United Parish Church

10/12/2025

08/25/2025

Monday, at 3 PM, at Dick Heath's house, we will have a gentle communion service as a final act in the closing of United Parish Church. By then our funds, including the Hockenhall Trust Fund, will be safely in the hands of the Basket of Blessing food pantry. Our congregation will have fulfilled our responsibilities and be ready for the last step of unbinding from our church fellowship. It has been a heartrending process in many ways. And yet our hearts are full of growth, cherished memories, life lessons and acts of service that carry us forward. We are confident in the Holy One Who guides us. We move forward in love and hope, listening to calls of love and noticing how we have been shaped for those purposes that are opening.

07/29/2025

Last week United Parish Church donated $20,000 of our funds to the HOPE AND JUSTCE PROJECT. We are grateful for their essential work in supporting survivors of domestic violence. Their programs enable all of us to learn and grow in our ability to strengthen our Aroostook communities. The life-giving resources of the Hope and Justice Project make a powerful difference for us all. We thank them for their sacred work.

We are, as you know, sad that our church did not have sufficient funds to continue, nevertheless with our remaining funds and those added by the sale of our church building and parsonage, we are able to leave a legacy of hope.

We are in the process of preparing a large donation, including a $50,000 trust fund, for the BASKET OF BLESSING, the food pantry our church has supported with our labor and love for years. We will post about this soon.

06/18/2025

This is NOT what democracy or even basic human decency looks like!

BREAKING: In a powerful moment, Senator Alex Padilla just delivered his first Senate floor speech since being detained by Kristi Noem’s agents. This is a must watch.

05/02/2025

Friends, a beloved former pastor, Rev. Dr. Stevens Hilyard has passed. He and his wife, Nann held fond memories of their time among us. When I first came to United Parish, Stevens contacted me and was a kind encorager of all we were up to here. Throughot the years he and his wife Nann made generous donations to support our work. Nann, kindly, has sent me his obituary to share with you. Please hold Nann and all of Stevens’ circle of love in your prayers. ♥️🙏🏽

View Rev. Dr. Stevens Woods Hilyard's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

04/16/2025

Thursday, April 17, at 6 PM, we will be having a potluck followed by a brief, but meaningful Maundy Thursday worship time... held in our dining room. This potluck and worship time is kid-friendly and helps our little ones and adults consider Jesus' experiences before Easter... inviting all into a deeper connection with the truths of Christ's sacrifice.. The Savior we worship gave everything so we'd see that we are loved beyond measure. Nothing stops hope in the presence of love. Join us to prepare your heart for Easter joy.

04/06/2025

April 9, this coming Wednesday at 6 PM, United Parish Church is having a special worship service to say a loving goodbye to the church building and and the church community we have cherished. Light refreshments will be served following the service.

As many of you know, the expenses of providing for our large church building with a small congregation has proven to be beyond our means. We have had to make the responsible, but difficult decision to sell our property. We will be ending our fellowship as a congregation as well in the week following Easter as the sale of our building is finalized. I will be retiring following Easter Worship. Those of us who have drawn strength and Grace from our time worshipping together will continue in faith as we join our next church home(s).

To honor our precious fellowship and the building that has provided a warm and nurturing home for our worship, we will be gathering for a time of reflection, thanks, treasuring up of our gifts together and a blessed releasing of all to a new paths.

Please know that, if you feel inclined to join this sacred time, you are most welcome. This Wednesday, April 9, at 6 PM we will share hymns, communion, thanks and praise. We will remember Whose we are and when we leave, we will go, as always, with God.

04/02/2025

Wise words from John Wesley:

"Do all the good you can,
by all the means you can,
in all the ways you can,
to all the people you can,
as long as ever you can."

What good can you do in the world today?

Illustration from Loved, written by me and illustrated by Jago Illustration

03/18/2025

Children’s time March 16. ♥️

03/08/2025

And in other crazy news... once again, they want us to "Spring Forward"! So come to church in your jammies tomorrow and I will not complain! (Or sleep in your clothes tonight to save time tomorrow.) Sheesh. I will bring tollhouse pie and mint chocolate chip ice cream for coffee hour... to try to take the edge off of the forced early start! ❤ We have a lot to discuss during coffee hour this week. ❤ Maybe I will make a chocolate cake too! (Or almond pound cake... it is not too late to register your opinion!) (Remember this is the first Sunday in Lent... but every Sunday is a "mini Easter" as we celebrate communion and remember that Christ is risen even during Lent! Be encouraged and come celebrate with your loving community church family. 10 AM tomorrow (even if it FEELS like 9 AM) In Christ's love, Pastor Diane

03/05/2025

ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE FOR 7 PM TONIGHT IS CANCELED.
Dear Ones,
The cozy, kid-friendly Ash Wednesday service we’d planned for tonight must be cancelled. A weather advisory warns that our roads tonight are expected to be icy. Please stay home and be safe. For the first time in all my years of ministry I was planning an Ash Wednesday service that did not take place the evening BEFORE Ash Wednesday. We plan God laughs. I love you and I will focus on prayer that this Lenten season draws us closer to the One Who loves us enough to want us safe enough to keep growing! I love you too! ♥️🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
In Christ’s Love,
Pastor Diane

03/05/2025

Dear Ones, we WERE going to have a cozy, kid-friendly Ash Wednesday Service at 7 PM tonight. It was going to be my FIRST Ash Wednesday worship service that was NOT held the evening before Ash Wednesday. We plan, God laughs. We have a serious weather advisory through 10 PM tonight, advising against travel because rain will be falling on frozen roads, making our roads dangerous so the ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE IS CANCELED FOR TONIGHT. Please stay home and stay safe. You are loved beyond measure.
In Christ’s Love,
Pastor Diane