From the Mayor’s Office: Enchanted!

The Mayor’s Message at the Old School Baptist Meeting House

Outdoor Christmas Eve Celebration

Good evening, everyone. Welcome to the Village of Warwick’s Christmas Eve Sing Along!

Thank you to Recreation Director, Ron Introini and his staff, the Warwick Fire Department, Warwick EMS for your help to make this evening possible. Special thanks to Deborah Sweeton who will be doing the Bible reading, Noreen Hansen who will be leading us in song with accompanist Lionel Wolf. Jody Weatherstone who’s been our lead for many years could not be here this evening but sends her well wishes and Holiday cheer.

We are here this evening because of the generosity of the Warwick Historical Society. They are the stewards of this historic building, and it is important to be respectful of this structure. Please refrain from thumping or stomping but bell ringing and clapping are more than welcome. As a way of saying thank you to the Historical Society we pass a basket – all proceeds go to the Society, please be generous. Of importance, this year will begin the restoration of this building so your gift is more important than ever.

Dear friends, welcome back to an evening and place we all cherish. Though displaced for a little while by a world-wide pandemic we are here and I dare say, very happy! The thread of continuity for this event was important to us and included a virtual concert and last year we held it just outside these doors. My friends, we have walked out of this storm bravely and to be in this place, surrounded by these four magnificent walls with our friends and neighbors is the experience we have waited for, so welcome home!

Why should a simple sing-along be so important? Maybe it’s a moment of relief and fellowship; when we go through these doors and the worries of the world are erased and time stands still. Maybe it’s the connection with each other and the invisible ties, those strange threads that we feel but sometimes can’t explain. Maybe it’s the joy we feel, that comes from our hearts as we sing the familiar and beautiful songs we love.

It is all these things and more. It comes from a true love of place and the things that we have discovered along the way. My friend Doug Cook describes the valley and our Village as Enchanted Warwick. When I hear that description, I immediately imagine the characters that inhabit our favorite fairy tales. As in any good story there is as many princes and princesses as there are ogres and witches. So, we are truly an enchanted place!

But tonight, we are enchanted by each other and the magic of Christmas and as we sing, we celebrate the birth of a savior. That’s a big deal and a moment to reflect that we can always use a savior to watch our back.

Our enchantment has as much to do with humility as with our place in the world. It is through that lens that we can see each other, love each other, and prepare for our future. And it is in humility that we find a true sense of self and community. Simply said, we are remarkable, rambunctious and the place we dream of.

On behalf of the Village Board of Trustees, our administrative staff, and our Department of Public Works, I wish you and your families a very merry and blessed Christmas.