**Bob Kinsman Honored with Lifelong Learning Award**
**BILLERICA** – AgeSpan honored Billerica resident Robert Kinsman with an Inspiring Lifelong Learning Award, recognizing his lifelong commitment to community service and passion for learning. Kinsman was one of five residents from across the Merrimack Valley and North Shore recognized for embodying the spirit of lifelong learning and serving as role models within their communities.
The awards were presented at the AgeSpan Annual Luncheon in November, held at the Blue Ocean Event Center in Salisbury.
A retired engineer and U. S. Air Force veteran, Kinsman has dedicated his life to helping others. He has held leadership roles with numerous organizations, including the American Red Cross, American Heart Association, Disabled American Veterans, Billerica Lions Club, Billerica Historical Society, Bennett Public Library, and the Billerica 350th Anniversary Celebration Committee, among others.
> “Service has always been very important to me, whether it was serving my country, serving my community, or serving locally as a volunteer,” Kinsman said. “I try to stay involved and busy at the same level that I did when I worked in a paid job. Now I’m getting paid in different ways. It’s just as rewarding.”
AgeSpan is a private, nonprofit agency dedicated to helping people in northeast Massachusetts maintain the highest level of independence, health, and safety as they age. AgeSpan is a Massachusetts Aging Services Access Point and an Area Agency on Aging. For more information, call 800-892-0890 or visit [AgeSpan.org](https://www.agespan.org).
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**UNESCO Learning City: Lowell’s International Recognition**
**LOWELL** – The city of Lowell has officially been designated a United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Learning City, becoming the first municipality in the United States to earn this international recognition.
UNESCO announced the 72 newest members of its Global Network of Learning Cities on December 4, highlighting cities around the world that demonstrate exceptional commitment to lifelong learning for residents of all ages. Lowell’s selection reflects the city’s 200-year legacy as a center for learning, innovation, and cultural exchange.
The UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities now includes 425 cities from 91 countries, collectively supporting nearly 500 million residents. As a member, Lowell will collaborate globally to share innovative practices, develop inclusive learning policies, and create new programs supporting education, sustainability, equity, and community well-being.
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**Save the Date: Leave-taking Service for Christ Church United**
**LOWELL** – Christ Church United, a fixture of spiritual life and social justice in Lowell for over 50 years as a federated congregation, will hold a formal Service of Leave-taking on Sunday, January 18, at 2 p.m. at 180 East Merrimack St.
After years of declining membership and the rising costs of maintaining their large, historic building, the congregation reached the difficult decision to close. Members of Lowell’s historic CCU worshiping community plan to move to First Congregational Church of Billerica beginning in late January, ensuring that the CCU spirit of inclusivity and service continues as the congregation completes a legal dissolution process.
The Service of Leave-taking is open to all and offers a chance to honor the history of Christ Church United and celebrate its life in the community. The ceremony will say goodbye to the building while blessing the “living stones”—the congregants—as they carry the CCU spirit to their new home in Billerica.
https://www.lowellsun.com/2025/12/24/the-five-minute-read-1408/
