The Williston-West Navigator

From Rev. Dr. Eric W. Kelley

These wonderful autumn days are some of the best of the year but we know that winter is just around the corner. Most of us here love the seasons and welcome the cycles that bring vitality as well as variety, and find the changes as metaphors on our own journeys of life. Spring, summer, fall and winter not only describe our natural environment but aptly frame our personal journeys.

I would say that I am in the fall season of my journey – early fall of course! – with winter coming on. From experience we know that spring always follows winter in the natural environment, but what of our own existence? What about this faith stuff that tells us that we will enter the realm where God rules eternally? How do we deal with that in a way that we sleep well and feel a kind of comfort with the power behind it all? How do we say that we are in the fall or winter of our cycles without being depressed or frightened? How do we live life fully without living in the sleep of denial from which we must ultimately awake?

It is not depressing for me to feel that I am in the fall of my cycles but it is sobering and it makes me think deeper thoughts. It makes me put things in perspective, it humbles me and it makes me ask deeper questions of God. When I see a movie like "About Schmidt" (which I highly recommend) starring Jack Nicholson, it makes me acutely aware that I have decisions to make and a faith journey to nurture within the community of faith where all the seasons of life are on display.

As parents we take care of our children and prepare them for the days ahead. We see that all their medical needs are met that no unsuspecting malady will attack their vitality. We see that their educational needs are met and we begin early to put something away for college. We see that they get lessons to develop their bodies physically and artistically. We dress them so they feel a part of a culture that eases their anxiety. But in the end what does it all matter if they do not have peace of soul that can come only with a connection with the Almighty?

We provide the opportunity here at Williston-West for our children to grow in a faith community where it is natural to sing and pray and to become comfortable with ‘God talk’. We do not indoctrinate with dogma but educate with love – love equated with Jesus – the man who embodies for us what God would be like if God were a person. Many of us struggle very hard with this as adults because it wasn’t presented to us as such as little children when we were the most open to spiritual realities.

When you examine the love you have for your little ones and make sacrifices that their lives may be complete please consider that the most precious gift, the most grounding gift, the most foundational gift you can give may very well be grounding them spiritually in a faith community that focuses on the fullness of life in the presence of their creator.

Do you ever wonder what your life would be like now if you had had a healthier start on your faith pilgrimage as a little child? Do you ever feel inadequate in answering the big questions your children have regarding life because you have never found the answers for yourself? Whether or not you were brought up in a church and feel good about it or have damage to be undone we are in this together with our children. We are challenged by The Book of our faith to grow into fullness of life along with our children. We are taught to live humbly in the presence of God while our children see our strength but know that the ultimate strength is not ours but Gods.

Sunday school is important and should be a priority. Seduction is the name of the game of our whole system where lesser gods vie for loyalty. We need not look far to see the results of this as we witness the violence all around us. You have the privilege of setting examples for your children that will stand by them forever. We, as the extended family, have the privilege as well as the responsibility to stand with you on this most amazing journey.

Our little ones know what is important to us. They hear our words while observing our deeds. If we are conflicted they will know and will be shaped by it. They will ultimately bow down to the same forces that we do. Our values will become their values. We cannot give something that we do not have so church is not only a place for our children to grow but also a place for us to mature in the faith so that our words and our deeds become one. It is through this wholeness that our children are granted the foundation of a faith that will sustain them throughout the days of their earthly lives. Is there a more important gift we can give?

I hope your summer has been filled with deep joy and good times. Welcome back to another season of fellowship and growth.

I grew up Catholic in the Bronx. I went to Catholic schools right up through high school. I was an altar boy for eight years, reciting the Latin prayers with impressive speed (even knowing what a lot of it meant!) I actually never missed one day of mass in all four years of high school. I was baptized, confirmed and married all in the same church; confessed my sins weekly, said the Stations of the Cross, and became a lector as a young adult (comparable to our liturgist). Jesus was important to me and His life was drilled into my head since early childhood: how He lived, how He died and how He rose up on our behalf. The story was quite inspiring; the soundtrack to His life (hymns and chants) was soaring, powerful and holy.

So what happened? What took me from that powerful, religious beginning to twenty years of running from God, ignoring Him, and telling myself that God was not important in my life, except in a general, new age way? Twenty years of feeling uncomfortable in a church, attending family weddings or funerals with an awkwardness usually reserved for those alien to the traditions and rituals; twenty years of standing back as others would move forward for Holy Communion. Why the jarring reversal?

If I give simple answer to such questions, it could only make light of the internal struggles I encountered all those years. Looking back, I realize I never stopped believing in God, I simply tried to stop thinking about Him. I began to believe God was no longer important and I could live my life without Him. Lately, another thought occurred to me that has taken on a greater significance: Jesus was stolen from me! Yes, stolen. I never reported the theft; I don’t think I even understood the loss for a long time. But I remember when it began.

In the late sixties we began having folk masses in out church and instead of the traditional hymns (the official soundtrack), we sang songs important to us. You may have loved the idea of ‘folk masses’ or you may have hated them, but they were part of the struggle for meaning many of us went through. On one Sunday morning we sang Dylan’s "The Times They Are A Changing", which contains the line, "Your sons and your daughters are beyond your command, cause the times they are a changing." When the song ended the priest made an unusual break with tradition and jumped to the pulpit when he would normally go on to the offertory. He chastised us for such a line and laid to rest the fears of parents in the congregation by telling them not to listen to us, that they were still in charge. At that moment, I began to look at the church differently. I saw it entrenched in a dogma more involved with maintaining itself than with the teachings of Christ. I viewed the gold chalices and marble altars as evidence of my belief, as well as the willingness of many priests in the parish to support the killing in Vietnam as justified.

I now saw Jesus as the head of a wealthy institution whose representatives were advocating war. As the years rolled on the Christian Right became more powerful and used Jesus’ name to condemn anyone who didn’t strictly believe as they did. Gays, feminists, liberals of any sort: Jesus has your name and will punish you at the time of his choosing. Believers in choice? Jesus is coming after you. I wanted none of it. Personally, I reached a point where I was embarrassed to acknowledge that I believed in Jesus. It seemed to lump me with a group of very close-minded people who were unwilling to consider opinions other than their own.

But faith is something you don’t control. No amount of ignoring God enabled me to stop believing in Him. Then Christina and I chose to cross Thomas Street from our home to Williston-West Church to listen to Eric Kelley, who was our neighbor at the time. The visit turned into several visits and slowly turned into years of commitment as we listened to sermons about a Jesus who was as much human as God, a Jesus who shook up the establishment and embraced its outcasts, a Jesus who didn’t just preach, but seemed to live the life he wanted us to live. I am a believer; I am a follower. But I won’t follow blindly. I recently picked up Elaine Pagels’ new book, "Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospels of St Thomas", hoping that it will shed some new light and understanding on the life and times of Jesus. I have found Him again and I am reclaiming Him in a way that makes sense to me.

September 18th, 25th & October 2nd 7:00 – 8:30 P.M.

Are you embarrassed at how little you know about the Bible? Would you like to know more of the very basics? Do you have questions you would like to ask but have never had the courage to do so? Would you like to know more about the different kinds of literature the Bible contains? Would you like to know the difference between an epistle and a gospel? Would you like for the Bible to begin to come alive for you?

If you can answer ‘yes’ to any of these questions and have a few of your own, this will be a time for you to take a giant step in your faith journey. If you would like to attend please register by calling the church office at 774-4060. You do not need to be a member but simply be a reasonably friendly person with an open mind.

WHAT TO BRING: A Bible you have had gathering dust. If you are even more basic than that we will supply one! Bring something to take notes on along with a question or two you would like answered. Finally, bring yourself and anybody else who might like to join in.

Over the last three years Williston-West has recognized the importance that a strong endowment has been to many local churches. In fact, it has meant that some are around today because of it. Churches have ups and downs and require a buffer to get over the tougher times. Thanks to the thoughtfulness and generosity of many over the years these endowments grow and allow us to maintain the community of faith that we all cherish. With this thought we have been asking everyone to consider including Williston-West in his or her will. Or, if you have a windfall or other positive event, you could make a donation at any time.

The endowment is divided into two parts. The prime part is the General Fund. The income from this contributes to the annual budget of the church. The second part is the Building Preservation Fund that is to support those capital needs that are beyond the annual budget. It is this fund that needs a major boost.

Give thought to this. Thank you

The Portland Rotary has a hearing aid project to provide hearing aids to young people in the Dominican Republic. Each year we send an audiologist and assistants to fit the hearing aids. Last year they installed 250 devices to people who may have never had really heard before. You should see the expressions on those faces! We are asking anyone who has a family member who may have an old hearing aid to contact one of us. We then have them reconditioned. If you have one that might be used please contact Gracie Johnston, George Crockett, Eric Kelley, Tom Fairbourn, John Tewhey, Mary Finnegan or Joel Gratwick. Thank you.

-- 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

Each week we sit at services and admire the beautiful stained glass windows. There is a story for everyone as to who gave them and to whom they are dedicated. In addition, many of them have names. Here are a few names. Now you have to figure out which is which.

It should be noted that this effort should not be made during the sermon!

It is hard to believe that summer is over and another Sunday School season is upon us. I would like to thank everyone who has helped with the Summer Sunday school. These people were gracious enough to spend a summer Sunday morning with our kids: Ted and Judy Malette; Phil Crane; Sam Saltontall; Donna Kane; Amy Partridge-Barber; Bob and Sally Campbell; Janet Cole; and Linda Riddell.

We will be starting regular Sunday school on September 7th. We will be having a brief Christian Education committee meeting immediately following church on the 7th. The committee is planning the first Christian Family Sunday on September 21st. We like to have the children and parents in Sunday school that day to reflect on the curriculum, participate in a lesson and ask questions about Sunday school. We also encourage parents who have children participating in Sunday school to teach a couple of Sundays during the year. The lesson plan, project, snack and stories are laid out for the teacher---- it’s really quite easy!

We start out the school year with several needs in addition to teachers. We are looking for several members to join the Christian Education Committee. We are looking for people who will bring wisdom and support to the committee. And you don’t need to have young kids—just like working with them. After five years of putting on excellent Christmas Pageants, John Tewhey has indicated that he wants to pass the duty on to another. Therefore, we need a producer/director of the pageant. I have had some interest from our community theater folks, and hope someone will step forward with "I can do it."

We are really looking forward to our Sunday school year. You can see, hear and feel the growth our children demonstrate in their actions. It takes all of us to nurture Christian values in our youngest members. I truly look forward to working with you this coming year.

The following information is from the General Synod 24 which took place at the Minneapolis Convention Center in July:

Healthy growth and an aggressive identity emphasis combined with shaky finances sent confusing messages to the 2,500 visitors and delegates of General Synod 24. The United Church of Christ has shown it can attract new churches and be sophisticated in its search for new members but, at the moment, it still needs to dip into its endowment to pay its way.

Representatives of 74 new congregations entered the convention hall behind a drum major and marching band on Saturday to the cheers and applause of all. Evangelism Team Leader the Rev. David Schoen called it a "new Pentecost" for the UCC.

"On any Sunday morning, at least 27 languages are spoken in the UCC today," he said.

The UCC’s growing edge embraces new churches founded by immigrants and old churches finding their way to a new church family. It worships in homes, high schools, shopping centers, borrowed churches and sprawling new church centers. The smallest new church in the UCC might begin with a few members and a laptop computer. The largest can accommodate half of its 6,000 members in one worship service.

Delegates sensed that the United Church of Christ is at a turning point. The growth of new and renewing congregations and an ambitious identity emphasis ("God is Still Speaking") proved the UCC does not have to accept membership decline as its inevitable fate.

But delegates also were confronted with a dose of financial reality. A sobering report on lukewarm support for Our Church’s Wider Mission indicated that the church is heading into troubled waters. One proposed remedy for the church’s financial crisis – a four-year interim between General Synods – was handily rejected by delegates.

The next General Synod will convene in Atlanta in 2005. Perhaps it will open with the answers to the questions that linger as General Synod 24 closes:

Will the next two years prove that the UCC really has the will to grow? Will delegates welcome another 74 new congregations? Or will they learn that financial decline has crippled the church’s ambitious plans for evangelism and renewal?

Maggie Robinson will be offering fiddle lessons for beginners age 5 and up starting in late September. Please contact Maggie after church or through the Church Office for more information.

We have heard from Gini King of the Center Street Church in Machias that a young man in their congregation is looking for temporary residence in a private home in Portland.

Tatenda Chirusa (called "Tay") came to Maine from Zimbabwe a few years ago to study at University of Maine-Machias. He has now graduated and has been offered a position as an accountant with a Portland firm and they have agreed to hold the position for him until he can come to the City. Tay does not have transportation nor funds to pay for housing until he begins his job, so the room would be needed rent-free for a couple of months.

This young man comes with excellent references. He is a member of the church choir in Machias and is well-loved by their community. If you can open your home to him, or if you know anyone who has a room to spare (maybe their child has gone off to college?), please call Gini King at the Center Street Church: 255-6665. Tay does have an e-mail address at may be contacted at tchirusa@yahoo.com.

and, while we are talking about housing……

Our friends, Angelo Okot and his family, are in need of a new residence. The owners of their current apartment are expecting relatives from their homeland and need the space. Angelo is looking for a 4 or 5 bedroom apartment to accommodate his large family and would prefer the Portland area. If you know of anyone who has rental property, please contact Angelo through the church office. Thank you for your help.