A peek at the past at the Gilford Community Church

GILFORD — There was a time, before cell phones and instant entertainment, when families in Gilford village and other communities looked to church suppers, community theater, and the local Grange for socializing. Over the decades, Gilford village saw many changes, but one thing remained: the community’s connection to the church.

What started in a meetinghouse at the top of Gunstock Hill would eventually become the Gilford Community Church, serving a congregation of more than 400 people, and others in the Lakes Region as well.

Judy Buswell, a writer and historian who also is a member of the Gilford Community Church, has been researching and working on a presentation called "Peeking at the Past" and will bring it to the Gilford Community Church during Guys’ and Gals’ Night Out on Friday, Sept. 20, at 5:30 p.m.

Guys’ and Gals’ Night Out offers social events at the church, with dinner and a program, to promote a social community.

Buswell has been digging deep into the history of Gilford for quite some time, and her goal is to offer a fun program to share what she has learned, rather than to present an evening full of dry dates and facts. To that end, she has enlisted the help of some church members, who will perform during portions of the program.

“I want to make it as interesting as possible,” she said. “I have been researching and talking to people for four years, and I have lots of interesting material!”

Some of the highlights of her program will be talking about a huge meetinghouse that once perched atop Gunstock Hill. It was built in the 1790s when George Washington was president. Buswell paints a picture with words about the size of the building and the church services and other gatherings that took place there. She even found writings about a church meeting that drew 3,000 people at one time.

Buswell also has followed the route a local congregation took to eventually create the Gilford Community Church, and it is an interesting story.

A dinner will be a part of the evening, catered by local chef Ellie Murphy. Inspiration for a special dessert came when Buswell came across a church cookbook that debuted in 1949 at Gilford Old Home Day. Many of the women from the church congregation submitted recipes for the cookbook. The book focused solely on cake recipes, and Murphy has agreed to choose a cake recipe from that cookbook and make it as the dessert for the Sept. 20 program.

The program will include information about the many happenings and people who helped grow the Gilford Community Church. The public is welcome to attend.

“The program will end with photos from the late 20th century and we hope to see everyone there to share their memories. I am always looking for more information,” Buswell said.

Tickets for a Peek at the Past event are $12 per person and are available at the Gilford Community Church on Potter Hill Road in Gilford. Tickets must be purchased before the day of the event.

Guys’ Night Out takes place at the Gilford Community Church every other month, with speakers and dinner; Gals’ Night Out takes place every other month from September until May, and all are welcome. For more information, call 603-524-6057.