Report from the annual meeting 18 May 2008

Samuel Geise of Northumberland, PA was elected President of the Priestley Chapel Associates at the annual membership meeting on May 18, 2008.  Other newly elected officers are:  Vice President Tom Bresenhan (Lewisburg), Secretary Caroline Brady (Danville) and Treasurer Stephen Rhoads (Sunbury).

Priestley Chapel Associates is a secular, non-profit 501 (c) 3 corporation established in 1977 to care for and manage the Joseph Priestley Memorial Chapel, the beautiful memorial garden and the historic 1811 John Wind organ located in the chapel. This lovely country chapel was built in 1834 by descendants of Joseph Priestley and members of the Unitarian congregation in Northumberland, PA.

Currently, the chapel is open to the public the first Sunday of each month for a program of words and music and on Christmas Eve for quiet prayer and meditation.  The chapel is also rented for wedding ceremonies, funeral services, and other events consistent with use of the chapel as a place of worship.

In other business conducted at the annual meeting Priestley Chapel Associates contracted with Ramsey Home Restoration of Northumberland for repairs to the windows and re-pointing brickwork.  Carol Allison reported on new plantings at the garden and presented a list of flowers in the garden from the colonial period.