One Weekend in May

One Weekend In May

Peoples Church in South Portland was alive with activity on the second weekend in May. Saturday began with the Men’s Breakfast that was held at 7:30 AM in the vestry with 15 folks in attendance. Because it would be a busy day with the other activities that are mentioned in this article, we felt it proper to invite folks to come before the other events were scheduled. Breakfast was prepared and served at the counter by resident chef Brad, Art offered a prayer and the other 13 people present prepared themselves with a feast of omelets, hash browned potatoes, bacon and sausage with muffins hot out of the oven. Several conversations commenced around the table and a good beginning to the day was had by all.

 

 

 

 

At 8:30 AM some of those present started meeting as the garden committee. The concerns of the committee centered around the maintenance of the gardens around the church as well as the Plant sale that is scheduled for Saturday, May 24. Several of the plants to be sold are already in pots acclimating them to be out of the ground. Another activity that the committee is planning is a first. Five gardens will be available for touring on Saturday, June 28. This activity being a first will only be advertised at church and will not, this year be open to the public. Ruth Doughty is in charge of the tour while members of the committee, Marlene Tordoff, Carol Bruneau, Janice Huelin and Tom Nelson among others will be working on the gardens and plant sale.

 

Also at the appointed hour of 8:30 AM many of those attending the Men’s Breakfast would meet with others who were not early risers and begin a morning of church ground clean-up. Some could be seen raking, and taking the refuse to Walter’s trailer where it would then be carted to the composting facility later in the day. We were happy to see Craig and Liam from the Scout Troop 23 present and working on the area of the children’s playground. By the time noon rolled around all of the yard area around the church and up to the parsonage had been cleared of winter debris. Among those working out of doors were the following: Dick , Dan , Doreen , Art , Kathy , Jim , Brad , Dave  and . One thing we have not mentioned and should is that the quality of weather could have been much better as it rained heavily at times. Most of us remained undaunted and continued to plod through the deluge and nearly complete what we set out to do. Alas the cleaning of windows in Ellis Hall will have to wait for a better day.

 Meanwhile, inside Ellis Hall another group of women were busily engaged in a Sewing Bee. These women were making bonnets and dresses that they will be wearing and modeling when Peoples celebrates 175 years from the Class Meeting that initiated Methodist life in this eastern section of South Portland in 1839. This celebration will take place at the church and on the grounds beginning September 7 with a concluding worship service on Sunday, September 14. Those engaged in this activity included Rosemary , Janice , Kathy , Barbara , Sharie , and Beth Small

 

While all of these activities were underway, this writer understands that Pastor Tom was at work cleaning out a closet near his study. In the process he found some long lost bits of church memorabilia that will be properly displayed during our Celebration 175 event during the week of September 7 to 14, 2014.

The Spirit that is found at Peoples carried over to Sunday, May 11 in a different way. Celebrated as Mother’s Day, the church service was led by members of the Pipeline group. This is a group of upper elementary and junior high school age youth. From the time that congregants entered the sanctuary until the time that they left the experience provided by the youth celebrated motherhood. The ushers distributed carnations as women entered and then the service was run by other youth. Pastor Tom and the Pipeline adult leader, Dick Matthews had brief roles to play as did the choir, otherwise, all other elements of the service were ably handled by young people. I’m sure the Lord was in his holy temple and present with and through the young folks on this memorable day.