January 2022

Dear Kind and Gentle People,

As I craft my message to our tender readers on this frightfully frigid day, we are in the middle of our season of Epiphany, a season that many of us have come to embrace with great joy and reflective energy. In short, a wonderful time for us to reflect how Jesus fulfilled his destiny, and how we are fulfilling ours.

There is so much to ponder in this season, including the Baptism of Jesus complete with a supernatural voice, and of course Dr. King’s message to the world to be a person of action according to your belief. Last Sunday was a wonderful correlation to this admonishment as Mary was a person of action and was not going to let a feast fizzle as she announces to Jesus, “They have no wine.” How often we forget to bring our challenges to our brother. Obviously, our diverse challenges are unique to each situation, however we all have them and must decide how to face them.

This last week the Newfield Community Church shuttered its doors for a third time due to what is happening with Covid in the Grand State of Maine. We will broadcast a message each week on our Facebook page. As a blessing, it was amazing to see responses from people in our community who have never come through the doors but are partaking of worship through the Facebook medium.

Newfield Community Church

The tiny food cupboard outside is kept above freezing with an old-fashioned light bulb, (it was minus 9 this week—before adding in the windchill). Honestly, I am amazed and astounded at what has recently happened as a result of us closing the doors. I have had HUGE amounts of boxed food brought to my doors: organic meats, vegetables. And then the crowning glory—the local pot growers phoned me and wanted to donate turkeys and gift cards for food and items. I literally was able to stuff my vehicle full with all these donations and hundreds of dollars of gift cards and distribute it all by way of a school social worker. Amazing!

We are grateful that the town of Newfield now has upgraded internet service and we could subscribe. We are embracing our challenges and it appears that good fruit is emerging from these efforts.

What are you doing in your prayer life to face your challenges and what action are you taking to create a world that is filled with peace and light? How are you going to put your life force into action as you combat attempts to fizzle the feast of life? I hope you will be like Mary and have great expectations and trust in her son, and that you will emulate Dr. King as a person of action. Let there be light!!!

Happy Epiphany!!!

Gobs of blessings and heaps of happiness.

PETAH

Rev. Dr. Peter Stickney, Chaplain