Peoples Annual Christmas Fair

New Name for Christmas Fair

Over several years the name given to the Peoples Annual Christmas Fair was a Victorian Christmas but beginning this year it will be known as the Peoples UMC
 Winter Wonderland Christmas Fair. The fair this year is scheduled for Saturday, December 3, from 9am to 2 pm in Ellis Hall at Peoples United Methodist Church, 310 Broadway, South Portland. Luncheon will be served from 11am to-1pm and includes the choices of chowder, chicken salad sandwiches, hot dogs, chili, etc. The tables will be loaded with Jewelry, Knits, Crafts, Homemade baked goods and candy, Books and Trash and treasure. This year there will also be a table operated by the United Methodist Men that will be set up like a country store featuring goods made by the men. For more detail the church can be reached at Telephone 799-1413.

Pictures below were taken at last year's fair. Come on down and join the fun this year!

Sally at the knit goods table

First customers at the Jewelry table

Rosemary Pam and Carol at Trinkets

Baked goods table with Marlene and Amy

Becky sets up the candy table with Jan

Marital Gould never misses the fair

Becky and Susan will greet you in the book room

Pam and granddaughter

Trash and treasure led by Betty and Barb

PUMC Cleanup Brings Together Many

Barb, Marlene and Doreen

Dick got the food out

Men have a chance to chat

Merrill and Art

On November 4 the sun came up on a cold but bright and sunny day. The United Methodist Men and a few women invitees arrived at Peoples for breakfast by 7:30 AM. With our regular chef unable to be there Dick Small with help from Tom Nelson got the meal out and with an opening prayer the day was underway. There were three women there for breakfast to meet with at least 20 men who were there for breakfast and the regular monthly meeting of UMM. The Trustees of the church had also planned a cleanup especially of the outside property of the church, Ellis Hall and the parsonage. While many were outside it should be noted that Chuck, Rob and Dick spent time taking care of electrical issues inside the properties.

The Line continues

Barb and Wes

Many Many leaves

As the meeting ended, many of the men adjourned to the outside with rakes, blowers, mowers and bags to pack up leaves and the like to dump into Walter’s truck and trailer that he would then take to a dump. All around the building you could find members and friends of the church working in the gardens, raking the leaves into big piles and then taking them to the dispensing area.

Jan and Ruth at the garden

Dan and his rake

John cleeans up at parsonage

A little time elapsed and then a sizeable contingent of Cub Scouts from Pack 22 and their families arrived in time to take care of picking up most of the leaves in back of the church.

Judy and Doreen

The leaders were amazed at the turnout which was great for community building and how much was accomplished in such a relatively short period of time. Thanks to all who participated.

Lin must be cold

 

Marlene rakes the walk

Pat and Tommy rake away

Cub Scouts and families

What's in my pile of leaves?

Scouts keep working

Discovery time

Annual Variety Show Brings Folks Together

After weeks of planning the annual Peoples UMC Variety Show took place in Ellis Hall on Friday evening, November 4. Planning by Merrill, Pastor Tom, Chris and Rosemary led to a show that displayed the willingness of many to perform and raise a little cash for the church as well. Rather than charging an admission price donations were willingly accepted and the proceeds were augmented by goodies sold by Becky and Jan in the kitchen.

Those who participated in the show this year extend our thanks to Debbie Cole for playing the piano for many of us. Another individual who we extend our thanks to is Wes Splettstoesser who provided the sound system and the video taping of the show. Lest we forget that Susan Angell was our resident financial counselor and collector.

Dick Matthews served as the master of ceremonies and regaled the audience with jokes in his inimitable style.

 For the second year in a row the show began both in the first act and in the second with the smooth sounds of ukuleles and song presented by The Flukes, a group that meets out of the library in Falmouth. In the first half of the show they sang and played three numbers and in the second they followed with another two numbers. We certainly do appreciate their involvement and in this instance being led by Fred Wade.

Lin Arnold and Paul Obie were the resident Blues Brothers and mixed their musical presentation up with ukulele, guitar and harmonicas.  Aaron Matthews brought his own music and sang in both the first and second acts country music. Dick Miller played a polka medley on his electric synthesizer. Pastor Tom brought back memories of a bygone era by singing a number from a Broadway stage play. Rosemary Herd with her wonderful alto voice sang a solo during the first act of the show.  To finish out the first act The Ushers closed with their rendition of the Beatles, “Let It Be”. Members of the Ushers include Rosemary, Carol Bruneau, Betty Splettstoesser, Kathy Brann, and Becky Snoddy along with Keith Snoddy, Dan Doughty, Dick Small and Art Tordoff

 

 

 

 

 

 

A short intermission took place so the audience might obtain nourishment served form the kitchen.

In the second act in addition to the Flukes we experienced the singing talent of Betty Smith followed by her mother, Sally, who as Prunella had some difficulty humorously wrapping parcels. Christina Irace also entertained us with a song . She was accompanied by her dad, a member of the Flukes, who played the guitar. Merrill Kaiser who had sung a solo in the first act returned for his rendition of "What A Wonderful World" in the second.

The next to last number featured some humorous recollections of Chris Ward from family life and then she and Dan Doughty concluded the performance with a duet. At the end of nearly two hours the Ushers returned to close the show with another Beatles number, “All You Need Is Love.” As they approached the last couple of stanzas of the song the audience was encouraged to stand and sing with the group.

This is always a fun activity and gets many members of the church involved in producing such an event together.

Thanks again to all who participated and all who attended. See you all next year!