Chronicle Winter `14

The Summer News Weekly
For All People…
In All Seasons
Craigville Village, Massachusetts
WINTER 2014
Craigville Cottage Owners Association Winter Report - 2014
It’s been a long, cold January – Spring can’t come soon enough. Everything is frozen. The poor
birds are flocking to our feeders, and the Winter robins are devouring an ample crop of holly berries.
As published in the Fall, we have an exciting schedule of events to look forward to this coming
Summer. Remember to keep your Halloween decorations and Christmas lights handy to bring to the
Cape for our Halloween in Summer and for Illumination Night.
Please note that your dues notice will be mailed to you in late March. Last year we had our
highest participation ever, and we hope to keep moving forward in this direction. Your dues are
needed to contribute to our fair share of Village expenses and to provide for next Summer’s events.
Please plan on attending the first Summer event: the Icebreaker at the Farquhars’ house on June
27th. It is a wonderful time to share food, drink and conversation with neighbors – both old and new.
Looking forward to summer, Lee Williams, CCOA President
CCOA Events Committtee Poised for Action
The Events Committee is beginning to put in place its Summer activities. One proposal on the table
is a Puppet Show for children. We need some feedback in order to book this at a time when there
are the greatest number of families with children in the village. Please email
[email protected] and let us know the dates which may work for your families, relatives,
renters, and friends.
Thank you. Joanne Hartunian, Ellen Cardarelli, Meghan Lahey
Come and Sing the Best Songs Ever
Remember the Doo-Wop and Old Folkie Sing-along at the Tabernacle Summer before last? Ed
Deyton is putting one together again. It is at Osterville United Methodist Church on Saturday night,
March 8th, at 7:00 PM. The donation is $10 and it is to benefit the Duffy Health Center in Hyannis.
Blueberry Hill, Love Letters in the Sand, In the Still of the Night, If I Had a Hammer, Sloop John B,
and Charlie on the MTA are just some of the selections. If you would like to join in the singing, call
Ed for practice times (508-775-7121). Otherwise, just show up at the door for a night’s
entertainment for a good cause.
Thought for the Season: “ Remember always that you not only have the right to
be an individual, you have an obligation to be one.”
-Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962), First Lady of the U.S. and human rights activist
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Red Lily Pond Project Association Fundraising for 2014
First of all, I want to make new Craigville cards to sell, so am having a sale on the ones I have left.
A packet of five will now cost $5.00! To place orders, e-mail me at [email protected].
Next, there will be a house tour on Sunday afternoon, the 13th of July. I am working on that now.
And finally, the Annual Dinner and Auction will be held on Saturday, August 9th.
Please mark your calendars!
-Valerie Lane, Chair, RLPP Fundraising
EDWARD DUNAR, TABERNACLE WORSHIP DIRECTOR AND THEOLOGIAN-IN-RESIDENCE
The Religious Activities and Tabernacle Committee is pleased to announce our selection of Edward
Dunar as this Summer's Tabernacle Worship Director and Theologian-in-Residence. Seven
inquiries were received about the position, resulting in four solid and qualified applicants all of whom
were interviewed. The Interview Committee consisted of Myra Gooding, Kay Hodges, Linda
McKinney, Lee Williams and myself, with all members of the Committee receiving résumés from
each of the applicants.
The position was advertised on Andover Newton Theological School, Harvard Divinity School,
and Boston University Theological School job search websites. Additionally, the Craigville Retreat
Center, through our Director, Mary Woodbury, was asked to share the e-mail addresses of groups
which visited Craigville throughout the past year. The position opening was forwarded to these
groups asking that the job description be forwarded to their retreatants and people they thought
would match our needs. It was through this latter contact that Ed learned about the position!!
We welcome Ed and his wife, Kate, to the Village and look forward to their presence among us
this Summer.
Rev. Joanne Hartunian, Chair, Religious Activities and Tabernacle Committee
…and from the New Worship Leader
Greetings! I'm Edward Dunar, and I'm going to be joining you this Summer as the Worship Leader
and Theologian-in-Residence at the Tabernacle. I grew-up in Milwaukee and majored in religious
studies at Yale University. After several years working as an elementary school teacher in
Philadelphia and a technical writer in Madison, WI, I decided to return to school to study theology.
This Fall, I will be starting my third year as an M.Div. student at Harvard Divinity School, with the
goal of pursuing doctoral studies in systematic theology.
My wife, Kate, will be joining me in Craigville this summer. She grew-up in a small town in
southern Minnesota and studied political science at Gustavus Adolphus College. She served as a
youth minister and camp director in Madison (where we met) and currently works as the Christian
Formation Director at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Natick and the Parish Communications and
Christian Education Coordinator at St. John's Episcopal Church in Newton. Outside of our ministries
and studies, Kate and I enjoy camping, theater, and experimenting with new vegetarian recipes.
We are both looking forward to meeting you and joining you in spirited worship this summer. If
you would like to contact me with questions or ideas about worship at the Tabernacle, you can
e-mail me at [email protected] or give me a call at 262.707.7284.
Be well, Edward
Some Cold Weather Escapees who checked-in with us include Eilean Swanson, who is
“soaking up the sun at Siesta Key, Florida” and who reports that Brittany is on the equestrian team
in her first year at the University of Kentucky. Dale Oates notes that his mother, Christine Oates,
is glad that she is in Jacksonville, Florida and not having to deal with the winter weather in New
England. Dale and son Sam, and his wife, Caitlyn, visited other son, Christopher, in Thailand, over
the holidays, and third son, Andrew, is in India for work. Your editor and husband, Steve Brown,
are babysitting “down under” in Australia, where daughter Amelia, her husband, Graham, and Amy
Summer live. What an intense Winter it has been – and continues to be – in Craigville!
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The following three items were submitted by Jim Lane, CCMA President:
ServCorps Volunteers to Return to Craigville
During the first week in June 2014, ServCorps volunteers, now affiliated with the Asylum Hill
Congregational Church in Hartford, CT, will return for the 4th year to work on our historic CCMA
buildings. This Spring, ServCorps will concentrate on the cottages Andover, Yale, Boston, and
Marshview, as the Sunset Lodge and the Manor will be fully booked with other Retreat Center
guests. There is no problem in finding worthwhile projects in our old buildings. Having the energy,
skills, fun and fellowship that ServCorps brings to the Village is a good thing. Residents are
welcome to participate during the week ServCorps will be here.
The Sunset Lodge
The next time you are in Craigville, take a look at the exterior of the Sunset Lodge. This large 1912
building has had a much-needed facelift. For many years, the exterior trim was covered with
peeling (lead?) paint. Painting estimates were as high as $18,500. Roger Hansen worked with
Craigville neighbor John Greene to develop specifications and a contract to install vinyl clad
aluminum on the lodge’s exterior trim. Work was completed just before Christmas. We employed
Maciej, the same skilled worker who had covered the trim on the Manor the year before. We had a
quality craftsperson who took pride in his work and who enjoyed being in the Village. The Lodge is a
very big building with eighty windows and hundreds of feet of roof trim, all of which had to be
covered with aluminum. The once open, difficult to paint soffits, home for nesting birds, were
enclosed with vinyl beadboard that stayed in character with an old building. This was a difficult job
with much work done atop a 40’ ladder and on scaffolding. Although the project cost $1,000 more
than it would have if we had had it painted, we do not anticipate that any future work on the Lodge’s
trim will be required. Special thanks to John Greene who has a good eye for the detail and quality
work needed to preserve historic buildings.
Christmas in Craigville
Ed Lynch, again this year, decorated each and every lamppost around the Village Green, Post
Office and Tabernacle, with evergreen sprigs and big red bows. The annual Craigville Christmas
Party at the Sunset Lodge was a great success with 35 attendees. The Retreat Center provided
plentiful hors d’oeuvres, punch and colorful and festive Christmas decorations. The potluck food
was outstanding and the big treat was a platter of oysters raised and contributed by Alison Bissett.
The Rev. Eric Henderson, with Ginny Henderson on keyboard, led the traditional carol sing. The
Yankee swap was fun as usual, with many laughs and surprises, even though it was not the same
without our good neighbors who had passed away - Mark Elliott, Nevin Kirk, and Davis Plunkett,
among others - but the atmosphere of Craigville prevailed and a good time was had by all. We were
home before 10 PM.
Judy (Barksdale) and Scott Matthijssen, longtime visitors and renters in Craigville, have
happily just purchased the DiPretes’ cottage on the Midway and will be renting for certain weeks
during the season. If you know of someone who may be interested in renting, please refer them to
the website www.weneedavacation.com and insert the property ID #10515 for more information and
to contact the Matthijssen’s.
(Welcome to Judy and Scott as new homeowners – Betty Barksdale’s daughter and son-in-law –
a longtime Craigville family who are delighted to own their very own Craigville cottage now.)
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Craigville Retreat Center Welcoming to Youth
Business has been brisk this winter here at the Center. Just this past weekend we had over 150
kids in residence, including one Catholic group and one MACUCC group. Makes the Village seem
alive, with the kids walking the roads to meals and playing on the Green. Some even built
snowmen.
Chronicle readers: you can follow us and like us on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/craigvilleretreats You will be able to see who’s visiting and has visited
Craigville recently. Lots of folks miss seeing the Summer weekly reports in the Chronicle on who’s
in Craigville this week or the next, so Cassie will be updating it regularly.
Visitors this for January, February and March are the following:
Sacred Heart; Redeemer Community Church; Emmanuel Church of the Nazarene; ECHO,
Immaculate Conception of Malden; MACUCC Confirmation Retreats; First Church in Somerville;
UCC Retired Clergy Group; BC High School; Newton Country Day School; MA Conference Board
Meeting; Health Resources; St. John’s Prep in Danvers; Trinity Christian Academy; Brookline
United Parish; St. Francis Xavier Prep; Xaverian Brothers High School; Thursday Night Quilters;
CMFI in Boston; BC Campus Ministry, Kairos; Emmanuel College; Wellesley Congregational
Church; St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church; MACUCC Conference Retreats, St. John’s High School,
Shrewsbury; St Joseph Prep; Scrapbookers; BC Campus Ministry; Bethany Congregational Church;
Curry College; Melrose Highland Congregational Church.
As you can see, we are keeping busy in-between the snow storms.
-Mary A Woodbury, Director, Craigville Retreat Center
Red Lily Pond Project Association: Get Ready for Radical Joy!
News from the Red Lily Pond Project—
On Saturday June 21st, the first day of Summer, the Craigville community is invited to join
environmental, spiritual, and advocacy organizations throughout the world to celebrate the fifth
annual “Earth Exchange” on the banks of the Red Lily Pond/Lake Elizabeth.
This annual event is organized by “Radical Joy for Hard Times.” Last year, people in 22
countries and 25 U.S. states joined the global community for this uplifting and powerful event (this
will be the fourth year Red Lily Pond has participated). The goal is simple: to share our love for and commitment to - the beautiful places in our world, even though these have been scarred by
environmental degradation or natural disasters.
These events affirm that the energy to continue to work for restoration of sacred sites such as
Red Lily Pond must originate with a deep sense of joy for creation. The recent Radical Joy for Hard
Times newsletter, “UpLook”, describes the spiritual roots of this joy
(http://www.radicaljoyforhardtimes.org) from four traditions (Oneida Indian, Balinese Hindu,
Episcopalian, and Tibetan Buddhist).
To help Craigville prepare for this celebration, with the help of Centerville artist Jen Colligan
Kuehne, I’ve prepared twelve weekly illustrations and spiritual reflections about “radical joy.”
In addition, Red Lily Pond Project Board members Dick Delaney and Tom Kirk are putting
together a video about Red Lily Pond, which we will premiere on June 21st.
Want to be part of the celebration? Join us as we prepare! Each week for 12 weeks prior to the
start of summer, beginning Saturday, March 29th, I’ll share one of the Jen’s illustrations via my
Facebook page. If you’d like to receive this series of pictures and reflections personally, each week,
via e-mail, please e-mail me at [email protected] and I’ll be sure to include you!
Think summer!
-Steve Brown, President, Red Lily Pond Project Association
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WEATHERWIZE: POLAR VORTEX
BY DOPPLER DEBBIE (ALMY)
The term “Polar Vortex” is a new weather term added to the New England weather vocabulary, and
it has made a very strong impression so far this year. With our daytime high temperatures in the
12˚ to 15˚F. range, and the nighttime lows below O˚, we are suddenly most aware of this new
term. Our temperatures here in New England have no comparison to the bone-chilling degrees in
the Midwest, when any outside exposure time is considered life-threatening. What is the polar
vortex and why have we not heard about it or felt its strong influence before?
The stratospheric polar vortex is a large-scale cyclonic region of air that is contained by a strong
west-to-east jet stream that circles the polar region. This jet stream is usually referred to as the
polar night jet. The polar vortex is only a winter phenomena, for it develops as the sun sets over the
polar region and temperatures cool. Interactions between the Arctic Sea ice decline, and reduced
snow cover and evapotranspiration patterns may be one reason for the southerly dip in the
vortex. The distribution of land masses at high latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere gives rise to
Rossby waves, which are huge high altitude winds undulating in between the latitudes. These
winds contribute to the breakdown of the vortex. These winds are likened to hurricane force of 100
mph or more, and with any warming of the vortex, it weakens, and essentially flings the colder wind
patterns out of the normal arctic circular pattern and down into the lower latitudes. All of these
factors combined cause weather systems in the United States to be blocked, as was the case when
a blocked high-pressure system in Greenland steered Hurricane Sandy into the Mid-Atlantic States
so severely. Once the arctic air settles into the lower climates, it takes a strong jet stream influence
in the United States to push the cold air back where it belongs. This unusual change in the arctic
flow doesn’t happen often, but once it does, as is evident this year, the pattern seems to be in a
repeating mode.
Why the meteorologists haven’t tried to explain this unusual event is not an easy question to
answer, except that they may not have a clear reason themselves. All they seem to do is warn us
of yet another wave of this frigid air about to slam into us, so shovel the walkways now before the
snow turns as hard as concrete. The life-threatening temperatures hammering the Central States
will have a long-term effect for agriculture, water supply and the general patterns of daily life.
Already, we have heard about shortages of propane gas affecting many homeowners, and soon the
cost of heating oil will reflect the huge demand, as a direct result of the unusual brutal cold.
Why this weather hasn’t occurred before now is anyone’s guess, but the global warming aspect
certainly carries much weight in a possible answer. Weather is an inexact science with many
variables added to the mix, and so many questions remain unanswered, even as much evidence is
gathered to determine the cause of this weather phenomenon that is new to us. Also, the high-end
technological terminology is enough to give the most interested weather amateur enough
uncertainty to give up the hunt, and just tune into the TV weather people and let them tell us how
cold it is going to be and, hopefully, when the arctic blast will retreat.
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WE WELCOME ALL NEWS PERTAINING TO CRAIGVILLE NEIGHBORS AND ACTIVITIES. AND, we are always on
the web at Craigville.org (postings to [email protected]) and for the CCOA page “friend” us on Facebook (postings for FB
page to Geoffrey Underwood [email protected])! The Craigville Chronicle is sponsored by the Christian Camp
Meeting Association and the Craigville Cottage Owners Association, and is produced weekly from the last week in June
through Labor Day weekend and off-season once during the Fall (November), Winter (February) and Spring (May).
Please e-mail your news to Alice Brown, editor, at [email protected]. Craigville Retreat Center
information can be found 24/7 at www.craigvilleretreats.org.
!Alice Brown, Editor
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