February 2022

Dear Kind and Gentle People,

To my tender readers, xhere is the February edition of “Epiphanies from the Mill House.” I want to let you know that “The Mill” or Mill House is my home in Newfield, Maine. It is a perfect place to ponder the Universe. Each day of life is greeted with a grand view of the mill pond from almost every window and most importantly from my UnKuL Petah-sized rocking prayer chair. Yup, might as well be comfortable when seeking the master of the Universe and discerning how to allow the day to unfold. There is also the “Peace Porch,” a magical porch that overlooks a waterfall. Many a powerful prayer gathering has been hosted here.

The Mill House

Sacred practices like prayer, study, fasting, and other spiritual disciplines that cultivate a dependence on God are profitable ways to spend our time. Immersing your being each day in scripture and quiet time will certainly help your day to unfold and help to embrace the riches the Light offers to us. As sacred musicians we all study the scriptures to coordinate our music for worship, usually months in advance so that music is ordered and we can prepare our choirs and accompaniments properly.

In preparing the sermon for February 6, 2022, I was so happy to see one of my favorite scriptures -- Isaiah 6:1-8. I came to love the Isaiah scripture through conducting the musical setting, “In the year that King Uzziah died,” by David Williams. This is such a dramatic scripture. “Woe is me” indeed! The prophet witnesses the hem of God’s robe on fire, the house is shaking and is filled with smoke. He receives a special delivery from the Seraph, (visions of a six-winged dragon here), in the form of a live hot coal from the altar direct to his lips, cleansing him from guilt and sin thus enabling him to say “Here am I; send me!”

The Isaiah story is paired with a good old fish story in Luke 5:1-11. Jesus is beginning his ministry. He has been baptized and then off to the wilderness to pray, study, fast and resist temptations. With the fish story Jesus really shows that the Holy One expects us to take a part in building the kingdom of God. We are all called to make a difference where we are! Each of us has been anointed to be a witness to the Creator. The very least of which is to proclaim to the people of Gaia, “Don’t be afraid” and “Be at Peace.”

So, as our aforementioned sacred practices yield results; such as direction through a thought, idea, leaning, calling or even a terrifying experience such as Isaiah had, let our response to the God of the Universal Universes be, “Here am I, send Me!” and affirm “I am not afraid.” In other words, “Don’t be afraid.”

Gobs of blessings and heaps of happiness,

PETAH

Rev. Dr. Peter Stickney, Chaplain

January 2022

Dear Kind and Gentle People,

As I craft my message to our tender readers on this frightfully frigid day, we are in the middle of our season of Epiphany, a season that many of us have come to embrace with great joy and reflective energy. In short, a wonderful time for us to reflect how Jesus fulfilled his destiny, and how we are fulfilling ours.

There is so much to ponder in this season, including the Baptism of Jesus complete with a supernatural voice, and of course Dr. King’s message to the world to be a person of action according to your belief. Last Sunday was a wonderful correlation to this admonishment as Mary was a person of action and was not going to let a feast fizzle as she announces to Jesus, “They have no wine.” How often we forget to bring our challenges to our brother. Obviously, our diverse challenges are unique to each situation, however we all have them and must decide how to face them.

This last week the Newfield Community Church shuttered its doors for a third time due to what is happening with Covid in the Grand State of Maine. We will broadcast a message each week on our Facebook page. As a blessing, it was amazing to see responses from people in our community who have never come through the doors but are partaking of worship through the Facebook medium.

Newfield Community Church

The tiny food cupboard outside is kept above freezing with an old-fashioned light bulb, (it was minus 9 this week—before adding in the windchill). Honestly, I am amazed and astounded at what has recently happened as a result of us closing the doors. I have had HUGE amounts of boxed food brought to my doors: organic meats, vegetables. And then the crowning glory—the local pot growers phoned me and wanted to donate turkeys and gift cards for food and items. I literally was able to stuff my vehicle full with all these donations and hundreds of dollars of gift cards and distribute it all by way of a school social worker. Amazing!

We are grateful that the town of Newfield now has upgraded internet service and we could subscribe. We are embracing our challenges and it appears that good fruit is emerging from these efforts.

What are you doing in your prayer life to face your challenges and what action are you taking to create a world that is filled with peace and light? How are you going to put your life force into action as you combat attempts to fizzle the feast of life? I hope you will be like Mary and have great expectations and trust in her son, and that you will emulate Dr. King as a person of action. Let there be light!!!

Happy Epiphany!!!

Gobs of blessings and heaps of happiness.

PETAH

Rev. Dr. Peter Stickney, Chaplain