North Haven, ME



NORTH HAVEN CHURCH (where I preached)


Last weekend (August 22 – 24, 2009) I spent a couple of days on North Haven, an Island in Penobscot Bay, Maine, USA. I was there to preach at the Island's year round Church.

North Haven is 12 miles from the mainland, and is served three times a day by ferries from Rockland, ME


As luck would have it the finest ferry boat (“The Burgess”) was out of commission, so I was transported by the old, and very inadequate ferry ( “The North Haven” )

I enjoyed my visit. But I would grow “stir crazy” if I had to live there.

You can get a sense of the island, from the following ( taken from the Island’s website)

-----------------------------

"North Haven is an island town proud of its traditions, its independence, its treasured natural beauty and its unique community of:


twelfth generation natives,

fourth (as well as first) generation seasonal residents,

retired and pre-retired baby boomers,

maverick spirits,

new arrivals,

young year-round families,

old bachelors,

reconstructed hippies,

young farmers,

artists,

sailors,

artisans,

fishermen,

boat-builders,

babies,

makers-of-many-things,

brides,

romantics and

curmudgeons"


--------------------------------------------------------


I’d fit in as an old bachelor or as a curmudgeon.
But I could not live in such a place.
I need to live in a City or Town in which I can be anonymous within the crowd.
And I cannot imagine being dependent on a Ferry to connect me with the bigger world.
My preferences aside, the Island is cool!

With its year round population of 350 or so people, it is an independent Town within Maine, and has a wonderful Kindergarten thru’ 12th grade school, housed in a new $8 million dollar building. Much of that money was given with freedom and generosity from the wealthy summer residents.
Here is the School website.
http://www.northhavencommunityschool.org/

The Island also has a Protestant Church. It was built by rich Episcopalians in 1925 for the use of Baptists/Congregationalists etc . for 42 weeks each year, and for the use of Episcopalian congregations in July and August each year.,

‘Twas there that I preached last Sunday. (I’ll post my sermon tomorrow).


I get goose bumps when I recall that as blue collar/working class U.K. Bristolian, I have had wonderful adventures such as these.





NORTH HAVEN SCHOOL

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