Happenings at Deering Memorial

PARIS — Deering Memorial United Methodist Church is excited to announce the kickoff to the Advent season with several events over the Thanksgiving weekend.

On Saturday, November 24 from 8 a.m. until 12 noon the church is hosting a free housewares give away. All donations will benefit the “Papa’s Boots” fund. Papa’s Boots fund is a fund honoring the memory of Bruno Leino and provides new winter boots for area children in need. Hot chocolate and coffee will be served throughout the event.

Please come in and get warm while waiting for the parade. Maybe you’ll find some needed housewares and support a worthwhile cause. The housewares give away is a joint mission of the Deering Memorial United Methodist Church and Bolsters Mills United Methodist Church.

Deering Memorial United Methodist Church in South Paris will be having a Christmas piano concert featuring Pianist Phil House and Vocalist Kathy Haley on November 25 at 2 p.m. Solo musicians in their own right, when Phil House and Kathy Haley join forces they are a “dynamic duo.”

Together they have been delighting audiences throughout central Maine, most notably as part of the Annual Summer Concert series held at the Poland Spring All Souls Chapel along with periodic appearances at the Sawyer Memorial and other central Maine venues.

Phil is the organist at the First Universalist Church in Auburn. He has recorded many CDs of his piano and organ music. Phil has made a life performing near and far, from his home town of Bryant Pond, to Nashville, TN and as far away as Vienna, Austria. His days are filled with his duties as a supervisor for the John F. Murphy Homes.

Kathy also is a Maine musician from Danville, started performing early as a church organist, pianist and folk singer. From the late '70s to the early '90s, Kathy was a lead singer with the top 40 dance band “Good and Plenty." Today she is one of the singers with the newly formed vocal band called “The Girls of LA.” Kathy has continued her life as a church musician and is the current organist/choir director at the Court Street Baptist Church of Auburn.

Help families to have brighter Christmas; a donation of an unwrapped Christmas gift or a gift of money will all benefit the Economic Ministry in Strong. The Economic Ministry is a Mission of the United Methodist Church serving families in need in the area. As part of the Ministry parents are able to pick out Christmas gifts for their children.

This concert is sure to get your Christmas spirit off to a delightful start. Refreshments will be served and the church is handicapped accessible. The Church is the stone church on the corner of Main and Church St. in Market Square in South Paris.

This event is a joint mission of the Deering Memorial United Methodist Church and the Bolsters Mills United Methodist Church.

All are welcome to also join in for the Hanging of the Green Service on the same day at 10 a.m. Come and see the beauty of the church transform into the season of Advent.