Our home has grown. Not the walls but the people living within them. Just after Christmas, my husband, Dana, and I shuffled around beds and bureaus to make room for two young children needing temporary care. The particulars aren’t important, other than to say I’ve discovered how much the human heart is like “The Mitten,” […]
Times Record Worship
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Spirit of Life: Let’s make 2024 a season of love
We are now firmly in 2024. I don’t know about you, but I carry apprehension about this year for many reasons. Not least of which are war, gun violence, the climate crisis and a looming U.S. presidential election that threatens to escalate tensions and divisions across our nation. I am not a pessimistic person by […]
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Faith Notes: No ordinary babe
For many people, Christmas is the high point of the year, but this year, suffocating under the weight of so much sorrow, it might feel harder to celebrate. Families slaughtered in their safe houses. Others taken hostage. Still others buried beneath the red rain of rockets. The diaspora of the desperate, crossing oceans and mountains […]
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First Universalist Church of Auburn to host Christmas Eve service
The First Universalist Church of Auburn will host a Christmas Eve worship service at 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 24. Worship will be led by the Rev. Patrick McLaughlin and Worship Associate John Spruill Jr. Choir Director Pam Weeks will lead the Christmas Choir, accompanied by organist Phil House. A collection will be taken for the […]
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Spirit of Life: Fragile, handle with care
It used to be that “Fragile: Handle with Care” were instructions printed on packages to alert mail carriers that delicate contents could break. Fragile packages need to be treated with intention, caution, gentleness and … well, care. The hope in labeling packages “fragile” is that the warning will cause those reading it to modify their […]
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Giant Hanukkah menorah will be lit Monday evening in Brunswick
Chabad of Brunswick Maine will light a 9-foot public Hanukkah menorah at 5:30 p.m. at the Brunswick Town Mall Monday, Dec. 11, the fifth night of the eight-day Festival of Lights. The community will be joined by elected officials and dignitaries. Complimentary Hanukkah menorahs and candles will be distributed for participants to light at home. […]
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UUCB to hold annual vigil to honor victims of gun violence
The Unitarian Universalist Church of Brunswick will hold its 11th annual vigil to honor victims and survivors of gun violence on Wednesday, Dec. 6. This event, part of what is now a national observance near the anniversary of the Sandy Hook school shooting in 2012, honors all victims of gun violence across the United States. […]
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Book Notes: Two beautiful new Christmas picture books
One of my great delights as both a parent and a teacher is reading with children. So, when I saw that two of my favorite authors — Nikki Grimes and Mitali Perkins — were releasing holiday picture books, I was giddy with anticipation. Grimes’ “Lullaby for the King” (Beaming Books) and Perkins’ “Holy Night and […]
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Spirit of Life: We could sustain this generosity of spirit
In the hours, days and weeks since the worst mass shooting in Maine’s history, there has also been a palpable generosity of spirit in our community. Have you noticed? This goes well beyond the outpouring of financial donations in support of survivors. It’s about people stretching their (broken) hearts to make room for others, especially […]
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Book Notes: American teen, German POW find common humanity in ‘Enemies in the Orchard’
As a middle- and high-school English teacher, I am always on the lookout for books to add to my classroom library. To make the cut, I tell my students a book must have high literary, historical or spiritual value. Preferably all three. So when I read the first lines of author Dana VanderLugt‘s just-released debut […]