FIRST UNIVERSALIST CHURCH IN ROCKLAND
MARCH 2016
NEWSLETTER
Welcome! Our worship service begins at 10AM
March 6 - “The Risky Edge Between Falling and
Fleeing” - Led by Rev. Mark Glovin Celebrating two
recent “news worthy” scientific events, the discovery of
long predicted gravitational waves and the return of Mark
Kelly to the Earth after almost a year aboard the
International Space Station, this multi-media service will
honor our quest for truth and the predictive power of good
science. This playful worship will help us experience our own
wonder and examine the still vital roles of reverent
skepticism and faith.
March 13 - “Just Love” - Led by Rev. Margaret
Beckman Two simple words. How many ways can we
interpret the meaning of these two words in combination?
Using our UU principles and values, we'll explore a variety of
possible meanings and interpretations.
March 20 - "This I Believe” - Led by Rev. Al Boyce
Based on the NPR radio show "This I Believe" the sermon
will call us all once again reflect and challenge our individual
spiritual introspection regarding what and how we find
spiritual meaning. March 27 - Easter Sunday - Led by Rev. Mark Glovin
We’ll examine the deep truths illustrated in the mytho-poetic
Easter story. We’ll look at all the little deaths we face and all
the rebirths, the call to let go of something, so that
something new can begin. Easter isn’t about what did or
didn’t happen to Jesus as much as it is about what happens
with and to us.
UUR Contacts
Minister
Rev. Mark Glovin
President
Paul Meinersmann
594-8750
226-0966
Director of Religious Exploration
Carney Doucette
975-9994
Music Director
Sojourner Hodges
Worship
Lois Anne
Building and Grounds
Joe Patten
Treasurer
Dick Tomeo
230-9167
542-7348
542-7762
596-7989
Wall Coordinator
Peter Lehman
542-1496
Area Interfaith Outreach
BOT liaison
Pinny Beebe-Center
Tonian Circle - Co-presidents:
Charmarie Blaisdell
Susan St. John
Office Administrator
Sarah Rogers
372-6118
594-9084
594-8750
We are a Welcoming Congregation
Changing your life, changing the world.
REVEREND MARK GLOVIN
Most of you know that, in college, I majored in philosophy, where I learned just enough to screw myself up for the rest
of my life. Truthfully, I received major gifts and blessings from that study and from my teachers during that time.
Perhaps the deepest, longest lasting original insight that I had was that people inevitably act in their self-interest; but
that what changes is how they define themselves. Someone who defines themselves as an individual moving through a
hostile world will make different choices than another, who defines themselves, primarily, as a father, or member of a
family, or a tribe, or a country, or a congregation, or as a global citizen, or as a speck of stardust off in a dusty corner of
a small galaxy, which is itself in a corner of an unimaginably vet and expanding universe.
One of the things that drew me to Unitarian Universalism was our definition of ourselves as people of relationship. Our
grounding in this historical, covenantal faith and the theological foundation of our seventh principle, call us to live from
an innate sense of connectedness. We reach out with compassion and empathy, we call for justice and equity because we
understand that we are already interconnected.
Each year, this time of budgeting and stewardship and planning is a time to check in with each other about the church:
is it meeting our needs? doing good work in the world? what does it mean in our lives and how we are doing in terms of
supporting the church and living our way into our covenant with each other and the wider movement? We ask that
people make meaningful commitments to the church and in this way we continue to faithfully fund our programs, our
staff, our outreach commitments and also pay our dues to our Northern New England District and to the Unitarian
Universalist Association.
My heart fills whenever I think of UUR and the transformative love that happens in our church. I am very proud to say
that we have been a fair share congregation for 10 of the 11 years, we have shared ministry, which means we have paid
all of our dues to the district and association. There have been a few years, when that has not been an easy choice to
make; and, yet, it has always been the right choice.
Now, one way to look at it this fair share giving is to decide whether or not we feel well served by the UUA. And
certainly, we have benefitted greatly from the curricula they publish and the resources they produce, we’ve benefitted
from the credentialing programs they administer which ensure well-suited and fully educated religious professionals
serve our churches, and those leaders benefit from insurance and retirement programs offered, we’ve benefitted from the
wisdom of the staff and the workshops they lead, we have benefitted from the many regional programs like Leap of
Faith which we always seem to be invited to because of our own health and vitality. By this measurement, our money is
certainly well spent.
And, going back to my college insight about identity and self-interest, I think there is a deeper, better, truer way to ask
about fair share giving. In truth, our UUA is not an organization out there that we support. We are the UUA, an
association of independent congregations with whom we share collective effort. We pay our dues so UU churches in
Arizona are empowered to bear witness at the Tent City Jail, we pay our dues so our values around reproductive justice
are spoken in the halls of power, we pay our dues so that our Muslim neighbors know that they have allies standing with
them and advocating for their right to freely and safely practice their religion and so that there is a theological voice
speaking on issues of climate justice and linked oppressions, so that LGBTQ kids are able to find sanctuary in a hostile
environment in the deep south or right here in New England. We pay our dues and do our part to remain in right
relationship and be in covenant with 1,000 other UU congregations.
May this time of stewardship reflect the health vitality and abundance that exist within our church. May our giving, as
people and as a church, bring joy to our lives at this time when our congregations is so necessary to individuals and
families and to our interdependent world.
PRESIDENT’S NOTE
I’m really excited about Canvass this year. I’m also anxious about it. I’ll start
with the anxious part and then get to the excitement; I think it makes for a better
story!
So why am I anxious? Well, we need to raise a lot of revenue to make sure we can
cover the expenses of running this church that is so important to us. This is hard
work! If we don’t raise what we need, we’ll have to make difficult decisions to
balance the budget. And to raise the necessary revenue, we have to talk about
money.
But here is the great part, we don’t need to just talk about money! We can do
exactly what we talked about at the Congregational Meeting in October. We can
talk about our relationship with this church and with each other. We can talk
about the fantastic work this church already does in this community and the work
that we hope to do in the future. And, yes, we can talk about money in a way
that fits our UU principles and is empowering and supportive.
As President of the Board, I feel an obligation to be an active participant in this
year’s Canvass, as we reach out to each member and other active supporters of our
congregation. And this is outside of my comfort zone! But, the very act of
doing this will strengthen my relationship with our church and also my
relationship with some of you I don’t know as well.
In preparation for this event, the members of the Canvass Committee each shared
the story of our individual journeys to this congregation and our UU faith. I’m
looking forward to hearing your stories and sharing mine with you. I’m looking
forward to talking about the church that’s “behind everything that is important,”
as one member of the public stated. And I’m even looking forward to talking
about money, even if it is difficult initially.
So let us work together, be in community together, and celebrate together as we
continue to support this thriving congregation. Let us be inspired by one
another to stretch ourselves, give generously, and be proud of the part we play. Let us write our collective story together.
- Paul Meinersmann
345 BROADWAY - ROCKLAND, ME 04841 - [email protected]
FIRST UNIVERSALIST CHURCH IN ROCKLAND
HAPPENINGS IN RELIGIOUS EXPLORATION…
Rejoice & Rejuvenate -­‐ Yoga con1nues Join Maria Orlova as she guides you through Multi-­‐Level Vinyasa Flow Yoga at the UUR Saturdays, March 12, 19, 26. 10-­‐11:30 a.m. Suggested donation $10 (No one turned away for lack of funds). Beginners encouraged to attend. Childcare can be made available with one week’s notice. Contact Maria Orlova, [email protected]. Our Whole Lives Sexuality Educa1on for grades 4-­‐6 Begins On most Sundays now through April, the OWL program for grades 4-­‐6 will be taking place in Collins Room West. Please respect their privacy during RE Fme by not venturing into the upstairs kitchen. This group will be learning about values, family relaFonships, puberty, gender idenFty, reproducFon, health, safety, communicaFons and decision-­‐making. Once again, we are blessed to have our K-­‐6 OWL facilitators work with this group of children. Thanks to Broo Temple, Deb Donnelly, Anne MynLnen, Ann McClellan and Joern Steinort. 345 BROADWAY - ROCKLAND, ME 04841 - [email protected]
FIRST UNIVERSALIST CHURCH IN ROCKLAND
HAPPENINGS IN RELIGIOUS EXPLORATION…
All Birthday Party on Sunday, March 13 This is Coffee Hour with a twist! AQer worship we will gather around tables that represent a month of the year based on our birthdays. This is an intenFonal mixer to meet and greet new people, of all ages. While enjoying a birthday cupcake, there will be a brief acFvity for you to do with your other “birth-­‐month mates.” Tables will be set up in the Griffith Room and in the Collins Room. Coffee and non-­‐sweet treats will be served in both locaFons. The order of service on that Sunday will let you know where to go to find your birthday table. Can you make a dozen cupcakes? Please sign up on the poster in the lobby. And underneath will be a basket to collect pet donaFons for the Pope Memorial Humane Society for our Easter Service project. We need at least one dozen cupcakes that are gluten-­‐free. Easter for our furry loved ones – help support this service project Our UU Easter Egg Hunt is actually a hunt for pet products that then are donated to the Pope Memorial Humane Society. This service project provides an opportunity for our children to enjoy an Easter Hunt, while helping those furry cri\ers that we all love. Please help support this project by bringing in donaFons and placing the items in the basket in the lobby. You can go to Pope Memorial Humane Society to see their wish list. If you have children, ask what they would like to donate and bring that in as well. Let’s fill that basket! Also on Easter Sunday, March 27, aQer a story and the Easter Hunt, we will have the RE egg bar where children can garnish their own deviled eggs. The Babies & Toddlers group will have their own “egg” hunt. Hos1ng Tween Conference on April 2-­‐3 We are hosFng a Tween Conference for ages 9-­‐13 over the weekend of April 2nd. We will be joined by tweens from UU churches in Bangor, Belfast, Ellsworth and CasFne. We will be exploring the topic of bullying and how to be an ally. So if you see a new child that Sunday morning, please welcome them to our church. Next Public Supper & Game Night – Saturday, March 26, 5-­‐8 p.m. It’s spagheL night! We will be having spagheL with homemade sauce and meatballs, plus salads and desserts. As before, we’ll have tables set up for games. Those who a\ended the last public supper and game night had lots of fun, and we raised about $450 with 60 people a\ending. How can you help? 345 BROADWAY - ROCKLAND, ME 04841 - [email protected]
FIRST UNIVERSALIST CHURCH IN ROCKLAND
FUNraising! (Putting the FUN in FUNdraising!)
Due to schedule conflicts, the February Fundraising meeting is postponed until
after church (11:30) on March 20th. We'll meet in the library. Please plan to bring
updates on each of the fundraising projects scheduled for this year including: dates,
updated information, resources needed, and any new ideas that have come up since last
meeting. This meeting is open to anyone who is willing to help (even just a little) with
fundraising for the church. Thank you!
PLANT SALE! - Saturday, May 7th - SAVE THE DATE
Start your seeds and start taking cuttings of your favorite house plants! Get growing for our Plant Sale ! UUR YARD SALE! - Saturday, June 18, 2016
Start thinking about donating your clean, unbroken household items - we will be
collecting items the week prior to the sale. Please note that we will not be accepting clothing, books,
electronics, homemade CDs and DVDs or seasonal/Christmas items (save those for the Holiday Craft Fair,
Nov. 26).
We will need to borrow lots of folding tables and any market or party style tents you
might have. We will also need plenty of plastic, paper or fabric shopping bags.
As we get closer to June, we will be recruiting lots of volunteers, so think about how you may
enjoy contributing... We will need folks to: sort and price the week prior to the sale, run the
sale, organize and monitor traffic flow (people and cars), share pick up trucks (especially those
with a Rockland dump sticker) and help with PR.
Please let us know if you have tables or tents to lend ASAP!
Thanks, Patty, Susan & Julie
Patty King :: 691-3301 :: [email protected]
Susan Solman :: 551-3006 :: [email protected]
Julie Rogers :: 542-3695 :: [email protected]
345 BROADWAY - ROCKLAND, ME 04841 - [email protected]
FIRST UNIVERSALIST CHURCH IN ROCKLAND
FUNraising! (Putting the FUN in FUNdraising!)
The UUR Talent Board - an opportunity to share in each other’s specific talents and abilities
while financially supporting the church. For each item or service that is sold, the payment is
donated to UU Rockland. Check out the Bulletin Board downstairs. Here’s how it works:
If you want to “sell” your service/skill/item:
·
Fill out the upper section of a yellow “Available Talent” card and place it on the board under
“Available Talent.” Current Talents People are Seeking… (hint, hint, could you offer one of
these?) Childcare for a Toddler (2-6 hours), A truck and assistance transporting a couch, Pruning/grafting
apple trees If you want to “buy” this service/skill/item:
·
Fill out the lower section of the specific “Available Talent” card, but leave the card on the
board.
·
Contact the talented person donating the service/skill/item to arrange exchange of talent
unit.
·
Make the appropriate donation to UU Rockland.
Current Available Talents: Sailing excursion (2 hour), House Cleaning (1 hour by a youth member),
Digitizing Slides, Helping you feel good when you’re not feeling well (a variety of possible talents)
If you don’t see a talent that you need already on the board,
you can “Seek” a talent:
·
Fill out the upper section of a green “Seeking Talent” card and place it on the board under
“Seeking Talent.”
For any questions regarding the UUR Talent Board, please contact Julie Rogers, [email protected] or
Becky Meinersmann, [email protected].
Honoring Gift Donation Packets
Ever wonder how to show you care for another UUR member? Do your family and friends always
wonder what to give you for birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays? This may be the perfect gift! The
new Honoring Gift Donation Packets make gift-giving so simple. Each packet contains a return card
showing who the donation is being made in honor of, an addressed return envelope, and a card to send
to the special person being honored with this gift. They are located in the office and on the bulletin
board downstairs
Honoring Gifts made in February:
Gift Given in honor of Nicki Dunbar -­‐ Given by Audrey Moody Gift to the Tonians $1,000, in memory of Elizabeth Field -­‐ Given by Ralph Field 345 BROADWAY - ROCKLAND, ME 04841 - [email protected]
FIRST UNIVERSALIST CHURCH IN ROCKLAND
New Books in our UUR Church Library !
Donated by Lucie Bauer, and cataloged in "000 General Works” by UUR Librarian
Audrey Moody - Thank you!
Building Social Change Communities by The Training/Action Affinity Group of Movement for a
New Society, 1979, 000 BUI.
Building United Judgment: A Handbook for Consensus Decision Making, 1981, OOO BUI.
Resource Manual for a Living Revolution by Virginia Coover, et. Al., 1978, 000 COO.
The Art of Facilitation: How to Create Group Synergy by Dale Hunter, et. Al., 1995, 000 HUN.
Leadership Skills: Developing Volunteers for Organizational Success by Emily Kittle Morrison, 1994,
000 MOR.
UUBB Meeting on March 23 will meet at 12:30 in the Robbins Room (Library). "Eleanor,
Franklin Roosevelt (related)"--so many choices! Any book written by Eleanor
Roosevelt, herself; THE TRAIN TO CRYSTAL CITY by Jan Jarboe Russell; THE WOMAN
BEHIND THE NEW DEAL by Kirstin Downey. (Non-Fiction)
Audrey Moody
MARCH OPEN OFFICE HOURS
Mondays - Thursdays 12-2pm
or by appointment by calling 594-8750 or [email protected]
Our Collection Plate :
Did you know that half of the donations to our Sunday offering plate are given to
local non-profit organizations? In 2015 our congregation presented Out! As I Want to Be,
Mid-Coast Health Net, and Rockland District Nursing Association with $1,200 each! All
cash and checks put into the plate go towards this split-with-community total UNLESS you
actually write 'PLEDGE' on your check. If you write 'PLEDGE' on your check no portion of
it will go towards the community organizations and instead it will be counted towards the
fulfillment of your annual church pledge. Want to make it even more clear? Just put your
pledge checks into the mailbox on the office door, and put your donations that you intend to
have split between the community and church into the plate. Questions about the plate or
pledging? Contact Bill Pluecker ([email protected]) or Rev. Mark Glovin.
345 BROADWAY - ROCKLAND, ME 04841 - [email protected]
FIRST UNIVERSALIST CHURCH IN ROCKLAND
The Caring Network is here to help those that could use a
helping hand!
The Caring Network is newly organized by Karen Vellekamp and
Jennifer Temple. If you could use a hand, or if you are aware of
another member of the church who may need help (or would like to
be a helper) with rides, meals, childcare, chores, errands or just a
caring visit or note - please let us know: [email protected] &
[email protected]
The lines at AIO are long! Winter hungry times are upon us. AIO has increased their
hours to meet the need. Please fill our baskets with food for us to deliver. It is so richly
appreciated. Here are some foods they suggest are particularly useful: beans, spaghetti sauce,
protein foods, flour, sugar, peanut butter, catsup, mustard, barbeque sauce, toilet paper, paper
towels. Thanks for filling the baskets!
HELP STOCK the "EMERGENCY CLOSET" at our HIGH
SCHOOL - an addition to our AIO food & supplies mission Did you
know that there is another form of food pantry, that exists just two blocks
from our church? The Oceanside East High School staff stocks supplies for our
local students, many who are food-insecure, and don't have the essentials to
get through a day of studying, sports and work. Healthy snacks (granola bars,
trail mix, crackers, peanut butter & jelly plastic jars, fruit or applesauce cups),
toothbrushes, toothpaste and deodorant, gift cards for food and useful
commodities. There will now be a tote bag next to our regular AIO food
baskets in the hallway. Cathy Baker can also pick up donations from those who
do not get to church, and deliver whenever we have a load. Thank you for
thinking of our kid neighbors, and their teachers/ staff. They all need our
support. FMI – Cathy Baker [email protected], 596-6865 345 BROADWAY - ROCKLAND, ME 04841 - [email protected]
FIRST UNIVERSALIST CHURCH IN ROCKLAND
March 2016
Hospitality TEAMS
Tuesday Choir
Practice - Choir
rehearses on
Tuesdays!
Rehearsal is
always 7-8:30PM
March 6 - Moose
March 13 - Churchmice
March 20 - Tigers
March 27 - Chickadees
We’ll have you in stitches!
Join our Stitcher’s Group here every
Wednesday in the Collins Room at 10AM.
We are a group of needle-workers who
m e e t r e g u l a r l y to n e e d l e p o i n t , d o
embroidery, as well as other forms of
needlework. All stitchers are welcome to
come and stitch with the group from 10
AM to noon. Bring your own
project. For more information,
contact Sue Mondabaugh at 230-2533
or [email protected].
NEWSLETTER
DEADLINE
For the April issue
is:
Mon, March 21st,
Submissions may be
sent to
[email protected]
Art meetings in Collin's Room Wednesdays,
9:30 to 11:30 am.
All welcome, bring your supplies and draw/paint/
sketch/etc with us. No dues, no pressure, no
judgements - occ laughs, recipes, suggestions - always
support and encouragement. Get back into it with us!
SAVE THE DATE!
Annual Church Retreat at Blueberry Cove - May 28-29.
World Religion Camp - August 22-26 -all ages
March Art Wall
Sarah Szwajkos - Artist’s Statement
Personal Space
I photograph people's homes because I believe that we can learn about others through the
ways they inhabit their spaces, and the possessions that fill such spaces. How do everyday
objects in our homes unveil the order and the disorder of modern life?
What we bring into our homes, and how we arrange our personal spaces, reveal some of
our basic creative urges. As they have for centuries in the visual arts, still lifes emerge amidst
the controlled chaos of everyday life. Realities are revealed in the details. The beautiful, the
dilapidated, the precious, and the transitory exist alongside one another, sometimes
embodied by the same thing or space. Although never pictured, the inhabitants seem to
linger just outside the frame, so tangible is the mark they've left on inanimate objects.
Looking down onto my camera's ground glass, I distill compositions out of the secret
structures that surround us in our domestic lives.
345 BROADWAY - ROCKLAND, ME 04841 - [email protected]
FIRST UNIVERSALIST CHURCH IN ROCKLAND
OUT As I Want to Be and First Universalist
Church of Rockland Present
Movie & Mingle LGBT Movie Night!
Friday, March 11, 2016
5­7 PM
First Universalist
Church, Rockland
Featuring In the Life
Media's Film
"Becoming Me"
FREE ENTRY
FREE FOOD
Open Discussion
Time
Following Film
Location: First Universalist Church
345 Broadway, Rockland, Maine
For more information, visit us at www.outmidcoast.org
Learning about Transgender & Gender Non-conforming
Children
Our church is co-hosting a film event with OUT As I Want to Be on
Friday, March 11, 2016 from 5-7 PM here in our sanctuary. Come
watch the 30-minute documentary, Becoming Me, with stories of
eight families with transgender and gender non-conforming children
ranging in ages from 5 to 25. With the healthy development of their
children at stake, these parents share their learnings about how to
best support their children, wherever they fall on the gender
spectrum.
Following the movie, we’ll have an open discussion time where
everyone is free to discuss not only “Becoming Me,” but anything
else related to LGBT issues. This screening is FREE and snacks and
drinks also will be available. 345 BROADWAY - ROCKLAND, ME 04841 - [email protected]
FIRST UNIVERSALIST CHURCH IN ROCKLAND
TONIAN CIRCLE MEETS MARCH 9th
to HEAR SHERRY COBB of AIO on the BACKPACK PROGRAM -- ALL WELCOME
The Tonian Circle, our church's women's group, meets on the second Wed. of each month, and
our March program should interest many of you. We look forward to a visit from the director of Area
Interfaith Outreach, Sherry Cobb, who will speak to us about the food pantry's expansion of weekend meal
delivery, the Backpack Program, which now reaches several school districts in the county. Sherry is bringing a
short video with her. We look forward to greeting her, and any of you who are interested. Bring a bag lunch,
if you like, at 12 and sit and visit with us, or come after 12:30pm for the program.
Now, a report on our February meeting, on Wed. the 10th. We were the beneficiaries of some
serious Valentine energy, summoned up by our hostesses, Audrey Moody, Margaret Boyajian and Pat
Pearce. Our speaker, Pinny Beebe-Center, arrived before noon, and soon after midday, most of us were
seated, with our lunches and hot beverages (the tea set given us by Aimee Moffitt Mercer was christened, and its
lovely cups were very popular, especially with tea drinkers). We numbered 13, I think, including a guest, Stan
Levy, for a very interesting update on Pinny's work. She began by describing her work here, first the "Home To
ME" volunteer project she is a consultant for. This group's aim is to marshal the area's existing volunteer
resources to create a more comprehensive safety net for residents wanting to stay in their own homes as they
age. Pinny is also deeply involved in a new initiative spearheaded by publisher Reade Brower and his wife,
which has both a nonprofit component, "One Community", and a for-profit sector. The nonprofit aims to knit
together community resources on a larger scale, to promote social justice and combat the effects of poverty and
widening income inequality. Pinny listed some of the board members, who represent many branches of work
in food sufficiency, education and the arts, local government, church and synagogue, public health and mental
health, and the good energies of the business community. The for-profit endeavor begins with the assumption,
like the nonprofit, that the tools for this work are already in the community: "We believe that everything we
need is in place". The initial focus will be on fostering the creation of a "food hub" which allows our local
producers and would-be entrepreneurs to add value to what Maine produces, so that more of the profit from
their labors stays here. Pinny went on to describe a bit of her life as a first-term state legislator from Rockland. She acknowledged, "I was having difficulty until the last few weeks" because she has such a keen awareness of
what is at stake as poverty increases, access to health care remains unequal, and food insufficiency and
homelessness spread during the winter. But she became one of the "Justice Caucus" in the Democratic ranks,
trying to study the rule-making process, and legislative oversight of state government's departments. We felt
privileged to hear about all of Pinny's work, and look forward to future bulletins.
After our speaker departed for a committee meeting in Augusta, with a supply of dessert for
later, we helped ourselves to the abundance, and studied a few issues before us. Our next meeting, on March
9th, should be as interesting, as Feb. 10th was -- Sherry Cobb will come to give us an update. She will focus on
the Backpack Program, which now reaches a number of county schools, and has begun to outgrow the strength
of AIO's faithful corps of volunteers (which has included Charme Blasidell and Stan Levy). We will need
some tec help to set up for a brief video Sherry is bringing, and perhaps another hostess. Nan Greenier
volunteered, but she cannot do some of the heavier lifting; Margaret Boyajian agreed to help, (but we point out
that she just did) and Louise Cadwgan (thank you, all). We should also discuss our pledge to the church, as
Canvass is getting under way. Our pledge for 2015-16 ($500) has been paid; Reba Richardson said she may be
able to stop in and make a pitch for what is needed in the 2016-17 church year.
Looking ahead to April 13th's meeting, we anticipate having a speaker, Ryan Parker, on the topic of a
possible North Woods National Park. You may have gathered that this is a controversial proposal in
Maine right now. This should be an interesting and informative meeting. As usual, visitors will be welcome. All women of the church community are invited to become Tonians, and men are welcome to attend any
program which interests them. Cathy Baker, Secretary
345 BROADWAY - ROCKLAND, ME 04841 - [email protected]
FIRST UNIVERSALIST CHURCH IN ROCKLAND
LOAVES & FISHES TRIP, JAN. 31st -- The Granville Pot Roast Extravaganza + RE Family Taco
Bar ! This mid-winter trip to St. Peter's for our 5th Sunday turn at providing a hot meal -well, it was off the charts. We had awesome food, and more people to eat it than ever. There were
at least 75 people, all ages, for a meal which featured truly sensational pot roasts and roasted veg, our
famous egg salad sandwiches and green salads, beans & smoked sausage, and the RE Family taco
bar. First, to explain about the pot roasts -- Anne Mynttinen suggested to her employer, Mr.
Granville, that he take advantage of a special promotion from Omaha Steaks, of whom he has been a
regular customer for years, to make a big difference in our food mission. Anne recruited a dozen
volunteers, mostly from church, to receive 2 shipments each of frozen, cooked pot roast and
vegetables, packed separately. Omaha Steaks added to its mailing list, Mr. Granville paid the bill,
and Sunday morning after church, we migrated to St. Peter's to cook and prepare. Our RE families
had collected ingredients to serve a taco bar, for people to add to their dinner or take home for later,
a very popular option. The taco bar was originally the suggestion of the children, who love tacos,
and it involves a big list of ingredients, cooking, chopping, setting out, and then making tacos to
order. The sight, each winter, of a squad of children at work (they also carry beverages and help
diners get what they need) makes for a truly festive occasion. Somehow, on Sunday, we kept all 10
children busy, plus 19 adults and one teen, if my count is correct -- mind you, they weren't all in the
kitchen at the same time -- and the kitchen was clean and empty before 2:30pm.
Here is who came, and what they brought: Anne Mynttinen came, w/ pot roasts &
veg, as did Susan St. John. Cathy Baker made a vat of beans and smoked sausage, Margaret Boyajian
and Lorrie Kniesner each brought large salads and dressings, plus Margaret made baklava, the real
Armenian variety. Sue Mondabaugh brought milk, hard-boiled eggs, and clementines, Susan Solman,
milk, bananas, clementines, and pears, and Kim Gallagher, her boys Sam and Max, refritos, and
clementines as well (our diners love them, and took home dozens, all the fruit, actually). Caitlin
Clark came with milk, bread, and Natalie the Bold, Meredith Batley came with Liefe Temple, and
Beth Wilson with cookies and Mia Richman. And Patti King, fresh from her piano debut at church,
Tom Hopps, Arlene Faulkner, Susan Oliver (with hard-boiled eggs, salsa and two of her girls, Lydia
and Sydney), Broo and Jennifer Temple with two more girls, Haydee, and Alexys Wilmot, plus taco
shells and grated cheese, Ashby Bartke, with lettuce for tacos, her son Miles, and their exchange
student, Bea Corbi, and Emily Roig, who tackled the dishes with authority -- such a help.
Food and beverage donors also included: Audrey Moody (cookies), Sheri Chambers
(mounds of soft taco wraps, ground beef) and Jean Morrison (a gal. of cider to go with all the milk -- 2
gals., 2 1/2 gals, and 4 qts., all high-value items). Atlantic Baking Co. drops off their end-of-day
breads and rolls for us, and our intrepid slicers tackled that abundance before deploying the carving
knives on the pot roasts --many thanks to Sue Mondabaugh, Tom Hopps, Lorrie Kniesner and
Meredith Batley. Cash donors included Marshall Carey, Levina Gerritsen, Susan Solman and Ralph
Field, which allowed us to reimburse the RE Bottle Fund for taco bar groceries, and buy Ziploc bags
for individual servings of bread for take-home.
In other words, an army of church friends made this meal possible. Thank you, one
and all. It was a great day, and a memorable meal. Hope to see you next trip. Cathy Baker
345 BROADWAY - ROCKLAND, ME 04841 - [email protected]