November greetings! This week the temperatures have been a bit more “normal.” Last week was very nice and warm! It was nice to not have to think about heating the house for a few days. Now the fire is going again, and it feels very warm and toasty inside. I have always thought of November as a gray month. The sky is often gray, the leaves of color are gone, leaving all the rusty colored ones. The birds are happily coming to the feeder now.
Here are some upcoming events:
The church gladly welcomes any donations of food for the dinner. The meal is free; donations are graciously accepted. This time around, I’m making a crockpot full of stuffing.
This will be the last meal of the year at the Locke Mills Union Church.
Upcoming services at the First Universalist Church of West Paris:
November 15, we will be closed to join with the So. Paris UU church at 9:30 a.m. for their worship service.
November 22, “The Power of One - Who believed in you?” led by Ed and Leslie Rosenberg. In these unsettled times with all the chaos and negativity in the world you can mentally change the channel and tune into a positive memory of someone who believed in you, who cared about you, encouraged you, made you feel you matter and could make a difference. Using that touch stone experience, we will explore how we can use the Power of One to “pay it forward” and empower the next generation to seek a life well lived for a world as it was meant to be.
November 25, Thanksgiving Pie Sale at the church from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. Place your order for an apple, pumpkin or blueberry pie ($18 per pie) by November 19th by contacting Marta Clements at 207-674-2143, or email mclements96894@roadrunner.com. Pie pickup will be on Wednesday, November 25th from 9:00-11:00 AM at The First Universalist Church of West Paris.
November 29, “Loneliness,” led by The Rev. Scott Campbell. Here is an excerpt: “Dear friends, I invite us this morning to ponder anew what it means to be a blessing to those who are alone, to minister to those who are cut off from the fold, to care for those who long for community. May it be the longing of our hearts that they should not languish in loneliness or despair but might be invited into the presence of love. May what we do and what we say surround them with the presence of the divine.”
For more information about the church and services, please contact Marta Clements, 674-2143, mclements96894@roadrunner.com, or Suzanne Dunham, 665-2967, dunhamfarm@msn.com. The First Universalist Church of West Paris is located at 208 Main St., W. Paris 04289
Christmas is Coming! The Christmas Fair and Tea is Saturday, December 5, from 11 AM to 2PM at the West Parish Congregational church in Bethel. Please note it will start at 11 AM this year not 12, as in previous years. The tea is a wonderful time to begin the Christmas season with a cup of tea, coffee, or cocoa and a visit with friends. After a cup of tea and conversation, go downstairs and check out the cookie walk, baked goods, and tiny treasures. Items for tiny treasures can be dropped off at the church, 32 Church Street, anytime between November 20 and December 2.
The Whitman Memorial Library board of trustees and the Town of Woodstock welcome our new librarian, Mike Dignan. Mike will be starting this week! Stay tuned for possible time changes in library hours. We look forward to working with him.
The Kenneth Hathaway art exhibit is going on at the library and will be up until the end of November.
The annual holiday concert and raffle at the Whitman Memorial Library is set for Thursday, December 10, at 2:00 pm. We are hoping to have this event happen next door at the Grange Hall, which has more room.
If anyone has any item (new, gently used, hand made...) they would like to donate to our raffle, it would be greatly appreciated. This is one of our fundraisers, and is a popular event. The concert will be Low Commotion, a low brass group, and is free.
With a third of November already gone, Thanksgiving will be upon us very soon!
Thank you to all the veterans out there, and we honor you this Veteran’s Day.
Please send your news/events to: lalalindastowell@gmail.com