Our church’s Eco Team, with the help of many volunteers, hosted families from the Greater Portland Family Promise network on Saturday, August 23 for a gathering in our Outdoor Chapel and nature walks in Chapel Woods. Following the walks and discussions about the quality of the woods and the peace it so openly offers, everyone gathered in Fellowship Hall for lunch, fellowship, and a time for both children and adults to get to know each other.

During the walks, led by Bruce and Sue Lind and Bob and Linda Webster, participants were able to discover the uniqueness of the oak and hickory forest and enjoy the contentment of the cool summer breezes, occasional sightings of butterflies, and the warmth of the sun filtering through the trees with its sparkling rays. Everyone was asked to look for seashells all along the trail, painted with nature scenes, and invited to each take one home as a gift from the church. There were 55 shells placed all along the trail before the walks began.

Thank you to Family Promise Executive Director Michelle Lamm and Program Manager Joao Vemba for coordinating this special morning with the church. Thank you to Steve Hill, Deanne Burr, Bob and Linda Webster, and Duane and Linda Wakefield for providing transportation for families who were not otherwise able to get to the church.

Thank you to Carol Haider and Jean Meyer for setting up the lunch.

Thank you to Bob and Judy Knupp, Linda Greer, and Judith Hill for directing families from the church parking lot to the Outdoor Chapel. Also thank you to the Linds for helping to plan this event and for helping Carol Haider for picking up the sandwiches, and to the Websters for providing apples and grapes.

And thank you to Pat and Lili Acheson for helping to clean up and a HUGE thank you to the Family Promise families who stayed afterward to fold up chairs and tables, sweep the floor, and make sure everything was back in its place!

It was an amazing day for our church and Family Promise!