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PASTOR’S NOTES Eric Kelley
Perhaps the most asked question I get is, "Do you feel safe over there?" My quick answer is an affirmative, "Yes, I do!" It is a safe land to travel in and the people are very gracious. Ask any of our group and I’m sure they will agree. Did you ever wonder how Palestinians view our country or if they would feel safe coming here? I never did until last year when I met a well-to-do Palestinian whose family owns The Middle East Company at #1 Nativity Street in Bethlehem. Their impressive building is across the street from Rachel’s Tomb (Rachel was the beloved wife of Jacob). This site is sacred to both Jews and Moslems and is often a place of tension witnessed by the heavy military presence there. In idle conversation, I asked Munir Sansur if he had ever been to the United States. He told me he never had and added, "I don’t dare come to America because it is unmerciful and violent and I’m frightened." I was so surprised that after I left, I quickly jotted his words down on the back of his card so I would not forget them. It turns out that he gets this from watching CNN and other American television shows. We adjust to what we know and become familiar with. The truth is, we do live in a violent land and we need to do something about it. As Christian people we seek peace in following the life of Jesus. Come and be with your church family this year – especially through the events of Holy Week. If we are going to have victory over death and know real peace it can only come through God’s benevolent grace! Blessings to you, Eric  MODERATOR’S REPORT Ted Malette Return to Table of Contents Our March Council Meeting took place on March 19, 2000. A great deal is happening in our community. The activity of the Stewardship Committee has been detailed over the last three weeks:
The Music Committee and the Membership Committee are joining forces to bring about "Cabaret 2000". This gala event will benefit our Apple Tree Missions Program. The date is May 6 at 5:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. Please come forward to share your talent with us. If the last Cabaret was any indication of what to expect, this event is not to be missed. The Board of Deacons is to be commended for the development of the Alternative Worship Service held each Tuesday evening at 6:30 PM. In addition, the Lenten Discussion Program provides another opportunity for spiritual reflection and development. I am so thankful that my life’s journey has brought me to Williston-West. The way this community of faith responded to the illness and passing of Sylvia Fengler was a remarkable sharing of love and concern. I think this is so hard to find in our world today. That response is not unusual here, however. The love and support shown to Chris Berry is the norm in our Christian family when tragedy or misfortune appears. I pray that the love we have here will become manifest throughout the world. I pray that all children of God feel as loved as we here at Williston-West. Spiritual Healing Diane Tyler Return to Table of Contents When you’re part of the Williston-West family, finding yourself dealing with a serious problem is to find yourself surrounded by love, attention, prayers, and positive energy. Sylvia Fengler felt this and it sustained her with great strength and comfort. Sylvia had hoped to return to church and share with us all the stories and inspiration gained from her illness. Unfortunately, that never could happen. But Sylvia died with dignity, peace, and unfaltering faith in God. In December when she first heard I had a cancer diagnosis, Sylvia e-mailed me, "I truly believe that I have been carried through my illness by the energy, prayers and consistent support of my family, friends, church family…I don’t know who they all are, but I feel their energy caring and lifting me every day and know that through Him all things are possible. You must rally your support group and get us all working in harmony for your triumph over this hump." Sylvia said this so well; sometimes we don’t realize how much our small part can mean to someone in need, but added to the efforts of everyone else, it is all-powerful. While I was awaiting and recovering from mastectomies in January, I was truly overwhelmed by the outpouring of care shown in different ways by so many here at church. It was an experience I shall never forget and I want to thank each of you who made my days so much brighter and happier. Just to reiterate the good news, my pathology report was that NO further treatment is necessary. Truly a blessing. ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING Missions Committee Return to Table of Contents On Sunday, April 9, we will join with Christians in nine other denominations in collecting our One Great Hour of Sharing offering. The offering we collect supports the mission work of our own United Church Board for World Ministries and of our interfaith partner, Church World Service. Through their efforts, we are there and ready to assist wherever and whenever disaster strikes in the United States and abroad, and also to provide long-term, sustained development assistance, refugee resettlement, and social service. In the year since we last collected this offering, misfortune has struck people in many parts of the world. Our hearts and hands have gone out to the people of Turkey, where a horrible earthquake brought death and devastation to a heavily populated area last August. A significant portion of our gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing provides emergency relief to victims of earthquakes, hurricanes, droughts, and epidemics. Our aid shipments do not have to await this annual offering, however, because we have built up a reservoir of resources from past giving. And our assistance does not cease when the emergency is over, either. Our gifts keep working and helping people, such as our partners in Honduras, rebuild long after Hurricane Mitch is forgotten by much of the world. Another part of our gifts to this offering helps impoverished communities develop new sources of food and water, and to improve their standards of health and literacy. Still other gifts provide modest loans to poor people seeking to start small businesses, help resettle refugees from famines and wars, and support ministries with homeless children in the inner cities of the world. Altogether, our gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing, combined with those of other North American Christians, reach needy persons in over seventy countries. Please give prayerful consideration to increasing our One Great Hour of Sharing gift this year. TO THOSE IN NEED OF PASTORAL VISITATION Diane Tyler, Board of Deacons Return to Table of Contents The Visitation Team was formed to assist Eric, and its members call upon those who are unable to attend church. As Eric’s time has more and more demands upon it, visitation by Deacons and other lay people becomes even more important. We attempt to keep everyone connected to bring comfort and prayer to those in need. If you are being called upon in this manner, please understand that it is not that Eric prefers lay people to do some of his ministry, but that it is impossible for him to see everyone as often as he would like. The person who sees you is most willing to take any message back to Eric. Lay ministry soon develops a bond of confidence and friendship by having the same person visit you over a period of time. The Visitation Team is your connection to the congregation at Williston-West. Please let us hear from you with any concerns, questions or requests. WELCOME TO OUR NEW CHURCH ASSISTANT William K. Tyler, Board of Trustees Chairman Return to Table of Contents We would all like to welcome Betty Furman as the new administrative assistant at Williston-West Church. Betty is a well-known parishioner who has volunteered on numerous occasions to help various church committees perform their tasks…such as the Apple Tree Project (Co-Chair), Christmas Fair, and the Gardening/Flower Committee. In addition, she has taken it upon herself to personally help and assist some of the elder members who need to maintain constant touch with the church and its accomplishments and activities. The Trustees hired Betty after having gone through an intensive interview process with a special search committee. She was selected as the top candidate, by far, from numerous applicants who submitted their resumes and were interviewed by the committee. She previously worked for Falmouth High School for eight years in administrative-type work which will bode her well in handling the financial responsibilities of the church and the computer requirements of the modern age. Born in Davenport, Iowa, Betty was educated in the Midwest and several years ago received her Associates Degree in Liberal Arts from the University of Southern Maine. New members, Ivory and Tony Rieger, are Betty’s daughter and son-in-law and her grandaughter, Isabella, attends here regularly with them. Betty also has a son, Dylan, who resides in Portland and occasionally works with her at the Soup Kitchen. Please take note… the new office hours will be from 9:00 am to 2:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday. This means that all Sunday bulletin information must be received in the office one day earlier than in the past in order to allow sufficient time to complete the bulletin before 2:00 p.m. on Thursday. Let’s all welcome Betty with open arms! STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE John Tewhey Return to Table of Contents The principal task of the Stewardship Committee is to plan and administer the pledge campaign for the annual operating fund. Over the past year, the committee has also been addressing the long-term fiscal strength of Williston-West through our focus on the Endowment and a Planned Giving Program. During March, the Stewardship Committee has made several short presentations during the Sunday service to (1) recognize the generous gift to the Endowment of Mildred Perkins, (2) describe the three-year Challenge Grant gift to the Endowment by an anonymous donor, and (3) introduce a Planned Giving Program at Williston-West. Challenge Grant: A three-year Challenge Grant of $25,000 has been made to the Endowment. The stated purpose of the grant is to (1) bring recognition of the importance of the Endowment to the fiscal well-being of the church and (2) promote individual awareness of the Endowment among members and friends of the church. The donor will make year-end donations of up to a total of $25,000 between now and December 31, 2002 to match contributions that have been made specifically to meet this Challenge Grant. We are off to a good start…as of late March, over $4,000 has been pledged/contributed by members and friends to meet the Challenge Grant. Planned Giving Program: The basic purpose of the proposed Planned Giving Program is to provide interested individuals with information and assistance in financial and estate planning. In doing so, the Stewardship Committee hopes to improve and expand financial support to the church in mutually constructive and beneficial ways. New initiatives of the planned Giving Program include:
Deacons Report Chris Berry Return to Table of Contents Did you know that we have a prayer book? We keep it in the back of the sanctuary. You can write in the name of those you want us to keep in our prayers at any time and you can check and see whose names are listed to keep in your prayers that week. It is another way we keep our community in our hearts. Did you know that Bibles are available for our services? If you like to read the scripture in advance or with the liturgist, please feel free to take one at the beginning of the service. The Bibles live on a bookshelf in the rear of the church just to the right of the front inside door as you enter. An important part of the deacons and our ongoing work is the visitation program—where we assign active members of the church to visit those members of our congregation who can no longer attend, or who would appreciate a visit. We also visit those who are in the hospital or are temporarily out of commission, for whatever reason. We have a visitation group who takes this responsibility seriously. If you would like to join us—you do not have to be a Deacon—please see Diane Tyler or Tom Beane. Ideas the board is currently discussing for the fall are a Bible 101 course, a session on the Meyers-Briggs type indicator, a Saturday workshop on how to integrate our faith into our everyday life…and more. If you have any suggestions for programs you would like to see happen, please see Chris Berry. The Board of Deacons this year are Jeffrey Armstrong, Tom Beane, Roxanna Brophy, Bob Campbell, Greg Fougere, Melissa Jensen, Meg Kennedy, Dale Knight, David Rutledge, Diane Tyler, and Bill Whelan. |
Our adventure to Palestine, Israel and Jordan in February was incredible. Because of my extended stay there last January and February of 1999 I was able to introduce our group to many Palestinian people and to take our group to places that most tours never experience. We moved from the spectacular beauty of 
