people around the United States observed the tragic fifth year anniversary of the Iraq War. A small group gathered at First Parish to ring our church bell joining churches around the community and the U.S in remembering all who have died because of this war and the heavy toll the war has taken in every aspect of our lives. As I took my turn, I was reminded of all the other occasions this bell has rung; to call us to church, in celebration of human milestones, in mourning for those who have passed away. I hope its voice will carry our prayers and messages for peace far and wide and bring the shifting winds to turn this tragedy around. As FIA co-chair, I was reminded that we could be doing more here at First Parish for peace. For that to happen, we need a coordinator for Peace Actions to work with FIA – could that be you?

Safe Passage, our February Split the Plate partner, is now accepting registration forms. Last year there were more than 600 participants who joined in for this fun event. This run/walk is a fundraiser for Safe Passage and goes for their programs in Guatemala.

When: April 26th, 8 AM | Where: Greely High School, Cumberland, Maine

For more information: call their office between 8am-5pm at 846-1188, or go to their website at http://www.safepassage.org.

Join Peace Action Maine (PAM) for their annual Peace Supper. Their keynote speaker, Frida Berrigan, is Senior Program Associate of the Arms and Security Initiative at the New America Foundation. Ms. Berrigan is a columnist for Foreign Policy in Focus and a contributing editor of In These Times magazine previously served as Deputy Director and Senior Research Associate at the Arms Trade Resource Center and as a researcher at The Nation magazine. She has been a featured expert on national and regional radio outlets, and regularly speaks on national security issues to citizen’s organizations and conferences throughout the United States. Don’t miss this incredible speaker.

When: April 26th, 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM | Where: Woodfords Congregational Church, 202 Woodford Street, Portland

Single tickets: $20, for a table of 8: $150 | For more information, call: 207 772 0680 or email: info@peaceactionme.org

The April Faith In Action meeting at 11:30 AM in the Parish House Library, focusing on our certification process to becoming a Green Sanctuary congregation. Sally Breen, a state wide coordinator for the Green Sanctuary movement, will be meeting with all interested First Parish members and friends after coffee hour. Please come, find out more about the program, give your input, and volunteer to help with one of the greening tasks.

Green Sanctuary Message, on the Sermons page

Please join our Coffee Cup Campaign, our first small step on the way to greening up our lives. With the new dishwasher up and running in the Parish House kitchen and with Mo’s help, we will switch to real coffee cups by April 20th. We already have about 25 cups. Any mugs you’d like to donate? – Please bring them in by April 20th

Please sign up ahead at the FIA coffee table. Volunteers are needed to help cook and serve at Wayside. Join with other members of our church and Allen Avenue UU this one night out of the month in serving some of the neediest members of our greater community.

When: April 22nd, Cooks: 3:30 PM, Servers: 5:30 PM

Where: 252 Oxford Street, Portland

Coordinators: The Caswells – 799-5264

Do you have old UUA magazines you would like to recycle? Bring them in for the faith in ac-tion table. Help spread the (printed) word - and thanks to those who have already donated their magazines.

April is the month that we “split the plate” with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland. Habitat will be building its 50th house, in an affordable housing sub-division meeting green building standards by the Maine State Housing Authority, supported by an Interfaith Community – all for the first time in Maine history!

While Habitat has benefited in the past from collaborative ecumenical teams, this Interfaith effort is a first for Habitat, Portland. The response from the various faith communities has been strong. The official groundbreaking for this house took place last fall, and we hope to begin construction in earnest in May. The Interfaith Team leading the effort has already raised approximately $50,000 in cash and “in kind” donations.

A five mile route will run through Payson Park and around the boulevard. We’re hoping for relatively balmy weather.

When: Sunday, May 4th from noon – 5 PM

Where: from St. Pius X Catholic Church.

For questions or for how to get involved with HFH, contact Stephen Jenks, our congregational representative, at 772-7435 or stephen@greyledge.us

We have two actions coming up in which we can counteract the poison of war and help in the healing. Both focus on the children who have been so traumatized by the conflicts that have gone in Sudan and the chance to help rebuild their communities.

The New Sudan Education Initiative (NESEI) is a partnership between Sudanese and a global network of supporters, who have come together to bring the gift of education to Sudan. We are working to ensure a lasting peace in this region by building 20 schools by 2015. You can help a high school student at NESEI’s first school in Sudan-- it takes just a little money and time. Stop by your local grocery or office supplies store and purchase some essential school items. You can buy either a low-cost backpack or donate a gently used one. Simply fill it with the items listed below. We’ll hand deliver it to one our students in Sudan this May. Don’t have time to do the shopping? Let us do it for you! Send a check of $45 ($25 for backpack/school supplies/$20 for textbooks) and a personal letter for a Sudanese student to NESEI’s offices, and we’ll create and deliver a backpack on your behalf.

This campaign is a great way to help a young student receive a quality education, and a wonderful opportunity to create a personal connection to NESEI’s first school. Please join us today.

1 basic calculator, 1 three-subject college-ruled notebook, 1 small pencil sharpener, 10 black/blue ink pens, 10 #2 pencils, a letter to the student, and pictures of you and your friends (optional), an envelope containing $20 to purchase text books for the student.

If we gather 25 or more backpacks, NESEI will arrange to pick them up.

When: between now and May 1st.

Where: Faith in Action Table (or drop off at the church anytime the office is open)