As a pastor with the United Church of Christ, it is my life’s work to make the transformative teachings of Christianity real and accessible to all people. Jesus told us that the greatest commandment is love. Christians are tasked with loving our neighbors as ourselves – it is our highest duty. At my church we […]
Lakes Region Weekly opinion
Here’s Something: Yankee thrift is the answer to electric bill hike
Those Mainers not living under a rock for the last month have heard the terrible news that electric bills will skyrocket next year. This is on top of price increases for food, gasoline, vehicles, cable, internet and just about every other good or service. Rampant government spending during the pandemic has caused inflation to rear […]
Mainewhile: Maine seeing powerful new ways to harness energy
I recently wrote about climate change and my sincere desire for a wealthy, influential, highly connected person, such as Elon Musk, to adopt a nation, state – or at least a community – to test their technology while making meaningful progress. In response, many wrote to tell me about the most marvelous advances in green […]
Through My Lens: ‘Refugee’ is a temporary status and other clarifications
This is the time of the year when we gather with our beloved family members around the dining room table or in the living room, cozy by the fireplace. Parents may see their kids come home for the holidays, relatives may gather and conversations about all topics may arise. I hope many Mainers will be […]
Mainewhile: Honesty about history is treatment for society’s cancer
My brother-in-law is currently dealing with cancer. Getting the news that he has cancer was one of the most difficult days of his life – and ours as well. But here’s the thing. Being told he had cancer isn’t what actually went wrong in his life, that was just the moment we can focus on. […]
Here’s Something: Rekindle Pilgrims’ pride this Thanksgiving
On this Thanksgiving let’s make it OK again to have pride in our country’s founding story.Let’s focus on the positives and not the negatives of America’s founding mothers and fathers as we celebrate the 400th Thanksgiving feast. Let’s pretend the woke, politically correct movement never happened and go back to the future like it was […]
Mainewhile: Let’s get creative with climate change solutions
A few days ago, the weeklong United Nations Climate Change Conference concluded in Glasgow, Scotland. Here’s the thing: Not a whole lot seems to have actually happened as a result. On the world stage, climate leaders preach the desperate need to switch to renewable energies; on the nightly news, we witness the horrific images of […]
Forum: National carbon tax more efficient route to clean air
Though I have been in solar energy since 2007, I am making the surprising suggestion that public policy should no longer subsidize renewable energy. With some help from tax credits, solar and wind power have blossomed and now compete successfully with traditional power. As a climate solution, however, this is not enough. While renewable energy […]
Through My Lens: Love thy new neighbors this Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is coming soon; plan to include your new neighbors. Soon Americans will crowd airports and roads, traveling in every direction to spend time with family members on Thanksgiving, cooking delicious food and catching up on stories and movies. This is one of my favorite holidays in the United States. I enjoy sharing the meal […]
Mainewhile: True meaning of Christmas means more than ever
Turn on the news and odds are pretty good you are going to hear a story about the “supply-chain issues” facing our nation. Talk to anyone who’s ordered something that has to be shipped and odds are pretty good you’ll hear a first-hand account of what that really looks like. Right now, everything from new […]