Pastoral Letter

Hello Friends:

What a pleasure to see you all back in our sanctuary this past Sunday morning. While I am excited beyond words to begin our ministry together; today, I write you with a heavy heart over the news that continues to unfold in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Our nation and most especially our neighbors in the mid-South states are facing the worst natural disaster in decades to visit U.S. soil.

First, please know that those among us who have lost family and friends are not alone. I invite you to phone me anytime at 207-594-8750 or 596-6069. As your minister, I am here for you and with you.

Second, please know that we can all help in the massive effort to restore lives and livelihoods. With the full support of our Board of Trustees, we dedicated our non-pledge plate offering of Sunday, September 4, to our UUA-UUSC Gulf Coast Relief Fund. Our Unitarian Universalist Association has established this fund in collaboration with our Unitarian Universalist Service Committee to assist in the recovery from Hurricane Katrina. All contributions will be distributed under the auspices of the Southwest and Mid-South Districts of our UUA and will be used entirely for hurricane relief. You can make your checks payable to the “UUA-UUSC Gulf Coast Relief Fund.” We raised over $500 Sunday, and our brothers and sisters in faith have already raised over $175,000 in the few days since the fund was set up. I am so proud of our church and our denomination.

Finally, we will hold a Service of Meditation and Sharing of Stories of Joy and Concern on Wednesday, September 7, at 7 PM in the sanctuary. This will be a time to gather in religious community in the wake of harrowing loss.
May our prayers be with all whose lives have been lost and whose lives have been turned upside down and inside out by this devastation. May we be generous in spirit and in deed.

I will post disaster relief resources a little later

In Gowing faith,


Mark