The stalwart members of the Events Committee and Board of Directors of the Christ Church Guilford Society, Inc., mounted two events during the summer of 2026: a moving Memorial Day ceremony on May 25th and an evening of slate art, live music, displays from area nonprofit, poetry readings and refreshments on August 20th. 
Memorial Day
The Events Committee – comprised of Don McLean, Carol Leitch, Andy Burrows, and Valerie Abrahamsen – decided early in the spring that, in this year of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and with everything else going on in our country, Christ Church Guilford should sponsor a short ceremony on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25th. After some discussion we felt that our ceremony should take place in the morning; this would allow attendees to participate in other community remembrances and have time to spend with families.
Several dedicated members of the Events Committee erected our tent on Sunday afternoon then, early on Monday morning, set up the sound system, borrowed from St. Michael’s Episcopal Church. 
The forecast for several days beforehand was rain – not ideal conditions for an outdoor event. The rain stopped just as we were getting started around 9:30.
There were approximately 10 in attendance, plus a reporter from the Reformer, with his camera. Moving readings and reflections, offered by Andy Burrows, Carol Leitch, Don McLean and Rachel Johnson, included Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, “In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae, and “Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep” by Mary Elizabeth Frye. Dwayne Johnson concluded the ceremony with an enlightening history of Taps, followed by his beautiful rendition on trumpet, as he stood at the edge of the cemetery. Check out the Reformer coverage.
Carol had earlier obtained American flags from the VFW, so after Taps, several of us spread out over the cemetery to replace old flags with new ones on veterans’ graves. 
We are grateful to Barry Asleshnick of the Christ Church Cemetery Association and two Guilford neighbors for helping us clean up, and we hope to reprise this important commemoration in future years.
A Guilford Soirée at Christ Church
On Thursday evening, August 20th, we held a fair of sorts, an experiment to highlight art painted on pieces of slate from our roof, slate that had been quarried just down the road. Bard Owl, the local duo of Annie Landenberger and T. Breeze Verdant, provided music, poetry readings were offered, and local nonprofits set up tables displaying information about their work.
Once again, the forecast was unnerving as we got closer to start time at 5:00. But Bard Owl, Events Committee members, and representatives from the local groups valiantly moved ahead. Among the participants were Guilford Community Church (pictured), the Christ Church Cemetery Association, Write Action, Guilford Center Stage, and Friends of Algiers Village.
Carol Leitch took the lead to create a stunning display of the slate art that had been donated. Subjects ranged from Christ Church in moonlight to scenes from nature, landscapes, hearts, puffins, a sheep, and a dragon. Artists represented included Carol’s daughter Ara June Leitch, Evelyn McLean, Annie Landenberger, Sheila Adams, Lesley Malouin, and Marjorie Layman. 
Andy Burrows had arranged, through Write Action, for several poets, including himself, to do moving readings between sets from Bard Owl. Those reading their own poems or those composed by others (including the late Tom Ragle), in addition to Andy, were Verandah Porche, Fred Breunig, and Lesley Malouin.
Everyone braved several bouts of sprinkles, but the rain finally came down relentlessly around 7:00, and we made the decision to close up. We will undoubtedly find other ways to display the slate art – which we offered for suggested donations of $35 and $55 to support the work of Christ Church – at future events, and we invite inquiries by other artists to create their own pieces (we have plenty of slate!). Exhibitions should be easier once we are able to reopen the building to the public; we are under contract with a vendor to repair the plaster ceiling, with substantial financial assistance coming from a $20,000 matching grant from the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation. Once the ceiling work is completed later this fall, we should be able to move ahead with indoor events in our beloved space. Keep your eyes on our website for updates. 
Thanks to everyone who participated in and attended our events on the lawn this summer!
Valerie Abrahamsen
Soirée photos by Don McLean and Carol Leitch