News (fyi)
Two Lenten Resources
We recently shared via email a guide-book for a Lenten prayer practice called Pray the Day. We also promised to provide daily Facebook posts through Lent. However, Pray the Day is not a daily series, but rather a template for a practice of prayer throughout each day.
To provide that daily prompt for your Lenten spiritual journey, we are sharing Return to Me on our Facebook page, exploring the theme of “return” through several spiritual practices – with prompts suitable for children, too. Booklets can be downloaded …
Advent Devotion Resource
For your reflection during the 28 days of Advent, we’ll be sharing content on our Facebook page from “Shadow & Light,” a daily Advent devotional resource from Vibrant Church Communications .
Each week you’ll be invited to use scripture, song, prayer, and practice to prepare yourself for the birth of the Christ child, discovering what is holy in the spectrum from shadow to light. Wait and watch (two Advent themes) for more information on our Facebook page.
Pastoral Care Partner
From our Moderator, Calvin Hall:
As was announced in church last Sunday, we have arranged for the Rev. Dr. Diane Langworthy, pastor of the United Parish Church in Fort Fairfield, to partner with us and provide pastoral care for our church family on a part-time basis. …
We believe that this relationship can lead to even more opportunities for collaboration and partnership with our United Parish Church neighbors, and we look forward to working with Diane in the coming months. Please help us welcome Diane as a partner in our ministry!
Hiroshima Remembrance Day
(Image - paper art by Eugenia Zoloto)
August 6, 2023 is the 78th anniversary of the exploding of an atomic bomb over Hiroshima, Japan, and another over Nagasaki on August 9. While effectively ending World War II, it came at a terrible price. More than 200,000 people eventually died – mostly civilians.
As we join others raising awareness of not only the past horrors of war, but also the continuing dangers of nuclear weapons and the need for their abolition in the future, we’ve curated links to resources for your deeper reflection and action.
Visioning Worship/Workshop
On Sunday, May 21, at 10:00 am, the Rev. Dr. Susan MacAlpine-Gillis will join us for worship to introduce a discernment process that will help shape our vision for the future of our church. The service that day will intertwine worship with our visioning and discernment workshop. … We highly encourage all persons involved in the life of our church to attend. Childcare will be provided.
Because of technical contraints, this worship/workshop will not be streamed. There will be other opportunities for all (including online) to be a part of this process of shaping our church’s future.
Plan Your Own Life Celebration
How do you want your life to be celebrated?
RESCHEDULED (from April) Meg Hegemann will hold a workshop on Thursday, May 25 at 6:00 pm, to help us through the process of planning our own funeral or memorial service. Consider this an ideal gift to your loved ones.
This will be an in person event at the church with a Zoom option for online participation. RSVP to the church office if attending in person. RSVP here for Zoom link to participate online.
“Mourning By Morning” - Lenten Video
“Mourning By Morning” is the fifth (final) video in our Lenten series of short devotional films. “Mourning” may anticipate Good Friday’s grief, which we will experience again, soon enough. But the song by Shellee Coley recognizes the story does not end there, in death. “Mourning by morning, … I am becoming new,” she sings. “Come and make us new,” she prays to God. That day is coming!
We also hear echoes of Ezekiel's vision of the valley of dry bones (Ezekiel 37:1-14) in the opening of Kelly Ann Hall’s poem …
“Only Just Begun” - Lenten Video
The Fourth video in the Lenten series, “Becoming: a Season of Rebirthing,” is “Only Just Begun.” The words and images of the poem in the video reflects Psalm 23. The song by Shellee Coley, too, with these words: "So I wandered throught the valley. I stood beneath an open sky, just looking for somebody to lead me through the lonely night.”
The creators point out that the video contains themes appropriate for Lent: a “willingess to be in communion, to wander towards blessing, to continue to learn.” …
Lenten Video - “Story Like This”
The third video in the Lenten series, “Becoming: a Season of Rebirthing,” is “Story Like This.” Images in the song reflect the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4), and images in the poem/prayer echo the story of God making water spring from a rock for Moses and the Hebrew people (Exodus 17).
The video also reminds us that the work of seeing our way through the hard times, the dark times of our lives, is constant, difficult, and can be elusive. …
“Wait For It” - Lenten Video
Last week, we shared The Knowing, the first video in the series “Becoming: a Season of Rebirthing” that we are offering in Lent. The videos are the work of singer-songwriter Shellee Layne Coley, poet Kelly Ann Hall, and filmmaker Travis Reed.
The poem in The Knowing is a reflection on Adam and Eve hiding in the garden. In Wait For It, the poem is God’s response to them. …
Lent Begins with Confession
(Update: discussion guide available)
As the season of Lent begins, we offer a visual liturgy resource for your personal reflection and preparation for the spiritual journey ahead.
The Knowing is an evocative song by Shellee Layne Coley, which overlays a poem/prayer by Kelly Ann Hall.
Click here and enter your email to watch the video - available through March 22.
Lent at Our Church
As Lent begins, we’ve got a few events and activities coming up for both fellowship and faith formation. All are welcome!
Soup Suppers: … Monday, March 6, and Monday, March 27. Meals will begin at 5:30 pm. …
Book Discussion Group: an in-person group [reading] The Lives We Actually Have: 100 Blessings for Imperfect Days. … at the church starting Friday, Feb 24 at 11:00 am. …
Lenten Book Discussion
You’re invited to join an in-person book group during Lent, to read and talk about the new book by Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie: The Lives We Actually Have: 100 Blessings for Imperfect Days.
We’ll be meeting at the church at 11:00 am, starting Friday, February 24. Lenten Devotional Guides to accompany the book will be available for participants. …