1. Annual Meeting Reminders
2. Preach on Racism, May 18th
3. Jump Start Weekend at Pilgrim Lodge
4. Maine Clean Power available
5. SYC needs your Help
6. Casco Village Church Rededicates their Sanctuary
7. Sunday School Coordinator Position Available
8. Bill Moyers to Interview Jeremiah Wright on PBS
9. Suzanne Shea at USM Portland Bookstore on May 7th
10. Fellowship of UCC Architects

1. Reminders -
Annual Meeting will be held June 20-22, 2008 at the University of Maine in Farmington. Registration deadline is June 1 (registrations received before May 15 will receive a $5 discount).
Resolution deadline is May 1, for resolutions to be considered at this year’s Annual Meeting
If you can not download the Annual Meeting information, please contact Sue at the Conference Office, so we can send you the Registration/Information packet.
See you in Farmington

2. Rev. John H. Thomas called upon the UCC's 10,000 active and retired clergy to purposefully preach on the issue of race on May 18 and to begin important race-related conversations in each of the denomination's congregations, seminaries and other ministry settings. Thomas said he believes this can be "an important first step in beginning the broader nationwide conversation that needs to take place in our nation, in our communities and, especially, in our houses of worship." Resources for your May 18th sermons can be found on the Conference website (www.maineucc.org)

3. JUMP START WORK DAYS AT PILGRIM LODGE – THIS FRIDAY AND/OR SATURDAY.
We need your help! As the result of the downing of dead and looming trees, we have an inordinate amount of work this year. Bring your rakes, workgloves, chainsaws, and any other equipment to our Spring clean up day at Pilgrim Lodge. All minors must be in 6th grade or above and have permission slips and parentally signed health forms. All information and forms are available at www.pilgrimlodge.org/adultwork.html. Come be a volunteer and feel great about helping this ministry to recover from the long hard winter!

4. Your Maine Conference renews its contract to utilize Maine Clean Power:
Maine Renewable Energy has partnered with Maine Interfaith Power & Light to bring zero emission, 100% renewable electricity to Maine residents and businesses in the Bangor Hydro and Central Maine Power areas. You and your church can do its part to make Maine a healthier place to live, work, vacation and help protect Maine's future and our way of life. This electricity does cost a little more than electricity generated from coal, oil or nuclear power but it represents the least possible adverse effect on this fragile earth. By switching you are telling your electric company to buy Maine Clean Power and they will continue to deliver power via the same lines. Sign up by going to www.energymaine.com/mresignup or calling 1-866-408-4591. Have more questions....contact the representative at www.meipl.org.

5. ATTENTION ALL YOUTH!!!!!
As some of you may or may not know, annual meeting will be held June 20-22 this year at University of Farmington! Hooray! The Executive Committee of the State Youth Council holds one of the worship services over the weekend, and this year we would like some help from all of you! The theme of annual meeting this year is “Who we are”, and for our sermon at the service, we would love to have pictures or videos from you that tell us and the U.C.C. who you are. It would be absolutely fantastic if youth in our local churches could be a part of this and help us out! Please send your pictures or videos to dan@mainesyc.org or kris@firstparishsaco.org by May 1. Please include your church name and town and an email or phone # if we need to get in touch with you. No individual names will be used only church names. Peace out, The E.C.

6. The Casco Village Church, United Church of Christ will rededicate of their sanctuary during our regular worship service at 10 a.m. on May 4th. After a successful capital campaign, the sanctuary has been two years in renovations. Our sanctuary, built in 1841, has retained its historical look while being carefully updated for the next 167 years of ministry to the Lake Region area. All are welcome to attend.

7. SOUTH PORTLAND SEEKS SUNDAY SCHOOL COORDINATOR
First Congregational, UCC, in South Portland invites applicants for the position of Sunday School Coordinator. The Personnel committee is reviewing and updating the position description and welcomes applicants from within and beyond our congregation. The schedule follows the school year, gearing up in August and winding down in May, with some particularly busy and some slow periods – but the average work week is 15-20 hours, including Sunday mornings. More information is available from Ellie Chatto, committee chair, at echatto@maine.rr.com.

8. Bill Moyers will interview Rev. Jeremiah Wright on this week's Journal. It will be broadcast on Maine Public Broadcasting Network at 9 PM on Friday 4/25 and again at 2 PM on Sunday 4/27. In Augusta that is Channel 10, check your local TV listings for the channel in your area.

9. On May 7th, Suzanne Strempek Shea will be in the USM Portland Bookstore for a reading and signing of her new book Sundays in America. The event will be at 7 pm and is free and open to public. This book has already been featured in the Boston Globe and also on NPR. Suzanne was the winner of the 2000 New England book award for fiction. She is the author of 5 novels and several memoirs. Suzanne is on the faculty of the Stonecoast MFA in Creative Writing at USM. Please come and hear a wonderful writer. Books will be available for sale. If you would like to purchase one in advance, please e-mail BKelly@usm.maine.edu or call Andrea Thompson McCall at 228-8284 ext 4072.

10. The Fellowship of UCC Architects was established in 1988 to provide a forum for architects who are members of our congregations. The Fellowship has regular educational programs focused on the design and building of sacred space. Over the years many fellowship members have assisted our congregations with issues of building planning and design, handicapped accessibility, greening and sustainability. Information on the Fellowship itself and a flyer promoting its October 2008 continuing education event at United Theological Seminary can be found on the Conference website (www.maineucc.org ). The Fellowship invites all UCC architects as well as clergy and lay members with a passion for the design of worship space and church facilities to join and to attend its programs.