Roots of Peoples United Methodist Church
Part 55 Spiritual Education and Development
Significant in the history of Peoples Church has been the provided opportunities to expand one’s knowledge of the work of the Lord, Jesus Christ and how his Spirit is carried with and through us. Sunday or Sabbath school has been the traditional source of those connections. Periodically there has been a real upswing in the spiritual education opportunities for adults as well. The period of the 1990’s was one of those decades that provided many opportunities for all in the realm of spiritual learning or education.
Judy Arnold led the Sunday school program in the early ‘90’s. Under her leadership there were 26 people who either taught in various age groups or served as support personnel. One hundred and thirty children ages pre-school to Senior in high school were in regular attendance. During the summer of 1992 a Vacation Bible School was held. The theme of this VBS was " Son Mountain" Adventure. Skits, songs and crafts were significant elements in the success of this venture. One of the members of the church that played a significant role in developing crafts was Cenise MacKinnon. Assisting in the operation of the VBS were Wendy and Peter Grannell. The area of the VBS was decorated appropriately with the trappings appropriate to an adventure. Leaders of the VBS for this year were Tina Hamilton and Audrey Reed. Names that appear as significant movers and shakers in the life of Peoples sometimes are for relatively short periods of time, but play a meaningful role while they are in our presence. Some of the folks that are important to us have moved away, moved to active membership in other churches or have passed away. We miss them all.
In the realm of including in our church others that spent a relatively short time with us, but played significant roles were Sue Ann and Forest Krause. Eventually the Krauses left us when Forest accepted a position as a physician in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Along with Carol Spady the three were actively engaged in helping to form a group titled, B.A.S.I.C.S. The translated meaning of the letters stood for Brothers and Sisters in Christ Single. Carol was a young woman who taught French at Memorial Middle School. The purpose of the group was to get folks generally in their 20’s, 30’s and 40’s together for spiritual development as well as fellowship. I do believe that Hank and Ellen Dunn found that group rather inspirational for them as well. This group also had strong appeal to folks of that age beyond the walls of Peoples membership.
Adult Education was spearheaded by Nick Hanna. During his relatively short tenure two adult Sunday school classes were held. The Bethel series that introduced many new folks to the word of the Lord continued during this era and was led by either Jim Darling or Guy McLellan. Well over 200 members and non-members of Peoples experienced the graces of the Bethel program. During the Lenten season in 1994, 10 folks were blessed by being a part of a study group called "10 Brave Christians." Again, sad to say, the contributions of Nick and his wife Ainsley and their two children were short lived as they moved away.
A Lay Witness Mission was held in the early 90’s led by David and Claralee Swanson. 15 members of the church joined David and Claralee in hosting and preparing this event. The design of a Lay Witness Mission was to serve as a program at the local church level that would focus on God’s World and our role in it. Cottage meetings were held in the homes of parishioners. The cottage hosts were responsible for inviting neighbors in to talk about the role of church in individual communities and to a degree encourage some folks that may have been unchurched to join us. Folks from away would serve as guides in these cottage sessions and would also lead in Bible study and discussion at the church.
These "away" leaders would also lead the church service at the end of the weekend asking local leaders to join them. The Spirit generated by these infrequently scheduled events seems to have carried the church at a spiritual high for many months especially if they were held in the fall. Spring events, from the record, while initially significant and useful usually lose the fervor generated because of a lack of action taking place in the local church during summer months. The Lay Witness Mission at this time was seen as a way to extend the influence that had been generated for many folks through Tres Dies. This had been the first Lay Witness Mission held at Peoples in over 20 years. The Mission provided church members the opportunity to see that Evangelism should not be considered an option for the local church, but in reality a meaningful part of church and community life.
It was during the Mission that the Sunday school staff for the first time developed the program of "Prayer Hearts". All of the Sunday school children were photographed and their pictures placed on a red paper heart. The hearts were distributed to adults, other than family members, in church on a given Sunday. The purpose was to bring together in prayer the adult with the pictured child. This project was certainly an evangelistic approach to knowing the children of the church and to developing the spiritual connection for the adult.
Elllie Malfet, another truly Christian woman and member of Peoples who was with us all to short a time certainly had a lasting effect on Peoples. It was she who had come to us from the Patterson, New Jersey Presbyterian Church. While here she was our connection to the Gospel Choir of that church. She had been a member of the choir and every fall for several years she encouraged the members of that church to come north and perform at Peoples. Some of those years the choir members were housed in the homes of parishioners.. The concert became the highlight, as may already have been mentioned in previously written episodes of "Roots", of the beginning of fall activities. Several years running Peoples experienced overflow crowds for their quality musical renditions. Many lessons were learned by church members and the Spiritual level of their presence and performance joined two groups through this one lady, Ellie, that otherwise never would have happened. I can still hear the strains of the choir on several of their numbers. If I may I would have to say that I was particularly moved by Ellie’s solos and the choir backup on "Never Alone" and "His Eye is on the Sparrow" and Lloyd Reese’s "God Is" just to name a few. Sadly the relationship ended some years later when first Ellie died in an auto accident on the way to New Jersey to practice with the choir and Lloyd, the choir director died of a heart attack.
Music has definitely been a part of our Spiritual Education, much of which we included in the previous edition of "Roots".
Ellie Malfet, who was the mother of Meg Queior, also brought us in close contact with Missions and Missionaries. She inspired us to write to and support Methodist missionaries especially in Latin America. Additionally she was among the group of local United Methodist Women who developed the initial contacts we had with the Methodist-sponsored Red Bird Mission in Kentucky. You might also see Ellie serving as part of the Sunday school staff or involved in the Methodist Youth Fellowship. You might even have seen or experienced her presence in the church office when the secretary was ill or on vacation.
While we think of Sunday school as the beginning of spiritual training for children and adults the maintenance of a Cradle Roll was considered important to stay in contact with children who were baptized at Peoples. Kit Pike was one of those folks who were responsible for maintaining those records during the decade of the 90’s. Kim Brown followed Kit in turn. Kim reported that 14 youngsters were on the Cradle Role in 1994. Looking at the records in 2004 only one of those children listed had remained an active member of Sunday school or joined the church. Kim was the wife of Bill Brown who was active in the financial end of church life. Once the children were of Sunday school age they were invited to be part of that program. Sometimes that contact fed the Sunday school and for other children, as mentioned, sadly would not see the work of the Lord in church activities again.
The Youth programs again during the early years of the 90’s saw programs led by Connie Campbell and Cathy Cook with Intermediate Youth and Cory Decker, Stephanie Wells and Sally Newell participating in Senior MYF programs. Andrea Hodgkins Harvey was certainly the primary advisor to high school children and later the Sunday school. While fun and fellowship was always a part of MYF life there was also importance placed on spiritual development and Christian life-style and service to others.
Lay Leader Dan Queior contributed richly to Peoples emphasis on spiritual development and service. A program that he led as Lay Leader was titled, "Love Does Work". In a brochure he developed he said that, "Love does work obviously because a lot of work gets done at Peoples----lovingly." He went on to say, " We are to bring others to Christ
By welcoming them in to our Christian community at Peoples and into the larger Christian community of the church." Dan was a take action person who made sure that the programs he was suggesting were developed and would follow those actions to completion or make sure someone did. Dan was the husband of Meg. Meg’s dedication to her Lord eventually led her into the ministry where she completed her ministerial training at Boston University. Dan was a teacher of Industrial Arts at South Portland High School who moved when Meg received her first ministerial appointment at the Richmond, Maine United Methodist Church.
illie Cass
Part 55 Spiritual Education and Development
Significant in the history of Peoples Church has been the provided opportunities to expand one’s knowledge of the work of the Lord, Jesus Christ and how his Spirit is carried with and through us. Sunday or Sabbath school has been the traditional source of those connections. Periodically there has been a real upswing in the spiritual education opportunities for adults as well. The period of the 1990’s was one of those decades that provided many opportunities for all in the realm of spiritual learning or education.
Judy Arnold led the Sunday school program in the early ‘90’s. Under her leadership there were 26 people who either taught in various age groups or served as support personnel. One hundred and thirty children ages pre-school to Senior in high school were in regular attendance. During the summer of 1992 a Vacation Bible School was held. The theme of this VBS was " Son Mountain" Adventure. Skits, songs and crafts were significant elements in the success of this venture. One of the members of the church that played a significant role in developing crafts was Cenise MacKinnon. Assisting in the operation of the VBS were Wendy and Peter Grannell. The area of the VBS was decorated appropriately with the trappings appropriate to an adventure. Leaders of the VBS for this year were Tina Hamilton and Audrey Reed. Names that appear as significant movers and shakers in the life of Peoples sometimes are for relatively short periods of time, but play a meaningful role while they are in our presence. Some of the folks that are important to us have moved away, moved to active membership in other churches or have passed away. We miss them all.
In the realm of including in our church others that spent a relatively short time with us, but played significant roles were Sue Ann and Forest Krause. Eventually the Krauses left us when Forest accepted a position as a physician in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Along with Carol Spady the three were actively engaged in helping to form a group titled, B.A.S.I.C.S. The translated meaning of the letters stood for Brothers and Sisters in Christ Single. Carol was a young woman who taught French at Memorial Middle School. The purpose of the group was to get folks generally in their 20’s, 30’s and 40’s together for spiritual development as well as fellowship. I do believe that Hank and Ellen Dunn found that group rather inspirational for them as well. This group also had strong appeal to folks of that age beyond the walls of Peoples membership.
Adult Education was spearheaded by Nick Hanna. During his relatively short tenure two adult Sunday school classes were held. The Bethel series that introduced many new folks to the word of the Lord continued during this era and was led by either Jim Darling or Guy McLellan. Well over 200 members and non-members of Peoples experienced the graces of the Bethel program. During the Lenten season in 1994, 10 folks were blessed by being a part of a study group called "10 Brave Christians." Again, sad to say, the contributions of Nick and his wife Ainsley and their two children were short lived as they moved away.
A Lay Witness Mission was held in the early 90’s led by David and Claralee Swanson. 15 members of the church joined David and Claralee in hosting and preparing this event. The design of a Lay Witness Mission was to serve as a program at the local church level that would focus on God’s World and our role in it. Cottage meetings were held in the homes of parishioners. The cottage hosts were responsible for inviting neighbors in to talk about the role of church in individual communities and to a degree encourage some folks that may have been unchurched to join us. Folks from away would serve as guides in these cottage sessions and would also lead in Bible study and discussion at the church.
These "away" leaders would also lead the church service at the end of the weekend asking local leaders to join them. The Spirit generated by these infrequently scheduled events seems to have carried the church at a spiritual high for many months especially if they were held in the fall. Spring events, from the record, while initially significant and useful usually lose the fervor generated because of a lack of action taking place in the local church during summer months. The Lay Witness Mission at this time was seen as a way to extend the influence that had been generated for many folks through Tres Dies. This had been the first Lay Witness Mission held at Peoples in over 20 years. The Mission provided church members the opportunity to see that Evangelism should not be considered an option for the local church, but in reality a meaningful part of church and community life.
It was during the Mission that the Sunday school staff for the first time developed the program of "Prayer Hearts". All of the Sunday school children were photographed and their pictures placed on a red paper heart. The hearts were distributed to adults, other than family members, in church on a given Sunday. The purpose was to bring together in prayer the adult with the pictured child. This project was certainly an evangelistic approach to knowing the children of the church and to developing the spiritual connection for the adult.
Elllie Malfet, another truly Christian woman and member of Peoples who was with us all to short a time certainly had a lasting effect on Peoples. It was she who had come to us from the Patterson, New Jersey Presbyterian Church. While here she was our connection to the Gospel Choir of that church. She had been a member of the choir and every fall for several years she encouraged the members of that church to come north and perform at Peoples. Some of those years the choir members were housed in the homes of parishioners.. The concert became the highlight, as may already have been mentioned in previously written episodes of "Roots", of the beginning of fall activities. Several years running Peoples experienced overflow crowds for their quality musical renditions. Many lessons were learned by church members and the Spiritual level of their presence and performance joined two groups through this one lady, Ellie, that otherwise never would have happened. I can still hear the strains of the choir on several of their numbers. If I may I would have to say that I was particularly moved by Ellie’s solos and the choir backup on "Never Alone" and "His Eye is on the Sparrow" and Lloyd Reese’s "God Is" just to name a few. Sadly the relationship ended some years later when first Ellie died in an auto accident on the way to New Jersey to practice with the choir and Lloyd, the choir director died of a heart attack.
Music has definitely been a part of our Spiritual Education, much of which we included in the previous edition of "Roots".
Ellie Malfet, who was the mother of Meg Queior, also brought us in close contact with Missions and Missionaries. She inspired us to write to and support Methodist missionaries especially in Latin America. Additionally she was among the group of local United Methodist Women who developed the initial contacts we had with the Methodist-sponsored Red Bird Mission in Kentucky. You might also see Ellie serving as part of the Sunday school staff or involved in the Methodist Youth Fellowship. You might even have seen or experienced her presence in the church office when the secretary was ill or on vacation.
While we think of Sunday school as the beginning of spiritual training for children and adults the maintenance of a Cradle Roll was considered important to stay in contact with children who were baptized at Peoples. Kit Pike was one of those folks who were responsible for maintaining those records during the decade of the 90’s. Kim Brown followed Kit in turn. Kim reported that 14 youngsters were on the Cradle Role in 1994. Looking at the records in 2004 only one of those children listed had remained an active member of Sunday school or joined the church. Kim was the wife of Bill Brown who was active in the financial end of church life. Once the children were of Sunday school age they were invited to be part of that program. Sometimes that contact fed the Sunday school and for other children, as mentioned, sadly would not see the work of the Lord in church activities again.
The Youth programs again during the early years of the 90’s saw programs led by Connie Campbell and Cathy Cook with Intermediate Youth and Cory Decker, Stephanie Wells and Sally Newell participating in Senior MYF programs. Andrea Hodgkins Harvey was certainly the primary advisor to high school children and later the Sunday school. While fun and fellowship was always a part of MYF life there was also importance placed on spiritual development and Christian life-style and service to others.
Lay Leader Dan Queior contributed richly to Peoples emphasis on spiritual development and service. A program that he led as Lay Leader was titled, "Love Does Work". In a brochure he developed he said that, "Love does work obviously because a lot of work gets done at Peoples----lovingly." He went on to say, " We are to bring others to Christ
By welcoming them in to our Christian community at Peoples and into the larger Christian community of the church." Dan was a take action person who made sure that the programs he was suggesting were developed and would follow those actions to completion or make sure someone did. Dan was the husband of Meg. Meg’s dedication to her Lord eventually led her into the ministry where she completed her ministerial training at Boston University. Dan was a teacher of Industrial Arts at South Portland High School who moved when Meg received her first ministerial appointment at the Richmond, Maine United Methodist Church.
illie Cass
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