Staff Writer
LIMESTONE, Maine — The history of the Limestone United Methodist Church is a story of ingenuity, hardship, joy, endurance and faith. From preliminary Methodist services offered in homes to the dedication of the Church on July 16, 1890, from the spare-potato fund-raising efforts for church repairs in the ‘20s to the turbulent theological times of the ‘60s and even from the closing of the Loring Air Force Base in the ‘90s came the congregation of today— unified, devout and compassionate with more strength than ever. “None of us can know exactly what the next century of our church history will bring. Nonetheless, we can certainly hope and believe that there will be many more just as dedicated persons in our church community during the next 100 years as there have been during the past 100 years,” wrote Viola H. Robbins and Patricia J. Thompson in The History of the Limestone and Caswell United Methodist Churches in 1990. “And further, we may anticipate that these persons will continue to enable the Limestone United Methodist church to be a warm and exciting place to be.”
Twenty years into that “next century,” the congregation of the Limestone United Methodist Church has more than met those expectations; not only has the congregation proven their dedication to the church community, they’ve expanded outward to touch the lives of non-congregation members in the Greater Limestone area through their outreach programs like the food pantry and The Closet.
Members of the church have coordinated celebratory events this weekend to signify the anniversary.
On Saturday night, June 26, starting at 6:30 p.m. there will be a hymn sing followed by a slide show that highlights the history of the Church. A Pie Social will be offered afterward at approximately 7:30 p.m.
On Sunday, June 27, the 9:30 worship will feature guest preacher Patricia Thompson, who co-authored the previously mentioned history of the Church. She will be presenting the congregation with a heritage message.
Even the coffee fellowship following the worship services will highlight the historical milestone by serving cookies made from old recipe books and back-in-the-day beverages like lemonade and root beer.
Additional information about the Limestone United Methodist Church can be obtained by visiting www.gbgm-umc.org/limestoneumc/
