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June 19, 2009 Event

Participate in these events, a significant part of the BGLT in Maine and for UU congregations

BANGOR: 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF CHARLIE HOWARD'S DEATH July 1-12, 2009

Contact: Bill Carlin 207 945 0069; cell 207 217 8554

Charlie, who was a 23-year-old openly gay man was beaten by three teenagers and thrown from the State Street Bridge into the Kenduskeag Stream, where he drowned, July 7, 1984.

Tuesday, July 7, 6:30pm Unitarian Universalist Society of Bangor (UUSB), 120 Park Street., Vesper Service be led by Rev. Dr. Susan E. Davies, Bangor Theological Seminary. After the service, there will be the dedication of the Charlie Howard Memorial at the State Street Bridge and the casting of flowers into the Kenduskeag.

Wednesday, July 8, 7pm, UU Society of Bangor: a concert featuring Women with Wings, Voices for Peace, Maine Gay Men's Chorus.

Thursday, July 9, 5:30 - 6:45pm, Bangor Public Library: reception and exhibit: Charlie Howard, 25 Years Later, How Far Has Maine Come?

Friday, July 10, 6pm, Hammond Street Congregational Church, United Church of Christ:

pizza supper ($5), followed by free film, "Inlaws and Outlaws" and discussion.

Saturday, July 11, workshops at Hammond Street, Congregational Church 9am - 1pm:

9 - 10:30am: Darlene Huntress, Equality Maine, "Marriage Equality for Maine in 2009."

11 - 12:30pm: Rev. Dr. Marvin M. Ellis, Bangor Theological Seminary, "Reading the Bible Through a Queer Lens."

--11 - 12:30 - Ugly Ducklings," documentary film with discussion. Presented by Hardy Girls, Healthy Women.

Saturday night dance, sponsored by the Bridge Alliance, time and place to be determined.

Sunday, July 12, 9am, at UUSB: 25th Annual Charlie Howard Memorial Service, led by Rev. Richard Forcier, who was the minister of the Bangor Unitarian Church when Charlie was killed. The service will be followed by a walk to the State Street Bridge and casting of flowers into the stream.

When possible, events will be interpreted in American sign language.

Sue McKay, chair of the Charlie Howard Memorial Committee, which has worked for two years on the arrangements for the activities, says, "We want to remember Charlie and what his death means to our community. We also want to honor Charlie's exuberance and humor, and that means our program should be fun. There will be singing, dancing and, we trust, laughter."

Committee members are: George Brissette (Bridge Alliance;) William Carlin, Lee Giles, and Maria Hautala (UUSB); Dr. Deborah H. Carney; Jessica Carter (Mabel Wadsworth Women's Health Center); Rev. Dr. Susan E. Davies (Charles O. Howard Foundation); Rev. Dr. Mark Doty (minister, Hammond Street Congregational Church); Lois Reed (president of the Bangor Unitarian Church at the time of Charlie's death), and Daniel Williams (Howard Foundation).

March 2, 2009 Event

Celebrate National Women’s History Month
The Parmachene Belle
Saturday, March 28, 7:30 p.m.
Unitarian Universalist Church of Saco and Biddeford

The Parmachene Belle is a one-woman play about Maine’s first licensed hunting guide, Cornelia "Fly Rod" Crosby, written and performed by Portland playwright Carolyn Gage.
The play explores the experiences of a woman in a traditionally male field, as well as Crosby’s documented friendship with sharp-shooter Annie Oakley. A discussion will follow the performance.

UUCSB is located at 60 School Street in Saco.
Tickets are $12 at the door, $10 in advance and $8 for teens and seniors. For reservations, directions or more information, call 282-0062.

--A program of the "Maine Character" Series

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Saco and Biddeford is Proud to be a a Welcoming Congregation

June 22, 2008 News

News from First Unitarian Universalist Church, Auburn, Maine

From the folks who've brought you "Hidden: A Gender", "A Night With The Bard" and V-DAY Auburn's productions of "The Vagina Monologues" and "A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant and A Prayer" in the past year, the UU Theater at First Universalist Church of Auburn presents:

"Looking for Normal" by Jane Alexander
Directed by Araminta Matthews
July 18 and July 19, 7:30 p.m.
Doors open at 7:00 p.m.
(PG-13)

"Looking for Normal" is the story of Roy who, after 25 years of marriage to Irma, comes out as transgendered, and how Roy and Irma (and their family) adjust to this truth. The play was made into a TV movie, which many have been moved by.

Please put it on your calendar and plan to see a performance. Spread the word, bring your friends.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for students and seniors. Group rates for 8+.
For more Information , call 783-0461 or go to www.auburnuu.org

January 30, 2008 News

WELCOMING CONGREGATION: UPDATE FROM CARIBOU, MAINE
Hi all, just wanted to bring everyone up to date on what is going on at the northern outpost of civilization.

Although we have not been able to attend the gatherings due to the costs associated with travel and prioritizing meetings, we have not been inactive in regards GBLT issues.

I attended the Equality Maine Symposium at the request of the church, and was the only representative from Aroostook. I had been part of the County forum hosted by Equality Maine back last spring, and was surprised that no other participants went to Rockport. Since the symposium, we have worked out an agreement with EMAN to site a food pantry at the church for County sufferers of HIV/AIDS. In addition we met with Northern Lambda Nord to schedule joint activities on an ongoing basis.

Initially we will be hosting a Valentine's Day dance for the GBLT community here in the County. We are looking for an underwriter to fund a public showing of "For the Bible Tells Me So" a movie that debunks the Christian rhetoric against homosexuality. We hope to show it in the spring.

We are doing this after completing some major self examination in the congregation over the past 18 months. As a result of the process a few people decided unfortunately to separate themselves from the church. This has allowed the church to begin growing again with new families beginning to take part in the church. It also set the stage for the church to affirm its community "mission" by creating the position of Community Minister as part of the congregation's ministry and call me to the position.

The need for support for the GBLT community up here expressed at the Symposium, the Board felt, necessitated moving ahead in that area without formally going through the Welcoming Congregation Curriculum.

If you check out our website, you will see a new banner in the header expressing our new life and purpose.

Max Soucia, Community Minister, Caribou UU Church
www.caribouuu.org

January 16, 2008 Event Announcement

Subject: Release: V-Day Auburn in Feb.
Two anti-violence shows will be staged at the First Universalist Church of Auburn. V-Day presents:
Friday/Saturday February 1/2, 7 PM "Vagina Monologues"
Saturday/Sunday February 9/10, 7 PM "A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant and a Prayer"
to benefit the church. A portion will also benefit Women of New Orleans.
Tickets are $10 for each show, or $15 for any two performances.

In addition:
Sunday, February 3, 1 PM The documentary, "Until the Violence Stops" will be screened on Sunday. A brief sharing time will follow.

Due to mature content, viewers must be 16 or older.The First UniversalistChurch of Auburn is located at 169 Pleasant Street, across from Dairy Joy.
For tickets or FMI, call 783-0461 or uuauburn@verizon.net.

March 17, 2007 Event Announcement

Provincetown's Zoë Lewis will play at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Saco and Biddeford on April 28 at 7:30. $10 donation in advance, $12 at the door.

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