Woodfords Congregational Church | |
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A Note from Alyssa
Whew! What a month it has been since I last wrote a piece for the Beacon. On September 11, we celebrated Woodfords’ elders and the church’s 150th anniversary with a special worship service and delicious lunch. As I looked out from the pulpit, it was heartwarming to see so many faces smiling back. Some of the older congregation members present that day possess repositories of Woodfords memories that stretch back well over 70 years – and I’m praying that some of the younger folks who were present will have the opportunity to help Woodfords celebrate its 200th anniversary. If that happens, the Body of Christ that gathered on September 11 may have been comprised of witnesses to over 120 years of Woodfords history! That’s pretty darn incredible.
I surely felt the presence of the Holy Spirit moving through the congregation on September 11. And then I experienced it again less than two weeks later, on September 23, when Woodfords Church and the Friends of Woodfords Corner revived CORNERFEST, Portland’s favorite neighborhood block party. As I wandered through the craft and nonprofit booths, listened to great musicians, ate delicious food, and greeted friends and strangers, I couldn’t help but be moved by the camaraderie and sense of community that permeated the gathering – despite the cold, blustery wind. (And when I say “blustery,” I mean “crazy”! I still am surprised that we managed to finish out the evening without a tent frame or at least a table blowing away.) All in all, it was beautiful to see so many people re-connecting and laughing as they exchanged hellos and caught up with one another. After so much COVID-related isolation over the past few years, people’s spirits were lifting and soaring, right before my very eyes.
This is what the people of Woodfords Church have always done: helped people (both church members and members of the wider community) find companionship, and hope, and the Holy … through worship and through service and through fun. Friends, I am so very glad to have been given the chance to be your companion as we have celebrated Woodfords’ historic 150th anniversary year. And I am just as grateful to have been granted the opportunity to move into the future with you, as well. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for calling me as Woodfords’ next settled pastor. May God be with all of us, together.
In faith,
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Interested in Joining Woodfords?
Plans Underway for New Member Sunday
If you would like to learn more about joining Woodfords and becoming an official member of our church community, Rev. Alyssa would love to hear from you (alodewick@woodfordschurch.org). She is working to plan a New Member Sunday for later in the autumn. Through low-key, no-pressure conversation, Rev. Alyssa can tell you more about what “membership” means and answer any questions you might have.
New to religion? Just getting to know Christianity? Never been a member of a church before? Have no worries! You may be a cradle-born member of the UCC, or you may be discerning how you feel about organized religion. Either way, we value you and understand that our community would be at a loss without you. No matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey, Woodfords welcomes you!
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Rev. Alyssa Away October 14-20
Rev. Alyssa will be out of the office on vacation between Friday, October 14 and Thursday, October 20. In her absence, the Rev. Reba Delzell of Williston-Immanuel United Church in Portland will be available for those with pastoral care concerns. You may reach Rev. Reba at (207) 400 - 4395. We thank Rev. Reba for her ministry to Alyssa and the Woodfords community.
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Congregation Votes to Call Rev. Alyssa as Its Next Settled Minister
An Announcement from the Council of Ministries
The Council of Ministries is thrilled to announce the final result of the September 18 congregational meeting (including in-person as well as online ballots): Woodfords members have voted decisively to call the Rev. Alyssa Lodewick as our next settled pastor! Thank you to all who participated in each step of this thoughtful process, and especially to the Personnel Committee for their leadership. Please join us in congratulating Rev. Alyssa with your warm wishes and hopes for our future together.
- Amy Johnson (Clerk)
A Note of Gratitude from Rev. Alyssa
It is a privilege and an honor to be called as Woodfords' next settled minister. We have been on a wild ride together over the past thirty-two months, and I am so pleased that we will have the opportunity to minister together in the future as well. I can't wait to see what we will accomplish when we are not dealing with pestilence, floods, and other disasters! In all seriousness, I extend many thanks to the congregation for its vote of confidence in me. Please know that I possess just as much confidence in you. Our beloved Woodfords faith community is rooted in rich spiritual soil that provides a strong foundation for growing and flourishing into the future. May God – the Universal Source of Creativity and Goodness – lead and accompany us in our travels and adventures, as we engage in traditioned innovation and follow the Divine call to serve as blessings to the world.
With much love, respect, and gratitude—
-Rev. Alyssa
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Fall Trip to Strawbery Banke
with lunch and foliage tour
Friday, October 7
*** last call for sign ups****last day to RSVP is September 30*******
To sign up call the Church Office today at 774-8243 or use the link below.
Lunch at Warren's Lobster House, Kittery
Tour Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth NH
Scenic Bus Ride Home to View Fall Foliage
Enjoy a full lunch at Warren's Lobster House with salad bar, homemade pumpkin bread, steak or seafood options (or vegetarian) and dessert! You must choose your lunch option at sign-up.
Strawbery Banke Museum is a vibrant nearly 10-acre campus dedicated to bringing 300+ years of American history to life through dozens of historic buildings on their original sites, heirloom gardens, hands-on traditional crafts, and engaging costumed roleplayers sharing the experiences of those who lived and worked in the waterfront neighborhood of Puddle Dock.
Break into groups of 3-5 to visit the homes. Docents will be at each house to provide history and stories. Tour at your own pace.
The bus will return to Portland via scenic route 1 in the hopes of seeing some early fall foliage.
8:30/8:45 am: Meet at Woodfords Church Parking Lot for 9 am bus departure.
11 am: Lunch
Afternoon: Strawbery Banke Museum
5/5:30 pm: Bus will return to Woodfords
No cost thanks to the sponsorship of the Iona Grant Fund.
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No Yoga with Melora September 29th only
Regular Zoom class will resume October 6th.
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Community Hymn Sing!
Sunday, October 30 at 4:00pm
at Woodfords Church
Come celebrate our 150th anniversary by joining us and raising your voice in an inspirational afternoon of song!
Music has always been an important part in the life and ministry of the church.
For many years, Woodfords has supported and been the home for many community music organizations, concert programs and events. We continue this celebration with an afternoon community hymn sing!
Cultural traditions and generations have their roots in the songs of the church.
Hymn texts and melodies from the souls of our ancestors fill our music memories and repertoires. We will sing together music from varied German, English, Evangelical, Gospel, Jazz, Contemporary sources and genres. Our voices will be accompanied by organ, piano, trumpet, saxophone, and a variety of percussion instruments!
For more information contact:
Paul Schnell, Director of Music/Organist
Music@woodfordschurch.org
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News and Stories from Woodfords | |
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Woodfords’ 150th Anniversary:
Memorial Hall
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There are many historical events that occurred in October that all have connections to Memorial Hall. First, on Oct. 6, 1940, Memorial Hall was rededicated and renamed The Donald Curtis Leach Memorial Hall in memory of Donald Leach by his father, Convers E. Leach. Donald Leach was the first husband of Iona Leach. Iona Leach Grant and her second husband, Raymond Grant, bequeathed a substantial endowment to Woodfords to help seniors and provided the foundation for the current Woodford Senior Program.
(This is a photo of Donald Leach. 1893-1921)
| Memorial Hall has served as a meeting place since being built in 1926. On Oct. 19, 1947, it provided space for several gatherings during the 75th Anniversary for Woodfords Church. At 4 p.m. that day an Anniversary Tea took place in Memorial hall followed by a banquet at 6 and a 75th anniversary pageant at 8. | |
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On Oct. 29, 1972, a mortgage-burning celebration was held in Memorial Hall to celebrate paying off the present sanctuary mortgage. Throughout our history Memorial Hall has provided space for gatherings. Every year since it was built, our annual meetings have been held there. Church suppers of the past transitioned into culinary dining experiences in our time including a multicultural dinner and an Evening in Paris with a French cuisine. In 2010, Woodfords began using Memorial Hall to serve meals to the Wayside community. We are grateful for the insight and functionality this hall has provided.
As the title for an article in the Evening Express December 1926 said, “Woodfords Is a Model Plant For Activities Associated With It”.
-Pam Meader
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CORNERFEST 2022 a WINDY SUCCESS!
Friends of Woodfords Corner and WCC teamed up for a neighborhood block party on September 23rd.
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Championing Justice Sponsor Update
Last year Woodfords voted to support a Somali Bantu group in Wales that was purchasing farmland. This is their first year of operation and they have been very successful.
Liberation Farm works with
https://www.gsfb.org/programs/mainers-feeding-mainers/
and 80% of it’s commercial crop goes to local food pantries. Championing Justice and long time member Anne Bencks worked to bring awareness to the church on how the mission fund she started is to be used. A portion of that fund was then used for this mission.
The attached article explains their focus, what they have learned and how they are helping to feed hungry people around the state. I’m so pleased that Woodfords had a part in bringing their dream to fruition and helping to feed Mainers.
https://www.sunjournal.com/?p=10512401
-Joanne Bartlett
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Upcoming Events and Volunteer Opportunities | |
Contemplative Nature Walk | |
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Sunday, October 9th at Pleasant Hill Preserve, Scarborough
270 Pleasant Hill Rd
2-4:00 pm
The Rev. Nicole Diroff will lead a walk that weaves together naturalist wisdom and contemplative practice. Nicole is ordained in the United Church of Christ, serves as Program Director at The BTS Center (www.thebtscenter.org), and is training to be a Maine Master Naturalist.
This walk will be offered in partnership with the Scarborough Land Trust, and members of the general public will be invited to join folks from the Quad-Church initiative. Vehicle registration is required. Register and get more information by visiting
https://scarboroughlandtrust.org/event/contemplative-fall-walk/.
Upcoming dates of future walks in this series:
Winter: Sunday, January 29, 2023 • 2:00-4:00pm
Spring: Sunday, April 30, 2023 • 2:00-4:00pm
Sponsored by the Quad-Church Initiative and the Scarborough Land Trust
About the Quad-Church Initiative
Over the last couple of years, Woodfords has participated in Tri-Church intergenerational programming with other Portland congregations, including Williston-Immanuel United Church and State Street Church. We are pleased to announce that First Congregational Church in South Portland also will join in the fun for the upcoming program year, transforming our merry band into a Quad-Church initiative. We look forward to sharing community and programming with our neighbors “across the bridge.”
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Podcast Discussion
“Debunking the Conventional Wisdom of Everything Happens for a Reason” – A Conversation Between Kelly Corrigan and Kate Bowler
1 pm on October 27 ***please note the time change***
About the Episode
From the podcast description: Kate Bowler has trouble nodding along when people say things like Don’t put that into the universe and God doesn’t give you more than you can handle. But what she simply cannot endure is when someone assures her that Everything happens for a reason. Her point of view is tied to two extraordinary truths of her life: she’s a divinity professor at Duke, and she has Stage 4 cancer. She splits her time between studying how religion works and getting surgeries that move her belly button around and then recovering from them with her husband who she’s been with since she was in braces and her son, who at six, doesn’t really get why sometimes she can’t do dance parties with him. This conversation will fill you up. Guaranteed.
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Zoom Information (Same Each Session)
Join by computer:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87340564029
Meeting ID: 873 4056 4029
Dial in by phone:
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 873 4056 4029
About the Podcast Conversations
Woodfords’ podcast discussions are casual and guided by the participants. Bring your questions, and feel free to eat lunch as we talk. Members of Woodfords community, as well as the wider community, are welcome to participate. Feel free to invite a friend. We hope that people will have a chance to listen to the podcast before the session and bring questions/comments/responses to contribute to the conversation – but everyone is welcome to attend and participate, even if they don’t have a chance to listen to the podcast ahead of time.
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- Have something you want to see in the Beacon or weekly announcements? Drop a line and let us know. info@woodfordschurch.org
- Have you moved or gotten rid of your landline? Be sure to let us know so we can keep the member directory updated.
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Carol Chadbourne 10/01
Olin Johnson 10/02
Susan Wooten 10/05
Bradley Ronco 10/06
Meghan Graser 10/09
Russell Kenney 10/12
Colleen McKee 10/13
Gloriose Ndayishimiye 10/15
Mary Belanger 10/16
Billie Jo Wooten 10/16
Karin Kurry 10/19
Molly Johnson 10/20
Dominic Salvaggio 10/21
Leanne Walker 10/22
Douglas Philbrook 10/25
Avon Oakes 10/28
Madison Bailey 10/29
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HAPPY OCTOBER ANNIVERSARY
Robert & Mary Anne MacMath 10/11 53 years
Joanne & Gayton Bartlett 10/02 46 years
Thomas & Priscilla Hennessey 10/01 45 years
Mary Bonauto & Jennifer Wriggins 10/03 35 years
Ben & Catherine Walter 10/26 31 years
Leanne Walker & Dave Wasdahl 10/07 26 years
Alison Grey & Oliver Murray 10/17 23 years
Jeffrey & Adrienne-Marie Wilson 10/18 19 years
Jim & Stacey Dand 10/02 18 years
Lindsay & Brian Ross 10/25 14 years
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Have Something on Your Mind?
Want to Talk about a Joy or Concern?
Have a Prayer Request?
If you would like to schedule time for a pastoral care conversation with Rev. Alyssa, do not hesitate to be in touch (alodewick@woodfordschurch.org). She would be happy to talk via Zoom or the phone, or to have an in-person visit.
Also, Alyssa is always open to receiving prayer requests. Drop her a line with a description of what you’d like her to pray for – and don’t forget to indicate if you would also like your prayer request to be added to the Woodfords prayer list. (Alyssa’s default is to consider all prayer requests she receives confidential, unless the requestor explicitly says otherwise.)
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Submitting an article for the November 2022 Beacon?
The deadline is October 20. Please send proofed text with title and photos (if available) to info@woodfordschurch.org.
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