Please join us to celebrate our 175th Anniversary!!

Please plan to join us as we gather around St. Benedict’s Church and Parish Center to renew old friendships, make new friends, visit with relatives and reminisce about the good ol’ days. We are hoping to see aunts, uncles, cousins and friends whose “roots” are in Benedicta. Mark your calendars and schedule your visit “back home” for this weekend.

We are in the planning stages for this, sure to be, memorable weekend. As our agenda takes shape we will be posting the events, times and locations of activities.

Mark your calendars and schedule your visit “back home” for this weekend.

BANGOR, Maine (Press Release), March 30, 2009. Beginning April 19, at 12:00 noon, several Bangor area churches will unite to provide a meal every Sunday to anyone who is hungry. Columbia Street Baptist Church, Bangor Baptist, Redeemer Lutheran and St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church will take turns providing food and serving a meal every Sunday. Currently, the meal consists of soup, bread and cookies. The Soup kitchen’s location is a large room with adjacent kitchen on the first floor of Columbia Street Baptist Church, 63 Columbia Street, Bangor, 945-6616.

Columbia Street Baptist Church’s physical location in the heart of Downtown Bangor, and close proximity to the Bangor Homeless Shelter, Shaw House, and Manna Ministries, makes it a great place to host a soup kitchen and serve a meal to those who would otherwise have no meal on Sunday.

The general feeling within the community is that a meal on Sunday is needed. Manna Ministries and The Salvation Army Soup Kitchen—who serve meals during the week—are closed on Sunday. The Bangor Homeless Shelter turns away 20-30 people each Sunday. Once word gets around, the Soup kitchen expects to serve 80 to 90 people each week.  During these tough economic times, it’s possible the need for a Sunday soup kitchen will be here for a very long time.

BANGOR, Maine (Press Release), March 31, 2009. Columbia Street Baptist Church has performed the dramatic play “The Last Supper” every two years since 1979.  The Ernest K. Emurian’s play is based on the famous painting “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci — created between the years 1495–1498.

This contemporary dramatization brings the painting to life. Taking place in the upper room, the painting represents the last meal Jesus shared with His disciples before His betrayal. The scene shows the tension filled moment when Jesus reveals that one of the disciples will betray him before the night is over. The play tells the story of the dismay, amazement and confusion this statement caused as each character reflects on their relationship with Jesus and wrestles with the statement “Is it I?”

Without knowing the history behind Leonard da Vinci’s “The Last Supper”, the figures in the painting could easily be eating a normal meal, discussing events of the day or telling of the glorious miracles they had seen. Andrew might tell of the boy who’s loaves of bread and fish fed thousands. Judas Iscariot might once again, express his anger at Mary for wasting precious oil washing the feet of Jesus, or his wishes that Jesus would hurry and become the King of the Jews. However, is it well documented that the intent of da Vinci was to portray the moment of betrayal.

Some of the players have performed this play numerous times. Mark Tuck, who plays “Doubting” Thomas, takes the role very seriously. “Doubt has stopped me from doing God’s will in my life more than once. Playing the role of Thomas has made me really look at my life and the things I have and some of the things I have not done in my life.”

Tyke McKay has played Andrew at least a dozen times, starting in 1987. At the time, the youngest man in the performance, playing the oldest disciple. “Andrew is an interesting contrast to the impetuousness of Peter. He is quiet and contemplative.  Traits I do not possess. It seems amazing to me that over the years I need less and less white hair powder. I look forward to doing the play once again as I search for new meaning, no longer a young man, but one closer to Andrew’s age with a little seasoning.”

Chuck Hillman has played Thaddeus at least four times. “It becomes more meaningful each time, as I learn more about Thaddeus, and the other disciples. It is an honor to be a part of the group, and humbling to try to portray the feelings of the disciples at that time . . . realizing that all the information was gleaned from scripture, it becomes very informative, and interesting.”

“The Last Supper” will be presented Thursday April 9, and Friday April 10, at 7:00 pm in the main sanctuary of Columbia Street Baptist Church, 63 Columbia Street, Bangor.

CHARLOTTE WHITE CENTER RECEIVES EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT THROUGH

THE TD CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Camden, ME.   Many non profit organizations are feeling the effects of the economic downturn and facing the difficult decisions of whether to reduce program offerings, staff or other operations.   Many realize that if they had a more robust endowment when the economy turns sour, they would have greater financial stability to ride out the storm.

TD Banknorth, through the TD Charitable Foundation, is supporting Charlotte White Center’s (CWC) staff in participating in philanthropy training offered by Planning for Good. The workshops to be led by Sr. Consultant, Sarah Ruef-Lindquist, JD, CTFA will help participants gain the tools to build their endowment to improve their ability to continue to provide programs in the future.

Erica Kimball, Development Director for the Charlotte White Center noted, “With Sarah’s training and support, I am sure that we can create a sound philanthropic plan for the Charlotte White Center that will enable us to serve those who need our support for years to come. Without TDBanknorth’s financial support, reaching our goals would be even more challenging, and we want to thank them for their help.”

The Charlotte White Center, which serves adults and children with cognitive and intellectual disabilities and behavioral health challenges, provides support services in Piscataquis, Penobscot, Hancock, Washington, Franklin, Somerset, and Waldo Counties, with administrative offices based in Dover-Foxcroft. The mission of the Charlotte White Center is to respect and value ALL people and empower them to be their best. CWC has been doing that for thirty years; this will enable them to continue to honor that mission.

Planning for Good, a Maine-based firm out of Camden offers education, training and support to non-profit organizations seeking to build their endowments through planned gifts. In 2009, Planning for Good is offering a series of Workshops designed to support organizations beginning or continuing to develop their planned giving efforts.  The grant from the TD Charitable Foundation will cover the cost of staff member Erica Kimball attending all five workshops.

The workshops Ms. Kimball will be attending are designed for development and executive staff as well as board members as an opportunity to learn practical tips for designing and implementing policies and procedures to optimize planned giving to support building endowment and organizational sustainability.

For more information about the Charlotte White Center and its philanthropic plans, please contact Erica Kimball at (207) 947-1410 ext. 122 or via email at ekimball@charlottewhite.org.

The TD Charitable Foundation is the charitable giving arm of TD Bank N.A., which operates under the trade names TD Banknorth and TD Bank and is one of the 20 largest commercial banking organizations in the United States. The Foundation’s mission is to serve the individuals, families and businesses in all the communities where TD Banknorth and TD Bank operate, having made over $44.6 million in charitable donations since its inception in 2002. The efforts of the Foundation are coordinated locally through TD Banknorth and TD Bank’s community relations departments and are focused on the areas of economic empowerment, youth development and community support. More information on the TD Charitable Foundation including an online grant application is available at www.TDBanknorth.com or at www.TDBank.com.

Walk to Support. Walk to Remember. Walk for the Future.

Eastern Maine AIDS Network (EMAN) will once again be sponsoring the Bangor area route of AIDS Walk Weekend 2009 on Saturday, May 2, 2009. Organized by Maine Community AIDS Partnership (MCAP), walks will take place across the state and in Portsmouth, NH, during the weekend of May 2-3. The funds raised will be matched by the National AIDS Fund, and all monies will go to local HIV/AIDS service organizations.This 5k (3.1m) walk begins and ends in front of the Eastern Maine AIDS Network office at 370 Harlow Street and will follow a route that goes across the State Street Bridge to Main Street, Brewer, back across the Joshua Chamberlain Bridge, and through downtown Bangor. Registration commences at 10:00AM with the Walk starting at 11:00AM.

Can’t walk? Not a problem. Volunteers are also needed to help set up, direct participants to the parking areas, and act as crossing guards at the various intersections along the route. Donations are also gratefully accepted.

Participants are encouraged to go to www.aidswalkweekend.com/bangor.htm, our Kintera website, where you can register online and create your very own fundraising page! You can also register by picking up a registration form at the EMAN office at 370 Harlow Street, Bangor, or at 10:00AM on the morning of the walk. There is no fee to participate and pledges are optional, but highly encouraged.

For more information about AIDS Walk Weekend 2009, go to www.aidswalkweekend.com/bangor.htm or contact Joy Sinclair at 207-990-3626 or joy@maineaidsnetwork.com.

Eastern Maine AIDS Network was established in 1987 as a grass roots response to the needs of people living with and affected by HIV / AIDS. EMAN is a not-for-profit agency that provides a variety of services throughout Eastern and Northern Maine. Its primary goal is to support clients who are living with HIV / AIDS. EMAN also provides community and outreach prevention education, as well as HIV antibody testing to the general public. For more information, visit EMAN’s website at www.maineaidsnetwork.com or call toll-free 1-877-990-3626.