HALLOWELL (AP) — Maine’s Roman Catholic bishop has decided to keep a Hallowell church open, even though the church’s administrator recommended closing it. Bishop Richard Malone decided Wednesday to keep Sacred Heart open and merge it with St. Michael Parish in Augusta, effective January.

NEW YORK (AP) — The Vatican is taking the unusual step of conducting a worldwide survey on how parishes deal with sensitive issues such as contraception, divorce and gay couples. The survey asks how priests minister to same-sex couples and their children — and to men and women living together outside of marriage. The poll […]

NEW YORK (AP) — Renderings for the design of a New York City church destroyed on Sept. 11 show a structure with a large dome reminiscent of the great Eastern Orthodox churches. The New York Times says St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church will have a large ribbed dome, similar to that of Hagia Sophia in […]

JACKSON, Miss. — The Episcopal Church will devote two days to the exploration of a critical topic: “Fifty Years Later: The State of Racism in America.” This year marks significant landmark anniversaries in the struggle to end discrimination, provide equal rights and combat racism: the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, the 50th anniversary of […]

TOPSHAM — CHANS Hospice Care program will be holding an interfaith memorial service for anyone who has lost a loved one in the past year. A Time for Remembering will be held on Sunday, Nov. 3, at 2 p.m. at Mid Coast Presbyterian Church, 84 Main St. in Topsham. The annual memorial service honors persons […]

BRUNSWICK — First Parish Church, UCC, will open its labyrinth to the community on Tuesday, Oct. 29, from noon to 8 p.m. This month, the focus is on walking a meditative path toward wholeness and healing, focusing not so much on physical cure, but rather on the larger concept of emotional and spiritual wholeness regardless […]

DAMARISCOTTA — The fourth Sunday Damariscotta Area Sacred Harp singing will be held on Sunday, Oct. 27, at the home of Corrone and Ruth Ann Bryant at 552 Main St. in Damariscotta. Singing is from 2-5 p.m. All — with or without Sacred Harp singing experience — are welcome. This is a free participatory event, […]

BRUNSWICK — Anne Marie Hagan, who was profiled in an award-winning national television documentary, will be speaking Sunday during the 10 a.m. service at the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Brunswick. Her story, which she has been sharing across Canada for 11 years, includes an unexpected revelation when she came face to face with her father’s killer, […]

TOPSHAM — A Light in the Night Harvest Festival will be held Thursday, Oct. 31, from 5-7 p.m. at TnT Bible Ministries. The festival offers a safe family alternative to trickor treating, with all treats and no tricks. There will be games, prizes, a bounce house, hot dogs, warm apple cider, and, of course, lots […]