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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for The Meetinghouse
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260711T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260711T150000
DTSTAMP:20260701T174956Z
CREATED:20260211T191710Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260701T174956Z
UID:10012793-1783774800-1783782000@meetinghouse.life
SUMMARY:Forest Bathing
DESCRIPTION:Forest Bathing at The Meetinghouse\nSaturday\, July 11\, 2026\n1:00 pm – 3:00 pm\n  \nIn this serene two-hour experience\, you’ll: \n\nStep away from the seasonal rush and soak up the calming atmosphere of the forest.\nPractice simple mindfulness techniques that lower stress and renew energy.\nConnect with others while tuning into the sights\, sounds\, and scents of the woods.\n\nThe session lasts about 2 hours and is held entirely outdoors—please dress for the weather. Meet outside the Gallery \nWho: Teens and adultsCost: $25 per person \nGet Tickets Here\nThis event is limited to 10 people\, so sign up early! \nLet nature be your refuge and discover the rejuvenating power of a quiet walk. \nLed by Heather Cochrane\, Masters of Environmental Studies and Certified Forest Therapy Guide \n(Watch this short Forest Bathing video to learn more before you come.)
URL:https://meetinghouse.life/event/forest-bathing-6/
LOCATION:The Meetinghouse\, 602 Ridgebury Rd.\, Ridgefield\, CT\, 06877\, United States
CATEGORIES:Nature
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://meetinghouse.life/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Forest-Bathing.png
ORGANIZER;CN="meetinghouse.life":MAILTO:connect@meetinghouse.life
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260712
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260831
DTSTAMP:20260709T185728Z
CREATED:20260709T183258Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260709T185728Z
UID:10012836-1783814400-1788134399@meetinghouse.life
SUMMARY:Rori Shapiro: Ridgebury In Retrospective | Art Show
DESCRIPTION:On display in The Meetinghouse Gallery \nRidgebury in Retrospective\nArt by Rori Shapiro\nJuly 12 – August 30\, 2026\nThe Gallery is open Tuesdays – Sundays 8:00 am – 4:00 pm for viewing. (Closed Mondays). \n  \nARTIST’S BIOGRAPHY\nBeing born and raised in Ridgefield\, CT my love for art and history both started at Scotland Elementary School. My fourth grade teacher Mrs. McNamara nee Cemprola\, and my special education teacher Ms. Patzold. They nurtured my love for Ridgefield’s history and supported my ego as an artist. \nI graduated from Ridgefield High School\, and I continued my love of art and history at the Savannah College of Art and Design and graduated with a BFA in Sequential Art and a minor in Art History. I then travelled “across the pond\,” to pursue a degree in Sound Design and Popular Music at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. After playing the world famous Cavern Club\, the Jacaranda\, BBC2’s Songwriter’s Platform with my band ‘Rori and the Renegades’\, and hanging with Sir Paul\, I finally made my way back to Ridgefield\, Ridgebury to be exact. \nSince that time I’ve worked in every elementary school in Ridgefield as a para professional\, substitute teacher and long-term substitute art teacher. I also taught upper school art at Ridgefield Academy.  I released my first children’s book\, “Mayor Maynot and the Case of the Missing Speech” in 2005. My first album “Head Games” in 2007 and my second album “Wrong Side of Right” in 2013. \nIn all those years since my elementary school days\, my love for drawing and need for acquiring Ridgebury history has only strengthened and flourished.  I am currently working on a book about Ridgebury and its deep and multi-faceted history.
URL:https://meetinghouse.life/event/rori-shapiro-ridgebury-in-retrospective-art-show/
LOCATION:The Meetinghouse\, 602 Ridgebury Rd.\, Ridgefield\, CT\, 06877\, United States
CATEGORIES:Arts
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://meetinghouse.life/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Ridgebury-in-Retrospective.png
ORGANIZER;CN="meetinghouse.life":MAILTO:connect@meetinghouse.life
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260715T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260715T183000
DTSTAMP:20260121T194905Z
CREATED:20260121T194905Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260121T194905Z
UID:10012757-1784136600-1784140200@meetinghouse.life
SUMMARY:Zazen Sangha (Community) Meditation
DESCRIPTION:Join us for a free Zen Meditation (‘Zazen’) session at The Meetinghouse: \nAll are welcome to join us every third Wednesday of the month from 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm. \nOpen 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!\n\nIn 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. \nOur Meditation sessions offer practical insights and benefits\, including: \n\nGently shifting your focus from a restless mind to the present moment\nCultivating gratitude and compassion in daily life\nTapping into the heightened energy and focus that comes from meditating with a group\n\nWhether you’re new to meditation or have an established practice\, we invite you to join us! \n\nRSVP for Class\n\nRSVP for the class by finding it on the schedule linked above. You are also welcome to just show up!\nIf you need any assistance\, email wellness@meetinghouse.life. Thank you!\n 
URL:https://meetinghouse.life/event/zazen-sangha-community-meditation/2026-07-15/
LOCATION:The Meetinghouse\, 602 Ridgebury Rd.\, Ridgefield\, CT\, 06877\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://meetinghouse.life/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Meditation.jpeg
ORGANIZER;CN="meetinghouse.life":MAILTO:connect@meetinghouse.life
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260717T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260717T220000
DTSTAMP:20260629T191515Z
CREATED:20260528T160059Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260629T191515Z
UID:10012831-1784311200-1784325600@meetinghouse.life
SUMMARY:Frontega on Tour! Live Music in Shield's Hall
DESCRIPTION:Join Frontega from Chicago for an evening of live emo music at the Meetinghouse! Featuring XUR\, Death Valley Sun Troopers\, and Dulcit\, come dance and have a good time! \nDoors at 6pm\, music at 6:30pm. $10 online or $12 at the door. \nBy purchasing a ticket you are acknowledging that you are 18 years of age or older\, or accompanied by a legal parent or guardian. \nGet Tickets Here!
URL:https://meetinghouse.life/event/frontega-on-tour-live-music-in-shields-hall/
LOCATION:The Meetinghouse\, 602 Ridgebury Rd.\, Ridgefield\, CT\, 06877\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community,Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://meetinghouse.life/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Frontega.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="meetinghouse.life":MAILTO:connect@meetinghouse.life
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260718T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260718T103000
DTSTAMP:20260708T155249Z
CREATED:20260211T192500Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260708T155249Z
UID:10012797-1784368800-1784370600@meetinghouse.life
SUMMARY:Commemorative Oak Planting
DESCRIPTION:Saturday\, July 18\, 2026\n10:00 am\n\nCharles De Wolf Brownell\, Charter Oak\, 1857\, oil on canvas – Connecticut Museum of Culture and History \nWe will be planting an oak tree to commemorate America250 and the role the Charter Oak played in our history\, as well as the role oaks play in nature. Come for the blessing and planting of our commemorative oak tree! All are welcome. \n\nWith the recent birthday of the U.S.A.\, our American history has been looked at considerably. Connecticut’s own history predates that of the U.S.\, and involves a white oak tree\, more famously referred to as the Charter Oak. It begins in 1662 when a royal charter was given to Connecticut by King Charles II\, allowing the colony self-governance. When James II ascended the throne twenty-five years later\, he revoked the charter in an effort to create the Dominion of New England. The king sent Sir Edmond Andros with armed forces to revoke the charter in 1687. There was debate between Andros and Governor Robert Treat over the charter. As the story goes\, and this is where there is no official documentation\, the debate went on for several hours when suddenly all of the candles went out. Once they were relit\, the charter that had been sitting on the table between the men was gone. Captain Joseph Wadworth is credited with stealing the charter and stashing it in a large hollow of a white oak tree on the nearby Wyllys estate. While Andros was unsuccessful at obtaining the charter\, Connecticut was forced into the Dominion of New England anyway. When William and Mary ascended the throne in 1689\, they restored many of the freedoms of the charter\, which served as the state’s constitution until 1818. The “Charter Oak” fell in a lightning storm on August 21\, 1856. A funeral and other remembrances were held for the tree\, which was said to be 500 years old and 21 feet in circumference. The wood from the tree was used for many things\, including the Charter Oak Chair that sits in the state’s Senate Chamber. Because of the role of the Charter Oak\, the white oak is Connecticut’s state tree. \nEcologically\, oaks are one of the most important trees a property can have. The many varieties of oaks found across North America support more life forms than any other genus of tree on the continent. The white oak alone is the host for over 100 moth and butterfly species. Their canopies are open enough to allow sunlight and water to reach the ground and are the nesting sites for the cerulean warbler. The acorns they produce are an important food source for deer and turkeys\, among other animals. Every few years\, oaks of different species across great distances coordinate to produce a mast event. When trees have a mast event\, they produce a huge number of seeds (for oaks this means acorns). It is unknown why trees do this\, but animal populations boom as a result. Our region has several types of native oaks beyond the white oak (Quercus alba)\, including the swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor)\,  scarlet oak (Quercus coccinea)\, the scrub oak (Quercus ilicifolia)\, and the northern red oak (Quercus rubra). \nIn celebration of America’s 250th birthday\, and in remembrance of the role the white oak has played in our own history\, we will be planting and blessing a commemorative white oak on The Meetinghouse campus on Saturday\, July 18th at 10:00. Come join us for the celebration of both history and nature! \nSources used for this: \nhttps://www.bbg.org/article/the_mysteries_of_masting_in_trees\nhttps://ctforestry-cahnr.media.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3131/2023/10/OakNotes_v2.pdf\nhttps://connecticuthistory.org/the-legend-of-the-charter-oak/\nhttps://portal.ct.gov/About/State-Symbols/The-State-Tree
URL:https://meetinghouse.life/event/commemorative-oak-planting/
LOCATION:The Meetinghouse\, 602 Ridgebury Rd.\, Ridgefield\, CT\, 06877\, United States
CATEGORIES:Nature
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://meetinghouse.life/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Planting-Tree.png
ORGANIZER;CN="meetinghouse.life":MAILTO:connect@meetinghouse.life
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260726T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260726T160000
DTSTAMP:20260707T160246Z
CREATED:20260707T160246Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260707T160246Z
UID:10012835-1785074400-1785081600@meetinghouse.life
SUMMARY:Acoustic Song Circle
DESCRIPTION: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. \nThe next Acoustic Song Circle will be Sunday\, July 26\, 2026 from 2:00 – 4:00 pm. \n 
URL:https://meetinghouse.life/event/acoustic-song-circle-12/
LOCATION:The Meetinghouse\, 602 Ridgebury Rd.\, Ridgefield\, CT\, 06877\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community,Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://meetinghouse.life/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Acoustic-Song-Circle.png
ORGANIZER;CN="meetinghouse.life":MAILTO:connect@meetinghouse.life
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