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Worship Services We gather to worship together every Sunday morning at 8:00 and 10:00 a.m. Our 8:00 service is a casual service of prayer and scripture -- with a full sermon. Our 10:00 service includes choral music, a children's sermon, and much more. Child care is always available -- even throughout the summer months.
| Congregation during the children's sermon
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Children's Sunday - June 17, 2007
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Our Church's Mission The Mission of this church is to be God's people in this place, to be obedient to God's unfolding will, to celebrate God's presence, strength, faithfulness, and love; to do God's work as the Holy Spirit moves us, and to be faithful proclaimers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, collectively and individually, in God's world. As a church community seeking to do God's work in this world, we take the United Church of Christ's motto "To Believe is to Care, To Care is to Do" to heart. We are active in both local and global missions. In addition to a number of other charities, we support our local food pantry Footprints, and the Fair Tide Center for Sustainable Living. In addition we shipped off 73 Amigos buckets of food to feed children in Honduras for the summer months. We have given financial support to the Peter M. Goodrich Memorial Foundation to help build a school in Logar, Afghanistan for girls ages 6-13. And we just recently completed a mission trip to help out those affected by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, Louisiana. We are always looking to find new ways to serve God by serving those who are in need.
Footprints Food Pantry: Footprints was overwhelmed by the collection of food we donated just before Thanksgiving. So thank you all for your generosity! Offering that donation, however, has reminded us just how dire the need is for food for our brothers and sisters here in Kittery and Eliot. So keep those donations coming in. You can drop them off anytime at the church and we will make sure they get to Footprints. Thanks, in advance, for your continued support! |
Oil and More Fund: As you have heard, Kittery’s Oil and More Fund (which goes to assist families with their heating needs) has been soliciting artists to paint furniture. Well, many of the artists have done their work, and the pieces will be appearing throughout Kittery over the next few weeks. I will plan to have a detailed list of where the pieces are soon, but in the meantime, keep your eyes open and purchase a piece when you see one. You can also donate to the fund, at any time, by simply sending a donation to Kathy Pridham at Town Hall. Checks should be made out to the "Town of Kittery." |
Honduras Project
AMIGOS: Once again in 2008 our church is participating in the York Association of the Maine Conference of the United Church of Christ’s American Mission In Grace Offering Sustenance (AMIGOS) program. We will be filling buckets with food that will be sent to Honduras to help support Honduran children so they can continue going to school throughout the summer months. |
| Sixty-eight buckets went to Honduras in 2008
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Submarine Host Committee: This Fall the submarine the USS Greenville will be arriving in Kittery for an 18-24 month overhaul. In anticipation of the sub’s arrival, Jon Carter, our Town Manager, is looking to put together a Submarine Host Committee. This committee will plan activities and events for the staff and crew of the submarine. They are in hopes that the churches will rise in support of this very worthwhile effort. Interested? Please contact Rev. Jeff and I will forward your name on to Jon Carter. |
January 2007 Mission Trip to New Orleans
| The devastation is heartbreaking.
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| The pile of debris removed in the ninth ward.
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| Felix and Joyce survey the work that has been done.
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| Joyce's house: the finished project ready to be rebuilt!
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| A week of work is finished.
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| A sign of hope for the future.
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Church School Our Church School meets throughout the school year. With classes from pre-kindergarten to middle school, our Church School is getting better and better every year. And with a number of new families in the church, it promises to only get better. In the summer, in lieu of Church School, we have Summer Sunday Activites every week. Children of all ages are welcome to join us for gardening, games, arts and crafts, and much, much more during our 10:00 a.m. service. Our Church Building We are proud to say that our church is the oldest church building in continuous use in the state of Maine. Built in 1730, the church maintains a number of original features -- including the original 1730 pulpit, and the original two-aisle design common in New England meetinghouses. The sanctuary has stood witness to countless weddings, funerals, services, concerts, and other special events over the years, and it continues to serve as a wonderful house of worship for our growing congregation.
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Our Pastor The Rev. Jeffrey M. Gallagher began his ministry with us on August 1, 2003. A graduate of Andover Newton Theological School, Rev. Jeff also holds a Bachelor's and Master's degree in English Literature. He previously served as the Assistant Minister of Memorial Congregational Church in Sudbury, Massachusetts, and also worked as an Adjunct English Professor at Salem State College. Rev. Jeff is currently working on his Doctor of Ministry degree at Bangor Theological Seminary. He and his wife Kristen have two sons, Noah and Jacob.
| Rev. Jeff, Kristen, Noah
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| Blessing of the Animals
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Paint Day at the Parish House |
| A few of the 20 members who helped paint the interior of the Parish House on a recent Saturday.
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| Panorama of booths
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| Everything was blue
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| Including the pancakes
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| The bake table
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| How could there not be a band?
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| Blueberries in everything
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Women's Fellowship One of the most active groups in our church is the Women's Fellowship. Comprised of women of all ages, the women meet periodically throughout the year for dinners, craft nights, and many other events. In addition, the women run our very successful Christmas Fair. Held the first Friday afternoon in December, the Christmas Fair raises money for a number of charities and non-profit groups in the area. At our well attended and delicious pot luck supper in September, the following volunteers were elected to serve in positions for 2007-8. Thanks to all of you who will make this yet another great year! President - Judy Mitsui Secretary - Marcye Philbrook Treasurer - Sheelah Pearson with Phyllis Welch Christmas Meeting – Marcia Gibbons and AM McCurdy March Meeting - Bonnie Haley and Betsy McFadden May Banquet - Linda Powell with Ashley Perkins and Bonnie Frisbee September Meeting - Morgan McCurdy and Allison Harris Craft Fair Chairman – Roberta Harris Craft Table at Summer Fair – Laurel Sheppard, Valerie Ruocco, Laurie Smith Bakery Table at Summer Fair - Bonnie Frisbee and Fran Murray Snack Bar at Summer Fair - Lynn Hatch Telephone Committee - Betty Flanagan, Gudrun Carver, Jean Alvord, Diane Harvey, Ilene Nielsen, Pat Wall, Judy Totman, Martha Kowal, Judy Smart Christmas Fair Committee – Marcia Gibbons, Marcye Philbrook, Mary Carter, Sara Rhoades
September Pot-Luck Supper 2007
| Treasures of baked goods
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| Table of knits
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| So many pretty things
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January Retreat Here are some photos from the long weekend retreat at the end of January in 2008
| A grand lunch
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| Ready for anything
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