Blackstone Quaker Meeting House hosts ecumenical service on June 4

The second in a series of Ecumenical Services sponsored by the East Blackstone Quaker Meeting House and Cemetery Historical Association, Inc. will be held on Sunday, June 4, 2023 at the historic Meeting House at 197 Elm Street in Blackstone. Matt Genese, Associate Pastor at Valley Chapel (Church of the Nazarene) in Uxbridge, MA, will serve as guest pastor. Music will be under the direction of organist John Staples, and special music selections will be performed by members of Valley Chapel. The service will begin at 2:00 p.m.

Pastor Genese serves as Valley Chapel’s Associate Pastor of Worship and Online Community. An accomplished professional musician, Pastor G has extensive pastoral experience as well service as a missionary in eastern Europe. For the past several years, Matt has taught Bible at Whitinsville Christian School where he is a highly regarded teacher. He and his wife Cydney have three children.

The June 4th service will be followed by three additional services this fall. The first, on Sunday, September 17th, will be led by Reverend Bill Vis, retired CRC pastor and member of the Pleasant Street Christian Reformed

Church in Whitinsville; and the second will be held on Sunday, November 12th. The Association’s Christmas Caroling Service will be held on Friday, December 8th.

The Association recently held its Annual Meeting of members. The newly elected Officers for the Association’s 2023-2024 year are: Ellery Wood, President; Jonathan Steele, Vice President; Secretary, Gretchen Greene; and Treasurer, Beverley Kelly Ryan. In addition, Ann Durham was appointed chair of the House & Grounds Committee; and Audrey Frechette was appointed Assistant Secretary.

The Pawtucket Public Library is excited to invite patrons to our Summer Reading Preview Party on Saturday June 10th at 11:00 a.m. on the library’s front lawn (in case of rain it will be held in the library’s Leisure Reading Room). Come and learn about this year’s “Dive Into Reading” program. Creative Chica Face Painting will join us, and each participant will get a free Palagi’s Frozen Lemonade after registering for this year’s Summer Reading Program! Children of all ages can be Summer Readers. For more information, visit the Pawtucket Children’s Library, Call 401-7253714 x209 or email childrens@pawtucketlibrary. org. The statewide Rhode Island Summer Reading Program is supported by the RI Office of Library and Information Services with funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Local support includes the Friends of the Pawtucket Public Library, and the Pawtucket Library’s Caidin Fund.

Ecumenical services are sponsored yearly by the Association which was formed in 1954 for the purpose of preserving and maintaining the historic Meeting House and burial grounds. Membership in the Association is open to all persons interested in the preservation of the Meeting House and cemetery. For information regarding the Association and its workings, or regarding membership in the Association, please visit the Association’s updated website at http://www.blackstonequakermeetinghouse. org/.

Join the Museum of Work & Culture, a division of the Rhode Island Historical Society, on Thursday, June 8 at 6:30pm for an in-person screening of Sons of Providence: The Jewish History of Providence College, 1917-1965, a documentary about how Providence College became a welcoming haven for Jewish students during the first half of the 20th-century. The documentary features interviews with Jewish alumni, Providence College faculty, and experts placing their stories within the context of the larger historical and religious issues of the era, culminating with the Second Vatican Council in 1965 when the Catholic Church radically redefined its relationship with the Jewish people in the wake of WWII. Following the screening, the museum’s Exhibit & Program Coordinator Deborah Krieger will engage in a hybrid discussion about the making of Sons of Providence with Arthur P. Urbano, Professor of Theology at Providence College and Jennifer Illuzzi, associate Professor

of History at Providence College. Attendance is free, but registration is required. Guests may register by emailing dkrieger@rihs.org. This program is presented as part of a series inspired by the Museum’s current temporary exhibit Mishpakha: Jewish History of Woonsocket.

Downtown North Attleboro is getting ready for the 3rd season of the weekly Farmer’s Market which will take place each Wednesday from 5 – 8 PM beginning on June 7th. The market will feature farm fresh vegetables, flowers, baked goods, honey as well as handcrafted items from local artisans. A variety of food trucks and favorite tunes from Bob K the DJ will be featured every week. The weekly market will run through mid-September in Veterans Park located at 43 South Washington Street.

Blackstone Valley Heritage Charity Golf Tournament Join business leaders at this relaxed charity golf tournament for a fun day of golfing, networking, and of course eating & drinking all to benefit Blackstone Valley Tourism Council’s youth environmental education programs! Registration includes 18 holes of golf, lunch, steak dinner, a gift bag, and chances at great prizes! Monday, June 26th, 2023 Crystal Lake Golf Club 100 Broncos Highway, Burrillville, RI. Register at https://blackstonevalleytourismcouncil.org/golf/

Riverzedge Arts’ 2nd Annual Summer Block Party! Enjoy FREE food, music, games, activities, face painting, and the chance to print your very own t-shirt! Saturday, July 15th, 12:00pm-5:00pm Riverzedge ARTS, 196 2nd Avenue, Woonsocket.

Old Slater Mill Tours with Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park open for the Season on May 11 and continue Thursdays – Sundays through December 31. Join a Park Ranger on a tour of the Mill that started the American Industrial Revolution. These 30 minute guided tours investigate the historical significance of Slater Mill, and what valuable lessons the building still teachings us. Tours begin at 10:30 AM, 12:30 PM and 2:30 PM in front of the mill. Please arrive a few minutes early.

Join the Pawtucket Seniors Walking Club on Mondays at 1 p.m. There will be a variation of walking indoors, out in the community, and special walking trips. The Pawtucket Seniors Walking Club will be modeling the Department of Health and Arthritis Association’s walking programs that are evidence based programs. Walking has physical, mental and social benefits! Come join us as we age healthfully. This program is free to Seniors 55 and older. If you are interested in joining, please sign up at the Senior Center second floor or call 728-7582 for more information about this program or to learn more about services available to Seniors.

The Rhode Island Historical Society will kick off the 26th season of its beloved Concerts Under the Elms series on Thursday, June 30th at 6:30 p.m. The sixweek series, hosted on the newly-revitalized Great Lawn of the John Brown House Museum, will feature a lineup of returning favorites and first-time performers. Each evening will also feature a specially selected food truck. Concerts are free for RIHS members and $10 for nonmembers. Membership packages start at $40. Guests are welcome to bring chairs and coolers. Concerts Under the Elms are made possible by AAA Northeast, along with Brown University and Esten & Richard Insurance, B101, and Opt Eyewear. June 29: Greystone Rail: Greystone Rail features fiddle, banjo, guitar and bass to create classic bluegrass and country music. Food provided by Little B’s BBQ. July 6: Atwater-Donnelly: Atwater-Donnelly provides a unique and thrilling blend of traditional American and Celtic folk music. Food provided by Nanu Burmese Fusion. July 13: Bay Swing: Bay Swing is an outstanding jazz ensemble in the style of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli, playing Bossa Nova and Blues. Food provided by Incred-a-bowl. July 20: The Good Living Band: The Good Living Band is a powerhouse quartet from northern Rhode Island with a vast catalog of favorites from “Friday I’m in Love” to “Ventura Highway.” Food provided by Gnarly Vines.