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From the Pastor's Study Eric Kelley Are you good at remembering names? Most people confess that they are not, so the question should be, "Why are we so bad at remembering names?" There is a very good answer to this. When we meet people for the first time we are so preoccupied (somewhat unconsciously) with how we are going to respond to them that their names flow right through without ever registering. There is something you can do about this. If you say the person’s name to whom you have been introduced three times in the first few minutes, their name will be yours for life. It’s something like this. Let’s pick the name Fred out of the air to use as an example. After having been introduced to Fred you say, "Hello Fred." Then quickly in the conversation you might ask a question such as, "What do you do for work Fred?" or "What brings you to this place Fred?" That’s number two. If the conversation goes on say the name as many times as you can (don’t worry, Fred is so self centered as well he will enjoy hearing his name as many times as you want to say it). Finally, when you part say, "It was really nice meeting you Fred." (And you will mean it). This may sound a bit gimmicky but guess what, it gets you out of your head a little and allows you to be more present to the person you are meeting. Fred will not only feel more honored because you recognized him but you will feel better for being present to him while booting yourself out of the center of the universe for just a few minutes. We live in an incredibly self centered world with so many dangers that we can quite easily draw our circles so tight that we close more and more people out. Our church is here to always help us expand our circles – circles where we consciously place others in the center and serve them in ways that Jesus taught. That’s pretty highfalutin religious talk but it works for common ordinary folks like us who are simply doing the best we can with what we’ve got. Have a great summer! Grace and Peace, Eric
 Annual Seed Of Peace Planting Day Missions Committee Saturday, June 7, was the day 15 members and friends of Williston-West met at the Seeds of Peace International Camp in Otisfield, Maine, to plant flowers. Organized by the Missions Committee, this was our third annual planting day, and the following people worked the morning away to beautify the camp just prior to the arrival of the counselors and campers… Many thanks go to: The Seeds of Peace organization is dedicated to empowering the children of war—teenagers who will be the future leaders of their countries—to break the cycle of violence in their homelands. Last year, in its tenth year of operation, over 450 campers attended summer sessions at the camp. Set in the supportive, relaxed environment of a summer camp in Maine, Seeds of Peace immerses teens from Palestine, Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Yemen, Tunisia, Cyprus, Turkey, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Yugoslavia in a month of interaction, leadership training, dialogue and recreation. Campers are selected by officials in their own countries on the basis of their motivation, leadership, and facility with English. Ultimately, the program enables future leaders to get to know one another as people--to put a face and name to their "enemies"-- and to begin to understand each other’s perspectives. Returning home, the teenagers are encouraged to continue their relationships across borders. Be sure to check out the pictures from the day on the bulletin board in Fellowship Hall (great photography courtesy of Nancy Mawhinney)! We actually stayed dry this year--except for Isabella, who was brave enough to take a dip in the still-cold lake after we'd gotten our work done. Remember, this is an annual event--if you haven't been able to attend a planting day yet, there's always next June--mark your calendar now for the 2nd or 3rd Saturday in June and be part of the "miracle in the Maine woods" that is the Seeds of Peace International Camp! Jonesport Gathering Come join the fun again at the Twelfth Annual Jonesport Gathering! A sign-up sheet is in Fellowship Hall, or you may call the office and we will add your name(s) to the list. Directions and a list of lodgings are also available at the office and we suggest that you make your reservations soon as these places fill up quickly. The "admission fee" for this enjoyable two-day event is quite reasonable. All that is required is a donation to the Rakers’ Center Food Pantry, and you can find a list of requested items below. The only other request is your contribution of a dish to share at the pot-luck supper Saturday night. This can be anything you wish – salad, entrée or dessert. We look forward to seeing you! Click here to see the 2002 Jonesport Photos.To read more about the gathering, see the Pastor's Notes from June.  Thoughts on Spirituality Cindy Stewart A couple of weeks ago I was asked by a friend to help her with a class she is taking for her MSW. The class assignment focused on the student getting some clarity around spirituality and what that means to people and how to consider spirituality in counseling. Interestingly, she asked me not because she felt I was particularly spiritual, but she knew I belonged to and attended a church. She had prepared questions I was asked to respond to that seemed to have a theme about religion and rituals and a little about beliefs. Being the task oriented person I am, I answered the questions as best I could. After completing the exercise, I found myself for days thinking about some of the questions and my answers and that led to examining my spirituality in more detail. Although I have never had a "born again" experience or felt God was speaking directly to me, I have always considered myself very spiritual, deeply feeling, and pondering how things fit and what deeper meaning people places and experiences bring to me. As an adolescent, I began to question much of what had been taught to me in the UCC church which I had attended since early childhood. My questioning made the pastor and my parents very uncomfortable and I was not encouraged, so I began to explore on my own. Nothing was off limits- Wicca, Buddhism, Taoism, Judaism, Scientology – you name it, I wanted to know what it was about. When I announced at the age of 14 that I thought I wanted to convert to Judaism, my parents quietly said nothing, but the fear in their eyes was the only message I needed. As a college student my quest for "spirituality" continued with courses in "World Religions," "The Historical Bible" and I filled spaces with readings of Martin Luther, John Calvin, Gandhi and other famous people who seemed to have a social and spiritual message. However, through it all, I always felt spiritual and I see my spirituality a journey and not a destination. As an adult and a parent, I became more comfortable with Christianity again and started to search for a church community. Not only had I changed as a person, but churches had changed as well. Eventually, I found my way to Williston West and have found a place where I can continue to question and explore and look for answers. Over the past few weeks, the subject of spirituality has entered my mind again and again. Even a television show entitled "The Bible and UFO’s" piqued my interest and the show held me for the entire hour. Just this past Sunday, ironically, Eric preached about the trinity and The Mystery Beyond, Among & Within Us, I sat and listened and again my thoughts turned to the question of spirituality. The events around and within me the past few weeks have re-affirmed my beliefs and the realization that religion and spirituality were two different things for me, although connected at some level. The Holy Spirit isn’t something to touch and see, but at the same time it is everything. Eric says, "It’s a matter of faith." I agree, but it’s also a matter of somehow knowing and feeling. My spirituality is everything in the world, it’s all around me. It’s the smile on my children’s faces, it’s the sunset, it’s a tear for a lost loved one, it’s anger and fear in seeing people persecuted, it’s meditating and praying, it’s working and speaking out for social justice and it’s also sitting in church on Sunday with people whom I love and are part of my church community. My spirituality isn’t just saying the Lord’s Prayer, reciting a Psalm, reading the Bible, singing hymns, celebrating Christmas and Easter or going to church. My spirituality is a growing and living thing that has challenged me through the years as well as brought me comfort and calm. I will continue to search and walk my own journey. When do we have all of the answers? Will we ever have all of the answers? Does the journey end and become the destination? That’s probably a subject for a sermon. I am comfortable knowing that there is a greater power, that I don’t have the answers, that I have a safe place to be and grow, a congregation who accepts me and a spirit who loves me and accepts my questions and my doubts.  A Williston-West Thank You To David Shedd for answering the call for a box of altar candles - your gift is greatly appreciated. And to Sherry Thomas and Chris Chomitz for the great garden tools – thanks to you too. Our thanks also to Peoples Heritage Bank for their contribution of four file cabinets to be used to store archival materials.  WWC Wish List -- Altar candles @$66.00 per box (doz.) -- Please purchase an early Christmas gifts of Palestinian crafts – available in the office. -- Roadrunner for office internet access - about $40 per month -- VCR & TV combo (TV, VCR AND DVD even better) -- A long-handled, square-ended, steel shovel -- Someone with a truck or van to make occasional trips to the dump with large items. -- Pruning shears, both hand-held and long-handled Yard tools -- Low wire garden fencing for lawns -- Any carpentry tools -- Screws, nails, nuts, hooks – any type of hardware -- Maintenance supplies Church Photos Bruce Lewis HELP!! - - - It’s PHOTO TIME! In preparation for our annual fund drive, the Stewardship Committee would like to assemble a photo journal of all or any church activities, gatherings, or unique photos of church members. We have a few photos, but we really need your help…so dig deep in your "archives" at home, or, if you are camera-handy you might even take a few snaps. Bring or send any photos you find to the church office or place them in the "green photo basket" when you attend church on Sunday. Oh, by the way, all photos will be returned, so please include your name and addresses on the backs. We thank you in advance for your help. Church World Service Madeline Bates Colombia – Due to a nearly 40-year conflict, more than a million people have been displaced from their homes in the last three years. We are providing seed and tool kits to help these families re-establish their lives. Writing tablets, pencils, erasers, sharpeners, geometry sets, and school bags are provided to 1,200 school children. In addition, shelter materials – awnings, mosquito netting, sleeping mats, sheets, and clothing are being provided to 200 families. Afghanistan – CWS is helping 1,500 families in rural villages in the Shomali Valley by furnishing building materials needed to reconstruct their homes. So far, more than 1,000 families have rebuilt their dwellings. CWS has been able to provide temporary employment in the form of quilt-making for 1,800 women in Kabul, most of them widows. Quilts are distributed to clinics and hospitals throughout Afghanistan. Funding comes from the church community and the U. S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration. North Korea – Threats of nuclear re-armament have threatened the plight of 22 million people heavily dependent on external food relief programs. CWS is providing several shipments of supplemental food assistance. Trustees' Column David Shedd You’re probably assuming, as soon as you start to read this, that I’ll be writing to ask for support for some project or another. For once, I’m not! Yes, we still have a need for help with the oil bills, but other than that, we’re in fairly good shape. I will make one cash flow note, though; summer is upon us, and typically people go off on vacations and forget about their pledges during this time, making up the difference when they get back in the fall. Please, if you can, keep up with those pledges, perhaps even paying some of the summer amounts in advance, it will save us from our usual problems if you do. It’s been a busy first half of the year for the Trustees. With a Board almost entirely composed of new people, it has been a challenge to get everyone up to speed on all of the issues and historical perspectives that we have to work with. I want to use a little of my space to thank all of the members of the Board; I have never seen a group of people so quickly absorb difficult information, nor have I seen a group like this so quickly come to decisions and cut to the heart of matters. So….Carol, Patrick, Gracie, Sumner, Ken, and Judy, you have my thanks. Coming up at the end of July is the church retreat at Eric and Betty’s place in Jonesport. No, this isn’t something that qualifies as a Trustee issue, but I want to encourage everyone to go. Nancy and I have gone to it for the last two years, and it’s been a wonderful time both times. By seeing people in a different setting, you get a very different feel for them, and we’ve truly come to feel closer to the church community because of it. Eric’s stories even begin to make more sense when you see where he grew up! If you want to get the best out of your experience as a member of Williston-West, don’t miss this event. I’m even missing one of my precious bicycle races to be there! One final note—we’re starting to look into some long-range planning issues surrounding our buildings. If you have any ideas of things you’d like to see done, please let one of us know; the more input we get, the better. And with that, I’m off to enjoy the summer!  Rakers' Center Food Pantry Barbara Ginley Are you packing your bags for the Jonesport retreat? Have you remembered the sunscreen, bug spray, a box of tea or a bag of pinto beans? As with last year's retreat, this summer the Williston-West community will have a food drive for the Rakers' Center food pantry. The pantry is operated by the Maine Migrant Health Program for the migrant workers and families that come downeast for blueberry harvest. On behalf of the program I am both delighted and incredibly grateful that our congregation will collectively contribute to the well-being of our state's farm workers and families. Many of the workers who arrive here at the end of each July will go a couple of weeks before they get a pay check, often times they have expended much if not all of their personal resources just to get here to work. Food security, like all too many other basic needs, is often neglected for this population. To think that those families who help put food on our own tables often face hunger when they return home at night is a heart-breaking injustice, and one that we can bring change to. We have expanded the food drive to kick-off at the end of June and run through July up until the retreat on July 26th and 27th. So you have plenty of time to collect the goodies! A donation box has been put in the vestibule of the church for you to drop off your contributions. Below is a list of requested items. Please note much of what is on this list has been recommended by workers themselves, many of these items are not available through the surplus program operated by the Dept. of Agriculture which also supplies the pantry:
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