WEST PARIS — Following are the worship services for the month of October at the First Universalist Church of West Paris. Church services are at 9 a.m. followed by refreshments. All are welcome to attend.
Oct. 6, “Not Yet Perfect,” led by The Rev. Fayre Stephenson. In some religious traditions followers seek forgiveness through private confession. In other traditions congregations recite a public confession of their failings. At this service we will explore how we, as Unitarian Universalists, seek and find forgiveness. Stephenson, formerly a guest speaker, now leads services every month at the First Universalist.
Oct. 13, “Islam: A Journey of Love,” led by Stephenson. For more than a decade, since 9/11, Muslim extremists have influenced our country’s international efforts through two wars and our anti-terrorism efforts. For some, those extremists have come to define the Islamic tradition. On this Sunday, using the writings of Egyptian American Leila Ahmed, we’ll take a deeper look at Islam.
Oct. 20, “The Way Things are Supposed To Be,” led by guest speaker, The Rev. Dr. Robert C. Sallies. This sermon deals with the challenge of changing reality in our daily living from what may be less than we like or think we deserve to the way things should be. Sallies was a publisher of the Norway Advertiser Democrat from 1959 to 1976. He has served Universalist Churches in Nottingham, N.H., South Paris and Westbrook. Sallies served as Northeast District Executive of the UUA in Portland for seven years and as vice president of finance and treasurer of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Boston for eight years. Since retirement, Dr. and Mrs. Sallies have spent winters in Anderson, S.C., and summers in Norway.
Oct. 27, “On the Backside of Sabbathday Lake,” led by The Rev. Jennifer Wixson. Wixson is a Quaker minister, farmer and author from Troy. She leads this pre-All Hallow’s Eve Service Sunday. The pastoral message combines real-life spooky stories about her time living across from the Shakers on Sabbathday Lake in New Gloucester combined with a religious history of the holiday we know today as Halloween.
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