| About our minister: |
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The Rev. Richard Beal, is relatively new to our church. He moved here
in mid-August of 2007 to serve both us and the West Paris Universalist
Church. But he is not new to ministry. His father was a Universalist and
Unitarian Universalist minister in several parts of New England, but primarily
Maine, from where both sides of Richard’s family come. He attended
Thornton Academy in Saco, Maine, Goddard College in Plainfield, Vermont,
and Harvard Divinity School. Prior to entering the ministry twenty-nine
years ago, Richard, his wife Joan, and their son Barney worked in a variety
of settings serving delinquent and emotionally disturbed adolescents.
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| He has ministered in the churches of Melrose, Malden, Westborough
and Northborough, Mass. , while he studied for the ministry; Dexter, Sangerville,
and Brunswick, Maine; First Unitarian in Louisville, Kentucky (for fifteen
years and where he is now a Minister Emeritus); a brief ministry in Auckland,
New Zealand; and in Troy, Michigan. He’s served in a number of other
church positions: two years as a Director of Religious Education, Good Offices
Person for the Heartland District of the UU minister’s Association,
President of the North East District, as a founder, long time Board member
and President of the UU Partner Church Coalition. Other organizational work
has included being on the boards of the Kentucky Civil Liberties Union,
Religious Readers For Fairness – advocating for LGBT folks, Life Member
of the NAACP and secretary of a local branch, volunteer staff member for
an independent congressional campaign, etc. |
From Richard:
I've only been here less than a year, but I've been affiliated with a
great many Unitarian Universalist churches and want to take this opportunity
to recommend this church to you. It's a small church that is actively
interested in growing (but with no intention of becoming a "big"
church}. The sense of community and closeness a smaller church provides
is important to us, and our interest in growth is because of our desire
to furnish a larger number of programs and activities for all ages. A
growing congregation would allow us to once again be a significant presence
in and resource for this community.
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This church has many strengths, not least of which is the
wide range of talents among its friends and members. Music, other arts,
community service and participation, shared ministry and inclusive worship
services are particular strengths, as is our being the most liberal of the
churches in this area. We are a “creedless” church and encourage
each individual to pursue the religious or philosophical path their journey
had led them to. Therefore we have members who are Liberal Christian, Atheist,
Agnostic, Humanist, primarily moved by women’s, environmental, and/or
earth centered spirituality issues, exploration, and worship. Every new
friend and member changes the current mix of people, ideas, spirituality
and creativity of a congregation. The Unitarian Universalist Church of Norway
welcomes such change.
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I hope you will visit and get to know the church, and that
if you decide to choose it as your church home that it will be as meaningful
and vital a part of your life as I believe it can be.
Reverend Richard Beal |
