Quarter Donated to Marathon Tragedy Victims Has Story Behind It

A 5-year-old girl donated it before a concert in Westborough.

A quarter donated Sunday to support the Boston Marathon tragedy victims has a story behind it. Kendra Workman, 5, donated the quarter before Sunday's "Apres Un Reve" Marathon benefit concert at the First United Methodist Church, member Sue Foster said. "She couldn't stay. She wanted to donate. She found the quarter on the floor, and wanted to donate it," Foster said. About 20 people attended Sunday's concert, which featured music by lyric soprano Melissa Glaister, cellist Christine Tsen and the Rev. Elizabeth Kubota on piano and harp. The program included 12 songs: "Orpheus With His Lute"; "Never Seek to Tell Thy Love"; "Scarborough Fair"; "Fairest Isle"; "Londonderry Air"; "Kum Ba Yah"; "Gabriel's Oboe"; "Playing Love"; ""All the Things …

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Classical Music Concert Benefits Marathon Tragedy Victims

The concert is Sunday at the First United Methodist Church.

A classical music concert in Westborough this Sunday will benefit the Boston Marathon tragedy victims. "Apres Un Reve" will be held at 2 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 120 West Main St. Admission is a free-will offering. The concert will feature Christine Tsen on cello; the Rev. Elizabeth Kubota on piano and harp; and special guest Melissa Glaister, a lyric soprano.

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Bottle and Can Drive Supports Churches' Efforts in W.Va.

About 84 students from the First United Methodist Church and St. Luke the Evangelist will repair homes in July.

Area residents deposited their carbonated beverage cans and bottles to Westborough's First United Methodist Church on Saturday. Young members of First United Methodist and St. Luke the Evangelist Parish carried them to a shed at the Methodist church. The bottle and can drive was the latest fundraiser to help about 84 students from the two churches go to West Virginia to repair homes over July 6 to July 14.  

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Community to Share Blessing for Africa Mission Team

The First United Methodist Church team leaves for Rwanda on Friday.

The Westborough community will wish the First United Methodist Church's Africa Mission team safe travels Friday. The church will host a blessing at 2:30 p.m., the Rev. John Wesley Taylor, the pastor, said today. The mission team leaves for Rwanda on Friday, returning on Feb. 25. Members of the church will deliver “about 1,000 pounds” of supplies to the village of Kibogora, Taylor has said. The Westborough church is forming a “sister relationship” with that community, symbolized partly by a banner the 13 mission participants will bring, the pastor says. An artist in the church created it, he says.

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Mission to Connect Westborough With Rwanda

Members of the First United Methodist Church will deliver 'about 1,000 pounds' of supplies to a village there, pastor says.

Members of the First United Methodist Church will deliver “about 1,000 pounds” of supplies to the village of Kibogora, Rwanda on Feb. 15, the Rev. John Wesley Taylor says. The Westborough church is forming a “sister relationship” with that community, symbolized partly by a banner the 13 mission participants will bring, the pastor says. An artist in the church created it, he says, “I’ve been praying about connecting to Africa for years. I hear about what’s happening as far as church and faith and how the church is growing and how faith has really helped a lot of African countries,” Taylor says. “Me, personally, I think we in our area, New England, Massachusetts, Westborough, we’re sort of in a mission field. And I think spiritually, we’re a…

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Chili Contest Gets Warm Reception

The proceeds will help students from two Westborough churches repair homes in West Virginia this July.

Pieces of 8, White Chicken Chili and Big Daddy's Chili Moreno were among about 15 chili recipes competing for prizes in Westborough Saturday night. Ultimately, about 84 students at Westborough’s First United Methodist Church and St. Luke the Evangelist Parish won.  The proceeds from the 5th Annual Westborough Appalachia Service Project Chili Challenge will help the group go to West Virginia to repair homes over July 6 to July 14. About 200 people were expected to attend Saturday night's event at the Knights of Columbus Hall.  The top three chilis received prizes. Bertucci's Restaurant, Tavolino's Ristorante and Sachi Japanese Steak House and Sushi Bar have donated gift certificates. Starbucks has donated coffee.

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Share a Meal During New First United Methodist Program

The Agape Kitchen starts Wednesday night.

“Meals,” the Rev. John Wesley Taylor notes, “have always been the gathering point for folks in churches through the years.” A new free community supper program starts at the First United Methodist Church from 6 to 7 p.m. this Wednesday for this reason. The Agape Kitchen will invite community members for prayer, food and socializing,  with “no agenda except ‘you’re loved, and you’re not alone,’” says Taylor, First United Methodist’s pastor. Organizers also are reaching out to “families in transition,” who reside in local “little small motel rooms.” he says. “This way, they get to be with others,” Taylor says. “No one will know who’s who, because it’s going to be community folks, church folks, older folks that live on their own. What we want…

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'Keep Choosing Love'

About 30 people attend a prayer gathering at Westborough's First United Methodist Church for the victims of the Newtown, Conn. tragedy.

Friday night, hours after the Newtown, Conn. tragedy, Westborough’s First United Methodist Church became “a refuge, a shelter,” in the words of its pastor. “We needed to open up the church – and I’m sure churches all over the country are opening – just for people to be together,” the Rev. John Wesley Taylor said. About 30 people attended the informal prayer gathering, during which Scripture was read and organist Elizabeth Kubota and cellist Christine Tsen performed. Kubota played "Gabriel’s Oboe,” Taylor noted. “Every time she plays it, I cry,” he said. “But tonight, we cry because we think of the victims. We think of 20 kids who went to school today, the parents of those 20 kids that tonight can’t imagine life without their little ones.” …

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Pie Fundraiser and Can Drive Helping Send Youths to WV

Together, two Westborough churches will send about 84 youths there next July to repair homes.

This Saturday, students at Westborough’s First United Methodist Church and St. Luke the Evangelist Parish will bake Thanksgiving pies. And the following week is the students’ annual bottle and can drive. Both fundraisers will support the two churches’ annual youth involvement in the Appalachia Service Project, where they will repair homes in West Virginia over July 6 to July 14. About 84 students will participate this year, says Jonathan Owen, the First United Methodist Church member who coordinates the trip the two churches sponsor. Nine local adults did an ASP trip last month, he says. The seventh annual pumpkin pie, apple crisp and uncooked apple crisp fundraiser is  underway. The pies are $10, and will be handmade at First United …

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Town Talent

Voice Recital Features 3 WHS Seniors

Local vocal coach said she has 'a ton of pride watching them.'

  As Westborough vocal coach Julie Krugman prepares the end-of-year recital for her students, she is especially proud of the three seniors who are moving on to college. Mara Frumkin, Kate Barrette and Chloe Reske will join 17 others in a free public performance. “They are going off to college and focusing on the arts. It’s a big decision,” said Krugman. “[College] is an important time. When you are in your 20s, you can afford to pursue your dreams.” Mara Frumkin, 17, has been singing since eighth grade. She is heading off to Texas Christian University in Fort Worth this fall. She plans to study theater and acting. “I hope to do musical theater, as well,” she said. “I want to keep performing. I want to inspire little kids to do theater.” …

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