The Williston-West Navigator

Dear Church Friends:

Wow! Wait until you open this edition of the Navigator and see all of the wonderful things that are happening at our church this month. We have Bible studies, a very active mission committee and our youth program is vibrant and growing. The pews are beginning to fill (thank you cold weather!) and our choir is simply divine. We have so much to be thankful for here at Williston-West and so much to look forward to.

Transition is a time of growth and risk-taking. If you have never participated in an adult education program, but have been thinking about it, perhaps now is the time. If you have been holding back from joining the choir, or teaching Sunday school because you are worried that you do not have the necessary skills, why not take a chance and jump in now? The positive energy is flowing, so why not "go with flow" and try something new? You will be glad that you did!

When I look out at the faces in the pews on Sunday morning, I see some of the most talented, compassionate, engaging people that I have ever had the good fortune to have met. I honestly believe from the bottom of my heart that with this much talent, love and energy there is no limit to what we can do in God’s name here at WW. As Thanksgiving approaches I know that I am grateful for God bringing all of you into my life, the work and mission of this congregation and the opportunity to serve you during the upcoming year. Many blessings to you and your family during this holiday and may peace be in your hearts.

By the time you receive this newsletter the Pastoral Search Committee will have met twice. We met for the first time on October 20, 2006. Our special guest was our conference minister the Rev. David Gaewski. He presented us with myriad information on the search process. He and his staff will be our resource throughout the entire process.

At our next meeting on October 30, 2006, we will elect a chairperson and a correspondence secretary as well as determine a plan of action. I can tell you that we have a very talented and committed group that recognize the great responsibility we have. We plan to keep the congregation aware of our progress as we move through the process.

Quite soon we will begin developing our church profile. This will be an in-depth examination of who we are, what we believe, and what our goals are as a community of faith. This is one of the most important and meaningful parts of the entire process. How well we do with this will, in large part, determine what candidates will send us their profiles. This is where you are all asked to take part. Please plan on participating in the events we will hold to accomplish this part of the search.

Beginning Monday, November 27, the Deacons will offer a Bible study through the four weeks of advent. We will use the lectionary readings for the season as a way to prepare ourselves spiritually for Christ’s coming into our world and our hearts. Please join us at 7:00pm in the Clark Room for an hour and a half of reflection, conversation and transformation. The group will be led by the Deacons and Bonnie Steinroeder.

All are welcome. Bring a friend!

We will hold our annual Christmas Fair on . All of the traditional attractions will be there from Santa to cheese. We need YOU to volunteer to help out.

One way to help is to ask the merchants and restaurants you frequent to donate gift certificates for our silent auction. The earlier this is done the better, as we will have some competition as it gets closer to Christmas. We need You to work at the fair. We need You to spread the word by inviting friends and neighbors to "The Best Little Fair in Portland." This is our largest fund- raising project and a great way to get to know the people you worship with. Commit and get involved today. Please call the church office to sign up.

Migrant farm workers will soon be traveling down east to make wreaths for the upcoming Christmas season, and many of them will need warm clothing, as their work is done both outdoors and in unheated facilities to keep the evergreens fresh. 

At the beginning of November the ME Migrant Health Program will hold evening mobile medical clinics for these workers in Columbia, Topsfield & Baileyville.  As part of these clinics we would like to make some warm, gently used clothing available.  Most of the workers are adult males, sizes S-M preferred.  Types of clothing that are needed include: (warm) socks, hats, sweatshirts, sweaters, and coats and jackets.  Clothing will be distributed during the first few weeks of November.

If you can help, please bring your gently used items to church over the next couple of weeks, and put them in the migrant workers’ food(!) drive box. Barbara Ginley will see that they get delivered to the mobile clinics. Thank you for your generosity!

The Christian Education Committee this year hopes to help the Williston-West community get better acquainted with its youth. This is the first in a series of articles designed to do just that. We hope you enjoy learning about our great kids and make a point of getting to know them!

from left: Danny (5), Macey (10), Jonny (9), Mary in back

Meet the LaMouries!

Recently I paid the LaMourie family a visit at their cozy home in Portland to find out more about these new participants in our church community. I interviewed Macey first. A fifth grader at Breakwater School, Macey loves being in the outdoors. The LaMouries have a camp near the ocean up in Pemaquid where he can do just that. Macey means "Little Matthew" in French, and Matthew means "God’s gift." Macey is an affable and empathetic youngster who takes a real interest in others. In fact, he thinks that one day he might become a child psychologist, but only after he’s had a chance for some real adventure - maybe see the world before he settles down! Macey loves hanging out in his own space after school with his cat, Poozy. He has spent all his years in the LaMouries’ current house. "It’s fond of me," he says, "and I’m fond of it!"

Jonny has a real talent for art and spends much of his free time drawing. His name means "Gift from God" just like Macey’s. Jonny enjoys palling around with his buddies at Breakwater, where he is in fourth grade. He loves animals too, particularly Ursa, his chocolate lab, who "likes to lick me to death in the kitchen when I come home from school." Jonny has a lot of energy to burn. His outlets include soccer, baseball, and snowboarding, and he plays the piano too. Jonny and Macey both helped out at the Soup Kitchen in October, doing a fine job of waiting on table.

Danny is a happy youngster who enjoys his Kindergarten class at Breakwater. He loves to play in his room after school, sometimes making "movies" with his action figures and toys. Danny and Macey spend a lot of time together, and Danny has learned a lot from both of his older brothers. He also likes to keep company with Rocky, a 14 week old puppy recently adopted by the family. "He’s a mutt!" Danny says with obvious affection.

Mary (last name Hartman) teaches Math at Greely Middle School in Cumberland, and Matt, her husband, is an attorney. We welcome the LaMouries to Williston-West!

When Gracie and I were in Cambodia adopting Teany and Khem, people would approach us and say, "Lucky Baby, Lucky Baby." They knew that a Cambodian child going to another country would get a chance at a productive healthy life, without poverty. We both would always get tears in our eyes and say "No, we are the lucky ones."

Gracie and I have been blessed with the ability to adopt our beautiful older children, Teany and Khem, who have given our lives great joy, hope and inspiration. Nearly two years ago, we were given an opportunity to help a tiny baby recovering from major surgery. After much praying, our little Bonny came into our lives. We knew immediately we wanted Bonny to be part of our family and lives forever. This has not been an easy process.

Our "lucky Baby" has been surrounded by loving doctors, nurses and care givers through three subsequent surgeries with more to come: her brother and sister, her loving "family" of neighbors, and last but not least her church family. All of this support, love and concern have helped Gracie and me as we weave through the legal system, which has been challenging.

We were so surprised and humbled by Donna Kane’s suggestion of a church fundraiser for Bonny. And then our "other Bonnie," Pastor that is, jumped right in. And with the help of many others, you gave Bonny a very special night to remember. And we will remind her often of all your love and concern as she grows.

It was truly an amazing night full of wonderful food, beautiful music by Jimmy McGirr and a lovely auction by the one and only Bruce Lewis. To Donna, Pastor Bonnie and all who gave of your time and generous donations we say Thank You, "Lucky Baby" and many blessings.

Love,

Linda, Gracie, Teany, Khem and Bonny.

Why should we all wear name tags? What difference does it make?

At a church I once attended, during the announcement time I introduced someone who had volunteered to lead a committee. As he stood to be recognized he announced, "Everyone knows me." Though I applaud his ego, I don’t applaud his outlook.

We are a friendly church, but most of us don’t know everyone by name. Some of us are new or have been away for a while. Some of us are shy. Some of us have trouble remembering names.

So please wear your name tag. It’s such a simple way to do something for others. If it is lost or you never received one, request a new one at the Welcome Table near the entrance.

Thank you.

n October 15, the Williston-West community heard Bonnie preach on the good Samaritan story, filled out a questionnaire on church mission work and received the Neighbors in Need offering. Following the service, the congregation was invited to follow a ribbon along a display about world poverty, what is being done about it, and how we can support governmental efforts to reduce poverty world-wide. The display ended in the Clark Room where viewers were invited to share their reactions, which are printed below:

What struck you the most about poverty? the amount is shocking and overwhelming...how little I know…how tragic and unnecessary it is…what most struck me is that almost half of the girls don’t get an education…

Describe a reaction you had as you viewed the display. disbelief that poverty is so widespread worldwide…sadness, anger…disappointment in myself for not doing more…I feel and believe we can do so much more for the children who are starving. We must help…

List something personal you might undertake to help eradicate poverty. we are working with the sharing Foundation in Cambodia… advance altruism…support Heifer Project…work/volunteer for Habitat for Humanity…work with Oxfam…learn more about the Millennium Project…as the many requests for money come to our homes, consider prayerfully what we will give…

How should we as a church advocate for the poor? In as many ways as possible…starting here at home…keep the issue on the front burner…

I hope you will support the Millennium Development Project of the UN in some way. I write this, because it is clear to me that non-governmental efforts alone will never solve the problem of world poverty. The problem is too big. As people of faith, we can support private efforts, but we must also push our government to do its part. One of the easiest ways to help (for those of you who have access to the Internet) is to go to the http://one.org/ website. "One" and many other organizations are spreading the word and you can help with lobbying efforts, whether you contribute or not. If you would like to learn more about world poverty, read the Time magazine feature article that we reprinted as a handout for the display. It can be downloaded at Time’s website or at http://www.earthinstitute.columbia.edu

"It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power."

Whether you already saw it or not, this is your chance to view the thought-provoking film, An Inconvenient Truth, with church friends and neighbors. Enjoy some tasty dessert snacks during intermission to cheer you up, and stay if you can for a discussion of the film and what each of us can do. Hand-outs available will include a personal inventory checklist and information about the "Cool Cities" program, the Governor’s Challenge and Maine Interfaith Power and Light’s electricity offerings. The 6:45 start time was chosen to allow for a discussion after the film. Come a bit early with your snack, come late if you have to, but bring your friends and do come!

In next month’s Navigator Judy Malette will tell you a little about the meaning of "five for five" when it comes to Williston-West’s mission, and explain why you don’t need to clutch your pocketbooks too tightly!

The facts may surprise you: More than 850 million people suffer from chronic hunger. In the US alone, almost 36 million people live in poverty. Globally, 30,000 children under the age of five die every day, mostly from preventable causes, including malnutrition.

As a follow-up to World Poverty Awareness Sunday, we invite you to join people around the world this November in support of Oxfam’s Fast for a World Harvest. It’s very simple and inexpensive. Sometime between now and Thanksgiving, decide to forgo a meal, some junk food, a movie or whatever. Bring the money you saved to Church on Sunday, Dec. 3^rd and put it in the special offering basket as you leave the service or the coffee hour. If you would like your children to be involved as well, introduce the idea to them as you feel appropriate. Finally, remember that your financial support of this wonderful church during our stewardship campaign is critical to all of our mission undertakings, including this one. Without that support, our community and our mission undertakings wouldn’t exist.

The Williston-West Choir is in full swing as is the Williston-West Youth Choir. At rehearsal we had close to ten children singing their hearts out. It was fabulous!!

On November 12 the Church will be having its first Theme Music Sunday of the year, Folk Music Sunday. I hope you can make it. Both Choirs will be singing separately and hopefully together.

Do you have a favorite hymn you would like to hear during worship? Let Becky or me know and we will put it on our list of hymns to do throughout the year.

Would you like to donate an anthem? The choir is trying to expand its music library on a very limited music committee budget. At the suggested donation of between $25 and $30 the choir director would pick the anthem and let you know when it was going to be sung. Your name would be put in the Sunday bulletin stating that you had donated the anthem being sung. It could be in honor of someone, in memory of someone, or just because you would like to help make our library more diverse.

We hope that you are enjoying the music we are singing so far and if you would like to join us, please talk to any of the choir members or just show up to rehearsal Wednesday evenings at 7:00. We also rehearse Sunday mornings at 9:00.