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From the Pastor's Study On Being Successful Eric Kelley We are having one of those ‘old fashioned’ winters that we remember from our youth. My memory is sufficiently refreshed to last a lifetime so apart from global warming, give me mild winters from here on out! This makes me think of a conversation I had with a friend at Portland Rotary who spends her entire winter in the Caribbean. I told her, quite self-righteously, that I like Maine in the winter and apart from a couple weeks to defrost in the middle of it all I was quite content. Well, you know what they say about famous last words, I am now eating every one of them! Still, spring will come and our harbinger of it all begins with Lent. We have some exciting and timely events planned for Lent this year that I hope you will chose to participate in. First of all, Bob Witham has graciously stepped forth to present for us a program entitled "A Bold Look at the How, Why and What of Worship." Have you ever wondered why we do things the way we do in church? As we worship today is almost exactly the way church was when I was a little boy, although I can assure you the theological content is considerably more sound than what I was fed. Check the details of this program in a separate article in the Navigator. I will be facilitating a study group on Walter Wink’s book, The Powers That Be. It is a most timely study as we see the storm clouds of war gathering in a world with so much uncertainty and violence. Walter Wink helps us reformulate our ancient religious concepts in the light of what we now know. I have found it most helpful and I believe you will too. A six-part video featuring James Forbes, Janet Wolff and Walter Wink in dialogue about the Powers will bring an added dimension to our reading and discussion. Wink’s powerful and refreshing view of the life of Jesus will have some surprises for you and I am sure you will go away with insights that will bless you on your Christian pilgrimage. We will be meeting in the Clark Room on consecutive Thursday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30 PM beginning March 13th and ending April 17th with a pot-luck dinner before the Maundy Thursday service. Lent is a time of reflection leading to renewal. These events are offered to you to guide you in that process and I look forward to being with you. Grace and Peace, Eric
 Treasurer's Report Denise Johnson The Rev. Robert D. Witham has graciously offered to conduct a three week Lenten series at Williston-West. The dates for this series are Sundays, March 16, 23 and 30, beginning with coffee at 9:00 and ending by 10:15 in time for people to get into the Sanctuary for the beginning of service. The series is titled: "A Bold Look at the How, Why and What of Worship." Session I: Foundations – A look at the universal roots of worship and their particular expressions in the worship of the United Church of Christ. Session II: The Drama of Worship – A look at the content, choreography and color of worship. Session III: Worship is an Active Verb – A look at what makes worship both meaningful to me and faithful to the tradition. Bob is an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ and member and friend of Williston-West. He and his wife, Carol, are living in Portland in retirement. Bob completed his active ministry in October, 2000, after serving as the Executive Coordinator for Structural Transition for the 1.4 million member United Church of Christ. His assignment in this position was to guide the reorganization of the national ministries for the church, as called for by the UCC’s 1995 General Synod. We are fortunate that Bob, a gifted theologian and teacher, is a member of our church and is willing to share his gifts with us.  Trustees' Column David Shedd Chair, Trustees of Williston-West The next time you’re in church, take a good look around you. Look at the carpets in the sanctuary, at the floors in Fellowship Hall, at the paint on the woodwork. We are blessed to have an exceptional physical structure that houses our community; but without proper care, that blessing could turn into a curse. In 2002, the Trustees made decisions on repairing the roof, a fire escape, major boiler repair, and other projects (and we can thank Eric Kelley for some work above and beyond the call of duty when he built new stairs to replace rotted ones at the back of the building). For every project we were able to fund, or were forced to fund because it was a crisis, there are at least three more we would like to be able to do. Some upcoming projects that are desperately needed include redoing the wood floors in Fellowship Hall, putting in a handicapped accessible bathroom on the same level as the sanctuary, and reworking the church offices to better serve the needs of the congregation. All of these projects take time and money; both of those items are in short supply! How can you, as members of the congregation, help keep our beautiful building up to the standards that we all want it to be? There are various ways...if you have money that you can donate to help pay for materials or outside contractors, or if you have materials that we need that you can give, or if you have skill at some of the things we need to do, then you can help. If you have any interest in helping in any of these ways, or if you can think of ways I haven’t mentioned, please talk to me or any of the other Trustees, and let us know! In this way, we can plan ahead and take care of some of our problems before we’re faced with a disaster that has to be taken care of immediately, at significantly greater cost. We have such a strong, caring community; let’s all work together to see that we continue to be housed in a building that reflects our pride in what we have together. By doing that, we will also present a more welcoming appearance to potential new members, and will continue to grow and to leave a better facility for future generations of our congregation. Cora L. Brown Foundation by Susan Pettingill Most of us are well aware that Williston-West Church has always been actively involved in service work in the Portland community. Did you know that our church has for decades been actively involved in philanthropic work as well? Through our involvement with the Cora L. Brown Foundation (formerly known as the Portland Diet Mission), hundreds of our Portland friends and neighbors in need have been provided material and/or financial assistance during hard times. The foundation is overseen by representatives from a consortium of five Portland churches – WWC, Clark Memorial United Methodist; Trinity, Chestnut Street United Methodist and Immanuel Baptist -- and is funded by contributions from each of the churches as well as private donations. The Foundation’s mission is to provide assistance to residents of Portland who have exhausted other avenues of aid, be they members of one of the five churches or part of the Portland community at large. During 2002, almost $25,000 was spent assisting a large number of people in a variety of ways: 143 people received food; 17 received help with their electric bills; 10 were given assistance with rent and another 10 with their oil bills; 10 children received Christmas presents; one individual even received assistance in obtaining citizenship! These are just a few examples of the work of the Foundation. Millie Perkins has faithfully served as our church’s representative to the Cora L. Brown Foundation for more than 30 years and still attends board meetings when weather and health permit. Since several of the members are now in their 80’s and 90’s, the Board is looking to recruit additional representatives from each of the five churches in hopes of keeping the Foundation alive and active. Millie "recruited" me about two years ago and we both have enjoyed representing Williston-West. If there are any members of our congregation who would be interested in participating in this service opportunity, or if you would just like more information, please feel free to contact me through the Church office. Christian Education Tom Riddell We have had a busy run since the first of the year. We had a great turnout for Super Family Sunday. We had twelve families which translated into a lot of people with a common mission---a solid Christian Education for their children. We haven’t had an official chance to say thank-you to John Tewhey for writing and directing the Christmas Pageant. John has done this the past five years and does a spectacular job. However, John has put us on notice that all good things must come to an end. He has stated that he will want to turn this responsibility over next year but will provide us with five years of scripts to use. That means we are looking for someone who is a budding director/writer for next year. John we are grateful for all you have done and all you do; Thank-you. Looking forward we have three upcoming events in Christian Education. First, we are organizing a children’s choir under the direction of Gracie Johnston, accompanied by Linda Riddell. We are hoping to have our first presentation on March 16th during the children’s story time. Second, the children working in collaboration with the Missions Committee are conducting a bottle drive. The bottle drive will start March 9th and go through April 6th. There will be a gaily decorated box for all of you to put cans and bottles as well as an envelope for bottle receipts that you collect from the grocery store. The proceeds will benefit the programs outlined in One Great Hour of Sharing. Finally, watch for the Williston-West Fish at the collaborative worship at the Merrill Auditorium on March 23rd. The Sunday school has been asked to present a decorated fish for the service, and the kids have put a lot of heart and (sole?) into it. Look for our fish; I am sure it will stand out. We have a great bunch of kids in our Sunday school, and we thank everyone who has stepped forward to help. We are still looking for people to help teach several Sundays in early spring and toward the end of the school year. Please drop by and see us to discuss that and other opportunities to join the fun.  Mission Notes Madeline Bates, Audrey Tanner, Bob Campbell, Carol Hutchins, Judy Reidt-Parker, Barbara Ginley, Betty Kelley, and newest member, Sam Saltonstall Results from the Apple Tree "Vending" Sunday, January 26, 2003 During coffee fellowship time on Sunday, January 26, Missions Committee members were on hand to showcase our Apple Tree and to encourage people to pick apples. The Apple Tree is Williston-West’s local outreach mission structured on a "giving tree" concept that generates needed items for three youth-related organizations. It sponsors Reiche Elementary School, Portland West Neighborhood Center’s Learning Center, and the Center for Grieving Children. Each apple on the tree has an identified need of one of these three organizations. All but four of the apples were picked on January 26 and many of the items have already been returned to the Apple Tree basket. So far, we have delivered felt squares, yarn, scissors, markers, "stone bags", napkins, children’s socks, towels for the Reiche pool, bags of oranges and apples, juice boxes, nutritious snacks, and a CD/Cassette player with headphones, paper plates, and note cards. Things continue to appear in the basket and the generosity of our church family has been heartening! Reflections on the Seeds of Peace Event Sunday, February 9, 2003 Can you say "Falafel"? Were you among the lucky parishioners who attended the Middle Eastern-style buffet during coffee fellowship time on February 9? The Missions Committee organized the event as a fundraiser for the Seeds of Peace Jerusalem Center for Coexistence. Ten church members joined with all the Missions members to provide falafels, Arab coffee, hummus, pita bread, tabouli, a lamb and rice casserole, salads, cacik, phyllo chicken casseroles, fava bean salad, white bean salad, dates, apricots, halvah, baklava, and an amazing date tart! (Special thanks to Judy & Ted Malette, Tom & Linda Riddell, Dan & Donna Kane, Roger Wile, Phil & Melissa Crane, and Pat Buckley for helping us with such great food items!) Tim Wilson, Camp Director and Vice-President of Seeds of Peace, came along with former camper, Amer Kamal, to tell us more about the camp and its mission. After sampling Middle Eastern-style foods to put us in the spirit of things, we watched the documentary "Peace of Mind" that chronicled the lives of seven campers for a year after their return to Israel and Palestine. Amer Kamal spoke to us after the film—he was featured at age 15 in the documentary and is now a junior in college at U.S.M. Bill Whelan emailed me these comments, "Sunday was a great event, made more so by meeting and listening to Amer Kamal. When he spoke about the "Seeds" being blacklisted and called traitors! Then his reply: ‘I’ve done what you have done—I have thrown stones—but I have also talked to "the enemy" and had a chance to let them hear our story as well as hear theirs. They are not monsters, but people like us.’ Since 1993, Seeds of Peace has graduated over 2,000 teenagers representing 22 nations from its internationally recognized conflict resolution and coexistence program. Through these programs, at the International Camp in Maine and at its Center for Coexistence in Jerusalem, participants develop empathy, respect, communication/negotiation skills, confidence, and hope—the building blocks for peaceful coexistence. We raised $479.25 at this event and know that the money will be put to very good use by the Jerusalem Center! Pilgrim Lodge Program Year 2003 an outdoor ministry of The Maine Conference, United Church of Christ Pilgrim Lodge, owned by the Maine Conference of the United Church of Christ, is a retreat center and summer camp located on Lake Cobbosseecontee in West Gardiner, Maine. During the summer months Pilgrim Lodge is the central location for the outdoor ministry program of the Maine Conference. The program also includes trip camps to Moosehead Lake and Mt. Washington. Camp operations such as lifeguarding, food service, and maintenance are performed by a trained, paid staff. The program directors (known as "deans") and counselors are volunteers from local United Church of Christ congregations. These leaders change weekly, offer fresh and exciting programming, and are screened and trained by the Outdoor Ministries Committee. Pilgrim Lodge offers fun and meaningful programming in addition to all the familiar camp activities such as arts and crafts, swimming, boating, nature education, music, and games. The Pilgrim Lodge experience is rich and rewarding for campers, volunteers and staff. We invite you to join us in Christian fellowship. The complete program for Pilgrim Lodge is available in the church office. Moderator's Moment Phil Crane Our annual meeting on January 13 was a wonderful event. As I have reflected on it in the past weeks I become increasingly confident that we are a church moving in the right direction. In one of his sermons Eric reported that his father would often say, "We’re moving ahead steadily by jerks," and I would say that is a good characterization of our progress. We unanimously passed a sound budget which both challenges us and reflects a strong and growing community. Each committee was proud to report their progress in 2002 and many presented hopes and invitations for the coming year. It was reported that in 2002 we baptized 6 new children into our community and 22 adults were welcomed as new members of our fellowship. We also passed an amendment to our By Laws that declares us an Open and Affirming Church. Now I think that it is important to note that in my 11 year affiliation with Williston-West we have always been a truly diverse group. The people who have filled the membership roles, as well as those who have accepted leadership positions, have always seemed to me to reflect a wide cross section of our larger community and to be genuinely affirmative of one another. With the passage of this amendment we simply state clearly and loudly that we believe that all persons are precious in the sight of God. We state that all are not only welcome in our midst but that we are welcome to be fully who we are and to bring our own unique gifts to this community of Christ. The passage of this amendment does not change us - - it trumpets to the world who we are and what we stand for. We elected new members to our various boards and committees and we witnessed the ever emerging miracle of people working together. We recognized the passing of authority and responsibility from dedicated outgoing leadership to enthusiastic incoming leadership. Before the meeting was adjourned we heard an invitation from Bob Witham, a new member at Williston-West but a veteran minister who has held numerous positions with the U.C.C. conferences and the national office, to think bigger in terms of our involvement in Our Churches World Mission. It was a good meeting – the people of Williston-West made it happen, we spoke, we listened, we questioned, we prayed and we acted on our principals. I want to thank our entire membership for once again moving us ahead steadily by jerks. Church World Service Madeline Bates Afghanistan – CWS is helping more than 50,000 children to begin an educational journey only dreamed of under the Taliban. CWS has provided Family Shelter Kits for more than 63,000 families in Afghanistan and Pakistan. We have also completed the construction of 1,000 new houses. North Korea – In November, CWS appealed to President Bush to strengthen the humanitarian efforts of the World Food Program of the United Nations by increasing U. S. funding support. China – Our partner, the Amity Foundation, helps train Chinese young adults as teachers. With English skills, Chinese students can share in the technological opportunities we take for granted. Africa – 6,000 men, women and children die daily from AIDS. CWS is accelerating its response to help African children already orphaned by AIDS. For thousands of villages worldwide, the CWS commitment to providing clean water has created new beginnings and evoked feelings of total delight. And just as important is our constant focus on teaching village leaders how to maintain their new water systems by caring for all the hardware needed to keep fresh, clean water flowing to all the villagers. We, Church World Service, have provided millions of dollars in basic health care supplies to meet the medical and hygiene needs of thousands of families hit hardest by floods, droughts, and other disasters. Mitten Tree a Christmas Success! Susan Arnold In January, Eric and Betty delivered 65 pairs of mittens, hats and scarves to Reiche School. The principal’s response: "Williston-West comes through for us again!" Thank you to all who contributed to our Mitten Tree. Let’s do it again next year! ...What you Preach Bill Whelan When was the last time you read, saw or heard something that really moved you, something that, if you are lucky, will have a lasting impact on you? For me, it was seeing Peace of Mind: Existence Through the Eyes of Palestinian and Israeli Teenagers, the Seeds of Peace Documentary on Sunday, February 9th at Williston West Church. The documentary was made by seven participants of the Seeds of Peace International Camp in Otisfield, Maine. The film followed the teens as they returned to their homes in the Middle East and showed what it was like for them to deal with their new found understanding back in an often hostile world. It also gave us an opportunity to see the emotional struggles these young Palestinians and Jews had to go through as they made plans to visit one another in a land filled with generations of hatred. I was astounded at their commitment to one another and to the ideals of peace and friendship they now shared. What made this afternoon even more moving was the chance to listen to the two guests: Amer Kamal, a young Palestinian and one of the 'stars' of the documentary, and Timothy Wilson, Seeds of Peace Vice President and Camp Director. Tim, as he introduced himself, talked of what it was like to see all the new kids arrive at the camp, many of whom had never shared space with 'the enemy' before. He talked of the time they would spend talking to one another, arguing with one another, playing games together, and ultimately becoming friends. Amer Kamal, now nineteen and a college student, was fifteen when he made the documentary. He is an honest and direct young man who told how many 'Seeds' - as they call themselves - had their names listed on the wall as traitors because the associated with Israelis. His response was sobering and powerful. He said he told his fellow Palestinians "I have been where you are, I have thrown stones at the soldiers. But I have also had a chance to talk to Jews, to argue with them, perhaps change their minds about us. I also got to know them as people, something we have to do if we are to survive in our small world". Here is a young man who knows his life is on the line simply by living in his own neighborhood. Do you practice what you preach? Do you have beliefs and do you stand behind them? Have you ever said, "Do as I say, not as I do"? We all struggle with right and wrong. It is never easy. Even when we know the right path and 'encourage' others to stay on it, it is hard to do so ourselves. Here is a brief anecdote from Chicken Soup for the Teacher's Soul: A mother once asked Gandhi to get her son to stop eating sugar. Gandhi told the child to come back in two weeks. Two weeks later the mother brought the child before Gandhi. Gandhi said to the boy 'Stop eating sugar." Puzzled , the woman replied, "Thank you, but I must ask you why you didn't tell him that two weeks ago." Gandhi replied, "Two weeks ago I was eating sugar." I pray that was with Iraq is not inevitable - but there are people pushing us strongly in that direction. This war will be taken directly to the homeland of many of these young Seeds of Peace alumni. Will they be able to survive? Will they be able to maintain the desire for peace they built in a summer camp in Maine? Will we have the strength and the conviction to struggle against this war? "Give Peace a Chance", John Lennon sang years ago. I say we should give 'Seeds' a chance - let peace grow one young man or woman at a time. On the internet you can read more about Amer Kamal and the making of Peace of Mind by going to one of the following sites:
NY Times Special Report: Peace Of Mind: An Educator's Guide San Francisco Jewish Film Festival: |
