Join us for worship  Sunday, September 19, 2021, as we welcome  our new assigned pastor.

We are now holding hybrid worship  in the sanctuary in-person and via zoom. We ask that everyone, vaccinated or not, wear a mask inside the building. All are welcome.

Come meet Rev. Shannon Diana Keeney

"Ahoy, me hearties!" This week brings us International Talk Like a Pirate Day on September 19. Why am I telling you this? Well, it is fun to add a little "Aaarrr!" to our vocabulary but also because this is a special month to think about dates and calendars. You see this is September. It is the 9th month but its name is Latin for seven. That seems strange until we learn that the oldest known Roman calendar, the calendar of Romulus only had 10 months (Martius, Aprilis, Maius, Junius, Quintilis, Sextilis, September, October, November, and December) Did you know you were so good at speaking Latin?!

It wasn’t until 46 BCE, when Julius Caesar introduced his new Julian Calendar and he added two new months to the beginning that we got January and February. (Quintilis and Sextilis were later renamed July and August in honor of Julius Caesar and Augustus Caesar). There was a movement to change the name of September to Tiberius or Antoninus after two Roman Emperors but the name had already stuck and so our seventh month is now our ninth.

A lot of our faith is also rooted in Roman culture. Right from the start we hear Luke 2:1 “At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire.” As Jesus grew, he would have interactions with Roman citizens, soldiers, officers, and even the governor. Most of the times we think about his troubling encounters with Romans but did you remember in Luke 7 that it is a Roman officer whose words and actions compel Jesus to say “I tell you, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!” That statement is made after the officer’s servant was sick and Jesus had come to help. Our Bible says, “But just before they arrived at the house, the officer sent some friends to say, ‘Lord, don’t trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honor. I am not even worthy to come and meet you. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.’ When Jesus heard this, he was amazed.” The man had such faith in the power of Jesus that he knew a word from him would change the reality he faced. I pray that not only our months be Roman but also our faith be like this Roman. He showed a model for us all – to know Jesus as our Commander and our Savior. May we trust in his leadership every day of the year. Amen!

Kindness Food Boxes will be ready to be picked up at Jesse Lee Church, Route 17 in Readfield, on Saturday, September 18th, from 9:30 to 11:30 am. Each box contains 20-25 pounds of food! No ID is required, just pull up, pop the trunk, and we will load it for you. Anyone is welcome to pick up a box.

The updated summer food list is to the right. 

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