New London – An organizational meeting for a friends group for Ye Antientist Burial Ground will take place Thursday at 5 p.m. at St. James Episcopal Church.

The meeting is being organized by the church’s Caring for Creation Committee, which hosted a cleanup and beautification project at the burial ground in May. About 20 volunteers participated, both parishioners and members of the community. At the event, several volunteers expressed interest in forming a friends group to organize periodic cleanups, bring attention and appreciation to the historic cemetery, work on better signage and other projects.

Speakers at the friends meeting will include Connecticut College history Professor Lisa Wilson, who will talk about the significance of the cemetery, and Jean Jordan, president of the New London NAACP. Jordan will talk about her group’s interest and involvement in the cemetery. Other key players in the city’s historic preservation community have also been invited.

Anyone interested in the friends group is welcome to attend the meeting. Those planning to attend should enter through the church’s Seabury Center at 76 Federal St. The meeting will take place in the parlor of the Seabury Center.

For information, please contact the church office at parishoffice@stjamesnl.org.