Articles

Acting Associate Conference Minister Rev. Linda Hirst 08.26.26 I used to imagine retiring to western NC. My family is in Hendersonville, and I love everything about it there: the mountains, the rivers, and the slower life (which I’m sure I'm imagining). I have shared my thoughts with Brad, whose response has been decidedly lukewarm. While he loves that part of the country, he is hesitant about moving, and it’s all because of this one thing: community. We’ve lived in Maine

Conference Minister’s Corner Conference Minister, Gordon Rankin, 8.19.26 This past Sunday, I told an old story as the invitation to gather for the Sacrament of Communion. Sometimes as worship leaders, we end up needing to be multitaskers. This is definitely true when preparing for communion. Often, we are folding up napkins and removing covers while trying to sing along to the communion hymn. One’s focus can be split during these times. I remember this one time when we were

Conference Minister’s Corner Acting Associate Conference Minister, Linda Hirst, 8.12.26 I learned some new slang/phrases while hanging out with a bunch of middle school kids at Horton Center. “Low key," "strat," and "trust." While I sort of got the gist of them, it did take me a while. “Low key” seemed to mean "seriously," though AI says it means “admitting a true feeling without a lot of emotion," like…I low-key like him (I guess). I heard “strat” while playing 9 square. On

Conference Minister’s Corner Acting Associate Conference Minister, Linda Hirst, 7.29.26 I have a collection of rocks. It’s not a great collection; just some random rocks from places I have visited over the years. Rocks from Nova Scotia. A rock from Scotland while hiking. Even plain old rocks along the beach here in York, Maine. I use these rocks from time to time as sermon illustrations, devotions, children’s messages, and on women’s retreats (I bet you have too.) They hold d

Conference Minister’s Corner Conference Minister, Gordon Rankin, 7.23.26 Earlier this morning I recorded a video for the Faith, Freedom, and Common Good series that the New Hampshire Council of Churches has been producing. It was to be a two-minute-long, invitational video. My focus topic was the separation of church and state. That should be easily doable, right? While I spoke unscripted, so I can’t provide a verbatim account, here is what I think I said: The very first cons

Conference Minister’s Corner Associate Conference Minister, Linda Hirst, 7.15.26 While driving my youngest son and a couple of his friends to Pilgrim Lodge for a Middle Schooler week (Pilgrim Lodge is Maine’s counterpart to Horton Center), they were excitedly talking about camp and who they’d see again and all the great stuff they were going to do. I said something like, “You guys really like PL don’t you...” And all three laughed and said, "Yep! At Pilgrim Lodge we’re the c