A Statement on the War with Iran, from Members and Committees of Woodfords Congregational Church, United Church of Christ
June Activites at Woodfords Church
Woodfords Church
of the Future!
The Wesley Bell Ringers
from
Salt Lake City, Utah
The Wesley Bell Ringers
at Woodfords Church
Saturday
June 13th at 7:00pm
ADMISSION:
A Free-will offering/ donation will be taken during the concert.
This will be one of 12 concerts in 16 days on the choir’s 60th annual summer tour and will feature 18 teenage ringers playing more than150 handbells and handchimes.
ABOUT THE RINGERS:
In 1963, The Wesley Bell Ringers, a music ministry of Christ United Methodist Church in Salt Lake City, UT, began with 9 youth ringers and 25 bells. From the very beginning membership in the choir has been open to any youth dedicated to learning the art of handbell ringing and caring for their fellow ringers.
Fast forward 60 years! The 18 current ringers are the most recent of more than 520 youth who have participated in the choir. The experience and dedication has never changed. The choir developed a reputation for musical excellence that continues to open doors to exciting opportunities. The previous 59 summer tours have taken the choir to all 50 states and all but one of the Canadian provinces. They have performed at the US Capitol, Cathedral of the Pines National Monument, Mt. Rushmore, George Washington Masonic Memorial, Disneyland and Disneyworld. The choir has participated as the featured choir at numerous handbell festivals around the United States, and performed for The National Music Educators convention. Performances with The Mormon Tabernacle Choir and The Utah Symphony Orchestra have been repeated honors over the choir’s history. In 2017, the choir was invited to record with The Piano Guys on their album Christmas Together.
A Message from the Church Moderator: John England
Dear Members and Friends,
I am pleased to share the long-awaited news that we closed on the sale of the Parish House on Wednesday, May 20, 2026. This milestone officially marks the beginning of the "Woodfords Church of the future."
As we move forward, our focus shifts to implement our Building Mission Statement:
"Woodfords Congregational Church, a vital part of the greater Portland community since 1872, envisions its physical building and environs to be in covenant with its core mission of creating community, championing justice, and growing with God. We offer our building and property as a community resource that incubates and nurtures neighborhood organizations and programs that align with our core beliefs—love, peace, and inclusivity. We intend for our building to remain relevant and aligned with our values long into the future, even if it outlasts our faith community’s needs."
Additionally, CHOM will begin mobilizing its team and contractors to bring housing for 85 low-income seniors to our immediate community. Despite various funding and construction obstacles, they are currently on track to begin demolition and construction in early 2027.
We remain committed to our partnerships with organizations that are in our building and support our community: Wayside Soup Kitchen, Project Feed, A Company of Girls (ACOG), Stages, Maine Council of Churches, Verizon, The Bay Group, Munjoy Hill Group, Tuba Group, SSL Support, OA Support, Fresh Start, and Survivors of Suicide Loss Support. We look forward to adding to this list.
None of this could have been accomplished without you, members, friends, and our dedicated staff.
Thank you for everything you do!
John England, Moderator
ChoralArt Portland:
A sing-along performance of Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem, conducted by Assistant Conductor, Jeff Mosher, with Collaborative Pianist, Kellie Moody. Whether you are a longtime choral singer or simply love to sing, this event offers the opportunity to experience one of the choral repertoire’s most moving masterworks alongside fellow music lovers from throughout Southern Maine.
ChoralArt will once again partner with Project FEED to support local food insecurity efforts.
Admission is $5 plus a nonperishable donation item for Project FEED.
Students are admitted free.
Any proceeds beyond event expenses will also be donated to Project FEED
Event Schedule
-
7:00 p.m. – Warm-up and rehearsal
-
7:30 p.m. – Refreshments and social time
-
8:00 p.m. – Performance of Fauré’s Requiem
Eat Dessert First: An Ice Cream Social!
Woodfords Church
Sunday, June 28
11:15am to 12 noon
Entertainment by Bellamy Jazz Band
The greater community, families and friends are invited to an ice cream social and concert from 11:15 to noon June 28 at Woodfords Church. Bring your own chairs and blankets to 202 Woodford St. and enjoy some free ice cream and frozen treats while listening to the Bellamy Jazz Band on the front lawn. Parking is available in the church lot. The event will be held rain or shine.
Bellamy Jazz has delighted Maine and New England audiences with its engaging mix of traditional jazz. Playing music that ranges from Preservation Hall to Count Basie, Bellamy has been voted "Maine's most popular jazz band" for many years. A six-piece band, Bellamy offers instrumental virtuosity, vocals, light-hearted humor and nostalgic storytelling. It's all entertainment with the Bellamy Jazz Band.
The Jazz Band will also provide special music at the Sunday morning worship
in the sanctuary at 10am. All are welcome to attend!
Monday, June 22
7 to 9pm
Bellamy Jazz Ensemble
Summer of 2025
Help us “Bud and Bloom”
our Kindness Tree with leaves!
Since spring has finally arrived, let's keep the momentum going and spread those acts of kindness. Remember, even the smallest gesture—a smile, a helping hand, or a kind word—can grow into something magnificent in our community.
KINDNESS 2026
Woodfords' Creating Community team is embarking on a year-long program in conjunction with the United States Kindness initiative (https://www.usofkindness.org/), which is supported by the United Church of Christ. The plan is to engage Woodfords members and the broader community in completing 250 Acts of Kindness, large and small, in support of building a culture of compassion, connection and unity as the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary.
Woodfords Church welcomes you!
Visit our
YouTube channel
for past events and worship services
To learn more about Woodfords and whether it might be a good fit for your spirit, click below to send a message to our pastor.
Many Thanks to Our Mission Partners for ...
(Click the logo for the organization's website)
Nourishing Bodies
Emergency Food Pantry
Physical Address: 640 Brighton Avenue, Portland
Mailing Address: 202 Woodford St., Portland ME 04103
FEED is operating out of its temporary home while Woodfords Church is being renovated.
We hope you will visit us on Brighton Ave.
For a list of other Portland food pantries, click here.
Community Meal in Memorial Hall
Enjoy a Free Lunch
Mondays
Noon (12pm)
All are welcome!
Serving Youth
At A Company of Girls+ (ACOG+) we work with youth to cultivate their self-confidence, build resiliency, and create a community of respect and acceptance where uniqueness is celebrated and creativity thrives!
The STAGES Youth Theater Mission:
To unlock self-discovery in young people through the transformative power of theater.
Creating Connections
Inspiring peace, justice
& compassion through
collaborative action
Woodfords Congregational Church is a Just-Peace and Open-And-Affirming Congregation in the United Church of Christ.