Promotion to Principal

Rhiannon Pelletier has been promoted to Principal dancer of the Maine State Ballet Corps. This is the highest level one can achieve. Rhiannon has been training and performing ballet for almost 14 years. While teaching dance to all ages of students at CenterStage and Maine State Ballet, she also attends school full time at Saint Joseph’s College.

Church News

Come and experience the drama of Jesus’ last week during a Passion Sunday with palms service at Raymond Village Community Church. So much happened between the time that he entered the Holy City of Jerusalem on a donkey as the crowds waved their palm branches and his death on a cross only a few days later. Through haunting and beautiful songs, silent and spoken prayers, dramatic readings, and short visual presentations the church will re-live those final days, culminating with the raising of the cross. Worship in the Vestry and (weather permitting) process into the sanctuary with live palm branches from the outside, so come early and enjoy a hot cross bun!

Services are held Sunday, March 29, 10 a.m., Raymond Village Community Church – UCC (RVCC), 27 Main St. (Route 121 just north of Route 302), Raymond Village. For more information, contact the Rev. Nancy Foran, 650-7845, [email protected].

All are invited to a soup and bread supper on Maundy Thursday, April 2, at 5:30 p.m. followed by a Passover (Seder) meal at 6:15. Try the foods that Jesus shared with his disciples at the Last Supper. At the end of the meal, Communion will be served, in much the same way that Jesus first presented it to his followers. This is a marvelous family event that will help make the Easter story more meaningful to children and youth.

At 7 p.m., there will be a Candlelight Tenebrae service in the sanctuary with the Senior Choir and a small group from the Very Occasional Men’s Choir. “Tenebrae” means “shadows,” and this moving service will take us through the arrest, trial and crucifixion of Jesus. The sanctuary becomes darker as the story progresses, and the candles are slowly extinguished.

All of these Maundy Thursday events are separate, come for one part or the whole evening. For more information on the Seder Meal and Tenebrae Service, contact the church office at 655-7749.

Kindergarten Screening

Kindergarten screening for Raymond Elementary will be April 13. Please refer to http://www.windhamraymondschools.org/res/kindergarten_registration/ for more information.

Seeking Donations to Honor Civil War Veteran

Civil War Medal of Honor recipient Daniel S. Milliken’s Grave is located in Riverside Cemetery in Raymond. His grave is marked with a simple white marble VA stone that lists only his name and date he died. Milliken is much more than what his stone would indicate. Local veterans’ organizations and the community would like to add a more suitable memorial stone that would recognize his achievement as a Medal of Honor recipient during his tour as Quarter Gunner on the U.S.S. New Ironsides at the Battle of Fort Fisher in 1864 and 1865.

American Legion Field-Allen Post 148 is working closely with the town of Raymond in the design of the Memorial Stone and the appropriate recognition ceremony to be held this spring. The estimated cost of the memorial is approximately $1,200 with some funds already donated. If you would like to support this worthy cause please forward donations via check to Milliken Medal of Honor, c/o American Legion Post 148, PO Box 1776, Windham, Maine 04062. For more information, contact Raymond Town Clerk Sue Look at 655-4742.

Raymond Village Library News

• Maine Author Series

Russell Warnburg, author and third speaker in the library’s Maine Author Series will be at the Raymond Village Library on Wednesday, April 8, at 6:30 p.m. Mr. Warnberg, who resides in Windham, will be speaking about his book, “The Chalk Line Killer.” The story revolves around Detective Sullivan and his team in Maine, who join forces with Detective Tweed and his team in Minnesota, when murders begin happening in both states with the same MO. Each murder victim has a chalk line drawn around their lifeless body. The chalk lines appear messy until Sullivan realizes they are messages.

Russell will also be speaking about how he got the ideas for his book, which is the second in a series. This free event is open to the public, but because of limited space we ask those planning to attend, to register by calling the library at 655-4283 or email [email protected] to reserve your seat.

• Pass to the Children’s Museum and Theater of Maine

Thanks to a generous donation from one of the Raymond Village Library’s trustees, a pass to the Children’s Museum and Theater of Maine is now available for library patrons’ use. Please check at the library for more information.

Rhiannon Pelletier of Raymond has been promoted to Principal dancer at the Maine State Ballet.Courtesy photo