Bethel Clergy Blesses New Bridge
By Chris Costanzo

Will Stoddard (right) cuts the ribbon at last Sunday's bridge inauguration, followed by an ecumenical blessing of the bridge by (l-r) Tom Harty, Fr. Tom O'Leary, Richard Dumont and Shelie Richardson. (Herald / Chris Costanzo)

Last Sunday, Nov. 12, ministers of Bethel’s four main churches joined to bless the New Church Street bridge that recently opened for traffic.

The event engendered some controversy because the Bethel Selectboard, while posing no objection to the blessing, had refused to allow town fire trucks to participate lest it appear as town government support for a primarily religious event. The selectboard had also refused an official traffic stop for the ceremony for the same reason.

A ribbon cutting ceremony preceded the blessing. Bethel’s Will Stoddard, the state’s supervisory engineer for the bridge who is now retiring, cut the ribbon and then received a plaque in appreciation of his long service to the state that culminated in the new bridge for his town.

The blessing itself was performed by Tom Harty (United Church), Fr. Peter O’Leary (St. Anthony’s Catholic Church), Richard Dumont (Miller Methodist Church), and Shelie Richardson (Christ Church Episcopal).

After the blessing in the chill autumn air, the crowd repaired to the White Church building next to the bridge for a meal of hot soup and bread. Pastor Harty used the occasion to presented a certificate of thanks to well-known area chef Maybelle Dumont "for her outstanding service to Bethel’s churches by providing ecumenical leadership and community building through her cooking ministry."

Dumont, who didn’t prepare the meal that particular day but had come for the bridge blessing, told The Herald that the award took her completely by surprise.

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