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Welcome back!
It was a short week thanks to the holiday, and youth sports are about to kick it into full gear. That means weekend traffic on Fairbank Road, and an opportunity for 17,000 Sudbury traffic experts residents to question the Complete Streets changes at the intersection of Fairbank and Hudson Road.
Here’s what we have for you this week:
Thoughts In Return? A Q&A With Sudbury Meetinghouse Inc.
Parade Watch...
Confetti & Kindness: A Family Night of Giving Back with Birthday Wishes – November 21
Community Preservation Committee Aims To Enhance Project Vetting, Reporting
Surely A Dry Summer
Wayland Restaurant, Spice and Pepper, to Reopen
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things
Emmy-Winning Filmmakers to Premiere “Loving Karma” Documentary at LSRHS
Household Goods in Urgent Need of Essential Household Items
Let’s get into it!
Thoughts In Return? A Q&A With Sudbury Meetinghouse Inc.
FEATURES
By Sudbury Weekly
Founded in 2024, Sudbury Meetinghouse, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a mission to expand the secular use of the historic meetinghouse. To mark the beginning of this exciting journey, Sudbury Meetinghouse invites the entire community to a FREE celebration in the Town Center on Saturday, September 13. In anticipation of the launch event, Tom Kruskal was kind enough to answer our questions about the new nonprofit.
Why was Sudbury Meetinghouse, Inc. founded, and what inspired the decision to expand the secular use of the First Parish Meetinghouse?
The Meetinghouse was built in 1797 and originally functioned as both the secular meetinghouse for the town’s annual meetings and the home of the only church in Sudbury. Thus, the building was the center of community life until 1836 when the separation of church and state became a reality here. Since then, the building has been used and maintained by the members of First Parish of Sudbury. As time has passed, First Parish has faced the same trends as is seen nationwide – a fewer number of church goers. The maintenance of the iconic building that has represented Sudbury for over 225 years has become more and more difficult. So First Parish decided to follow the lead of many other historic churches, such as the Arlington Street Church in Boston and the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church in Gloucester, and create a separate charitable entity devoted to the secular use of the building – hoping to attract community supporters and foundation grants to maintain and preserve the beautiful landmark.
The meetinghouse has been part of Sudbury’s history since 1797. How do you balance preserving its historic character while adapting it for modern community use?
Parade Watch…
EVENTS
By The Sudbury Chamber of Commerce
For many years, the 4th of July Parade has been organized, produced and funded by the Sudbury Chamber of Commerce. The 2025 parade included some new entries including the Shriners and the Asian American Association of Sudbury Dragon Dancers, along with time honored favorite bands, militia and many regional businesses. The 2026 Parade, which will celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation’s independence, promises to be the biggest and best parade in our town’s history. We invite you to join us as a volunteer for the 2026 parade. Please reach out to [email protected] to learn more.
The community steps in every year to make this treasured tradition possible. We are thankful for the generosity of time, talent and financial support.
Confetti & Kindness: A Family Night of Giving Back with Birthday Wishes – November 21
EVENTS
By Birthday Wishes
Birthday Wishes is a nonprofit organization located in Sudbury, MA. Their mission is to improve and empower the lives of homeless children and their families by providing joy, play, and hope through the magic of a birthday party.
Join them on November 21st for a one-of-a-kind event, Confetti & Kindness: A Family Night of Giving Back with Birthday Wishes, where families come together to make a lasting difference in the lives of children experiencing homelessness. Set inside the historic Concord Scout House this heartfelt evening offers more than just a meal. It’s a night of shared purpose, where warmth, generosity, and action come together in the spirit of Birthday Wishes. Held during Homelessness Awareness Month, the event invites guests to pause, reflect, and take meaningful action side-by-side. Guests will enjoy a family-style dinner and engage in hands-on service projects. Tickets start at $65. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. Visit the website to learn more and purchase tickets: https://e.givesmart.com/events/JOD/
Community Preservation Committee Aims To Enhance Project Vetting, Reporting
NEWS
By Kevin LaHaise
The Wednesday, September 3 meeting of the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) had a relatively brief agenda, focused primarily on reviewing their Community Preservation Plan. That conversation led to several exchanges that will give applicants a sense of what to expect in future CPC application cycles.
1 – More Robust Applications
The committee discussed requiring project applications to have clearly-designated project owners (either departments or individuals) and more specific project timelines and milestones.
2 – Potential Sunset Clauses
The committee has previously discussed this topic, but the idea is to have a cutoff date when the funding expires and must be returned. Certain projects, like the SMILE playground at Haskell Field, or phase two of the Feeley Field renovations were delayed for multiple years. In the case of the SMILE playground, a multi-year delay during years of high inflation and cost escalation meant the town could only complete a portion of the project with the original funding, and the department is now evaluating ways to fund and complete the remainder of the project. Feeley Field may be on the same trajectory, as it has been delayed pending completion of the Fields Needs Assessment. The committee seemed to broadly agree that some sort of sunset clause for each project would be fair and appropriate, with members noting that other communities use sunset clauses. Here’s an example from Harvard.
3 – Stronger Enforcement on Reporting and Close-Outs
While the Planning Department generally receives the required reports from projects that get approved by Town Meeting to proceed, some take some chasing down. A few have slipped through without reporting or closing out the funding and returning it to the CPA fund. One example cited was a cemetery preservation project that has been stalled for approximately two decades, but has not closed out and returned the CPA funding.
The committee also discussed not overreaching into project management of the approved projects. Chair Sherri Cline pointed out that the statute very clearly specifies the duties of the committee, which largely focus on studying the town’s needs, reviewing applications and making recommendations to Town Meeting. Town Meeting has the final vote on any CPC-recommended projects.
While members proposed the above adjustments to either their policies or procedures, certain decisions may require further deliberation, policy development, or formal votes. Formalities aside, applicants can expect more rigorous vetting from the CPC, particularly with regard to project timelines.
The committee will meet again on September 17, at which time they will discuss many of these items, best practices from around Massachusetts, and more, with a representative from the Community Preservation Coalition.
Surely A Dry Summer
NEWS/FEATURES
By John Palmieri
As we move into the Fall season we do so after a very dry summer. Temperatures have routinely pushed back to the 70’s most days now with nighttime generally in the 50’s. I am sure you can notice the difference. The most important weather event though is our noticeable lack of rain. Some of those details are noted below:
Rainfall for August: 1.24 inches
Year to date rainfall 2025: 27.74 in.
Year to date rainfall 2024: 35.61 in.
Year to date rainfall 2023: 43.57 in.
June, July, August rainfall 2025: 6.75
June, July, August rainfall 2024: 10.16
June, July, August rainfall 2023: 24.27
No. Of 90 degree days 2025: 23
No. Of 90 degree days 2024: 17
No. Of 90 degree days 2023: 7
Surely a correlation between the number of 90 degree days in the summer and the amount of rain.
The high temperature for August was 94 and the low temperature was 47 degrees. The cooler nights are welcome after many nights staying at 70 degrees or higher. So as we move into Fall let’s hope for more consistent rainfall.
Wayland Restaurant, Spice and Pepper, to Reopen
NEWS
By Kevin LaHaise
Following news that the restaurant was being sold, the owners of Spice and Pepper in Wayland are announcing a reopening on Thursday, September 4.
The Wayland Post reported on the closure and potential sale of the business earlier this summer. At the time, the acquirer, Amarin of Thailand out of Wellesley, MA, noted that the deal was not yet finalized.
In August, 2025 correspondence with Sudbury Weekly, the owner of Spice and Pepper noted that the sale did not go through, and they were reopening the establishment soon. On Wednesday, September 3, patrons began posting about the imminent reopening of the restaurant, which has been a popular takeout option in the Wayland food scene for many years.
Patrons can read the menu and order online from their website, here. The reopening is slated for Thursday, September 4.
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things
FEATURES
By Rev. Eric Wolf
Exploring the intersection of sacred and secular.
I’m at the (interminable) stage of writing The Myth of a Dying Church that’s editing, narrowing the scope, and filling in gaps. The current chapter ponders human nature, how we think we’ve changed, and whether or not the idea that we have changed is true at all. I introduce Wolf’s Theory of Everything in Chapter 6, the internal framework I’ve developed over the years as a tool to dismiss false boundaries among the various disciplines seeking to reveal deeper meaning and discern what is Real — science, religion, sociology, philosophy, and so on.
Modest Proposals
My thinking always begins with beginnings, and this excerpt picks up around there.
Emmy-Winning Filmmakers to Premiere “Loving Karma” Documentary at LSRHS
NEWS
By Kevin LaHaise
Global Premiere Returns to Massachusetts Where Jhamtse’s Journey Began 25 Years Ago
A story of global healing and transformation is making its way back to its local roots. Emmy-winning filmmakers Johnny Burke and Andrew Hinton will host the global premiere of their highly anticipated documentary, “Loving Karma,” right here in Sudbury on Saturday, October 18, 2025.
The screening will take place at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School at 7:00 PM and marks a significant homecoming for the film’s subject. The story follows the Jhamtse Gatsal children’s community in the Indian Himalayas, which was founded by former Buddhist monk Lobsang Phuntsok. Phuntsok’s initial vision for the community, which provides a loving family and healing environment for children who have experienced hardship, was first shared nearly 25 years ago in nearby Concord.
Household Goods in Urgent Need of Essential Household Items
EVENTS
By Household Goods
Household Goods, a local non-profit organization that provides a full range of donated furniture and household items, free of charge, to help people in need make a home, is experiencing a surge in demand and is in need of more essential items. The organization is urgently requesting donations of the following:
Blankets and comforters in all sizes (no rips or stains)
Towels in all sizes (bath/hand/washcloths; no rips or stains)
Sheet sets (all sizes, but especially King, Queen and Full)
Sets of drinking glasses (no stemware)
Sets of Flatware/silverware
Pots and pans (especially larger frying pans)
Mixing Bowls
Baking dishes (especially size 13 x 9)
“We are seeing a significant increase in the number of clients referred to us because they cannot afford to buy the furniture they need to fill their empty homes,” said Sharon Martens, Executive Director of Household Goods. “Many of our clients are starting over after experiencing homelessness, fleeing domestic violence, or overcoming other challenges. These items are essential for creating a comfortable and functional home environment.”
Parting Thoughts
The Town calendar is littered with committee and board meetings next week — a sure sign that the busy season is approaching.
The Park and Recreation Commission meeting on Monday is your best bet for updates on the SMILE playground and the Atkinson Pool renovation.
On Tuesday, the Select Board returns to do their business. They have the FY25 budget-to-actual review on their agenda, which is worth any taxpayer’s time. They’re also going to be discussing the Haynes and Nixon school roof projects, which are expected to be worth a lot of taxpayer money.
We’ll have full coverage on the site throughout next week, and we’ll see you again next Friday with the newsletter digest.
Onward!