David Hutchinson, Minister, 446-6858
Church Phone, 532-9269
Bruce Glick, Moderator, 538-9264
Ann Rheinlander, Treasurer, 532-3383
Karen Klahr, Newsletter, 532-4051

Newsletter
Late Summer/Early Fall 2002

First Church of Houlton,
Unitarian-Universalist
61 Military St.
Houlton, ME 04730


MINISTER’S COLUMN 

	I am glad to hear each sect complain that they do not now hold
	the opinions they are charged with.  The earth moves and the 
	mind opens.  I am glad to believe society contains a class of 
	humble souls who enjoy the luxury of a religion that does not 
	degrade; who think it the highest worship to expect of heaven 
	the most and the best.  Who do not wonder that there was a
	Christ, but that there were not a thousand:  who have conceived
	an infinite hope for mankind:  who believe that the history of 
	Jesus is the history of every man, written large.
					      - Ralph Waldo Emerson
image oldchurch3.jpg (38950 bytes) These are the words printed on a small desk calendar from First Church of Houlton. The date is 1900. I’ve been digging in the church archives lately, and it’s been a fascinating summer project. As we begin our 192nd year as a religious organization, we are also celebrating the centennial of our current church building. The great fire of 1902 took the previous structure (which was less than 12 years old at the time!!) on May 17th of that year. The new church edifice was subsequently built and dedicated on November 24, 1903. It’s interesting to notice how little the old photographs of the church differ from how it looks today. The large brown building on the corner is timeless!!

During the upcoming church year, I hope to take a look at the history of Houlton and how it is coupled with the history of First Church. I also hope to look at some of the historic leaders in the Unitarian Universalist movement; William Ellery Channing, the transcendentalists such as Emerson, Thoreau and Alcott, and 20th century voices like Martin Luther Adams and A. Powell Davies. The same relevancy and timelessness are evident in their writings. The past is an uninterrupted-occurrence of everyday events that continues into the future. Our lives are lived within that momentum. There is no stepping out of it. As Emerson says, "The earth moves and the mind opens." A hundred years is not all that long in the larger scheme of things. A hundred years from now, someone may look at this old newsletter in the archives and comment, "I don’t know about Rev. Hutchinson, but Emerson sounds as timely now as he did then".   Live everyday in the timeless. Peace.

								In Ministry,

									Dave
MODERATOR’S MESSAGE
It has been a wonderful summer, full of church outings and events. The Rheinlanders hosted a lunch after our last service which was capped off by a horseshoe tournament. On our bike ride in June, we explored new territory to the north. In July, we held our third outdoor coffeehouse at the Houlton Amphitheater. Later that month, we ate, played volleyball, and kayaked in the wind with the Hogans at their Drews Lake cottage. Our church community also helped out with David and Linda’s wedding in August. How far we have come since the national trauma last fall. The events of 9/11, which occurred in David’s first week as our minister, cut short the first year "honeymoon" with our new minister and produced an extended period of uncertainty and anguish. In coming to terms with our feelings, we grew in our ability to support one another and deal with our divergent feelings and views and human frailties. This process has strengthened our congregation and helped us become more open and flexible. It was exhilarating to attend the UUA General Assembly last June. Sue and I were inspired by the workshops and plenary sessions and the vision of our denomination’s president, William Sinkford. We came away with a new appreciation for the values and potential of our liberal religion. I look forward to seeing all of you as we resume our "formal" church services on September 8th.     ... Bruce
MUSIC NOTES
The music committe will be working with our worship service leaders to help provide or arrange to provide music to accompany the service. Sarah has arranged for the Bell Choir to play for us for the September 15 service.
POETRY CORNER
Poems by Debra Frazier - there and here 
Indian summer 
Along the golden flank
of California hills,
scrub oak gathers
in faint gullies
made by winter rains
and runoff.

Dry and gnarled as jerky,
trees wear leaves
as taut and green and bitter
as olives.
Roots push free
of sunburnt, crackling grass. 

In sparse tree shade
cattle lie motionless,
full of heat and morning's browse. 
Vanguards 
When autumn leaves bloom,
the roses swell, pregnant,
and sun goes south
by slow looping increments 

and winter arrives
by stages,
by borrowing bits of summer
here and there
and failing to return them, 

then stars grow brittle,
and earth is draped
with groundcloth white
while trees are painted
starkly.
LIBRARY CORNER
Some of you have asked me to start a wish list for the library, suggestions for members who wish to donate books. I have begun a list and I am hoping it will be added to by others. My suggestions are: The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, Mysticism by Evelyn Underhill, How to Know God by Deepak Chopra, and The Secret of Light by Walter Reed. John Pasquarelli has suggested The Four Agreements and The Mastery of Love, two books by Don Miguel Ruiz. I have The Four Agreements and can donate that book. I have to confess that I have a copy of The Power of Now but I am unwilling to part with it. I highly recommend this book!   ...Robin Mosenfelder, librarian
FALL CALENDAR   2002

September 7 - Meditation group in the parlor, 8am
September 8 - Ingathering service with water ceremony, Rev. David Hutchinson
September 11 - Church open beginning at 7am, short remembrance service at 7pm
September 14 - Coffeehouse, 7-9:30 pm
September 15 - Sunday Service, Sarah Lovejoy
September 22*- Sunday Service, Rev. David Hutchinson will report on events at the General Assembly in June.
September 29 - Sunday Service, Rev. Martha Newman

October5 - Meditation group in the parlor, 8am
October 5 - Film Night in the parlor, 6pm (film TBA)
October 6 - Sunday Service, Rev. David Hutchinson
October 13 - Sunday Service, Jeff Lovejoy
October 19 - Coffeehouse, 7-9:30 pm
October 20 - Sunday Service, "Open Pulpit" service (tentative)
October 27* - Sunday Service, Rev. David Hutchinson

November 2 - Meditation group in the parlor, 8am
November 3 - Sunday Service, Bruce Glick
November 9 - Film Night in the parlor, 6pm (film TBA)
November 10 - Sunday Service, Rev. David Hutchinson
November 16 - Coffeehouse, 7-9:30 pm
November 17 - Sunday Service, Ann Rheinlander
November 24* - Sunday Service, Rev. David Hutchinson

December 1 - Sunday Service, Susan Glick
December 7 - Meditation group in the parlor, 8am
December 7 - Film Night in the parlor, 6pm (film TBA)
December 8 - Sunday Service, Rev. David Hutchinson
December 14 - Coffeehouse, 7-9:30 pm
December 15 - Sunday Service, Linda Rowe-Hutchinson
December 21 - (Sat.) Winter Solstice Service
December 22 - Sunday Service, Rev. David Hutchinson
December 24 - Christmas Eve Service
December 29* - Sunday Service, Jeff Lovejoy

January 4 - Meditation group in the parlor, 8am
January 5 (2003) - Sunday Service, Rev. David Hutchinson
January 12 - Annual Meeting

* Children’s Religious Education classes will meet on the last Sunday of each month, * with the exception of September, when it will meet on the 22nd.

INGATHERING SERVICE
On September 8, we will once again open our church year with a water ceremony. Bring a small container of water from a special place you may have visited during the summer (or from a source closer by!!) and we will pour them into a sacred bowl sharing our waters and our stories together. It is a simple ritual with many personal meanings. The sermon on this Sunday will explore historical perspectives of First Church as we begin to celebrate the centennial of our large brown building on the corner.

REMEMBRANCE SERVICE
The church will be open at 7 am on Wednesday, September 11th for anyone who would like to drop by during the day for a moment of reflection and prayer. We will ring the church bell at 8:45am and 9:03am. These times correspond with the crashes of Flight 11 and Flight 175 into the World Trade Center’s North and South towers. The minister will be available throughout the day. There will also be a short remembrance service at 7 pm in the church parlor. People are invited to bring a poem or reading that has provided insight and solace during this most difficult of years.

MEDITATION GROUP
Our meditation group meets on the first Saturday of each month in the church parlor at 8am. Our format consists of two twenty-minute sittings with a short walking meditation in-between. We conclude with a reading followed by tea and conversation. No experience is necessary. Instruction is provided for first-time meditatiors. We utilize a Zen-Buddhist zazen model, but are open to all contemplative practices. Please bring a cushion or a mat. (We do have extras available, if you'd like to try a zafu!!)

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