207 348-6602 | Worship every Sunday @ 10 a.m. Zoom available.
207 348-6602 | Worship every Sunday @ 10 a.m. Zoom available.
What is happening at DISCC this week
Dear Church Family:
It was a busy weekend at the church. On Saturday we had a nearly full sanctuary for the memorial service for Melvin Hutchinson. It was a wonderful tribute to Mel and his very impactful life on this island. When I asked how many of those attending had been mentored as fishermen by Melvin, at least a dozen individuals stood up. What a wonderful way to be remembered. We wish all the best to Janet and his family and we were honored to host the service. Thanks to our deacons and helpers for setting and serving the reception afterwards. It was a mob scene!
And on Sunday evening June 14 we were blessed with a community supper at 5 pm. We served baked ham and side dishes, such as mac and cheese and scalloped potatoes. There were at least 65 friends there enjoying the food and the company. All contributions received will benefit our community fund. And we are announcing that the first gift from our community fund with be $5000 to Project Launch.
We are most impressed with Project Launch, founded in 2012 as an education-based non-profit serving Deer Isle, Stonington, and surrounding communities. Project Launch prepares both youth and adults for post-secondary learning, work, and life with the skills and support needed to thrive. With an initial focus on college completion rates for Isle students, their cornerstone programs have expanded to include workforce pathways, mentorship, and adult career development and re-training. To date, there have been over 175 participants in the program.
Our special interest is the new student support fund, which awards individual grants for college application fees, textbooks, certification and licensing costs, tools and equipment. They even assist with purchasing proper clothing for interviews and subsequent employment. It’s a great way to give our youth a head start on life, and let them that their community is on their side. We will have an opportunity to learn more about the program when Project Launch Director Kim Hutchinson visits us for worship and brings along a student who can share his or her story.
Remember, every Thursday at 3 pm we gather outside the church to witness for peace, justice, and reconciliation; as mandated in the teachings of Jesus Christ. “Blessed are the peacemakers.” We each bring something different to the “stand-out” in terms of our individual political perspectives, but all of us desire a more compassionate world, free of violence and oppression.
It would be terrific if some of you could help with the weeding and general cleanup of our parking area, especially the rock and juniper bank. This week would be especially good for such a project, with the up-coming special events being held at the church. And don’t forget about the upcoming auction which will go on-line in July. Auction items are still being collected.
It has come around pretty quickly but I have one of my scheduled weeks off, this week, from the 15th through the 21st. You may recall, or not, that I am now a 3/4 time pastor and that status is accommodated with one full week off per month. On Sunday, Rev. Pam Driessell will be leading worship. Pam is a retired Presbyterian minister and she was introduced to me by our own Amy Vaughn. Who, by the way, will be moving back to the island soon!
Last, shout outs and thanks: Thanks to Dave Bayley for the tech support at the Hutchinson service. And of course, our deacons and other assorted helpers put another fine community supper together. This past Tuesday the Deer Isle Town office held two of their regular meetings at our church, since the town office was being used for election polling. Thanks to Alan Chesney for providing the tech support for those meetings. We are a small church with big hearts and somehow we always get the job done.
See you in church,
Pastor Kim
On Sunday, Rev. Pam Driessell will be leading worship. Pam is a retired Presbyterian minister and she was introduced to me by our own Amy Vaughn. Who, by the way, will be moving back to the island soon!
ZOOM link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89054308778?pwd=Y1lrRSswbWhLeDNUcnZpS01OclZJZz09
Thanks to Marnie Reed Crowell for this image. Such an important message and a potent reminder that beauty is all around us, even when our hearts are troubled.
Her website is https://www.songsofseeing.com/
Check it out!
We here at DISCC have been gathering outside the church Thursdays as a Stand-Out for peace. Right now it is all the more important to promote peaceful dialogue as an alternative to armed conflict. Our time together on Thursdays also represents a prayer for safety for all who are in harm’s way during the time of war. That includes civilians in jeopardy in the Middle East, and certainly our military members. In a week where three U.S. Generals are being fired for ostensibly no reason, during a time of war, there is grave concern for a politicization of our military. This cannot be. Write to your elected officials and demand an explanation.
The time for the gathering is at 3 pm every Thursday.
Addresses for our elected officials at the Federal level, for this region.
Senator Susan Collins
413 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington DC 20510
(202) 224-2523
Senator Angus King
133 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington DC 20510
(202) 224-5344
Representative Jared Golden
1107 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-6306
Fax: (202) 225-2943
Bangor District Office
6 State Street
Suite 101
Bangor, ME 04401
Phone: (207) 249-7400
Fax: (771) 200-5805
Photo credit: Marnie Reed Crowell
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