetinghouse.life. Thank you!

NextStep Business
2026-05-21 17:00 - 18:00 | The Meetinghouse, 602 Ridgebury Rd., Ridgefield, CT, 06877, United States
NextStep Business: Small Business Education Program for Middle Schoolers
Thursday evenings, 5:00 – 6:00 pm
May 21 – May 28, 2026
Upstairs in Shields Hall
Cost: Tickets are free and may be reserved below.

NextStep is a small business education program created and taught by two local high school students. The program aims to introduce younger students to the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and leadership in an approachable, engaging, and interactive way.
NextStep was created after noticing that many students, like ourselves, are interested in business at a young age but don’t have the opportunity to learn these skills. Throughout the four-week program, students build their own business ideas step-by-step, learning how to develop a product, set pricing, understand profit, and create marketing strategies. Each lesson builds on the previous one, creating a cohesive experience where students see their ideas truly come to life.
The program focuses on collaboration, creativity, and confidence-building, allowing students to work together while also developing and presenting their own ideas. By the end of the program, students will have built a complete business concept they can take pride in.
The final session features a “Shark Tank”-style pitch, where students present their ideas and make investment decisions, bringing together everything they’ve learned in a fun and engaging way.
Bios:
Hunter Sucato and Danny Tiktin are students at Ridgefield High School with a shared interest in business, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Both are involved in business-related activities at school, including DECA and business classes, where they gain experience in areas such as operations, marketing, and strategy. They co-created NextStep to give younger students the opportunity to learn real-world business skills before entering high school. They hope to continue pursuing business and entrepreneurship in the future through higher education and their careers.
Danny is involved in many business classes, exploring leadership, entrepreneurship, and international business. Hunter plays an active role as a School Store Manager and will compete internationally representing the RHS School Store.

Forest Bathing
2026-05-23 13:00 - 15:00 | The Meetinghouse, 602 Ridgebury Rd., Ridgefield, CT, 06877, United States
Forest Bathing at The Meetinghouse
Saturday, May 23, 2026
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

In this serene two-hour experience, you’ll:

Step away from the seasonal rush and soak up the calming atmosphere of the forest.
Practice simple mindfulness techniques that lower stress and renew energy.
Connect with others while tuning into the sights, sounds, and scents of the woods.

The session lasts about 2 hours and is held entirely outdoors—please dress for the weather. Meet outside the Gallery
Who: Teens and adultsCost: $25 per person
This event is limited to 10 people, so sign up early!
Let nature be your refuge and discover the rejuvenating power of a quiet walk.
Led by Heather Cochrane, Masters of Environmental Studies and Certified Forest Therapy Guide
(Watch this short Forest Bathing video to learn more before you come.)

NextStep Business
2026-05-28 17:00 - 18:00 | The Meetinghouse, 602 Ridgebury Rd., Ridgefield, CT, 06877, United States
NextStep Business: Small Business Education Program for Middle Schoolers
Thursday evening, 5:00 – 6:00 pm
May 28, 2026
Upstairs in Shields Hall
Cost: Tickets are free and may be reserved below.

NextStep is a small business education program created and taught by two local high school students. The program aims to introduce younger students to the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and leadership in an approachable, engaging, and interactive way.
NextStep was created after noticing that many students, like ourselves, are interested in business at a young age but don’t have the opportunity to learn these skills. Throughout the four-week program, students build their own business ideas step-by-step, learning how to develop a product, set pricing, understand profit, and create marketing strategies. Each lesson builds on the previous one, creating a cohesive experience where students see their ideas truly come to life.
The program focuses on collaboration, creativity, and confidence-building, allowing students to work together while also developing and presenting their own ideas. By the end of the program, students will have built a complete business concept they can take pride in.
The final session features a “Shark Tank”-style pitch, where students present their ideas and make investment decisions, bringing together everything they’ve learned in a fun and engaging way.
Bios:
Hunter Sucato and Danny Tiktin are students at Ridgefield High School with a shared interest in business, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Both are involved in business-related activities at school, including DECA and business classes, where they gain experience in areas such as operations, marketing, and strategy. They co-created NextStep to give younger students the opportunity to learn real-world business skills before entering high school. They hope to continue pursuing business and entrepreneurship in the future through higher education and their careers.
Danny is involved in many business classes, exploring leadership, entrepreneurship, and international business. Hunter plays an active role as a School Store Manager and will compete internationally representing the RHS School Store.

2026 Book Club: "The Librarian of Auschwitz" by Antonio Iturbe
2026-05-30 11:00 - 12:00 | The Meetinghouse, 602 Ridgebury Rd., Ridgefield, CT, 06877, United States
2026 Meetinghouse Book Club
Small and Revolutionary: Stories about Community and Transformative Change
Read along with us!

Saturday, May 30, 2026 from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
May’s book: The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe

Join us in The Market for our FREE monthly book club! Tickets available below. Please get a ticket to register for the event.

About this book:
Based on the experience of real-life Auschwitz prisoner Dita Kraus, the award-winning The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe is the incredible story of a girl who risked her life to keep the magic of books alive during the Holocaust. This edition includes a Q&A with Dita Kraus and discussion questions.
As a young girl, Dita is imprisoned by the Nazis at Auschwitz. Taken from her home in Prague in 1939, Dita does her best to adjust to the constant terror of her new reality. But even amidst horror, human strength and ingenuity persevere. When Jewish leader Fredy Hirsch entrusts Dita with eight precious volumes the prisoners have managed to sneak into the camp, She embraces the responsibility―and so becomes the librarian of Auschwitz.
From one of the darkest chapters in history comes this extraordinary story of courage and hope.

Rika Markel: Built Over Time | Art Exhibition
2026-05-31 - 2026-07-05 | The Meetinghouse, 602 Ridgebury Rd., Ridgefield, CT, 06877, United States
On display in The Meetinghouse Gallery
Built Over Time
Abstract Oil Paintings by Rika Markel
May 31 – July 5, 2026

Opening Reception:
Sunday, May 31, 2026 from 2-4 pm in the downstairs gallery.
The Gallery is open Tuesdays – Sundays 8:00 am – 4:00 pm for viewing. (Closed Mondays).

“Built Over Time” refers both to the way the paintings are made and what they reflect.
Each piece is developed in layers of oil paint, using different tools to gradually build texture, depth, and movement.
This process mirrors how experience and emotion take shape—not all at once, but over time. What is visible on the surface is only part of what has been built underneath.

ARTIST’S BIOGRAPHY
Rika Markel is an abstract artist working primarily with oil paint, creating layered compositions using a variety of tools and techniques. Her work explores emotion, consciousness, and the unseen inner world that shapes human experience.
Although creativity had always been part of her life, Rika only began painting during the pandemic, finally fulfilling a lifelong dream to express herself through art. Her intuitive process builds depth through layers of color, texture, and movement, allowing each painting to evolve organically.
Her work invites viewers to pause, feel, and discover their own meaning within the canvas.

ARTIST’S STATEMENT
My work is an exploration of the inner world—emotion, energy, and the invisible forces that shape our experience of life. I paint intuitively, allowing color, texture, and movement to guide the process rather than beginning with a fixed plan.
Working primarily with oil paint, I build my pieces in layers using a variety of tools. Each layer represents a moment, a feeling, or a shift in energy, gradually revealing a composition that feels alive and expressive.
Painting became part of my life during the pandemic, when I finally gave myself permission to follow a lifelong creative calling. Since then, the canvas has become a space for reflection and discovery.
Rather than telling a single story, my work invites viewers to experience their own emotions and interpretations within the layers of color and movement.

Rika Markel: Built Over Time | Opening Reception
2026-05-31 14:00 - 16:00 | The Meetinghouse, 602 Ridgebury Rd., Ridgefield, CT, 06877, United States

Garlic Mustard Pulling Contest
2026-06-13 10:00 - 12:00 | The Meetinghouse, 602 Ridgebury Rd., Ridgefield, CT, 06877, United States
Garlic mustard pulling contest!
Saturday, June 13, 2026
10:00 am – Noon.
Meet by the Labyrinth

Garlic mustard is an invasive species, and it is all over the wetlands. Come help pull it out.
Prizes for the top 3 pullers! Dress for the weather and the work.
