Lyceum on Carlisle’s Center Park & Nature-Themed Music Sunday at First Parish on Sunday

Submitted by First Parish on Bedford Common

Gardening and Nature will be dominant themes at First Parish on the Common on Sunday, May 4. The Bedford Lyceum, The Story of Center Park and Life Begins at 70, begins in Room 202 at 9 am and the congregation’s annual Music Sunday service, with a nature-based theme this year, begins at 10 am in the sanctuary of the historic meeting house.

The Bedford Lyceum – The Story of Center Park in Carlisle, or Life Begins at 70

The story of Carlisle’s Center Park is the tale of a Cinderella woodlot that became a stunning garden park–and a personal parable wherein former First Parishioner Sabrina Perry turned aging on its ear.

While many slow down when they turn 70, Sabrina instead created Center Park. Raising awareness, support (not always easy) and significant funds, the work to create the park began in 2005; the dedication took place in 2007. Now on the cusp of its 7th year, Center Park’s initial garden design plan is complete and it represents a testimony of living art in nature.

Illustrated with stunning photographs of the park and its blossoms, Sunday’s Lyceum conversation will include an invitation to bring your family and a picnic to Center Park on Carlisle’s Old Home Day, June 28, and celebrate the park’s 7th birthday with live music.

Music Sunday – A Tribute to Nature, coordinated by First Parish Music Director Brad Connor

For the single 10 a.m. service, the First Parish adult choir accompanied by Steve Sussman, Jim Swist and an entire battery of percussion and bells will be performing a tribute to “Nature” with music by Franz Josef Haydn, Antonin Dvorák, Janet Welby, Ken Langer and others.

Have you ever experienced a musical “Cloudburst”?  Listened to the calls of native people from the outback of Australia?  With readings by the ministers taken from the writings of the transcendentalists and others, Music Sunday is is a BIG and not-to-be-missed event, toward which the congregation’s choir started working last fall.

It’s been a long winter; we deserve this Sunday’s celebrations!