THE WOODFORDS BEACON
July 2018
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"WHO, THEN, IS THIS JESUS?"
If you had the opportunity to join us in worship on June 24
th, you might remember that our text for the day was the familiar story of Jesus calming the storm. After he’d been teaching the crowds from the shores of the Galilee, he and his followers took off by boat for the other shore that they might have a time of rest. Jesus, exhausted, fell asleep in the stern. And, as often happens because of the topography around the Sea of Galilee, a fierce storm suddenly arose – wind and waves crashing into their boats. Having twice been on the Galilee, I remember well how quickly such a fierce storm can arise, tossing boats around like children’s toys! As the narrative from Mark’s Gospel continues to unfold, and the boats began taking on water, the disciples were terrified. In a panic, they woke Jesus saying, “Don’t you care that we’re perishing?” Jesus spoke and the storm subsided, but to the disciples (the duh-ciples?) he said: “Have you no faith?” Only they could answer that question, but, faith or not, still they were in awe of his power and asked, “Who, then, is this Jesus that even the wind and sea obey him?”
Indeed, who then is this Jesus?
Every one of us who claims to be a follower of Christ needs to ask - and answer - this question. How we answer will shape everything we do, everything we say, as well as how we treat each other (and all of God’s Creation).
During our worship service, we all had the opportunity to reflect on the question and share our thoughts with others in the pews. How grateful I am for all of you and for the ways in which you include Jesus as a regular participant in your lives – both private and public!
For me, Jesus is both the bearer, and the personification, of God’s infinite and radical love for all of us. Such unconditional love took him all the way to the cross, but before it did, it moved him to eat with outcasts and the marginalized, sinners and prostitutes, tax collectors and Pharisees; overflowing with such love, he delighted in the presence of those with no power: women and children, lepers and the poor, people in need of healing and people in need of hope. He was often gentle and compassionate, funny and good-natured, but he was also willing to stand up to those with power and privilege – both the Roman leaders as well as the religious leaders – confronting and laying bare their greed and their desire to maintain the status quo at all costs. And because the cost of maintaining their power and privilege as well as their wealth was to take more and more from ordinary women and men, it often left those without power, privilege or excess wealth destitute, hungry and unable to care for their families. And while Jesus was always nonviolent, he was at the same time a radical, often subversive, rabble-rouser – all for the purpose of furthering God’s kingdom of justice, love and compassion. Jesus was – and is – love.
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I expect that there is much that would bring Jesus to tears today, from our inability as the wealthiest nation on the planet to prevent the hunger and homelessness that burdens – and kills – more and more Americans every single day, to the insanity of taking children away from their parents and families because they’ve sought refuge and asylum from a country that once promised to “
give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore, the homeless and tempest-tossed.” But, because
this is
the Jesus I know, he would also be confronting all those who work to ensure that today’s status quo – where profit for some is more important than justice, health and wholeness for all – is as deadly and oppressive as was the prevailing status quo of first century Palestine.
And so, again, the question we all must answer: who then is this Jesus? And how does that understanding shape your life?
In a recent article written by Keith Giles (Patheos: June 15, 2018), he says that American Christianity is becoming a Christ-less Christianity. “We demand the Ten Commandments be displayed in our courthouses, but we never give a thought to Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount. We find ways to justify cruelty to immigrants but skip over dozens of commands from Jesus about showing mercy, caring for the weak and vulnerable, and totally ignore his warning that ‘whatever you have done for the least of these, you have done it to me.’ We cry out for “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” to be our standard for justice, but ignore the fact that Jesus specifically corrected this teaching by saying:
“You have heard it said, ‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,' but I say to you, do not resist an evil person with violence, but if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.”
If the best we can do is take an eye for an eye, we will never escape this world of blindness.
If the best we can do is continue to behave exactly the way we would have had Christ never come and spoken these words of life to us, we will never experience freedom. But, this is not the best we can do. Not by a longshot. We can stop and reconsider all of this. We can think differently. We can at least try to follow the words of Jesus, if for no other reason than it’s the one thing we have yet to actually try. All other attempts to change the world have failed. All other avenues have long been exhausted. What if we try to love one another as Christ has loved us? What if we tried to put Christ back in our Christianity?”
Perhaps that’s the second most important question we need to ask…
As we enter, once again, into our summer time of rest and renewal, what great questions we have to ponder. Perhaps our very lives might depend on how we answer.
May your summer be blessed with rest, renewal, contemplation, revelation and affirmation, and may you have the joy of seeing God everywhere – in the sun and the rain, in the quiet days and in the busy days, on a mountain top, in your cottage by the lake and splashing in the refreshing (frigid?) Maine ocean. May you see God in all good things and – especially – in everyone you meet.
Summer Blessings!
Rev. Carolyn
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WOODFORDS CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
The rising cost of higher education is one of the biggest challenges facing young people today. The good news is that Woodfords has been given a resource to help defray, in some small way, this financial burden. Through the legacy and generosity of this congregation, Woodfords is able to offer educational scholarships to help students realize their potential. Typically,
Woodfords Congregational Church Education Scholarships
range between $500 and $1,000.
To be considered for a
Woodfords Congregational Church Education Scholarship
, applicants must:
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Be m
embers or children of members who are regularly involved with our church
- Be accepted to an accredited college or postsecondary institution in fall 2018.
- Complete and submit the scholarship application by
July 31, 2018
Those awarded a
Woodfords Congregational Church Education Scholarship
will be notified of their award no later than August 15, 2018.
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Calling all 7
th
Graders!
In both the sacred and the secular communities, there are few meaningful “rites of passage” in today’s world, and American culture in particular. One of the few opportunities we still honor that celebrates the “evolving” self is the Confirmation journey.
This year, beginning in September, young people in 7
th
grade and above from Woodfords, HopeGateWay and Trinity Episcopal churches are invited to participate in a Confirmation journey that will lead to the rite of Confirmation on the first Sunday in June with a joint worship service and celebration.
The theme, as always, will be “Life as a Journey of Faith.” We recognize that life is, indeed, a journey: it’s a journey that rarely proceeds in a linear fashion, instead taking unique twists and turns, encountering both highs and lows, and meeting many, many people on the way. We recognize that as Christians, we stand with millions on a journey that has existed for at least 2,000 years; we also recognize that each generation must give meaning to the traditions and language that accompany the journey. As John Robinson, one of our Congregational forebears said when the Pilgrims were leaving Leyden on their way to a new world, “There is yet more truth and light to be revealed.”
The journey will be remarkable – there will be serious moments, moments of insight, new ideas generated, and more than anything – lots of fun with old and new friends!
If you did not make it to the June information sessions, that's fine. Please contact me directly with any questions you may have about confirmation at Woodfords. I can be reached at
clambert@woodfordschurch.org.
Blessings, Rev. Carolyn
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THE ELEVATOR PROJECT
HAS STARTED!
The elevator repair project began last week and will continue through the summer for a minimum of 8 weeks. This means the elevator WILL NOT be functioning at all.
To access the first floor, please enter through the
Beacon Street entrance. This door has a key pad, but is kept locked. If you need to enter through the Beacon Street door, you either need to have the code, or you need to have someone let you in. This door will be unlocked on Sundays for worship. There are handicap parking spaces on the Beacon St. side of the building.
For handicap-accessible access to the basement, please use the ramp outside the Memorial Hall door, adjacent to the side parking lot. This door will be unlocked from 9 am through 3 pm. To get in this entrance past 3 pm, you will need to have someone let you in. If you do not need a handicap-accessible entrance to the basement, please use the front door of the Parish House. (Stages is running their programs in Memorial Hall this summer and we are trying to keep the traffic through Memorial at a minimum.)
There will also be some noise during the construction. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience. We look forward to the time when Woodfords has a new, state-of-the-art elevator. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Church Office (
info@woodfordschurch.org).
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PRIDE 2018
Thank you to all who participated in the pride parade this year! Not only did we have a great turnout and even more fun, but many responded letting us know they wished they could be with us (they were certainly there in spirit) and even offered additional supplies and T-shirt’s! We handed out reminders of God’s love (and chocolate!) to the crowds and ran out before we got to High Street! We can’t wait for next year!
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IT IS GOING TO BE 80 DEGREES TODAY
BUT MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR AN IMPORTANT FALL DATE!
The Down East Holiday Fair is the
Saturday before Thanksgiving: November 17th, 2017
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
As the overall chair, I am returning for my final year so we could use an apprentice to possibly take over this great project! It's in all in the team that is put together and I have been lucky to have a great team.
If you are waiting to be asked, well - consider yourself asked!
CHAIRPERSONS NEEDED
Chairpersons for the following are needed:
* Snack Bar
* Balsam Wreath Sale
* Book Room
* Pantry
* Crafts
* Music
* Decorations
* Volunteer Coordinator (COULD REALLY USE THIS)
* Set up and Break Down Coordinator
DONATIONS NEEDED
(Please do not drop anything off yet, just keep us in mind as you are summer/fall cleaning.)
Jewelry
– Been a while since you cleaned out the jewelry box? IT’S TIME! We need lots of jewelry so ask your teenagers, your family and your friends. We all have a pair of earrings(or two or three) that we just never wear, call us – we’ll come pick it up!
Woodfords’ Treasures
– Another HUGE Success last year. As you continue your spring cleaning into summer and then in my case, into the fall, if you find anything appropriate, give us a jingle. We were able to secure an area to start storing donations, so it isn’t too early. This is intended to be an “upscale” yard sale so donate accordingly.
Silent Auction
– Back last year for its best year ever! Think about what you might donate, an item, a service, tickets, gift certificates, it doesn’t have to be anything expensive or fancy. All items are welcome! Item that are always popular are vacation cottages, camp, cabins, timeshares…… Please consider sharing your home away from home for a week or long weekend.
Christmas Treasures
– Returning for the fourth year, this has been such a huge success and what a great way to "dispose" of those old decorations, cards, lights, etc, Come and see what a beautiful Christmas Boutique gets created with everyone's donations.
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WOODFORDS CHURCH DOORS TO BE LOCKED
ON WEEKDAYS AT 5 PM
Starting July 2
In our continuing effort to make Woodfords a secure space for everyone, we will be changing the lock down time for the front and back Parish House doors to 5 pm. If you are with a group that uses the building from 5 pm or later, the group leader will have the code and will arrange to let group members in. Make sure you have a contact number for your leader or another organizer in case you are late and need to be let in. If you need to enter the building on your own, you will need the code; please call the Church Office (774-8243, ext 103). Please do not share the code with anyone else. We change the code periodically and announce the change here in the Beacon and in the weekly Announcements. Thank you for your understanding of this and other changes being made for our safety and security.
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VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR THE CHURCH OFFICE!
Woodfords is in search of volunteers to staff the church office from 1-3 pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays starting in September. We are looking for those of you who enjoy interacting with people and have basic computer skills, including Word. The volunteers will help with the weekly announcements, copying and stuffing the bulletin, answering the phone, doing reception in the front office, and other office/church tasks. Please contact Teri if you are interested. Thank you very much for considering this.
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COUNCIL NOTES
Woodfords Church Council met June 19
th
in the Lounge at 6:30 p.m.
•Finances: As of mid-June, we believe our FY’18 budget will come out close to break even with the possibility of a slight deficit. We have had extra expenses for staff health insurance, security and the replaced floor in the nursery due to asbestos.
• New elevator: Work began June 21st and the ramp for entrance to Memorial Hall has been installed. For entrance to the 1
st
floor & Sanctuary, you will need to use Beacon Street on Sundays. We anticipate completion of this project about the first week of September.
• Security: Many of you have attended security trainings. Thank you for helping us all to know we are more secure now. Beginning July 1
st
, the doors into the church will be locked at 5:00 p.m. and opening times will not change. We will continue to have the security company do sweeps in the evenings and early a.m. Brent Wooten has done a great job improving our security.
• Stewardship: Pledges keep coming in – thank you all. We have $178,500 so far or 84% of our goal of $213k. We hope to have our final pledges in by July 1
st
.
• Council members: Suzanne D’Bourget has joined the Council for FY’19 and we are very pleased to have her.
• The Friends of Woodfords Corner: Paul Schnell is heading up our work with this group along with Joanne Friedrick and Pip Hennessey from our Council. We are joining this group for a wonderful fall festival hosted at Woodfords. More on this soon – it is going to be lots of fun and a great way for us to reach out to our neighbors.
• New business: The Council is working on our committee assignments with an eye to involving more members of the congregation on our teams. We’ll be calling you – please consider joining us on various projects. We are also working on possible new Mission Partners for our 2
nd
floor. More on this will be coming soon.
• Music program: Paul Schnell shared with us a new group of WCC members working with him and Rebecca on the music program with some great new ideas. We’ll be hearing more on this too.
•
Beyond Resistance
by Dr. John Dorhauer, President of the UCC, is the book we have been circulating all winter on the future of church. The Council is still working on this with Joanne Friedrick leading the conversation since our work with Rev. Deborah Blood, Conference Minister. If you have not read this book, let Robin Carter know and she will get you a copy. If you have finished your copy, please return it to Robin, along with your thoughts on it.
Thank you for your support of the Council and do come join us anytime on the 3
rd
Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m.
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GRANT FUND YOGA
After seven years, the Grant Fund said a teary goodbye to beloved yoga instructor Stephanie Abrams. Stephanie will be taking a break from teaching to return to graduate school. To thank her for the many wonderful CHAIR-yoga classes she taught, the class bought her a beautiful study chair in her favorite color: avocado green! In addition, they gifted her some wonderful games for her to enjoy with her partner and their four children. The Grant Fund wishes Stephanie and her family every blessing on their new journey.
Yoga will resume in the fall. Stay tuned for information about the new instructor and schedule!
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Submitting an article for the August Beacon?
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SUMMER IS HERE! LET'S HAVE SOME FUN!
Summer Youth Group Offerings
All youth grades 7th -12th are welcome!
Sunday 7/15 Mackworth Island
- Drop off @1pm, Woodfords UCC, 202 Woodford St.
- Pick Up @4:30pm, Woodfords. If you would like to pick up early from Mackworth please let us know.
- Please bring: your signed waiver form, a bag lunch, walking shoes, and your beach gear.
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Sunday 8/5 Marvel Movie Night
- 4-7pm @ HopeGateWay UMC, 509 Forest Ave
- Join us while we hang out, eat snacks, and watch a Marvel film.
- Please bring: a snack, drink or dessert to share.
- Pizza provided.
Friday 8/17- Saturday 8/18 Camping Trip
- @ Camden Hills State Park
- Friday night camp out & Saturday morning hike.
- Drop off Friday @4pm, Woodfords
- Pick up Saturday TBA
- Cost: $15
- Please Bring: signed waiver form, $ for dinner on Friday night (we will stop in Augusta on the way to Camden Hills), sleeping bag, hiking shoes, extra clothes, a bag lunch for Saturday's hike, anything else you might need for camping and hiking.
- RSVP by 7/31
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PUT THE "FUN" IN GRANT FUND!!
Friday, July 27
On
Friday, July 27th
we will spend the day at Roberta Barker's lake-side camp. We will gather at Woodfords at 10 am to carpool to the site (as parking will be limited). Bountiful food and drink will be provided, but please bring the following items:
- A folding camp chair (if you have one)
- Bug spray
- A swimsuit (for the brave!)
- Comfortable shoes (especially if you plan to trek the infamous 64 stairs down to the water...and then back up again)
Please RSVP to Rev. Tamara. Make sure to indicate if you have any dietary concerns or other special considerations.
voicemail:
207-774-8243 x107
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CALLING ALL ARTISTS!
Biennial Art for Mission Auction
Sunday, October 14
th
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If you have an art or craft that you have created and would like to donate to the 2018 Art for Mission Auction, now is the time to let us know. All proceeds will be donated to Project Feed. The 2016 recipient of over $1500 was Project Feed.
Every member and friend of Woodfords is welcome to donate a piece of their own art or craft to be displayed and sold at our silent auction. This year for the first time donors will be allowed to donate more than one piece of their work, but no more than three.
Please contact Charlotte Cuzner at 775-1389 or
ccuzner@maine.rr.com
or contact Gordon Thomson at 274-0105 or
thomsonbg@aol.com
, if you are willing to share your artistic talent. It will be a beautiful show, and it is always fun to see the results of the amazing talent of the members and friends of Woodfords that will be on display.
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HAPPY JULY BIRTHDAY TO...
Bill St. Lawrence 07/01
Constance Smith 07/05
Harold Sprague 07/05
Asher McCambridge 07/05
Grace Belanger 07/06
James Fletcher 07/07
Bethany Campbell 07/10
Alec Troxell 07/10
Megan Campbell 07/10
Stephen Gray 07/11
Sally Serunian 07/13
Joanne Bartlett 07/16
Tove Pranger 07/18
Janet Stewart 07/19
Charlotte McGlinn 07/19
Joanne Bingham 07/20
Casey Mahoney 07/22
Mary Emerson 07/22
Sydney Girsch 07/23
Bruce Canterbury 07/23
Elizabeth Allen 07/23
Charles Melcher 07/24
Lily August-Brown 07/30
Robert Frey 07/30
Linda Anderson 07/31
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HAPPY JULY ANNIVERSARY TO...
Allen & Joanne Bingham 07/14 62 years
James & Paula Fletcher 07/01 46 years
Robert & Carol Carpenter 07/07 45 years
Karin & Jorma Kurry 07/01 23 years
Kristin & Jason Hurley 07/05 21 years
Kirk & Julie Armstrong 07/22 18 years
Laura & Brad Fries 07/09 7 years
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PILGRIM LODGE WEEKEND IS SEPTEMBER 7-9
When asked why they love Pilgrim Lodge Weekend, WCC members had this to say . . .
"As a grandmother, being with all our wonderful youngsters and their parents was a great joy - and to top it off, at beautiful PL. A great chance to get to know all these fun families better.”
“Our family loves PL because of the camaraderie of all the Woodfords folks, the beauty of the setting and the opportunity to be away from the demands of our busy daily schedules.”
“PIlgrim Lodge is my very favorite weekend of the entire year. I get to spend uninterrupted time playing and praying with my beloved Woodfords Church family.”
“Pilgrim Lodge gave my family the opportunity to really connect with other Woodfords families. A favorite memory is an osprey flying down to a tree near us during an outdoor worship service as if it wanted to join us.”
Woodfords weekend at Pilgrim Lodge will be September 7
th
-9
th
this year. I look forward to this weekend every year as a chance to get away from the busyness of life, to be able to breathe more deeply and sit more calmly, and to spend time with my Woodfords family. But most of all, to be in this amazing spiritual place that renews me.
I want to especially welcome new folks to join us! Pilgrim Lodge is the Maine UCC’s lakeside camp and retreat facility on Lake Cobbosseecontee in Gardiner. Woodfords annual Pilgrim Lodge Weekend is a 35+ year tradition of coming together in this beautiful, peaceful setting. We get to know each other, and grow closer and stronger, through informal conversations, activities and shared meals. There are crafts throughout the day on Saturday, waterfront activities Saturday afternoon, and evening entertainment and raucous game playing Saturday night. We take moments of quiet by walking the labyrinth, hiking the trails or sitting by the lake. The children run free (relatively speaking), through the lodge, the boardwalk and the wooded site, supervised by the village of adults but able to explore in a way they often can’t at home. And we sit in rocking chairs, and chat, and feel even more a part of the Woodfords community.
I hope you’ll consider attending. If you’d like to learn more, please don’t hesitate to contact me, find me after church, or ask another Woodfords member who has attended.
We are looking forward to seeing you there this fall!
Carol Swicker
cswicker@gmail.com
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MUSICIANS NEEDED THIS SUMMER
As the choirs take a break from the regular Sunday routine, we are looking for volunteers to provide music for worship during the summer months. Instrumental or vocal groups, soloists, duets are all welcome. For more information or to volunteer, please email Paul or Rebecca at
music@woodfordschurch.org.
Thank you,
Paul and Rebecca
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WE'RE HAVING COMPANY FOR THE EVENING …. and we need your help!
WHAT?
Woodfords CornerFest 2018 - a Woodfords Corner Block Party
WHEN?
Friday, September 21, 5 to 8 pm, Rain or Shine!
WHERE?
Woodfords Church -
in the Parking Lot, on the Front Lawn, and in Memorial Hall
The Friends of Woodfords Corner and Woodfords Church will be teaming up for a fall Friday evening street festival. Our place will be buzzing with artisans and crafts, music, entertainment, food vendors and more! Many of the “Mission Partners” in our building will also be participating and sharing what they do.
This is a chance for our church to be an integral part of the local community by attending, participating, and volunteering! A committee has begun work to help organize this very unique opportunity for us to be a visible part of the neighborhood corner.
Over the next few months, we will be asking for volunteers to help with some tasks to make this wonderful event possible -----
WE NEED VOLUNTEERS TO DO THE FOLLOWING:
-Managing the Woodfords Table (passing out balloons or popcorn, greeting attendees, giving information about Woodfords as asked)
-Parking Attendants (guiding cars to appropriate parking spaces)
-Elevator Guides
-Building Guides (making sure people stay within the open areas of the church, guiding people to the restrooms)
-Working on the Set Up Team (bringing out and setting up tables and chairs, setting up trash receptacles)
-Working on the Clean Up Team (breaking down and bringing in tables and chairs, throwing away trash and clearing all items from the parking lot)
-Working on the Electical Team (managing extension cords for our 3 performing stages, helping string lights in our trees)
-Coordinating the Order of Woodfords T-Shirts
-Volunteer Coordinator (to assist Paul Schnell)
We look forward to working with you on this fun and important event!
Thank you,
Paul Schnell, Joanne Friedrick, Tom and Pip Hennessey
Woodfords CornerFest 2018 Planning Team
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The Transformation Project
Please click
HERE for a message from Ken Hawley about exciting developments with the Transformation Project and an opportunity for you to support the important work of building a center for young offenders doing the hard work of re-entering society.
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Save the Date!!
Next Family Promise is August 19 - 26
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Woodfords Church Office - Summer Hours
Tuesday - Friday, 9 am - 1 pm
207.774.8243 info@woodfordschurch.org
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