Happy Holidays

The holiday season is here and Plaintalker wishes everyone happiness and peace.

About 50 people gathered Sunday to give thanks for the past and ongoing efforts of community activists to save Muhlenberg. The Rev. Carolyn Eklund welcomed them to Grace Episcopal Church for a joint service with The Rev. M. LaVerne Ball of Rose of Sharon Community Church, The Rev. Jim Colvin of United Church of Christ Congregational and The Rev. Tony Johnson of First Unitarian Society of Plainfield.

Rev. Johnson is the interim minister for a year while FUSP conducts a ministerial search and it was heartening to see Plainfield through his eyes in the very warm and diverse group that came together to raise prayers for the city and the community. The other ministers have been in the ranks as the long struggle took place before the hospital's closing. Groups are still meeting to monitor progress on an agreement with Solaris and other talks on health care provision.

Even in hard times we can be thankful for the hope and strength of the community.

--Bernice Paglia