MONTAGUE CENTER — First Congregational Church of Montague will hold a community celebration for Rev. Barbara Turner-Delisle, who is retiring from her ministry at the church. The event is set for today, July 22, from 6 to 9:30 p.m., at the Montague Common Hall (formerly Montague Grange #141). It will be a mini potluck — please bring munchies, finger food or desserts to share. Music by David Kaynor “and Friends.”
CHARLEMONT — “A Circle of Forgiveness,” a workshop, will take place at the Charlemont Federated Church on Saturday, Aug. 5 from 1 to 5 p.m. Join facilitators Molly Scott, Cara Hochhalter and Loretta Kearsley as we explore a fourfold path for forgiveness as described in “The Book of Forgiving” by Desmond Tutu and his daughter, Mpho. Class is limited to 12 participants. Please call the church to register: 413-339-4294.
ASHFIELD — St. John’s Episcopal Church of Ashfield has been awarded a Loaves and Fishes Grant of $10,000 from the Community Foundation of Western Mass to support its faith-based social activism. The grant will help to launch the first two years of a project to create kits to help three underserved groups with life transitions: refugees, mothers of school-aged children, and for women being released from the Chicopee House of Corrections. The goal is to create and distribute approx. 200 kits across the three groups over two years. St. John’s will coordinate collecting the items in the kits and assembling the kits. St. John’s invites individuals, groups and other congregations in the area to participate. Donations of gently used backpacks, toiletry and personal care items, Bibles, blank journals and nonperishable snack food items are welcome. For more information, visit www.stjohnsashfield.org or email project coordinator Mary Link at maryclink@gmail.com with Loaves and Fishes in the subject line.
Walk the labyrinth Sunday
GREENFIELD — Walk the labyrinth July 23, the fourth Sunday of the month, at 4 p.m., at Sts. James and Andrew Episcopal Church, 8 Church St., Greenfield.
BUCKLAND — Mary Lyon Church is one of several local organizations hosting “A Summer Day on the Buckland Common,” which will be held Saturday, July 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This event is being held on the historic Buckland Center Common at the corner of Upper and Cross streets in front of the Mary Lyon Church and at other venues along Upper Street in Buckland Center. The day’s activities will include entertainment, book sales, a free band concert at 1 p.m., tag, art and craft sales, displays, demonstrations, Early American children’s games, tours and more. A lunch of hamburgers and hot dogs will be available. Buckland Blueberry Buckle will be available all day. For more information, call Douglas Mollison at 413-628-3231.
CHARLEMONT — The Charlemont Federated Church will hold a brief Special Congregational Meeting on Sunday, Aug. 6, after the worship service. The church is at 175 Main St. For more information, call 413-339-4294
CHARLEMENT — Explaining why Americans appear not to be as attached to democracy as we might think will be the theme of the Charlemont Forum’s second summer event. Professor Austin Sarat, Associate Dean of the Faculty, and William Nelson Cromwell, Professor of Jurisprudence and Political Science at Amherst College, will help audience members take a hard look at the erosion of public faith in the rule of law and democratic governance. Tuesday, Aug. 8 at 7 p.m., at the Charlemont Federated Church on Main Street (Route 2). The event is free and is supported by the Cultural Councils of Amherst, Buckland, charlemont/Hawley, Conway, Heath, Rowe and Shelburne, local agencies supported by the Mass. Cultural Council, a state agency.
GREENFIELD — On Sunday, Aug. 13, Saints James and Andrew Episcopal Church will have one combined service at 9 a.m. under a tent on the lawn, at 8 Church St. The Rev. Heather Blais says, “We will sing a cappella camp hymns and worship God, followed by helping our Vacation Bible School Director Marie Paquette transform our campus for VBS, which will begin later that evening. After we have transformed our campus, we will have a potluck parish picnic on the lawn. All are invited and welcome. Questions? Visit www.saintsjamesandandrew.org or call 413-773-3925.
NORTH ORANGE — On Saturday, Aug. 19, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Community Church of North Orange and Tully will hold their annual Village Fair in Goddard Park, North Orange (rain or shine). The event begins with the Unfair 5K, marked by a long (and unfair to some) hike up Royalston Road Hill. The race begins at 7:30 a.m. Tom Ricardi, large bird rehabilitator and expert, will give a presentation of his “Birds of Prey” at 11 a.m. Singer-songwriter Richard Chase will perform at Goddard Park beginning at 1 p.m. New this year: “Storyward,” inspired by the Story Corps segment on National Public Radio and facilitated by Rev. Don Erickson. There will be a buffet lunch, a quilt raffle, handmade crafts and baked goods and more.