1. New Acting Associate Minister for Small Church Development
2. Two Opening for La Vueltoza Honduras Mission Trip
3. Interfaith Service of Remembrance and Peace
4. Help for Summer Floors
5. Spring Church Educator’s Day – March 25
6. A Bold New Venture with Canada
7. NEAUCE Christian Education Event – May 6-8

1. We are pleased to announce that Reverend Darren L. Morgan of Glenburn, Maine has accepted the position of Acting Associate Minister for Small Church Development of the Maine Conference. Reverend Morgan, a Maine native, received his M.Div from Bangor Theological Seminary and his B.S. from the University of the State of New York. He is currently employed half time as the pastor of the Brownville Community Church, UCC in Brownville, Maine and by the Department of Health and Human Services of the State of Maine. He will be leaving his state employment when he comes into this conference position starting on May 1st. Reverend Morgan currently serves as the chairman of the Penobscot Piscataquis Church and Ministry Committee and previously served as the chair of the conference Witness Life Commission. He was a delegate to General Synod in 2001 and 2003. We are pleased to welcome Darren to our staff. In accepting the position as Acting Associate Minister for Small Church Development, Darren will be able to candidate for the settled position.

2. Openings for La Vueltoza, Honduras Mission Trip
Two folks had to back out of the La Vueltoza Mission Trip because of falls on the ice and now we are looking for two people to replace them. The trip is scheduled for April 18-27 and will be a very rewarding experience. Please contact Cheryl Tibbetts cbtibbetts@fairpoint.net immediately if you are seriously interested on going on this mission trip experience.

3. Interfaith Service of Remembrance and Peace
March 19th marks the 5th anniversary of the Iraq War. Area ministers and laypeople will hold a service of remembrance and peace on March 15, at 12:00 noon at the First Parish Congregational Church on Maine Street in Brunswick, Maine. This interfaith service will remember soldiers and civilians who have died in the five years of the Iraq War. Refreshment and fellowship will follow the service. All are welcome. FMI: 833-5125

4. Our dining room is partly under ground level and at our suppers in the Summer our floor gets very damp, and actually slippery. We run fans and 2 dehumidifiers but it is still wet. Our only idea is to install a couple of air conditioners. And so we ask, do other churches have this wetness problem and what do they do about it? If you can help, please contact Rev. George Frobig at frobig@fairpoint.net or call 693-6461.

5. Spring Church Educators Day on March 25th to Focus on Confirmation
The Spring Church Educators Day for clergy and educators will be held 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the North Yarmouth Church and will focus on models, resources, and ideas for confirmation. Leaders include the Rev. Linda Hirst, Kris Galasyn, and Annette Mott. Please contact the Resource Center (resourcecenter@maineucc.org, 1-800-244-0937) to register. The cost is five dollars per church, payable at the door. Please bring a bag lunch; beverages will be provided. Follow the link below to an event flyer on the Conference web site: www.maineucc.org/news/Spring Church Educator 2008.htm

6. Announcing a Bold New Venture: A Border Event for Maine Conference and the Maritime Conference Churches on April 5th
On Saturday, April 5th the Maine Conference UCC and the Maritime Conference of the United Church of Canada will co-sponsor a border event in Florenceville, New Brunswick (just across the border from the Houlton/Presque Isle area). The event will be held 10:00 a.m to 3:30 p.m. and will include mutual conversation, workshops, and worship. The theme for the day is “Common Border/Common Faith: Small Churches Walking Along Together.” Annette Mott from the Maine Conference and Janice MacLean from the Maritime Conference will serve as co-leaders. The registration fee, which includes lunch, is ten dollars for the first person from a congregation and five dollars for each additional person. Contact the Resource Center (resourcecenter@maineucc.org, 1-800-244-0937) to register your church team. Follow the link below to an event flyer on the Conference web site. www.maineucc.org/news/Border Event.pdf

7. Full Registration Brochure for the May NEAUCE Christian Education Event Now Available
This year’s New England Association of United Church Educators conference will be held Tuesday through Thursday, May 6th through 8th at the Craigville Conference Center on Cape Cod. The theme is “Renewal, Rejuvenation, and Resources for the Emergent Church.” The opening speaker is Susan Dickerman, the keynoter is Rev. Dr. Ivy Beckwith, and the worship leader is Rev. Dr. Dirkje Legerstee. Many workshops will be offered. This event is the best buy going for a renewing and invigorating learning event at a beautiful location. The full event fee (includes registration, lodging and meals) is $225 for AUCE members and $250 for non-AUCE members. The Maine Conference is offering a fifty dollar scholarship to all Maine Conference participants. You simply pay fifty dollars less than what you owe and the Maine Conference will be billed for the remainder (the registration form has a way for you to do this). Follow the link below to the registration flyer on the Conference web site: www.maineucc.org/resourcecenter/neauceregform08.pdf