All Conference E-Mail
March 31, 2010 Easter Blessings
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Remember . . .
Your OCWM (Our Church's Wider Mission) contribution to the ME Conference makes this email newsletter and the
numerous programs described herein available to you and your church.
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- Rockcraft
- Annual Meeting Registration
- Clergy Boundary Training, April 24
- Condolences
- No Chocolates for Maine, but Thanks
- Jump Start Weekend next month
- Senior High Camp is Full
- Arts Alive Campers can also attend the Regional Youth Event
- New in the Resource Center
- What’s Up in CE?
- “Gathered Here” registration
- Come with Windham Hill to England
- Living with the Land and Sea
- Maine Interfaith Power & Light celebrates 10 years
- Three Stories of Easter
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1. Rockcraft
I am pleased to inform the conference that the Rockcraft property is now under a sales contract. The details of the sales agreement are required to be kept confidential until the time of the closing. The sale contract requires several months before the closing date can be finalized. At that time the "Sales Committee" will be most pleased to share with everyone all of the details of the pending sale. I can report that the committee is satisfied with the negotiations that led to the sales agreement. We look forward to when we can disclose more information.
David Gaewski
2. It’s time for Annual Meeting. All of the important information – registration, workshops, pre-meeting retreat, housing arrangements – will be available on the conference website by tomorrow, April 1 (no fooling). Those who’s registration is postmarked by May 1, will receive a $5 discount on their registration fee. Please plan to join us in Farmington over the weekend of June 10-13 for a great weekend. See you there!
3. Clergy Boundary Training.
A day long workshop exploring professional boundaries in ministerial situations and when crossing those boundaries becomes a betrayal of sacred trust. Topics include “Power and Vulnerability”; “Dating, Friendships, Dual Relationships, Gifts”; “The Pulpit, Transference, Hugging & Touch, Intimacy”; and “Personal Needs & Self-Care”. This workshop meets Association requirements for clergy to maintain their ministerial standing and is also helpful to laity members of Pastoral Relations Committees or Diaconate to become familiar with clergy boundaries. This boundary training for clergy and laity will be held on Saturday, April 24, from 9:30 to 3:30 at Old South UCC in Farmington. Please RSVP by April 15 to Cathie Wallace at cathiewallace@aol.com. Bring your own brown bag lunch – coffee and refreshments will be provided.
4. We have recently learned of the death of Neil Eichhorn. Rev. Eichhorn served the churches in Waterford, Belfast, and Princeton in the early 1960’s. His memorial service will be at First Church Congregational, Methuen, MA at 1:00 PM on April 17. Condolences may be sent to his wife, Jean at P.O. Box 305, Nottingham, NH 03290.
5. No Chocolates for Maine – if you remember back to January, we had a challenge from the Hawaii Conference of who could return the highest percentage of National Yearbook forms. Hawaii would send chocolate covered macadamia nuts to top 7 conferences, and if we didn’t make the top 7, we had to send Hawaii something representing our part of the country. Well, Maine didn’t come in the top 7, so no chocolates for us, but Hawaii was number 7. So I have to send them a trinket that represents Maine. I was thinking of a snowball, but it’s too late for this year (at least down here in the southern part of the state). Thanks again to everyone that helped by sending in your forms. More than 77% of the Maine Conference churches returned forms this year – a new record. Thanks again.
6. ONLY ONE MONTH TO PL's JUMP START WEEKEND
April 23-25 (the last weekend in April) is the Pilgrim Lodge Jump Start Weekend for volunteers to help open the camp up for the summer. You can come up on Friday night and stay over if you like, or you can show up on Saturday morning. Details can be found online. This year one of our Jump Start projects will be to plant the summer organic garden in memory of Marilyn MacDuffie. If you worked with Marilyn at Pilgrim Lodge, or just knew and loved her and would like to participate, email bryan@pilgrimlodge.org for more information. Saturday night after working, youth groups can stay for free for the Youth Group Overnight. Details of which are also online. See you at camp.
7. SR. HIGH CAMP IS NOW FULL
Pilgrim Lodge Senior High Camp is now filled. If you wish to be placed on a waiting list please call the office at 207-724-3200. Other sessions are filling up so be sure to register soon.
8. ARTS ALIVE CAMPERS CAN ALSO ATTEND THE REGIONAL YOUTH EVENT
Can't decide whether to go to Arts Alive! at Pilgrim Lodge or to the Regional Youth Event because of the tiny overlap? No problem. There will be a van to pick up attendees of the Regional Youth Event when the bus pulls in. Mom and Dad can bring a fresh bag of clothes which you can exchange and then you will be brought up to camp to start Arts Alive a few hours late for this one-time youth event opportunity. Contact bryan@pilgrimlodge.org for details.
9. New in the Resource Center!
Unbinding Your Soul by Martha Grace Reese
The final resource in the Unbinding the Gospel Series is Unbinding Your Soul. This book will help prepare church members to invite their friends into a 4-week experience for small groups. The resource includes short study chapters, a personal prayer journal, prayer partner activities & group exercises. Groups can continue in 4 week segments, with new participants inviting their friends! A facilitators' guide is also included. It is part of the “Small Church Vitality Initiative” a new program led by Rev. Darren Morgan the Associate Minister for Small Church Development. The Resource Center has three copies available for loan.
10. What’s Up in CE?
Want to learn What’s Up in CE? Join members of the Christian Education Ministry Team on April 11, 2010 at 8:30pm for an on-line workshop. They will share information about resources available for Christian Education Ministries in the local church. Segments on Akaloo, Spark and Faith Practices will be included. Register to participate by contacting the Resource Center 1-800-244-0937, resourcecenter@maineucc.org. You will be sent instructions on how to participate prior to the event. You must be able to go on-line and talk on the phone at the same time.
11. Call for registrations for “GATHERED HERE 2010” the ME Conference ONA event. Please send in your registrations as soon as possible to ensure your workshop selections. Also, special hotel rates are due to expire. If you prefer a hotel rather than a host home, please call in the hotel right away.
Complete registration information is available on the ME Conference website: http://www.maineucc.org/news/Gathered%20Here%202010%20Registration%20Packet%2003-03-10.pdf
Questions? Please contact Bill Walsh, 207-615-4556 or email to gatheredhere2010@gmail.com .
12. Come with Windham Hill UCC to England!
Ten Days and Eight Nights - September 21 – 30, 2010.
England is a country of mystery and majesty, a place where history is around every corner in its castles and cathedrals. It is a nation which values and preserves its heritage which providing every comfort for those who visit. London is a hub of fashion, music, theater and sport, not to mention the seat of government and home to the Royal Family. The scenic variety of the landscape captures the eye and the camera.
Working with the travel experts at Gate 1 Travel, an internationally respected travel organizing agency, Windham Hill United Church of Christ is offering a Trip to England from September 21 – 30, 2010, cost per person - $2500. Rev. Sally Colegrove, pastor of Windham Hill will be the group leader. She has been to England and has led trips for over twenty years. Flight arrangements will be from Boston's Logan International Airport and will be on British Airways. Included in the $2500 cost of this package are:
Round Trip Flights Boston to London on British Airways or similar carrier
Airline fuel surcharges of $222, Airport taxes and fees of $165
8 nights accommodation at 3 Star or better accommodation
5 Full English Breakfasts, 3 Continental Breakfasts
4 Dinners
Services of a Gate 1 Tour Escort throughout the trip
Services of a Deluxe Motorcoach with restroom facilities for long distances
Services of a Deluxe local Motorcoach in the London area as outlined in the itinerary
Transfers from and to London Heathrow Airport
Admission to all sites on the itinerary
Are you curious? Would you like to go to Salisbury, Glastonbury, Bath, the Cotswolds, Stratford on Avon, Coventry, Warwick Castle, York, London theater, and more? If so, please call Sally Colegrove – 207-892-9298. There will be a total of 42 in the travel group and there are just 8 places still available, so don't hesitate.
13. Living with the land... and sea
Maine Council of Churches continues to advocate for a more sustainable relationship with the earth. We're working to change Maine laws as part of the Environmental Priorities Coalition, connecting food growers with those in need, facilitating education through our Fishes & Loaves project, and next month we're hosting an ecumenical youth event on Earth Day:
In Our Hands: an ecumenical Earth Day celebration for young people of faith will be held at First Parish Church UCC in Saco on Thursday, April 22, 9:00 AM-3:00PM.
Youth groups and individuals of high school age are invited to join in celebration, worship, and education on a wide array of environmental justice issues, including climate change, renewable energy, sustainable food production, and wildlife preservation. Please pass this information on to youth and youth leaders in your congregation. For more details or to register online, visit the MCC website.
If you have a personal, professional, or community garden, the University of Maine Cooperative Extension invites you to Plant a Row for the Hungry. Many churches in Maine already maintain a community garden plot or a CSA share for their local food pantry. You can find out more about the Plant a Row program at www.extension.umaine.edu/gardening/programs/plant-a-row/
MCC is working with churches and communities along the Maine coast to study the changing realities of life in and on the water for fish and fishing families.
Our new study program, Fishes and Loaves: a study of the covenant between sea and land, will look at our sacred relationship with sea, how the fish are affected by climate change and ocean acidification, and what local communities can do to support fisheries that are environmentally and economically sustainable. Our first communities to use this resource are Kennebunk, Topsham, and Bar Harbor. Learn more at our website.
For more information about any of these programs, contact Eric C. Smith at our office at 772-1918 or esmith@mainecouncilofchurches.org
14. You're invited... to celebrate 10 years of taking action to protect the natural world from climate change. Maine Interfaith Power & Light has been an ardent supporter of clean power, a promoter of energy efficiency, and an advocate for legislative action on global warming.
Please join us for an evening of desserts, music, fun and inspiration. Space is limited so please make reservations today.
When: Friday, April 16th at 7 PM
Where: Woodfords Congregational Church (202 Woodfords, Portland)
Tickets: $20 EARLY BIRD SPECIAL $15/TICKET through April 4th
Event Website: http://meipl.org/special-events.html click here to purchase tickets
Join us for an evening of food, fun and festivities...
EAT: Indulge in a delectable array of Maine-made desserts from local bakeries and restaurants
LAUGH: Tap into the energy, wit and wisdom of humorist Jackson Gillman
BE INSPIRED: Explore the exciting potential of wind power in the Gulf of Maine with Governor Angus King
Maine Interfaith Power & Light P.O. Box 4834 - Portland, ME 04112 (207) 721-0444 - info@meipl.
15. The Three Stories of Easter
Whenever a bad or traumatic thing happens three stories can be told about the experience.
The Victim Story.
This is the Bad Friday story which tells all the ugliness of the bad thing that has happened.
The Survivor Story.
This is the Holy Saturday and Emmaus road story. We survived the bad thing but life is very different and we have no idea how we will go on.
The Thriver Story.
This is the Easter story of resurrection. We discover that despite the bad thing that has happened, life in all its fullness goes on. Things are not just different they are transformed. Bad Friday becomes Good Friday, the day when the seeds of new life and possibility were planted and now are yielding the fruit of new life. This is the Easter message: that there is no place we can get to that is beyond the reach of God's grace and the possibility of new life.
Sadly when bad things happen many people and churches get stuck in endless telling and retelling of the victim story. Some may discover they have survived, but over the years the years of struggling to endure takes its toll. Working on having less death will still get you death.
Thriving doesn't just happen it needs to be worked at, first by discovering how God is still here and secondly by joining with God in what God is doing. As the Easter story tells, God doesn't have a survival plan. God has a resurrection plan.
Remember this Easter: Jesus came that we might have life, not less death.
From Bob Voyle, Director of the Clergy Leadership Institute