“Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.” 1 Peter 4:10 Using our Talents God gives each of us unique gifts and abilities which serve to make us who we are. We are the stewards or managers of these gifts and God expects […]

BATH Rev. Jay Noll has been a pastor for 22 years, having served churches in Vermont, New York, Washington and Indiana. He moved to Maine in December 2015 and began at Corliss Street Baptist on a part-time basis in January 2016. He transitioned to full time status in June. Noll earned his Master of Divinity […]

PORTLAND Fr. Lionel G. Chouinard (pictured below) will retire from active ministry, effective May 1. Chouinard serves as the pastor of Holy Trinity Parish in Lisbon Falls and Our Lady of the Rosary Parish in Sabattus, which also includes St. Francis Church in Greene. Born in Lewiston, Chouinard completed his clerical studies at St. Mary’s […]

When I was growing up on an Oregon farm, my hippie mom was one of the only parents I knew at our rural church who’d voted for Jimmy Carter instead of Ronald Reagan. That could have created a split, but we continued sitting in the same pews and singing the same songs as before the […]

On Jan. 22, churches across the world will be observing the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. In a deeply divided society, it becomes more urgent for Christians to seek a united voice and to declare the hope we share. Locally we will be celebrating our unity through worship that has been planned by Catholics, […]

NEWCASTLE An interfaith service will be held on Monday, Jan. 16 at 7 p.m. to celebrate the life and witness of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the Second Congregational Church, 51 Main St. Newcastle. The service will focus on the parts individuals and the community can play in building Dr. King’s “Beloved Community” in […]

Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” Psalm 127:1 Blessing the House The season of Epiphany has traditionally been a time for house blessings. When a house is blessed, God is invited to enter into, and dwell within each room. By inviting the Holy Spirit into our homes we […]

Lately, I’ve been reading through the beginning of the Old Testament, an unexpected source of comfort and inspiration if you are walking through a difficult phase or journey. What could be harder than an entire civilization packing up their homes and families and herds to cross a perilous wilderness? On a good day, I have […]

JERUSALEM In the shadow of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City lies the “African Quarter” — home to a little known community of nearly 50 Arab families of African descent. Descended from Muslim pilgrims from a variety of African countries, they now consider themselves proud Palestinians, despite widespread poverty and occasional discrimination from both […]

“The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in the land.” Song of Solomon 2:12 A Spoonful of Poetry Someone once told me that the poet pours sunlight into a spoon. Imagine that! A spoonful of sunshine just waiting to be swallowed, lighting […]