Then Peter came up and said to Him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.”
Ephesians 6:10-11
Happy Fall! The time of year when summer vacations are coming to a close, and the children are getting ready to start school. Whatever it is, from school or a new career, it will be a challenge.
During this new challenge, we will make mistakes. When we do make a mistake, I hope we will stop and observe the situation for what it is. Try to discover if anyone was at fault or if the incident was truly faultless.
No matter who was at fault (if anyone), do be sensible and kind. Step back, take a deep breath, and be kind. Kindness solved more problems than anger.
Until the next time, remember, “Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.”
Benediction: Gracious Father, bless those who sin against us. Give us the strength to overcome anger wherever or whatever it may be. Help us to forgive quickly, and not hold grudges. Amen.
Thought for the month:
“None of us sit high enough to look down on anybody.”
While Chaplain Christine is burdened with technology challenges, she has invited Past MSG Chaplain Clay to share some spiritual thoughts with our Grange Flock.
I left the topic the same as last month because it seems appropriate to share a few things from my Annual Report of how the Communications Department is doing just that.
This is the fifteenth year the website has been in place. Site views have increased significantly. This Grange year, the site has been viewed at least 22,000 times—an average of 1800 times per month and a 25% increase over the previous year.
Several significant accomplishments this year include:
A significant purging of the site in conjunction with arranging the migration of the site to a new host provider. After fourteen years with our provider, we began suffering severe outages and increased costs. The preparation and execution took many hours, but the change has been beneficial.
Added a number of “Resources for Grangers,” including logos for the most common Grange events and programs, a special Communications Column on the subject of non-profits, and further development of “Rapid Resources” on a variety of topics.
Continued to streamline the site by purging dated material. This makes the site much more manageable, reduces confusion, and saves server space.
Completed interviews with media representatives and researchers.
As time permits, I continue to work with local Granges who want assistance with communication and “semi-technical” support.
Created a distinct form and method for submitting events and programs being sponsored or hosted by local community Granges. The resulting posts are easily accessible and can be shared on social media with little effort. These events are also added to the MSG Events Page which is among the most visited pages on the site.
Started work on a revised Communications Handbook for 2026-27 that will integrate the current website handbook. Technology is changing rapidly, and we cannot ignore many of those changes.
Continued to facilitate an outbound email service that allows information to be sent directly to officers, directors, and deputies on short notice. This service also enables website subscriptions. Website subscribers grow slowly, and I consistently send subscribers a weekly summary of posts.
Looking ahead to 2026-2027, some objectives include:
Continuing to keep communication positive, helpful, and engaging.
Add a simple privacy policy explaining how the site handles information.
Complete and expand the resource pages for Book Exchange Programs and Words for Thirds.
Promote the posting of Subordinate Grange events and news to the site.
Continue searching for resources, including additional guest columnists and regular topical information that can be reposted with attribution.
Update the online directories of Granges and Officers as the roster information becomes available.
On a personal level, I’ve become more focused on my writing efforts. I’m writing for a monthly local magazine, The Guilford Register. (One column was about the Granges in Maine!) I recently published “Memorials, Monuments, and Memories,” a book that takes readers from Flanders Fields to Main Street America. “Cows, Corn, and Calm” will document what happens when a Maine writer with a lifelong love of bovines loads up his pickup truck, points it toward Amish Country, and signs up to learn how to drive a team of oxen. Also on the list is a sequel to Exploring Traditions that includes Reflections on the Grange Way of Life. If “idle hands are the devil’s workshop,” I’m on good ground.
My complete report is available on the website and will be included in the delegate’s packet at State Session. Please let me know if I can do anything to help you and your Grange.
Valley Grange is located at 172 Guilford Center Road in Guilford, Maine.
GUILFORD, Maine —Valley Grange members and friends will soon return to school to celebrate Dictionary Days at five local elementary schools.
Grange teams will visit Brownville, Harmony, Piscataquis Community, SeDoMoCha, and Ridgeview elementary schools, giving every third-grade student a personal dictionary. Presentations emphasize the fun of learning and discovery, along with a lesson in how to “look it up.”
Program Director Walter Boomsma recently contacted each school to request third-grade enrollment counts. Since the program began, the Guilford-based Grange has distributed more than 4,000 dictionaries.
“We’re certainly proud of the numbers, but even more proud of the potential impact those dictionaries may have had on each individual child who received one,” Boomsma said.
The program began more than 20 years ago at one school. “We’re now reaching another generation,” Boomsma said. “Parents and school staff occasionally tell us they remember their Dictionary Day. Thanks to the support we receive, we are creating a legacy within and for our communities. This truly is an annual project where everybody wins.”
Once enrollment counts are received, dictionaries will be ordered from The Dictionary Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The order often totals as many as 10 cases.
“That’s when the real fun begins,” said Valley Grange Secretary Mary Annis. “We label each dictionary and schedule school visits. The visits are fun and exciting—sometimes a bit noisy, but always worth it.”
To learn more about the program, support its mission, or become involved, visit the Valley Grange website at valleygrange.com or contact a Valley Grange member.
Suicide prevention is not one moment or one person’s job. It lives in the relationships we build, the support we offer, and the communities we create together.
Week 2: Connecting People to Crisis Support and Resources
988 is there for anyone who is struggling, not only for people in a full crisis. Feeling overwhelmed or in emotional pain is reason enough to reach out.
A real person answers every call, text, and chat to 988. The support is free, confidential, and available any time of day or night.
988 is available in Spanish, for Veterans, for deaf and hard of hearing callers via ASL Videophone and chat, and in more than 150 languages. Help is there for everyone.
Knowing about 988 before you need it, and sharing it with the people in your life, is one of the most important things any of us can do.
Crisis care goes beyond 988. Mobile crisis teams, stabilization centers, and community behavioral health clinics are part of a network that helps people through their hardest moments.
Reaching out early, to a trusted person, a provider, or 988, before things reach a breaking point leads to better outcomes and more paths forward.
Registered Maine voters may use this free service to request an absentee ballot for the November 03, 2026 General Election. Ballots must be received no later than 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Election Day.
Suicide prevention is not one moment or one person’s job. It lives in the relationships we build, the support we offer, and the communities we create together.
Week 1: Strengthen Suicide Prevention Together
The people in our lives can be a lifeline. Strong relationships and trusted connections help protect people when life gets hard.
Suicide prevention starts long before a crisis. Open conversations, shared resources, and visible awareness make a real difference.
Knowing the warning signs of suicide, in adults and in children and teens, means being able to recognize when someone needs support and connect them to help sooner.
Communities that talk openly about mental health and suicide help reduce the stigma that keeps people from asking for help.
Prevention is everyone’s responsibility, not just one organization’s. Families, schools, workplaces, faith communities, health systems, and individuals all have a role to play.
Small acts of connection, such as a check-in, a shared resource, a moment of genuine attention, are how communities take care of each other.
Grange Heirlooms are snippets from the lessons of the Grange as taught in the Rituals and Declaration of Purposes.
Use the icons below to share this Grange Heirloom on social media and help others understand what the Grange stands for! If this heirloom has a particular meaning for you, click the “leave a comment” link at the left and share your comment with us!
Photo by Markus Winkler on Pexels.com. Text reprinted from an eNewsletter by Senator Stacey Guerin, Maine District 4.
Observed the first Monday in September, Labor Day is an annual celebration of the achievements of America’s workers. The holiday is rooted in the late nineteenth century when labor activists pushed for a federal holiday to recognize the contributions workers have made to America’s strength, prosperity and well-being.
Before it became a federal holiday, Labor Day was recognized initially by individual states. New York was the first state to introduce a bill recognizing Labor Day, but Oregon was the first to actually pass a law in 1887. During 1887, four more states – Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York – passed laws creating the holiday.
By the end of the decade Connecticut, Nebraska and Pennsylvania had followed suit. By 1894, 23 more states had adopted the holiday and Congress passed an act on June 28, 1894, making the first Monday in September of each year the legal holiday. For many, the three-day holiday weekend marks the unofficial end of summer as public schools and colleges return to class.
I’m working on a fully updated Communications Handbook to introduce for the 2026-27 Grange year. The business of communication continues to change rapidly, and it’s time to ensure the handbook meets the needs of our Granges and Grangers.
Like it or not, we must embrace technology. Studies show that over 80% of Maine citizens own a smartphone. Device ownership tracks closely with age demographics. In Maine households, roughly 93% of householders aged 15 to 34 own a smartphone, compared to only 49% of householders aged 65 or older.
If we are to remain relevant to our communities, our communication to those communities (and with each other) must also be relevant. We face a real challenge here. Our handbook will attempt to be a relevant resource. (I do love alliteration!) The current handbook shows how to format a press release document. The new handbook will address sending emails.
Relevant Resources
What would be helpful? If you have some thoughts, you can easily comment on this post. (Look to the left and click “Leave a Comment.”) Or, if you’d prefer, email me. My ambitious goal is to have this available at our State Convention in October, so don’t delay!
Communication Tips
We’ve got some, but we want more! What does your Grange do that works? I’m looking for creative ways we communicate internally (among members) and externally (with the public). Again, you can leave a comment or send an email.
The current handbook is available on the site for viewing and downloading: 2025-2026 Communications Handbook. It’s worth a look! And your ideas and tips are worthy considering for the updated version!
Reprinted from an eNewsletter by Maine Senator Stacey Guerin, District 4.
The Maine Bureau of Highway Safety (BHS) announced last week that Maine law enforcement will participate in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over High Visibility Enforcement Campaign.” Usually held in mid-August through Labor Day, which is September 7 this year, the campaign kicked off in earnest on August 19.
According to BHS, Maine State Police, county sheriff’s offices and local law enforcement will be participating in the three-week effort. Nine fatalities involving blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 grams per milliliter (the state’s legal limit) or greater were recorded in Maine over the past three summer campaigns.
There were 162 fatal crashes in the state in 2025, of which 27 involved alcohol or drug impairment, according to state data. In all, 173 people died on Maine’s roadways last year, and 29 of those were due to operating under the influence.
This data and program could be the basis of a Family Health and Hearing Report and, if promoted, qualify as Community Service.
