First Congregational Church Camden, Maine

December 2019 Vol. 35, No 12

Our 2019 Advent and Christmas Season Events Sunday, December 1 1st Sunday of Advent ~ Communion 8:45 Church School, 9:30 Worship 11 am Book Study Living Buddha, Living Christ

Thursday, December 5 Come & Find the Quiet Center-Sanctuary 11:30-12 Meditation (followed by Communion-optional)

Friday, December 6 Noon Matt Mainster & Friends Holiday Christmas Concert

Saturday, December 7 9 am -2 pm Local Artisan Holiday Marketplace Craft Fair 4 pm Ringing in the Season—Christmas by the Sea Pen Bay Ringers Handbell Concert

Sunday, December 8 2nd Sunday of Advent 8:45 Church School, 9:30 Worship 11 am Book Study Living Buddha, Living Christ

Thursday, December 12 Come & Find the Quiet Center-Sanctuary 11:30-12 Meditation (followed by Communion-optional)

Saturday, December 14 4 pm Advent Spiral, Pilgrim Room

Sunday, December 15 3rd Sunday of Advent 8:45 Church School, 9:30 Worship 11 am Book Study Living Buddha, Living Christ

Thursday, December 19 Come & Find the Quiet Center-Sanctuary 11:30-12 Meditation (followed by Communion-optional) Friday, December 20 Caroling—stay tuned for details

Sunday, December 22 4th Sunday of Advent Worship Service and Christmas Pageant 11 am Book Study Living Buddha, Living Christ

Tuesday, December 24 6:00 pm Family Worship Service ~ Lessons & Carols 9:00 pm Candlelight Worship Service ~ Midcoast Brass

Sunday, December 29 1st Sunday after Christmas 8:45 Church School, 9:30 Worship

FREE SOUP LUNCH Wednesday NOON December 5, 12, 19

Lectio Divina and Meditation ~ Sanctuary, every Tuesday 1:30

Advent – A Time of Active Waiting I love Advent which also marks the beginning of the new liturgical year. The word itself means “arrival.” Of course, that begs the ques-tion of whose arrival we are waiting for. Once again, we await God’s inbreaking into our world that lies at the heart of the Christmas story. As people of Pentecost, we also affirm that Christ is always with us by the power of the Holy Spirit but we get ready over and over again to live the cycles and rhythm of our faith story. We are again bold to declare that God enters a world that is struggling under the weight of suffering, discord and oppression to be with us amidst our daily lives. Advent invites us to open ourselves to these places of suffering around and within us. We are also encouraged to look at what sepa-rates us and how we might contribute to suffering. All this is done in faith in the loving presence of God that will not let us go. God shines a light into our collective waywardness to help us arise to a new life. Most importantly, we are affirming that God is not afraid to be vul-nerable, to touch and experience what we experience. We are saying that God is in the war zones in Syria, the detention camps along our borders, the home where a marriage is falling apart, accompanying a homeless family looking for a place to rest in Camden, at the side of someone struggling with addiction, holding the hand of someone los-ing their memory, sitting with someone burdened with a difficult di-agnosis. With Mary, Joseph and other ancestors of our faith, we are chal-lenged to say “yes” to God’s coming though we cannot fully know what this means. Our “yes” affirms God as this embodied, transform-ative and vulnerable presence and it affirms our willingness to serve God in the work of transforming the world. I pray that we all take time during this season to consider where and how we have experi-enced God’s “yes” already. Let us ask how is it needed in our own lives and in the world around us. This is a sacred task. May the Spirit aid us in slowing down enough to tend to it. With great hope, Ute

From the Pastor’s Desk Rev. Dr. Ute S. Molitor

Come and find the Quiet Center Midweek Advent Services (12/5; 12/12; 12/19)

Are you looking for an opportunity to center yourself during the busy season of Advent? Come to the sanctuary on Thursdays from 11:30-12:00 for a meditative worship service. The service will fea-

ture silence, scripture, prayer, and simple chant. Anyone who wish-es to share in communion is invited to stay for a very brief liturgy at 12:00. Knitters, consider coming early!

Living Buddha, Living Christ An Unusual Book Study for Advent

As we are heading into the season of Advent, let’s take a look at whom we are expecting from a completely different perspective! When the visiting Tibetan monk Minyak Rinpoche taught our med-itation group about Buddhist Meditation, he also emphasized how much our religions share in common. The Vietnamese monk and revered teacher Thich Nhat Hanh also builds bridges between reli-gions and wrote the valuable book Living Buddha, Living Christ. All are invited to delve into his book together for an enlightening perspective on the one whose birth we celebrate at Christmas in dialogue with Buddhist teachings about the Buddha.

Hour long discussion sessions will be held on December 1, 8, 15 and 22 at 11:00 am in the Mayflower Room following the ser-vice. Look for the sign-up sheet. People are encouraged to also purchase the following book as a reference: Marcus Borg, ed., Jesus and the Buddha: The Parallel Sayings (Ulysses Press: Berkeley, CA, 1997). ===============================================

We are Co-Hosting Rev. John Bell February 4-6, 2020 John Bell is a dynamic preacher, musician, lecturer and broadcast-er. He is an active member of the ecumenical Iona Community in Scotland (www.iona.org.uk) and co-founder of the Wild Goose Resource Group (www.wildgoose.scot). Programs will include: The Lost Art of Lament, a program on Creation Care, a “Big Sing” on Wednesday night featuring music from around the world, and a workshop on developing personal spiritualit. John has a fabulous ability to bring people together through song. He engages the Gospel in dynamic, transformative and often humorous ways. Don’t miss this opportunity! More detailed information will be forthcoming.

From Elizabeth Lally Director of Christian Education

So here we are, moving into the holiday season! We have a beautiful Advent Spiral planned for Saturday, December 14 from 4 –5 pm in the Pilgrim Room. The lights will be dimmed as you arrive, and Christmas music will fill the space as the spiral un-folds. This was a lovely event that we started last year and is a beautiful “sacred pause” during what can be a hectic holiday sea-son.

Our new Ecumenical Youth Choir, led by Ursula Crosslin, will sing the prelude. It’ll be a nice time to take a break from the hustle of the holidays. Our Christmas pageant will be on Sunday December 22 before Chr istmas, dur ing the normal worship service at 9:30 am. We also have a family worship service planned for Christmas Eve at 6 pm. The message will be short-ened and there will be lots of carols to sing.

I have a lovely booklet of prayers and readings for Advent by Henry Nouwen for Sunday School families, but I do have a few extra for those interested. We will be attending the Chanukah celebration with the Adas Yoshuron Synagogue on December 29th. More information to come.

Blessings, Elizabeth SAVE THE DATE FOR CAROLING!

Friday, December 20, late afternoon. Details to come soon.

Memories of Pie Fest 2019

====================================== Sharing Joys and Concerns - An Invitation from Ute

Our church family is blessed because we care for each other and beyond our immediate community. We always feel this during our time of sharing during the service and want to make sure that people have an opportunity to share spontaneously from the heart. This doesn't always work for all of us the same way. Some of us are uncomfortable speaking up but have something to share. For others, the sharing can sometimes go on a little too long. Given the diver-sity in our midst, I would like to suggest that you consider leaving me a confi-dential voice message on the phone (236-4821 or 230-9068) if you have a joy or concern to share and are comfortable with having me present that on your behalf. You can also always alert me just prior to the service by telling me a joy or concern and/or handing me a note. I will be sure to share them as indi-cated. Of course, many things are so precious to us that we need to speak them aloud and from the heart ourselves. We will always leave room for that! Please also remember to check in with the person or family about whom you are sharing a concern as to whether they would like to be named and the detail they feel comfortable sharing. I am also always happy to talk with you about how a concern might be shared in a way that preserves anonymity, if preferred.

Thank you for listening. I feel blessed to serve a congregation that is so alive with the Spirit of Caring.

Ute

From Heavenly Threads

Melissa Chapman, Manager & Beth Gerrish, Assistant Manager

It's looking a lot like Christmas at Heavenly Threads Thrift Shop! We have turned one whole room upstairs into Christmas Central! Stockings are hung on the fireplace, our tree is covered in orna-ments and the bookshelves are lined with decorations. Two baskets are filled with gift bags in assorted sizes and a rack is full of festive holiday clothing. And throughout the shop are many items for the perfect gift for that hard to buy for person. Jewelry: costume, gold & silver. Books: fiction, non-fiction & coffee table books. Scarves & mit-tens. Artwork & mirrors. Glassware & knickknacks. Holiday clothing & Christmas sweaters. And so many other treasures!

We will be having a sale on ALL of our Christmas items on Saturday December 7th. This is the weekend of Camden's Christ-mas by the Sea and the Christmas Craft Fair at the church. So make sure to stop in to see us while you are out & about! We will be open that Dec 7th Saturday at 9am.

A couple of closings to let you know about: CLOSED Dec 24 & Dec 25 (Tuesday & Wednesday) Christmas Eve and Christmas! CLOSED Jan 6 through Jan 13 (Monday through Monday) This week is closed for cleaning & restocking And a BIG SALE to tell you about: Jan 3 (Friday) 50% OFF EVERY SINGLE THING IN THE SHOP! Jan 4 (Saturday) 75% OFF EVERY SINGLE THING IN THE SHOP!

From Matt Mainster Director of Music

In my mind I hit the jackpot this season in searching for choir anthems––all over the place in styles, but each so uniquely in-teresting and inspiring. Some whimsy, some jazz, some beauti-ful four-part choral harmonies; some french horn, saxophone, and cello … We hope you'll enjoy our December anthems as much as the choir and I have enjoyed preparing them. Then on Christmas Eve, we will sing several short and festive anthems with Kim Murphy and Tom Gray as our featured solo-ists. And, for the first time since I arrived, the choir will be lending their voices to some lovely descants for our Christmas hymns. As always, we’ll be joined by the brilliant Midcoast Brass Quintet. In the meantime, please don’t miss our last Friends of Music concert of the season on Friday, December 6th at noon! Like last year’s concert, it will be a fun holiday variety show featur-ing piano, organ, carol singing, voice, accordion, saxophone and more!

Wishing everyone a very happy Christmas! Matt

A Christmas Gift

So often we think of a gift to Shields as a memory gift! But what if we consider making donations to honor some special per-son or event as a tribute to the living and the blessings in our lives? This year, the Shields Committee invites you to consider a Christmas, or holiday donation, to honor friends and family, es-pecially those that do not need or want more things. Typically I make a charitable donation to honor my sister and her husband since I know they don’t need more “stuff” in their house, and this year I plan to make a donation in their name to Shields; in this way the funds are still going to a worthy cause, but one closer to home. While it often feels more glamorous to help a family half way around the globe, our local families are challenged in these financially difficult times as well. And while there are jobs avail-able, many individuals are not able to work due to mental health and/or medical challenges that make regular employment an im-possibility.

As you know, the Shields Mission Project aids individuals and families, residing in Knox County, with all types of expenses that other community resources do not address. For example, AIO (Area Interfaith Outreach) no longer helps families with rent payments, only security deposits and even this assistance is lim-ited to $200/family. This amount is helpful, but does not touch the high cost of first and last months’ rent and the security depos-it. Recently, we had a request to assist a single mom and her 3 children with a $2400.00 security deposit, with this amount to be paid at the time of the lease signing, before the family could move into the rental. Gone are the days when landlords will ac-cept payment plans for the security deposit. While Shields can-not meet the total amount of these requests, we can contribute and through collaboration with other faith based organizations and community agencies, we are able to assist more individuals and families.

In addition, while it is only November we have already seen an increase in the number of fuel requests; let us pray for a mild winter. In addition, the number of requests for car repairs has

Shields Mission Project Administrator

Jeanne Denny

increased. Shields is one of the few community resources that pays for this expense. Imagine trying to travel to and from work without reliable transportation, worrying as to whether you can keep your job because you can’t afford the cost of car repairs to pass inspection. Or consider the recent request from a single mother, who herself is on disability for a brain injury, worried that she would not be able to transport her son, with special needs, to and from school as she needed new brakes to pass inspection. When she learned that Shields Mission ap-proved her request, she burst into tears, grateful that we could help.

So as we enter this holiday season, consider how you might contribute to the welfare of others in our local community. Make a donation as a Christmas gift, or in recognition of those you love, to help individuals and families through these chal-lenging times.

Wishing you a warm and festive holiday season. We hope you will consider sharing your blessings with those less fortu-nate in the community and enjoy the gift of giving!

With warm regards,

Jeanne

Shields Committee: Deb Endl (Chair), Betty Bates, Julianne Edmondson, Jean Forest, Rich Stuart, Debbi Hitchings, Claudia Griffiths, Jeanne Denny (Administrator)

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Special Talk on Addiction by MaryEllen Ostherr Tuesday, December 10, 2019, 4:00-5:00 PM

First Congregational Church, Pilgrim Room The Disease of Addiction: looking at it through the lens of compassion, responsibility and hope. How addiction destroys families, loves and dreams and the solution to reclaiming wholeness. MaryEllen Ostherr is a substance-abuse therapist specializing in recovery, codependency and adult children issues. She practices in Camden, Maine, has a masters degree in Jungian psychology and is licensed in the state of Maine.

There is Good News and Concerning News

The Good News The Maine Conference UCC’s beautiful Pilgrim Lodge (PL) on the shores of Lake Cobbosseecontee in West Gardiner is now 63 years old, and continues to be supported in part by all Maine UCC churches. There has been an ongoing struggle to make this wonderful five star facility financially sustainable in the face of changing times and ideas about summer camp. The Good news is that the Capital Campaign to raise two million dollars over the last five years has been successfully completed, and the decline in summer camperships has been reversed. New programs such as the Grandparenting Weekend, Youth Adult Leadership Camp, and retreats in partnership with non-profits, training programs and uni-versities are serving a variety of new interest groups such as Non-Violent Communication Training, Maine People’s Alliance, AFL-CIO Leadership Group, and Unity Church Women’s Group. As a result of new financial management and planning, there is now a maintenance fund that is expected to grow, using monies set aside from the Capital Campaign. This should relieve some of the pressure to fund constant repairs and improvements for the buildings and grounds. Additionally, Pilgrim Lodge has received a generous anonymous donation from which $39,000 will be used this year, and that will cover deficits over the next several years. Interim Director Melinda Trotti and the Pilgrim Lodge Leadership Team deserve congratulations and much respect for developing a clear charter outlining leadership’s charge and authority and for other significant accomplishments during a very challenging time. They will continue to provide support and expertise as Pilgrim Lodge moves from an Interim to a Settled Director.

(continued next page)

88th Annual Meeting of Maine Conference UCC First Parish Congregational Church UCC,

Saco, Maine Report of Delegates Tony Bates and Allen Fernald

October 26, 2019

(Maine Conference Annual Meeting report, continued) More Good News The Maine Conference’s annual budget was passed as pre-sented on a unanimous voice vote. Last year there was controver-sy and palpable stress over the budget presentation and perceived last minute changes. This year a new clearer reporting format was used showing that contributions are up, expenses are down and dues collections are ahead of budget. Relocating the Conference office to smaller quarters and reducing staff by four positions re-duced expenditures. More conservative income projections from OCWM and Pilgrim Lodge should result in more realistic 2020 budget projections. The budget included a 1.6 % CLOA increase from $15.86 to $16.11 for the annual per-member dues paid by each church.

The Concerning News The reduction in staff expenses has apparently led to person-nel and personal stress within the staff and operations. The Con-ference Minister, Rev. Deborah Blood, has by her own admission made mistakes and perhaps has not responded the way she might have to staff and to the concerns of the local churches. It was a difficult year during which the Conference Board found it had to “make it up as they went along,” believing “heart surgery is needed not just plumbing changes.” Rev. Blood is aware that change is needed and is committed to being more responsive, more collaborative, and less isolated in order to increase commu-nication with both the member churches and UCC staff. She in-tends to take a more outward focus, working proactively for more intentional and mutual accountability. In her words, “the boil has been lanced and it is now time to heal the wound.” She feels the Maine Conference, like much of the larger Christian Church, is in a “rummage sale,” deciding what is viable and can be kept and what is no longer useful needs to be moved on. A motion to do a formal review part way through the year was defeated after much discussion on the floor. It was agreed that the changes and developments over the year will be assessed and reported on at the 2020 Annual Meeting.

COFFEE TEAM NEWS

Higher Ground Ministry

To Current Team Members: Keep your eye out for a colorful table set up in the Pilgrim Room each Sunday before Christmas where you can get your coffee team schedule for 2020 plus a magnet to hang on your fridge as a remind-er. We will also be selling some 8oz Fair Trade coffee packages for $5, and Fair Trade chocolate of several varieties for $3. Great prices for great stocking stuffers! To Everyone Else: we want YOU to join too! We also look forward to new members signing on to teams at the table, too. The first 15 will receive a gift of Higher Ground coffee as well as their first magnet, and an opportunity to get to know other

members in a whole new way. Come join. It’s great fun!

SOMETHING NEW AFTER

SOUP LUNCH We are excited to share a new ministry of the church offering energy work for relaxation, stress reduction and the promotion of self-healing.

Shiatsu Massage will be offered by Lucy Goulet, while Reiki Thera-py will be offered by Mimi Benedict, Ute Molitor, Lucy Pincince, and Susan Silverio. Sessions will be offered to all who wish to participate on Wednesdays following Soup Lunch from November 6, 2019 though the end of March, 2020. Starting at 12:45 p.m. each individual ses-sion will run approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Participants will lie fully clothed on a massage table behind privacy screens in a relaxing and quiet environment. Through gentle touch, practitioners use hands-on therapy to balance life-energy to activate one’s innate abil-ity to reduce stress and pain and to promote self- healing.

OUR VOLUNTEERS For every month, in every Beacon, we will be printing the names of our very wonderful volunteers who have signed up for the tasks below. Check your calendars. If Ushers & Coffee Hour Team Members are unable to assume the duties on that day, please find a substitute and alert the office so the Sunday Bulletin can be accurate. Many thanks!

DATE LITURGISTS USHERS FELLOWSHIP COFFEE HOUR TEAMS

Dec. 1 Noel Cox Communion Leader: Julie Clement

Elaine Davis, Linda Bagellan, Jinx & John Hufnagel

#4: Jeni Mason, Carol & Gary Spinney, Barbara Lamb,Charlene & Peter Orne

Dec. 8 Jane Babbitt Joey & Alisa Dowd, Mimi Benedict, Skip Hoblin

#5: Chris & Shelley Mills, Tony & Betty Bates, Julie Clement, Annie Woodruff, (Bob & Judy Laurence-food)

Dec. 15

Roger Burke Marty Martens, Terri Mackenzie, tbd

#6: Sarah Shepherd, Gloria Guiduli, Bonnie White, Marcia Dietrich, Debbi & Roy Hitchings

Dec.22

Vicki Doudera

Andi & Marty Hamalainen, Jinx & John Hufnagel

#7: Judy Cucinotta, Andi Hamalainen, Julianne Edmondson, Becky Brace, Mimi Benedict

Dec. 29 Carrick Lally Bette McFarland, Amy Rollins, Lucy Goulet, Annie Woodruff

#8: Ann Rafferty, Mike & Vicki Fletcher, Karin Rector, Lynn Bushee, Mary Brett

December Highlights ~ see both pages

1 SUNDAY 8:45am Sunday School, 9:30am, Worship & Communion; 11 am Book Study Living Buddha, Living Christ Mayflower Rm 2 Monday 10:30am Zumba 3 Tuesday 1:30pm, Meditation; 3:00pm Stewardship meets; 5:00 pm Communication Committee; 5:30 Cub Scouts (Pilgrim Rm) 4 Wednesday 9:30am Staff Meeting; Noon Soup Lunch; 6pm Bell Ringers, 7pm Choir 5 Thursday 9 am Buddhist meditation, Sanctuary; 9 am Xi Gong,

10:30am Zumba; 11:30am Come Find the Quiet Center,sanctuary; Noon Knitters/Crocheters

6 Friday NOON: Matt Mainster & Friends, Christmas Concert 1:15 Shields, Conference Room 7 Saturday 9-2 CRAFT FAIR; 4pm “Ringing in the Season”, 14th Annual Pen Bay Ringers Concert 8 SUNDAY 8:45am Sunday School, 9:30am, Worship & Communion; 11 am Book Study Living Buddha, Living Christ Mayflower Rm 7:00pm Anne Dodson Concert, Sanctuary 9 Monday 10:30am Zumba 10 Tuesday 1:30pm, Meditation; 1:30pm Membership; 1:30 pm Person-

nel; 3:00 pm Care Team; 4:00pm MaryEllen Ostherr on Addiction Pilgrim Rm 11 Wednesday 9:30am Staff Meeting; Noon Soup Lunch; 5:30pm Trus-

tees; 6pm Bell Ringers, 7pm Choir 12 Thursday 9 am Buddhist meditation, Sanctuary; 9 am Xi Gong,

10:30am Zumba; 11:30am Come Find the Quiet Center,sanctuary; Noon Knitters/Crocheters

13 Friday 9am Outreach 14 Saturday Advent Spiral 4-5pm, Pilgrim Rm 15 SUNDAY 8:45am Sunday School, 9:30am, Worship & Communion; 11 am Book Study; 1:30pm Ecumenical Service, Quarry Hill 16 Monday 10:30am Zumba 17 Tuesday 1:30pm, Meditation; 5:30pm Cabinet meets 18 Wednesday 9:30am Staff meeting; Noon Soup Lunch; 12:30pm Staff Christmas Lunch; 6pm Bell Ringers, 7pm Choir 19 Thursday 9am Buddhist meditation, Sanctuary; 9am Xi Gong,

10:30am Zumba; 11:30am Come Find the Quiet Center,sanctuary; Noon Knitters/Crocheters

December Highlights continued 20 Friday 10:30 Montessori Christmas concert, Pilgrim Room 22 SUNDAY 8:45am Sunday School, 9:30am, CHRISTMAS PAGEANT, Worship & Communion;11 am Book Study 24 Tuesday Office closed at NOON CHRISTMAS EVE Family Service 6:00 pm CHRISTMAS EVE Candlelight Service 9:00 pm Mid-Coast Brass 25 MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL! Church closed, No Soup Lunch 26 Thursday 9am Buddhist meditation; 9am Xi Gong, 10:30am Zumba 29 SUNDAY 8:45am Sunday School, 9:30am, Worship & Communion

12/4 Carrick Lally 12/5 Brian Lamb David Walker 12/6 Roy Hitchings 12/7 John Hufnagel 12/11 Erin Rollins Judy Flock Dan Pease 12/16 Cheryl Roberts 12/20 Beryl Charlton Claudia Williamson 12/28 Pam Currier 12/31 Rebecca Laliberte

ART IN THE SANCTUARY

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