Seeking Common Ground,
Working for the Common Good

 

156 High Street, Portland, ME  04101      207-772-1918             info@mainecouncilofchurches.org

 

Reverend Bill Barter, Vice President of the Maine Council of Churches, testified 
last Tuesday in support of LD 1353 An Act To Further Reduce Student Hunger. 
It was introduced by Senate President Justin Alfond and heard by the Education and 
Cultural Affairs Committee.  In this picture, Rev. Barter heard by Rep. Mary Nelson, 
Falmouth.

______________________________________________________________________


Maine Council of Churches Statement on the Boston Marathon Bombing



Our hearts and prayers go out to the people and the city of Boston following explosions near 

the end of the Marathon route where thousands gathered to cheer runners over the finish line:  

Those who lost loved ones, those who suffered injuries, those who wait for news, and for the 

many who quickly responded to help with love. It is at times like this when so many respond 

tirelessly and courageously with love that we recognize our strength as a people and a nation.


At times like this, the momentary capacity of a few to overshadow the goodness of the many 

can make God seem very far away. As a community of faith, let us take comfort in the words 

of the psalmist: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore 

we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 

though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.” (Psalm 46:1-3)


The Maine Council of Churches joins our prayers with the Massachusetts Council of Churches, 

and with people throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and beyond to bring healing, 

to understand, and to restore hope.


The Rev. Dr. William Barter, Vice President

Maine Council of Churches


_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    ericandleslie               

 

The Maine Council of Churches is pleased to announce that Laura Burden of Portland has been hired as the Coordinator for the Council.  Laura, who has a background in communications, strategic marketing and planning also serves as Membership Coordinator for her church, Allen Avenue Unitarian Universalist Church.  “Laura’s skills and background make her well qualified to serve in this role,” said Leslie Manning, President of the Board to the MCC, “and we look forward to working with her to promote the work of the Council and the churches we serve”. 

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Remarks of MCC Executive Director Jill Saxby at Candlelight Vigil in Monument Square, Portland December 16, 2012

Poem:  Swimming Lesson Dec 15, 2012.pdf

Invitation to Prayer and Silent Meditation:  There is a place beyond words.pdf

________________________________________________________

MCC and NRCAT invite you to participate in Human Rights Weekend

SHINING A LIGHT ON TORTURE

The Maine Council of Churches (MCC) National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT) invite you to mark Human Rights Day weekend this December 7-9 by lifting up the need to shine a light on places where torture might occur in the U.S.  Your congregation can use a bulletin insert and worship materials, show a video, or gather signatures for the petition asking the President to sign the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT).

Torture happens throughout the world and most countries want it to stop. It is illegal, but that doesn’t prevent it from occurring.  Because prisons, jails, immigrant detention facilities, mental health institutions, youth detention facilities, and other places of detention are often not monitored, torture and abuse can occur – often by guards and other employees.

The United States, which has not yet ratified OPCAT, can learn from the experiences of the 63 nations that have ratified it, including Great Britain, Sweden and Tunisia.  OPCAT, which has been effective, sets up oversight bodies and other national mechanisms that prevent torture and abuse in places of confinement.

As people of faith, we have an obligation to protect those who cannot protect themselves and ensure that no person is tortured or abused.

For worship materials for various faith traditions and interfaith resources:
Collect signatures urging the US to ratify OPCAT:
Additional information and resources on Torture and Human Rights Day:


 

Solitary Confinement:  Torture in Your Backyard          

Video and Resource Packet Available from MCC

MCC is a member of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT), an organization consisting of religious groups and leaders who believe that "Torture is a Moral Issue" as it violates the basic dignity of every human being. Long-term solitary confinement in prisons is a form of torture because it can lead to permanent psychological damage. 

NRCAT created a 20 minute video, Solitary Confinement: Torture in  Your Back Yard, including interviews with individuals who have experienced solitary confinement.  Because of MCC's work to eliminate solitary confinement in Maine prisons, our Executive Director, Rev. Jill Saxby is featured in the video.  Also included in the film, Maine Commissioner of the Department of Corrections Joseph Ponte talks about the dramatic reduction in the use of solitary confinement in Maine's prisons and the positive impact that has occurred because of the change in prison procedures. 

Contact the MCC Office if you'd like a video and resource packet (study guide, talking points, copy of the Statement on Prolonged Solitary Confinement on which to gather signatures) at no cost to you.

 

 

 

Donate to MCC

About Maine Council of Churches:

Maine Council of Churches is an ecumenical community of nine denominations dedicated to the vision of a sustainable, just, and compassionate world.  We serve as a voice and a resource for Maine's congregations, people of faith, and other organizations that share our vision.

Our Member Denominations:

Association of the New Jerusalem Church (Swedenborgian)

Episcopal Diocese of Maine

Maine Conference, United Church of Christ

New England Conference, United Methodist Church

New England Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

New England Yearly Meeting, Religious Society of Friends

Northern New England District, Unitarian Universalist Association

Northern New England Presbytery, Presbyterian Church ( USA)

Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland

mainesharecolor_logo_07_000.jpgWe are a proud member of MaineShare.   You can now donate to the Maine Council of Churches at your place of employment through the MaineShare Program. Find out more about MaineShare and how you can make a donation today!
 
 
© Maine Council of Churches
Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software