*****THIS THURSDAY*****

 At the Historical Society’s

STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL

June 20, 6 to 8 pm in the Vestry Community Room

Strawberry Sundaes, Shortcakes, Frozen Custard with Sauce….or, better yet, just ask for a SUPER.

After 79 days on the Appalachian Trail, in all kinds of weather, Kylie and Bob Trawick hiked into Harper’s Ferry, Virginia–1018.1 miles from their start in Georgia.  It was Friday, June 7.  They got a motel room, washed all those miles down the shower drain, and waited for Joyce to arrive.  She brought lots of love from friends in New Gloucester and all over the country—and a new pair of shoes for Kylie.

Kylie and Bob are back on the trail, but not until after a couple of days of R & R, the chance to wear something other than trail clothes and packs, and a richly-deserved girly-girl salon visit for Kylie.

We all are rooting for their safety and success on the second half!   If you’d like to keep up with their journey, click on their photo here.

The Senior High Youth Group has talked many times in the last year about making a labyrinth on the church grounds somewhere, so that anybody could use it any time.

Just a few weeks ago, we tried making a temporary one on the pavement between the sanctuary and the vestry.  It took lots of hands, not to mention cement blocks, rope, and sidewalk chalk, but it was beautiful to behold.  Not only that, each one of us took a turn walking the labyrinth path.  All agreed that even with one quick pass, the experience is transformative.  A typical insight:  ”just when you think you’re getting to the end, it’s not the end.”  Now isn’t that true of a lot of things in life?

Well, after we made and walked this first labyrinth, it rained all night, and not even the outline survived until morning.

Most of the kids are familiar with labyrinths because of the one at Pilgrim Lodge, our UCC camp in West Gardiner…but if you don’t know what they’re talking about, clicking on picture to the right will take you to a site where you can check them out.  There’s even a handy-dandy animation showing how one was made, plus a time-lapse video of a small group like ours making one on a lawn somewhere—with birdseed!

So now we’re thinking about making one that WON’T wash away in the rain.  Yes, we’d LOVE to put one on the Church Road lawn, permanently but mow-able, like the one pictured here.  BUT, we’ve thought something more easily accomplished would be to paint one on the middle of the back parking lot.  There it might not be as scenic, but it would be wheelchair accessible!

We’ll open the comments button on this post for awhile.  There you can, yes, comment…or even volunteer to help.  This is for everybody, folks, not just “yutes.”

Thank You!

To date, $2,914.50 has been raised by the walkers and sponsors of the New Gloucester Crop Walk, held on a most beautiful day for walking…Sunday, May 5.

Our route is lovely if strenuous 6.2 mile stroll around New Gloucester.  Funds raised through sponsorships support both the New Gloucester Food Pantry(1/4) and critical disaster and refugee work around the world through Church World Service(3/4).

Missed the whole thing?  You can still help.  Donate online at www.cropwalkonline.org (point your mouse at Maine and click) OR send us a check clearly marked in the note line:  CROP WALK  OR…contributions may be made to the New Gloucester Food Pantry at any time:  P.O. Box 114, New Gloucester, 04260.

We used to call it HUNGER.  Now they say FOOD INSUFFICIENCY.  Please.  Whatever you call it, let’s fight it together…one step at a time.

A small but focused group of church folk explored the wonderful world of PYSANKY at a workshop sponsored by Deacon Joseph Ovady and Rev. Gard on Sunday afternoon.  Several more folks joined us for a delicious potluck afterward.  We thought you’d enjoy a few photos…though we’ll admit that the egg shown here is NOT one of ours!  If you scroll down on this page, you’ll see a few of our artistes hard at work.

Tuesday Mornings at 10.

The coffee’s on, and the bibles are open.  Any bible version is fine.  We look at one or more of the readings for the upcoming Sunday.  Connections, questions, memories, hopes, and life in general–anything that springs up from the text—is open for discussion.  Our biggest problem is stopping at 11.

You are welcome to come as often as you can.  Each week “stands on its own.”  If you want to read ahead(though please don’t think you need to), you’ll find the calendar of bible passages for the season of Lent HERE.

No one you know.

CAN I DO IT?  WILL I LIKE IT?  DOES EVERYBODY WEAR SPANDEX?

THESE ARE OUR ONGOING CLASSES

Monday mornings, 9:00 am–Warm up for your week’s activities with yoga stretching.  Some folks call this CHAIR YOGA because we start off each session using a chair for support and balance…and some of us need it more than others.  We also use yoga mats, yoga blocks and straps—but we have some to loan if it’s your first time.  Payment?  Each class is $10.  Some people like to pay the instructor each time; others pay for a few weeks in advance.

and/or Thursday evenings, 6:30 pm–We start these classes sitting cross-legged on our mats, warming up with stretching and breathing exercise, then moving through yoga poses and variations(some folks are more flexible than others—adaptations are offered for those who need them).

If you’ve heard about yoga, thought you might like it and want to try it out without buying a gym membership you might never use…these opportunities are for you.   If you’re a yoga newbie, you should try the Monday class first.  Can’t do Mondays?  By all means, try the Thursday class.   You’ll need to wear clothes you can move in–sweats or knits are fine.  We have a few spare mats on hand if you don’t happen to have your own.

Kathy Moore, Instructor

Pastor sez:  ”I want you to know these classes have made a huge difference in my life.  If I can, it’s a good bet that you can.”

We have a limited first edition of professionally printed note cards available now. Each set contains 8 lovely views of the church, exterior, aerial and interior.

Each package of 8 cards is $15.00…a little more if you want us to send them to you.

These beautiful photos were taken by Bob Cadigan (Dick’s brother) as a gift to us for a special project or ministry.  This first printing will be used to buy a projector for worship and Christian Education.

If you’d like a set (or more) reserved for you here at church, call 926-3260 or use the Contact tab above to send us a note.