News & Events
News & Special Events at Union Church
We hold many events during the year that offer opportunities to gather, share a meal, enjoy a special holiday, and we always welcome those in the wider community to join us.
Upcoming Events
The Skit – High Hopes
On August 26th Nancy Bancroft presided at our Sunday worship using the theme of hope. Members of the congregation helped with the ministry to children
Summer 2020 Speaker Series
Our 20th Annual Summer Speaker Series 2021, Rekindling Our Love for This Living Earth, will take place again this summer as we welcome great thinkers, writers, and activists to participate in our 20th Anniversary celebration of earth. As with every series, 100% of proceeds go directly to charitable partners . . .
Blessing of the Animals 2019
The Annual Animal Blessing occurred August 21, 2019. About a dozen dogs received a blessing from Pastor Paula and some gifts for each were given.
Summer Events 2023
Union Church, Biddeford Pool
We invite you to join us for two lively evenings that are sure to delight the entire family!
- Events will be in-person at Union Church
- The events will start at 7:00 PM. Doors open at 6:30 PM.
- Tickets for each event are $20 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under. ALL GUESTS MUST REGISTER IN ADVANCE.
- As always, 100% of the proceeds benefit Union Church’s outreach projects.
- Donations in support of our nonprofit partners are gratefully accepted.
Thank you for your support. We hope to see you this summer!
Thursday, Aug. 3: Barbara Walsh
Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and Maine author, Barbara Walsh, will talk about her 40-year journalism career and her books focusing on some of Maine’s extraordinary characters, such as The Lobster Lady: Maine’s 102-year-old Legend. Her other books include Sammy in the Sky, inspired by her family’s first dog and illustrated by renowned artist Jamie Wyeth; and August Gale: A Father and Daughter’s Journey into the Storm, an epic, true “sea story” and a poignant, multi-layered story of “the ties that bound her own family despite death and desertion.” (Kirkus Reviews)
Walsh was awarded the Pulitzer for her reporting on convicted killer William Horton Jr. and Massachusetts’ flawed prison program that allowed killers unsupervised, weekend furloughs. Her reporting over the years has also earned several national, state and regional awards, including the Yankee Quill Award for journalism excellence, commending her personally for being “a feisty project reporter who writes about important public matters … and has changed society for the better.”
Thursday, Aug. 17: Lincoln Peirce
Join us for a lively discussion and drawing demonstration with cartoonist and writer Lincoln Peirce. His comic strip, Big Nate, was syndicated in 1991 and currently appears in over 400 newspapers worldwide. He is also the author and illustrator of a series of New York Times Bestselling novels based on his comic strip. Big Nate books and compilations appear in 33 different languages and have sold over 20 million copies.
In 2018 he created Max & the Midknights, a comedic adventure trilogy set in the Middle Ages. His books have been honored by the American Library Association, the Children’s Book Council, and the American Booksellers Association.
An animated Big Nate television series currently airs on Paramount Plus and Nickelodeon. An animated Max & the Midknights series will debut on Nickelodeon in early 2024.
Blessing of the Animals
Each year in the late summer, early fall, we hold a Blessing of the Animals at our church. We welcome all in the community to join us and bring their animal companions for a blessing. We collect donations to benefit the local Animal Welfare Society and other groups who care for animals.
Holiday Gatherings
We hold wonderful and fun suppers and parties to celebrate time together, including Mardi Gras, Cinco de Mayo, Easter Breakfast, and our Advent Fireside Chats. Friends from the wider community are always welcomed at these events.
Retreats
We have hosted retreats for Advent and Lent, a Women’s Spirituality Retreat and A Spirituality for the Second Half of Life
Mental Health Support Group and Wellness Group
We have offered opportunities for ongoing support and conversation around topics of wellness, living with or loving someone who is dealing with mental health concerns, and other gatherings to support one another in mind, body and spirit.
Previous Events at Union Church
Union Church has observed some important moments in recent years, including the Memorials of beloved members of our church community as well as the retirement of the long-serving Pastor Jan Hryniewicz.
BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS
The Annual Animal Blessing occurred August 21, 2019. About a dozen dogs received a blessing from Pastor Paula and some gifts for each were given. . . .
The Skit - High Hopes
On August 26th Nancy Bancroft presided at our Sunday worship using the theme of hope. Members of the congregation helped with the ministry to children in a skit–High Hopes.
Please enjoy the dramatic transformation of all the grounds around Union Church that just occurred in late June 2020. . . .
Palm Sunday at Union Church featured a parade of all in attendance, waving palms and making music.PASTOR JAN – 15 YEARS OF FRIENDS AND MEMORIES
On Sunday, January 17, 2015 Pastor Jan led her last Worship Service as Pastor of Union Church. Watch this memory-filled video in celebration of her years at Union Church
Marjorie Jamback
June 7, 1933 – December 4, 2019
On December 4th a dear friend of Union Church, Marjorie Jamback, died suddenly at the age of 86. Four years ago she gave this sermon in church.
Tom Bancroft
Union Church and the Bancroft family celebrated the life of Thomas R. Bancroft, who died in February 2020, with an outdoor Memorial Service on a beautiful summer day. Later in the day on that August 26, 2020 a Zoom Memorial Reception occurred so that nearly 90 friends from near and far could come together to celebrate his life and our collective memories of Tom.
Tom Bancroft gave a very personal sermon to us about his life journey exactly two years before we celebrated his life in the Remembrance Garden at Union Church where his ashes are now interned.