1. Prayers for the Gallagher family
2. Moderator’s Message
3. Congratulations to Nancy Foran
4. Broad Bay TV stars
5. Paraments Available
6. 2008 UCCMA Church Music Conference in July
7. Ringing Remembrance – March 19
8. Maine Council of Churches – Things That Make for Peace
9. ANTS Summer Institute in Worship and the Arts
10. Call for Action from National Religious Leadership Roundtable

1. Rev. Jeff Gallagher, pastor of the First Congregational Church of Kittery Point, his wife Kristen, and son Noah welcomed a baby boy into their family on Monday -- Jacob Ottley Gallagher, weighing in at 4 pounds, 9 ounces. Jacob is doing well at Children's Hospital in Boston, but with a heart defect discovered, he faces some significant challenges and surgeries in the near future. Your prayers are greatly appreciated

2. The Coordinating Council continues to assess the results of the town meetings held late last year regarding stewardship of the Maine Conference's physical assets. Summaries of the meeting comments, organized by each asset, are posted on the conference website. Additionally, the CC has scheduled a special meeting for April 11 solely to explore those results in light of the Conference mission statement. We hope to draft a vision statement that suggests how those assets -- the Pennell Center, Rockcraft and Pilgrim Lodge might best be used and located to advance the mission of the Conference. We hope that draft will be available for additional discussion and input at the Annual Meeting in June. Denise Goodman

3. Broad Bay Church in Waldoboro was featured on Channel 6 news March 4, highlighting the restoration of their organ. The clip may be viewed at http://knox.villagesoup.com/carrigan/story.cfm?id=82076.

4. Moose River Congregational Church, United Church of Christ in Jackman has a set of reversible paraments to give to any group who could use them. The green is a little faded, but the other colors are good. Please contact Judy Clark, Pastor, email clarkjmk@verizon.net and phone 668-7717.

5. Congratulations to Nancy Foran, pastor at Raymond Village Community Church, who has been accepted to participate in the 2008 Summer Collegium at Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia. The Summer Collegium is a project in support of small congregations funded by the “Making Connections” initiative of the Lilly Endowment Inc. Participants and their spouses/partners will spend nine days at VTS learning about and renewing their appreciation for the small church by taking workshops led by small church experts. The project is fully ecumenical, with faculty drawn from a wide variety of denominations. Participants will read assigned texts and work with their congregations in preparation for their time at Virginia Seminary from June 25 – July 3, and will do a follow-up project after they leave Alexandria.

6. The 2008 Summer UCCMA Church Music Conference will be held July 14-July 17, 2008 at Woodfords Church, Portland, sponsored by the United Church of Christ Musicians Association. The week will be full of wonderful educational opportunities, no matter what your role may be in church music. Whether you are clergy, an organist, youth or adult choir director, or even a choir member, there will be many educational opportunities available for all. The Portland Chapter of the American Guild of Organist (AGO) has provided a scholarship funds to underwrite registration fees for churches of limited means attending this conference. For more information, see the Conference website (http:/www.maineucc.org) or contact Paul Schnell, prschnell@securespeed.us or at 207 ¬727-6562

7. Ringing Remembrance: March 19, 2008 marks the 5th anniversary of the start of the ground war in Iraq. The Maine Council of Churches invites all faith communities that have bells to ring them for five minutes at noon that day: one minute for each year of the Iraq War. No bell? How about pausing to light a candle, ring a chime, pray for peace, attend a vigil, remember those who have died, or practice silence. If your congregation can commit to ringing your bell or some other observance, e-mail notification to www.mainecouncilofchurches.org.

8. The Things That Make For Peace: Prayers and resources offered from Maine and beyond
As we approach the 5th anniversary of the start of the Iraq War, Maine Council of Churches has produced a new resource for churches and individual people of faith: The Things That Make for Peace. This collection of original prayers and litanies for peace by Maine religious leaders and others also includes resources for study by faith groups or individuals for use in worship, personal prayer, group study, and outreach.
The Things That Make for Peace is available for download in PDF format on the MCC website at www.mainecouncilofchurches.org and print copies can be requested from our office.
If your congregation plans to use any of these resources in worship or is planning a special observance or service for peace in the coming weeks, please let us know. Contact our Congregational Outreach Coordinator, Eric C. Smith, at esmith@mainecouncilofchurches.org

9. Andover Newton Theological School’s Summer Institute in Worship and the Arts will be held June 22-25, 2008 features hymn writers and liturgists Marty Haugen and Susan Briehl. Information can also be accessed on the ANTS website at http://www.ants.edu/calendar/event/andover-newton-summer-institute-2008.

10. This week we received a press release from the National Religious Leadership Roundtable with “A Call to People of Faith to Stand Against anti-LGBT Violence.” To read the complete press release, click on this link http://www.thetaskforce.org/press/releases/prNRLR_030508