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“White Mass” set for Feb. 10 at Basilica
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland will present its annual “White Mass” for health care professionals and caregivers on Sunday, February 10 at 10 a.m. at the Basilica of SS. Peter & Paul on 27 Bartlett Street in Lewiston.
The White Mass celebrates health care professionals, including doctors, nurses, emergency medical technicians, lab technicians, therapists and others from all religious denominations, by offering a blessing for their contributions to the healing mission of Jesus and to ask God’s blessing upon their work.
“Those of us who entered into the medical profession do so because we desire to heal,” said Dr. Michael Czerkes, an OB/GYN and Naprotechnology Specialist at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center in Lewiston. “We want to help those around us and we do that through medicine.”
Chamber to honor businesses large and small at 125th Annual Meeting
Chamber members and guests will gather at the Ramada Conference Center on Thursday, January 24 for the 125th Annual Meeting and Awards program —The Chamber’s largest event of the year.
The Annual Meeting will feature The Chamber Awards program, emceed by Chamber Board Chair Mary LaFontaine of the Lewiston Career Center. Those being recognized include: The Chamber’s new members in 2012; past and present Chamber leaders; and the distinguished community members who will receive The Chamber’s highest awards.
YPLAA to present awards at Chamber Annual Meeting
New this year, The Young Professionals of the Lewiston Auburn area will present their annual awards at The Chamber annual meeting. The first will be presented to Travis Dow, who is most notably recognized as the head of sales for Uncle Andy’s Digest. In the past two years Travis has launched two new businesses “The Maine Home Show” and “MenusinLA.com.” Both of these ventures were enormous undertakings that were launched for the principal purpose of helping promote local small businesses.
Out & About with Rachel Morin: Congregational Church performs first gay bi-racial marriage
Tony Brown and Langston Snodgrass
By Rachel Morin
Langston Snodgrass and Tony Brown of Lewiston were married Saturday, December 1 in Auburn at the High Street Congregational Church, United Church of Christ—a historic first for the church. Three celebrants took part in what is the very first gay, religious, bi-racial marriage ceremony at the Congregational Church.
The Rev. William Walsh Jr., pastor of Hampden Congregational United Church of Christ, was the celebrant, with the Rev. Stephen Carnahan, pastor of High Street Congregational Church, UCC Auburn, and the Rev. Dr. William Blaine-Wallace, multi-faith chaplain at Bates College, as co-celebrants.
This is the story of two men—articulate, educated, intellectual and spiritual, one black and one white—who met, fell in love and decided to marry in the presence of God, family and friends and to make the focus of the wedding ceremony God-centered, as well as love-centered.
LAVA Fest serves up holiday laughs
AudioBody
Come laugh this holiday season with the Lewiston-Auburn Variety Arts Festival, formerly Phyzgig North, now known as LAVA Fest. This wonderfully funny vaudeville troupe, which sold out three packed houses last year, makes three return appearance on December 14 and 15 at 7:30 p.m. and on December 15 at 2 p.m. for a children’s matinee.
All three performances will take place at Bates College’s Schaeffer Theatre, 305 College Street in Lewiston. Tickets for the evening performances are $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors; tickets for the matinee performance are $10 for adults and $8 for children under 14. To reserve tickets, call the L/A Arts box office at 782-7228 or see www.laarts.org.
LAVA Fest presents incredible illusions, captivating storytelling and side-splitting physical comedy featuring the talents of Leland Faulkner, Antonio Rocha, Karen Montanaro, Fred Garbo, “YoYo People” John and Rebecca Higby and Matt and Jason Tardy (a.k.a. “AudioBody”).
Farmers’ Market features holiday gift ideas
Still looking for unique, locally-made holiday gift ideas for family and friends? If so, plan to stop by the Lewiston Winter Farmers’ Market Holiday Extravaganza on Thursday, December 20 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s Nutrition Center, 208 Bates Street in Lewiston.
Search for great stocking stuffers among handmade soaps, body lotions and holiday scented wax melts; for that perfect gift of wellness among herbal teas, extracts and syrups, bath oils, salves and herbal rice bags; or for that final touch of holiday décor among balsam wreaths, swags and arches, Celtic Christmas ornaments and beautiful Asiatic lilies.
The Lewiston Winter Farmers Market brings together 25 vendors selling Maine-grown and -made products, including fresh fruits and veggies, pasture-raised meats, eggs, seafood, live lobster, milk and artisan cheeses, fresh bread, handmade desserts and maple syrup. Other great gifts ideas and holiday supplies available will include one-of-a-kind pottery items, jewelry, fiber art and needle felting kits, strudel, pies, preserves, pickles and, of course, handmade holiday cards.
Annual Christmas concert with Mitch Thomas and Friends
Mitch Thomas (Stacey Kane Photo)
You won’t want to miss “An Advent Afternoon of Christmas Music” with Mitch Thomas and Friends. The annual concert will take place on Saturday, December 22 at 2:30 p.m. at the Auburn United Methodist Church at 439 Park Avenue.
Thomas will perform several seasonal favorites, including some of his own compositions and arrangements. The free event features several other local artists, including: Maddy Leslie, who just finished starring the Public Theatre’s A Christmas Carol; her sister, Mia-Angelina Leslie; Tiffany Warren, who was “Dorothy” in Community Little Theatre’s The Wiz; Nakesha (Kay) Myrick, Warren’s sister, who has appeared in and directs shows at CLT and her home church; and Lena Warren, Tiffany and Kay’s mother, who was “Auntie Em” in The Wiz.
Also performing are popular local singers, Kristen Thomas and Caroline Young Coffin; bassist, Jeff Munson; guitarist, Neil James; organists, Norma Rice-Gould and Jon Whitmore; and vocalists, Hayden and Elias Thomas.
UU Theater presents “Ho Ho Holiday Drag Show”
Miss Jacinda, among others, will appear in the Ho Ho Holiday Drag Show.
UU Theater will present a “Ho Ho Holiday Drag Show” on Saturday, December 8 at 7 p.m. Christopher Dufour will host this seasonal extravaganza, featuring performances by Shaneeda Diet, Daveena, Jacinda, Miss Eon, Roxie Devoe and Mystyk. This buffet of beauties in fabulous frocks will bring the season to life with inspiring fun and holiday music.
Admission is $5. Proceeds will benefit the home of UU Theater, the First Universalist Church of Auburn. The church is located at 169 Pleasant Street (enter on Spring Street across from the Dairy Joy). Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. Ample free parking is available and the building is accessible. For more information, call 783-0461 or see www.auburnuu.org.
Annual Messiah Sing-along at Congregational Church
The Augusta Symphony Orchestra (ASO) is excited to invite the community to its 10th Annual Messiah Sing-along, with performances taking place at 7 p.m. on Friday, December 14 at the High Street Congregational Church in Auburn and Saturday, December 15 at Hope Baptist Church in Manchester.
Handel’s Messiah was completed in 1741, with composition beginning on August 22 of that year and finishing a mere 24 days later on September 14. Despite its swift creation, only minor errors were found within the 259-page masterpiece.
Described as “a meditation of our Lord as Messiah in Christian thought and belief”, Messiah differs from many of Handel’s other oratorios in that the soloists do not take on dramatic roles, there is no single, dominant narrative voice and very little use is made of quoted speech. It is a musical tour de force that has stood the test of time by remaining internationally popular for 270 years, featuring “Comfort ye”, the “Hallelujah” chorus and the closing “Amen.”
Big crowds turn out for 6th Annual Twin Cities Holiday Celebration
The number of attendees and parade participants were at an all-time high Monday to make a huge success of the 6th Annual Twin Cities Holiday Celebration. Onlookers lined the streets to view the Parade of Lights with a theme of “Celebrating Cultural Holidays.”
Pre-parade activities were held at Auburn City Hall and the Lewiston Public Library, including story time, arts and crafts, a holiday sing-a-long and physical comedy by performer Michael Trautman, the latter sponsored by L/A Arts.
The Parade of Lights commenced in Auburn and ended its route at Dufresne Plaza in Lewiston, with Dunkin’ Donuts providing snacks at Festival Plaza in Auburn as parade onlookers waited patiently for the parade to begin.
Throughout the evening, festivities at Dufresne Plaza included music by Dionne Entertainment, free horse and wagon rides by Stillbrook Acres, free Photo Finish photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, performances by the Lewiston High School and Edward Little High School choral groups, snacks compliments of the Salvation Army, lighting of the Christmas tree and Menorah, visits with costumed characters, and holiday wishes extended by Lewiston Mayor Robert Macdonald, Auburn Mayor Jonathan LaBonté and Rabbi Hillel Katzir.
Franco Center announces Christmas program schedule
Joëlle Morris
This season’s performance calendar at the Franco-American Heritage Center is an unusually busy one. In fact, the month of December alone will feature seven Christmas concerts in a three-week span, beginning on Saturday, December 1 with a performance by local singers Just Us Entertainers.
“This is going to be a very busy place for three weeks,” said Franco Center executive director Louis Morin, who noted that with one exception, a concert by the Boston String Quartet on December 20, all of these Christmas shows will feature mostly local artists who live within a half-hour drive. “We’re blessed here in Maine with a wealth of musical and artistic talent, and we’ll be showcasing some of the best of it this holiday season.”
Morin also said that, during a season in which people are spending more on heating oil, not to mention Christmas gifts, the Franco Center is mindful that ticket prices should remain low. In the hope that patrons will be able to attend more than one holiday concert, no ticket to any show between now and Christmas will cost more than $20 – and most of them will be less than that.
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