Celebration 175 in September

Celebration 175: Something for Everyone

Why are we celebrating?

During the week beginning Sunday, September 7, 2014, Peoples UMC will be celebrating 175 years since the First Class Meeting was held in eastern Cape Elizabeth. Remember that South Portland as a separate entity did not exist until 1898. A Class Meeting was often a gathering of folks with a common geographical and religious base who would worship and study together the many messages of the Bible. It would not be until 1853 that a formal meetinghouse would exist in Ferry Village and the name Peoples would not be adopted until 1888.

It was Reverend Jesse Stone who was first sent to Brown’s Hill (First Methodist) in 1838 who was commissioned to establish other Methodist Classes or Societies throughout the rest of the area. Point Village or Willard Square, as it is today known, was one of those areas where seeds were planted and that plant, we believe, eventually blossomed into two churches, Cape Elizabeth United Methodist Church and Peoples United Methodist Church.

It is the First Class Meetings that we celebrate during this special week in September. A Celebration 175 committee has been formed to plan the events of the week from September 7 through the 14^th. To date the committee has met several times with the next meeting scheduled for Sunday morning after church on August 17. Anyone that is interested in being part of this committee is welcome to serve in whatever capacity you can.

The following is a schedule of events and what is expected to take place through those events”

Sunday, September 7, 2014: Renewal /Revival Service: This is expected to take place under tents/canopies set out on the lawn between the parsonage and Ellis Hall. It may not look like the old-fashioned revival tent, but a series of canopy shelters and a Spinnaker sail will be used to simulate a revival tent. If you have one that would be 10’ by 10’ or more let us know. Pastor Tom will be the preacher of record. A new plaque honoring the Pastors who have served Peoples will be dedicated and a new display case for artifacts should be in place in the vestry.

Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, September 8, 9 and 11, 2014: Class Meetings will be held in the homes of the following members: the Gays, the Bruneaus, the Morrisons, the Doughtys, and the Snoddys. These sessions will be held at 7 PM on the evenings that they will be scheduled. Themes will be Patience (9/11), Sharing Faith (9/9), Prayer(9/8), God’s Economy

 9/8) and Parenting (TBA). Attendees are welcome to attend one or as many as they wish once the specific times and locations are determined. It would be helpful for planners to know who would wish to experience a Class Meeting with specific themes. Please let us know. Beginning on Sunday, July 27 Clip boards with sign-up sheets will be available in church. If you can’t be in church at this time send your interest in one or more of the topics to Art Tordoff or Pastor Tom Frey or respond as a comment at the bottom of this article. If you need a ride to any of the class meetings please let us know by either putting an “r” on the signup sheets or sending a message to Art or Pastor Tom.

Wednesday, September 10, 2014 7 PM: A special Memorial Service will be held at Willard Beach near the Bath House. Luminaries will be used to pay respects and honor members of the church, our families and/or the community at large who have contributed to our lives in some meaningful way or ways. Luminaries including bags and candles will be provided with each person dedicating one or more. Pastor Tom will prepare a message and the community will get to be with each other in a very meaningful and spiritual manner. Again there are signup sheets that will be available for those that want to participate on the clipboards that will continue to be passed in church. If you can’t be in church over the next several weeks, but would like to be at this event please send a message to Art Tordoff or Pastor Tom Frey. You may also leave a message at the bottom of this article. If you will need a ride please let us know.

Friday, September 12, 2014 at 6 PM:  We will gather in Ellis Hall for a Maine meal of Chowder, Biscuits and/or bread. Chris Ward and Brad Morrison will be the hosts for the evening which will include an evening of entertainment. The meal will allow us as a church family to mix with other members of the congregation and then experience the talents of friends and neighbors , again with the intent of getting together as members of the church which has occurred through our church history. We expect a lively hymn sing will conclude this evening of sharing. Displays of past events in the life of Peoples will be scattered around the hall.

Saturday, September 13, 2014:, 9 AM to 1PM: Heritage Day will be celebrated in and around the church property. Since it is the day before the opening of Sunday school there will be many games, from out of the past, that are being planned for the entertainment of children and adults as well. There will be a need for some adults to volunteer to assist those who are in charge. Rosemary Herd is the principle leader of this day of activity for the whole family.

Sunday, September 14, 2014, 10 AM: The beginning of another year of Sunday school will commence with an Adult Class that begins at 8:45 AM. The children’s Sunday school will also start another year on this same day. Children are welcome to the church service with parents at 10AM and will leave for Sunday school after the Children’s Message. New members should be joining the church membership on this day. While we have spent time celebrating the past during the preceding week this service and the entry of new members should illustrate new beginnings and the future of Peoples. The service will conclude with the planting of a tree or shrub on the grounds with new members planting new life as a member of the church being seen as their future involvement in meaningful church life.

Rummaging Around Ellis Hall

Rummaging Around Ellis Hall

Saturday, July 26, 2014

It may be an old term that has been modernized by calling an event a Garage or Yard Sale, but in fact the action that is engaged in either form of sale still employs the use of “rummaging”. First when a team of folks decides to have a Garage or Yard Sale many folks “rummage around” to find items no longer wanted in their own homes, businesses, cottages and the like to get rid of. As the phrase says, “what is one persons junk can be someone else’s treasure.”

The job of initiating the summer yard sale has fallen for a number of years on Barb and Betty. Just a note from the history book on Peoples: Summer Yard Sales while they may have evolved from the distant past really had its modern impetus when Peoples was celebrating 150 years since the building of the first church in Ferry Village in 1853. That year a yard sale was combined with a Strawberry Festival as part of that year long celebration.

In addition to Barb and Betty others working on set up Friday afternoon and evening included Joanne, Pat, Janice, Jody, Marlene, Carol, Rosemary, Susan and the two Beckys. There were a few men around to help setting up tables and moving goods from back room and garage to the open area of Ellis Hall. Chris T. Dick, Art and Tom N. could be seen throughout late afternoon and evening. Thanks to Carol are extended for making three kinds of sandwiches for sustenance.

On Saturday morning many workers arrived early to finalize placement of goods. Before nine “rummagers” started appearing. Some were looking for treasures, others were looking for something specific and few left the confines of Ellis Hall with nothing at all.

While the Indoor Yard Sale was transpiring Rosemary and Pam, in particular, ran a Bake Sale to support the upcoming mission trip that Kelly will be taking to Costa Rica. The pastor’s wife who is a Spanish teacher will be chief interpreter when necessary on the mission trip. She is also taking two prayer shawls made by members of the Shawl Ministry to share with folks there. Kelly also videotaped the congregation on Sunday after she had taught us how to sing a hymn in Spanish.

When the doors were ready to close at 1 PM a number of folks were still coming through the door to get last minute bargains.

A great deal of “rummage” was still there and Walter brought his truck and trailer to cart what was left off to Goodwill Industries. By Sunday morning who would have believed that this event had taken place on the previous day. It was also a great day to have Pastor Tom and Kelly with us.

We would like to extend thanks to Betty and Barb as well as everyone else who worked on this mid-summer event for set-up, donations, operation, money collection and take down of the tables. A number of folks were still there at the end to help set up for church to be held in the hall on Sunday.

PUMC Organ Project Part 2

Organ Project Continues

What began on June 10 as a project that was thought would last a couple of weeks continues into July. Delayed by a few days due to a needed procedure by organ restorer Nick, the “removal crew” was called again  by project leader Jan to remove the front bank of organ pipes on the pulpit side of the organ chambers on July 2.  By this time Nick had restored all of the pipes at the back of the chamber as well as the Carillon. Carefully Nick on this date removed each individual pipe and handed each to someone standing in the choir area who then would pass the pipe to another until they reached the boxes spread across the pews in the sanctuary. Carefully the pipes were laid there by Carol and Betty in different boxes labeled Viola, Trumpette, Flute and Mixed. Some of the pipes were several feet long and others were as small as a pencil. Some of the pipes were uniquely built to fit into the organ chamber under a slanting roof. The Flute section was primarily, but not completely made up of pipes, made from mahogany. The Trumpette were different in that they had what looked like whistles on top of the main pipe. Those attachments if we weren’t careful could fall off.

Once all of the pipes that were to be removed the floor of the organ chamber was exposed showing what appeared to be plywood with holes that were the size of the specific pipes that had been removed. The holed plywood gives support to the pipes that would attach to the main instrument below this floor. The wooden pipes were additionally held in place by thin ropes that would help to hold them upright.

While dirt and grime could be seen and felt as we passed the pipes from one to another, this time we actually saw a number of pipes that over the years had sustained damage from denting or the effects of heat and cold on expansion and contraction of the metals in and around the pipes.

Once the pipes on this side of the chancel are restored it will be the other side, near the organ, that needs have the grill work removed and the pipes on that side removed and restored.

When Peoples people are not present, Nick has his daughter and another gentleman working with him to clean, restore and test sound. Those who have worked on the project can see how painstaking the process can be. The promise of restoration is that the organ will operate as if it were brand new and be improved in tonal quality for years to come.

Helping on this part of the project were Carol, Betty, Jan, Rosemary, Art, Brad, Dave and Keith.

First PUMC Garden Tour

It Was a Beautiful Day

June 28, 2014 was the scheduled day for the first Peoples UMC Garden Tour. The Lord could not have provided a more beautiful day for this event planned through the Peoples UMC Garden Club. While all members of the club had input it was primarily organized by Ruth Doughty. Kudos to Ruth and all the others who planned and participated in this event.

Beginning at the church garden on Broadway, participants had the opportunity to see and observe up close, the present garden originally planted in memory of Lorraine Hodgkins, the mother of Andrea Hodgkins Harvey and her brother Bryan who both attended Sunday school at Peoples where Lorraine was a teacher and Sunday school Superintendent. Located in the garden area is also a granite bench dedicated to Bob Porter, a long time member of Peoples.

As the group gathered the following were present: Dan and Ruth, Art and Marlene, Keith and Becky, Len and Pam, Doreen, Janice, Rachel, Carol, and Kathy. Once we had been introduced to the church garden it was time to enter our cars and head for Chuck and Joanne’s house and garden. Nestled within a community of older homes, we were treated to a number of small gardens that mixed flowers and vegetables on either side of the driveway and across the front of the house. Our introduction to small family gardens at this first stop was a wonderful example of a small garden with multiple purposes.

After a visit of half an hour we loaded up the cars again and headed for the home of Dan and Ruth in a neighborhood just off Pillsbury Street not far from Willard Square. Set back on the lot, Ruth and Dan’s house was surrounded by lawn and many gardens. Color was obvious everywhere and one could observe that flowers would continue to move from bud to bloom for some time to come. Attractive as the gardens at this location were it was also interesting to observe the use of bricks and stone in walkways and patio. Fascinating also was the tree house that was created when a sizeable tree was cut down and a platform built on what remained. We were all sure that the tree house must be a popular place when the grandchildren come to visit. A restful looking back porch with comfortable seating would provide a wonderfully relaxing place to simply observe grass and plants living in harmony in the back yard. Coffee cake and drinks topped off the visit to this home and gardens.

Motoring to Stop 3 the caravan of vehicles knew when they arrived at the home of Art and Marlene by the colorful pinwheel placed on the front lawn. Each of the stops on the route were identified by a similar many-colored pinwheel. Exiting the vehicles participants were treated to a colorful display of many perennials and annuals located at the front of the house especially on either side of the front walk. As the troupe proceeded to the back yard observers could see a number of window boxes as well as hanging baskets of annuals. The back yard was surrounded by many perennial gardens and shrubs. Holly, Forsythia, Pink Pussy Willow, Rhododendrons and Azaleas are not in bloom but add a variety of green to the yard. Titania, the resident fairy, could be seen as well as other small garden statuary. It is obvious that the yard is “bird friendly” with feeding stations around the yard. Venturing further into the yard folks could take a trip to “Fern Gully” down the stairs to the lower gardens that border on Trout Brook.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back on the road around 11 o’clock everyone headed for the last stop at Carol and Dave’s in a development off Highland Avenue. Everyone was greeted in addition to Carol at this location by Dave, Randi, Rosemary and Chris. The expansive grounds of this home have a variety of gardens that mix flowers, shrubs and vegetables. Tastefully planted and arranged our last stop on this year’s tour provided us with yet another interesting series of gardens that again may have given others on the tour some ideas for their own gardens. As much as the garden tour introduced us to each others’ gardens being together for a great time of fellowship in a beautiful world on a beautiful day both of which has been provided to us by our God for whom we thank for the many blessings this day and other days in our lives are gifted to all of us.