A new congregation called Worship North is being led by Pastor Johan Knies (photo). In an announcement, Knies said he and his wife, Katie Knies, have moved to Bangor after 8 1/2 years with the Kenny Lake Community Chapel in Alaska. Worship North meets at 10 a.m. Sundays… Read More
Monsignor Paul Stefanko, who directs the diocesan office that deals with annulments, will be available in Bangor early next month to answer questions about annulments. Stefanko will be on hand at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 2, at the St. Mary’s Catholic Church parish center, 768 Ohio St. Read More
Two news stories caught my attention this week. One is about a trial that is going on now concerning a paragraph which is mandated to appear at the beginning of all high school science books which teach the theory of evolution. This paragraph states that… Read More
Congregationalists from all around Washington County will gather Sunday to mark a milestone. Their Association of Congregational Churches and Ministers was founded 175 years ago in Eastport. A service commemorating the event is planned for 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 14, at East Machias Congregational Meetinghouse. Congregational churches are… Read More
WATERVILLE – Election Day was bittersweet for V. Gene Robinson. He celebrated the first anniversary of his consecration as bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire and as the first openly homosexual bishop in the world. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes… Read More
For more than 30 years now, I’ve been in the preaching profession. That’s long enough to have learned a few things about the power of a good illustration. Illustrations help people to understand important principles. They help people to remember what they’ve heard. And they… Read More
I have read the many differing political views of our community’s religious leaders and I see how deeply and differently our faiths can influence our politics, affecting our choices and behaviors. At the same time, we all experience varying degrees of inconsistency or contradiction between… Read More
Kate Braestrup is stretched out on her porch, petting the dog and watching her daughter play as she talks about the time she helped a family deal with the drowning of their 2-year-old child. She remembers taking off her uniform jacket so the family of… Read More
Maine’s Roman Catholic bishop plans to meet with priests and parishioners in November to talk about the flu. Maine and other states are facing a shortage of flu vaccine because the bulk of this year’s supply was found to be contaminated with bacteria. In Portland, a spokeswoman for… Read More
The Chamber Choir at St. John’s Catholic Church has released its first CD, “Exsultate,” a recording of sacred music for choir and organ by Brahms, Brucker, Mendelssohn, Mozart, Palestrina and others. “Exsultate” was made during the 2003-04 season. Directed by Kevin Birch, the choir was launched in 1995… Read More
Letters, gifts and music were part of a celebration Oct. 16 as Bradford Baptist Church marked the 25th anniversary of its pastor, the Rev. Donald Booker. Deacon Scott Roberts presided over a program that included a photo CD of Booker and his family. Letters of congratulation were read… Read More
Until just a few weeks ago, Annie Gerrish sat in the same seat every Sunday at the West Lubec Methodist Church – in front of the organ. Each Sunday, she did the same thing at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Lubec and, across the bridge and the border,… Read More
Some young people at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church are planning a mission trip to the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean. To make that possible, they plan a talent show and auction Oct. 30 at St. Patrick’s at the corner of North Main and Holyoke streets in Brewer. Maine… Read More
Jews had been living in America for almost 200 years before any made their way to Bangor shortly after the Civil War. By then, the descendants of the 23 men, women and children who landed in New Amsterdam, now Manhattan, had made an indelible mark… Read More
The Rev. Ken Dale (photo) is not ashamed to say that his last service Sunday at the Dover-Foxcroft Congregational Church will be an emotional one for him. Dale, who has spent 20 years supporting the congregation, has resigned and will begin ministering at Newcastle Congregational Church on Nov. Read More
Amid a renaissance of interest in Hebrew, Beth Abraham Synagogue in Bangor plans a five-week “crash course.” Rabbi Fred Nebel (photo) says the National Jewish Outreach Program will present the “Crash Course in Reading Hebrew” at Beth Abraham, 145 York St., starting at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 18. Read More
The Dalai Lama wants a “spiritual revolution.” He has called “for a radical reorientation away from our habitual preoccupation with self toward concern for the wider community of beings with whom we are connected … .” A preoccupation can mean individual self-interest, religious or denominational… Read More
PORTLAND – A Roman Catholic bishop and an Orthodox Jew on Friday urged lawyers and judges in Maine to better integrate their religious and professional lives. That theme dominated the sermon Bishop Richard Malone, head of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, delivered during the… Read More
We are now in the final days of preparation for Election Day. Of course, anyone not aware of this has probably had his or her head in a bucket for the last three months. The ads began long ago, folks have been “stopping by for… Read More
On Nov. 2, we will have a very critical presidential election. This election will help determine how our nation will unfold as we progress through this new century. Not only will many internal and national concerns be affected by the results of our presidential choice, our international relationships… Read More
Not long ago, in Washington, D.C., I visited the Jefferson Memorial and noted this quotation from Thomas Jefferson’s writings: “Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that his justice cannot sleep forever.” I agree with Jefferson that a nation… Read More
Not many pastors I know take sides publicly when it comes to presidential politics. Every pastor I know has strong, carefully considered positions and a strong personal choice of the candidate to vote for. That seems contradictory, but the choice not to advocate strongly for… Read More
The two religious organizations that represent most of Maine’s congregations took opposite stands Tuesday on the tax cap referendum. Citing the potential harm to the state’s poor, the Maine Council of Churches is urging voters to oppose the tax cap referendum, while the Christian Civic… Read More
When Ashton Dickinson, 18, was at a three-day Christian music festival and “Jesus Revolution” last summer in New Hampshire, he had an experience that seems a perfect fit for his ardent yet independent take on Christianity. At the festival, the Maine Central Institute senior was… Read More
“Islam and the Challenge of America: A New Vision for Jews, Christians and Muslims” is the title of a program planned Wednesday. The featured speaker will be Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, imam of Masjid al-Farah, New York, and president of the American Sufi Muslim Association. He has written… Read More
An advocate for parish nursing will lead a daylong workshop Tuesday at the Bangor Theological Seminary. Sybil D. Smith of Lyman, S.C., will be the keynoter for “Health Care in the New Millennium: A Practical and Spiritual Approach.” A registered nurse with 30 years’ experience in community health… Read More
Grace United Methodist Church has been at the corner of Union and Clinton streets since 1854, so the congregation is marking its anniversary with a special service Sunday. Methodists had been in the city for about 40 years when the cornerstone was laid. Until stone facing was added… Read More
Lost Lamb Association Corporate Office Building is open, providing a 5,350-square-foot home for the 25-year-old nonprofit religious and charitable organization. The organization’s president and founder, Tiff Shuttlesworth (photo), was joined by community leaders for a ribbon-cutting Sept. 25 at 19 DeBeck Park in Holden. Shuttlesworth, 46, is a… Read More
Chanju Byun returned home to South Korea much less worried about her daughters’ college years in Maine. After spending a Sunday afternoon at the First Korean Methodist Church in Brewer, she found that her fears had been eased because her daughters would be able to… Read More
What comes to your mind when you hear the word “evangelical?” Do you know any evangelicals personally? Exactly what is an evangelical, anyway? The dictionary uses the adjective form of the term to define the noun; in other words, an evangelical is one affiliated with… Read More
The shock talk show has finally gotten religion. “Faith Under Fire,” a new television show on the PAX network (WBGR-TV 13), begins airing at 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 2. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner… Read More
PORTLAND – The new head of the New England Conference of the United Methodist Church on Saturday stood at the altar barefoot and urged members of his flock to do the same. Bishop Peter Weaver passionately urged worshippers to wiggle their toes and feel the… Read More
People concerned about options for those who want to die at home, near family, are planning a conference. It will involve consumers, clinicians, government officials and others. “Consumer Protection and End of Life Care: A Listening Conference” will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 28,… Read More
Gospel singer Dan Schall will offer a series of concerts in Washington County, starting Tuesday. His music ranges from favorite old hymns to gospel to bluegrass. Each free concert is open to the public: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 28, North Perry United Methodist Church; 6:30 p.m. Sept. 29,… Read More
“Anti-Semitism in the Search for Peace & Justice” is the title of a day’s worth of discussion and questions planned next month. Howard Solomon of the University of Southern Maine will keynote. Panelists: Stephen Wessler, Center for the Prevention of Hate Violence; Susan Marshall, Central Maine Tikkun; Abraham… Read More
Many of the 100 or so worshippers who fill the pews each Sunday in summer won’t be in Cherryfield for the biggest moment in 150 years for St. Michael’s Catholic Church. The congregation will celebrate its 150th anniversary Wednesday with a special Mass and potluck supper. Fittingly, the… Read More
Roman Catholic students who participated in the Loyola Institute for Ministry Extension were recognized Sept. 19 in a commencement ceremony at Notre Dame Church, Waterville. Among those receiving master’s degrees: Deacon Albert Burleigh, St. Mary of the Visitation, Houlton; Deacon Donald Clavette, St. Thomas Aquinas, Madawaska; Deacon Robert… Read More
“Be refreshed in the darkness. Doesn’t a moment of silence googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i = 0; i < slot_sizes.length; i++) { if (isMobileDevice()) { if (slot_sizes[i][0] googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
Safe teen haven Family mission turns into a cozy, treasure-filled cafe for kids, Christians and more
NEWPORT – Two years ago, Sammi Jo Herr was raising her seven children in a bus parked in the woods of Palmyra. She was working three jobs, sometimes nodding off as she drove from one to the other late at night. But she had a… Read More
Catholic Charismatic Renewal of Maine will sponsor a daylong rally next Saturday at the Bangor Auditorium. Ralph Martin, host of the EWTN cable television program “The Choices We Face,” will be keynote speaker. Martin has been active in the Catholic charismatic movement since its beginnings in 1967 among… Read More
A minister with Maine ties has published “Heaven by Surprise: Church Stories from the Diary of a Seasoned Pastor.” The book by the Rev. Robert M. Mitchell (photo) is a compilation of stories from his personal diary. Mitchell was associate minister at All Souls Congregational Church, Bangor, from… Read More
Lost in the flag waving, God-euphoria and shouts of self-praise for being the most patriotic in this year’s election season is a love for the guiding philosophy of the Founding Fathers and Mothers. During a time of terror, uncertainty and utter confusion about social, political… Read More
CALAIS – Maine looks pretty good to Capt. David Sivret. The temperatures are a whole lot cooler and mortar rounds aren’t going off around his head. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for… Read More
After the atrocities of Sept. 11, 2001, flutist Hawk Henries of Sullivan fled with his family to the rocky coast at Schoodic Head in an attempt to find solace in nature. They were not alone. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]];… Read More
A moose, an eagle and an angel share the second 7-foot stained-glass window just installed at tiny Union Congregational Church. The small Washington County congregation with the white clapboard church commissioned artist Mark Wren of Wrenovations Stained Glass Creations to design and install the windows in commemoration of… Read More
To mark the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church and Adas Yoshuron Synagogue, both in Rockland, plan an interfaith service for the community. “Ashes, Stones and Flowers” will be the special litany, and people are welcome to come and go at their convenience next Saturday,… Read More
A dozen Washington County boys ages 10 to 16 spent two days last week exploring the trails and waterways of the Maine coast as part of their Norumbega Adventure Days. Sponsored by the Dennysville-Edmunds Congregational Church, the boys were led by Maine Guide Bruce Hodgdon and accompanied by… Read More
The Episcopal bishop of Maine will be on hand next week when the congregation at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Main Street, celebrates an old friend in a new role. The Rev. Carolyn W. Metzler has been appointed vicar of the congregation, and Bishop Chilton R. Knudsen will install… Read More
At noon Sunday, Sept. 12, members of the United Christian Church, 18 Searsmont Road, will treat themselves to some ice cream, then break ground for an addition to their church, built in 1821. Margaretta Thurlow, great-granddaughter of the church’s builder, will turn the first shovel of soil. Pastor… Read More
A half-dozen teens from the Bangor area were among 30,000 who participated last month in a Seventh-day Adventist campout in Oshkosh, Wis. The youth (photo) focused on their faith and community outreach, but they also took time on Aug. 13 to try to enter Guinness World Records for… Read More
Last month, I solicited questions from you, and I received several letters with questions or concerns. If you have questions you would like to ask me, please e-mail me directly through the address below or mail them to the Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402, Attn:… Read More
Seven young adults gather for informal Sunday worship in a two-room house fashioned from plastic sheeting and lumber that they cut themselves. Clad in shorts and jeans and clutching well-thumbed Bibles, they join in song with guitar accompaniment. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
MACHIAS: NEW ANGLE ON AN OLD BUILDING Centre Street Congregational Church, Machias, founded in 1772 and built in 1836, has always had an open-door policy. Now the church is accessible to all, thanks to an addition that houses an elevator to bring people up to the sanctuary. Completed… Read More
The story is told of Ignace Jan Paderewski, the famous Polish composer-pianist, who was once scheduled to perform at a great American concert hall for a high-society extravaganza. In the audience was a mother with her fidgety 9-year-old son. Weary of waiting, the boy slipped… Read More
ROCKLAND: VOLUNTEERS LEAVE THEIR MARK AT CHURCH Thirteen teenagers and the Rev. Irven Gammon (right), associate pastor of Rockland Congregational Church, prepare to transform a church classroom into a music room earlier this month. The teen members of Landmark Volunteers camped at the church for two weeks. They… Read More
At the Unitarian Universalist Society of Bangor, faces are weary. Voices are strained. The smell of cumin and black beans permeates bodies and breath – and the countdown is on. “Eight pounds down, two to go.” “Ten pounds down, 15 cakes to go.” “Five cakes… Read More
Christian parody band ApologetiX headlines AcadiaFest 2004, a Christian outdoor music festival in Ellsworth. Other bands will include The Rock Show, Neally’s Corner, Unspoken and The King Pin Wrecking Crew. The music starts at 3 p.m. Friday, Aug. 27, in a tent behind Family Bible Church on Route… Read More
They’re the baking friars of Bangor, Brother Don (photo) and Brother Kenneth. While they run the Friars’ Bakehouse on Central Street downtown, their mission as Franciscan Brothers of St. Elizabeth of Hungary takes them wherever there is need. And on Nov. 1, they will travel to Haiti for… Read More
John Ward of Blue Hill Congregational Church has received professional recognition by passing with distinction the associate examination of the American Guild of Organists. Ward, a member of the guild’s Bangor chapter, also won the Associateship Prize for highest score on that examination, along with the S. Lewis… Read More
Rodrigo Rodriguez began playing guitar when he was 8 years old in his native Quito, Ecuador. “I came from a family of musicians,” he recalled last week. His father played guitar, and his uncle was known around South America for his six-string. googletag.cmd.push(function () {… Read More
In just the past four months, Vice President Cheney told a lawmaker on the floor of the U.S. Senate to “– off.” Teresa Heinz Kerry, wife of the Democratic presidential nominee, told a journalist to “shove it.” And the Rev. Jerry Falwell wants to host a seminar for… Read More
Rabbi Amita Jarmon has arrived as Adas Yoshuron Synagogue’s first resident rabbi since the 1930s. Jarmon, 43, led services for the first time last week. She grew up in Amherst, Mass., and lived six years in Israel, where she trained as a physical therapist. She practiced for 11… Read More
The contemporary-music minister at Rockland Congregational Church just returned from a trip to youth prisons and orphanages in Ukraine. Joe Campbell visited in July with a team called Christ Alive! The message board in the photo advertises the team’s Christian rock concert. Campbell leads the music during Sunday… Read More
From brittle ledgers to tinted postcards, old videos to frayed bulletins, congregations and spiritual people all around Maine possess pieces of the past that help explain their present. The Rev. James L. Lufkin wants those spiritual people to go on a treasure hunt to find… Read More
The Rev. Katrina Martha Welles Swanson did not intend to make history or blaze a trail or create controversy. But to become an ordained minister, she had to do all three. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = [];… Read More
“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 It is warm and the water is running. TJ is trying to make the space in our lives to get out on the Union River in our kayaks. I… Read More
CALAIS – The new pastor serving three United Methodist churches in Washington County took the long road to her new ministry. Lehlohonolo “Henrietta” Montjane was appointed this summer to serve the Calais United Methodist Church, Blakey Memorial United Methodist Church in Eastport, and North Perry… Read More
CASTINE – The Trinitarian Congregational Parish of Castine is thriving, in part, because its pastor has ignored the advice of his seminary professors. “Creativity will kill you, they told me,” said the Rev. Bill Friederich. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]];… Read More
For Newcastle’s St. Patrick’s parishioners, the old and the new are a match made in heaven. Disbelievers thought it couldn’t be done, the Rev. Raymond Picard said Wednesday, showing off the parish’s new $2 million church. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes =… Read More
Our Jewish tradition encourages debate and questioning. We are known as the People of the Book and, because of that, a people who love reading and writing and learning. Originally, the book was our Torah, our Bible (edited about 2,500 years ago). Our propensity toward… Read More
With typical wit, Oscar Wilde once observed: “In this world there are only two tragedies. One is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it.” The gratification of desire – getting what one wants (i.e. when what one wants is not what… Read More
SANDY POINT – Members of the Sandy Point Congregational Church in Stockton Springs already know what they want for Christmas. The 100-member congregation just broke ground for an addition designed to add some 21st century improvements. The church has mounted a fund-raising drive to raise… Read More
CALAIS – They will tell you it was their faith that helped them rebuild their church. Out of that faith grew the $1.2 million Second Baptist Church. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false;… Read More
PORTLAND – Maine’s Roman Catholic bishop has announced more reassignments or additional duties for priests from around the state. In most cases, the changes were effective July 1. The Rev. Louis Phillips, administrator of St. Joseph’s Parish, Ellsworth, will become pastor of St. Augustine and… Read More
BELFAST – Members of the First Church in Belfast UCC voted unanimously in late June to call the Revs. Kate Winters and Joel Krueger to serve as co-pastors. A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., Winters holds a bachelor of arts degree in religious studies from Fairfield… Read More
BANGOR – Beacon of Hope Church of God, 1612 Ohio St., is celebrating the 14th anniversary of the arrival of the Rev. David Bean and his wife, Phyllis, at the church with a special service at 10 a.m. Sunday, July 11. The Rev. Billy Washington… Read More
STOCKTON SPRINGS – The Congregational Church of Sandy Point celebrated its plans for an addition with a groundbreaking ceremony last month. The church plans to add a meeting room, Sunday school space, kitchen and restroom to its 164-year-old building. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot… Read More
U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe will play key roles in protecting Thomas Paine’s republic. As they have often showed, the Maine senators’ common sense is needed more than ever in stopping an ill-conceived proposal: Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., has scheduled debate… Read More
When God speaks, do we listen? Are we still enough to notice? Quiet enough to hear? Are we waiting for the roar of thunder, when actually God is whispering, caressing our face with a cool breeze, soothing us with a gentle rain? Are we looking… Read More
ONE BREATH AT A TIME: Buddhism and the Twelve Steps, by Kevin Griffin, Rodale Books, Emmaus, Pa., 2004, 304 pages, $13.95. Buddhism is a religion of meditative study that points the way to spiritual growth and enlightenment. AA’s Twelve Steps are tools to reach and… Read More
Brenda Hamilton hasn’t been the same since she traveled to Haiti earlier this year. And the Rev. Noe Bernier is delighted by her transformation. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i… Read More
Here we are at solstice time. The longest day of the year has come and gone – summer is now here. What a beautiful time of year – so much is in bloom: lupines, irises, geraniums, rhododendron, phlox, sweet William … and, so much more… Read More
Don’t use church language, mom,” Dawn Kelley warned as her mother, Retta, began to answer another question about the upcoming Glorybound Jubilee in Blue Hill. Retta Kelley paused, presumably searching for words that don’t fall under her daughter’s definition of “church language,” while trying to… Read More
I am an apologist. Six days a week I work in the area of apologetics. For that I make no apology. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i = 0; i… Read More
PORTLAND – Maine’s Roman Catholic bishop has announced seven reassignments for priests around the state. The changes are effective July 1. The Rev. Scott Mower will move from pastor of St. Mark Parish in Ashland, the missions of Our Lady of the Lake in Portage,… Read More
ORONO – The first international conference sponsored by the University of Maine’s Peace Studies program will be held June 18-20. “Peacemaking in the 21st Century: Inner Peace, Outer Action” is expected to bring activists, philosophers, musicians, dancers, artists and ministers to campus for the three-day event. Read More
On July 7, the Unitarian Universalist Society of Bangor will join many individuals, churches and synagogues in Bangor and Brewer to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the death of Charles O. Howard. Twenty years ago, Charlie, an out, gay man, was taunted by three young… Read More
The Rev. Michael Sheridan had special words recently for some of the people attending Mass at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Cherryfield. “El cuerpo de Cristo,” which means “the body of Christ” in English, Sheridan said quietly to a handful of Hispanics, one after another,… Read More
PORTLAND – Bishop Richard Malone on Sunday will ordain transitional and permanent deacons for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, which comprises the entire state. The service will be at Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 6. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
It’s funny, but writing a column about spirituality can arouse a great temptation to first craft a disclaimer: In the first year of college, the odds run against the spiritual and religious student, and failure seems almost inevitable. Still, adaptability as well as conviction have… Read More
U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft has directed his department to promote Christian virtue in the pursuit of law, order and justice. There is no interest in seeing that the scales of justice are balanced. It’s another example how a twisted theology is being used to… Read More
MADAWASKA – Paul Henry Dumais will be ordained a Roman Catholic priest today in his home parish, the first such ordination at St. Thomas Aquinas Church since 1985. Dumais, 32, grew up in Madawaska and spent three years working on a farm in Kansas and… Read More
It is a blessing to live in America. I love our country. Our freedoms which we enjoy daily are a blessing. I am so grateful and supportive to our armed forces that help uphold and fight for democracy and freedom. We have freedom of the press. People are… Read More
Bishop Richard Malone is looking for a lot more people like Scott Dennis and his family. The 12-year-old Passadumkeag boy and his 8-year-old sister, Katrina Stinson, were among more than 350 people in Maine who became Catholic this year. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot… Read More
BANGOR – Bob Evans discovered in the unforgiving waters of the Gulf of Alaska what the early Christian mystics found in the deserts of the Holy Land: a desire to live according to God’s will. After more than two decades as a commercial fisherman in… Read More
Kristen Spekhardt, 13 years old, has been thinking about some big questions. The Bangor girl doesn’t belong to any particular church, but last weekend she went to a multimedia show at Glenburn Evangelical Covenant Church and started to get some answers. googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
On Thursday, May 6, the United States celebrated National Prayer Day. Sadly, many citizens were excluded from fellowship. Prayer can have a positive role in the country. It will not happen, however, if racial, political, religious or cultural vanity is deemed more important than God. Read More
ABBOT – Members of the Abbot Evangelical Free Church thought they had done everything possible three years ago to accommodate their growing congregation. They ripped out walls to expand the sanctuary. They used the kitchen for seating during Sunday morning services. Parishioners who arrived late… Read More
ROCKLAND – For the first time since the 1930s, Adas Yoshuron Synagogue will have a resident rabbi. Rabbi Amita Jarmon will arrive in August and become the first permanent spiritual leader since the synagogue renounced orthodoxy more than 65 years ago. The synagogue was founded… Read More
The Rev. Tom Doyle didn’t tell the 150 people who turned out to hear him speak in Portland last week that his boss had fired him as a military chaplain. In fact, it was not the first career disruption for the outspoken Roman Catholic priest,… Read More