Our Minister

Rev. Fayre Stephenson became our minister in the fall of 2012.  Ordained in 2001, Fayre was called to the Unitarian Universalist ministry as a second career.  She is known for her insightful story-filled sermons and for her sense of humor (in and out of the pulpit).  For Fayre the greatest joy in congregational life is the community we share – in working and playing together, in seeing friendships grow and in ministering to each other in good times and bad.

A graduate of the Harvard Divinity School, Fayre served for eight years as minister of the Foxborough Universalist Church in Massachusetts, where they named her Minister Emerita. She also served eight years as program director at Ferry Beach, the UU camp and conference center in Saco, Maine.

Prior to entering the ministry, Fayre worked for the Massachusetts Legislature and as a writer and lobbyist for the Massachusetts Organization of State Engineers and Scientists, a public employee labor union.

Fayre is the mother of two sons, Alex and Nat.  Alex retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army and now works as a contractor for the Department of Defense.  Nat teaches English as a Second Language at Lynn Classical High School in Lynn, MA.  Fayre is also the doting grandmother of six grandchildren.  A history wonk, Fayre is devoted to kayaking and other pursuits with her dear friend, Sue Denison.

Our Music Director

The congregation enthusiastically welcomed Tom Coolidge as Music Director in 2019.

A life-long resident of Bethel, Tom is a classically trained pianist.  He graduated from the University of Maine with a degree in Music Education in 1975.  Tom retired from teaching after thirty years in area schools.  He taught at Telstar High School for the last sixteen years of his teaching career.

During those thirty years of teaching, Tom also played in bands featuring every music genre anyone might list – rock bands, gospel groups, dance bands, country and western bands, and classical ensembles to name a few.  In addition to the piano, Tom plays guitar and Native American flute.  Tom’s extensive experience is a great fit for the congregation’s eclectic taste in music.

Oxford Hills theater goers may recognize Tom as the accompanist for OHMPAA (Oxford Hills Music & Performing Arts Association) and Oxford Hills School Community Broadway Show musicals.  He has also accompanied musical productions in Buckfield.

Tom and his wife Chris have three grown children.  They spend their summers at the family camp in Greenwood.

Our Office Manager

Linda Smith joined the church staff in September of 2021 bringing with her years of customer service experience.  Linda attended the University of Maine School of Nursing but, as she wrote for our newsletter, The Free Thinker,“… the organization and exactness of the corporate world called to me and I spent many happy years in various customer service, accounting and training positions.”  Linda and her life partner Glenn also ran Beeps’ Bakery for several years.

After about twenty years in the business world, another vocation called;  this time it was the holistic health arena, where Linda and Glenn have been certified to both practice and instruct several modalities.  Linda and Glenn run their holistic health practice together.  They live in nearby West Sumner.

 

Our Sexton and Church Historian 

Kevin Farr has been the Sexton of our church since July 1, 1988. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the job. A graduate of CMVTI (Central Maine Vocational Technical Institute, now Central Maine Community College) in Auburn, with a degree in electrical and mechanical technology, Kevin ran his own business as a residential carpenter and electrician for 34 years. He retired in 2021 but, happily, not as our Sexton.

Kevin, along with Pat Shearman, is our church archivist, a position he has held for some twenty years. The Archive Room is in the Blake House where, until covid, Kevin and Pat met regularly to work on archival materials. Kevin has also served on the Church Board many times, as chairman and in almost every other office.

A native of West Paris, Kevin is a graduate of Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School where he was a ski jumper on the ski team. Kevin and his wife Dee (Dolores) were married in our church in 1983 and joined as church members in 1984. They live in Oxford where they raised their children Joshua and Rebecca. They are the proud grandparents of Walter.

Kevin and Dee volunteer at the Oxford County Fair every September and manage the Agricultural Museum on the fair grounds. Kevin is also a beekeeper and makes maple syrup. He sells both his honey and maple syrup at local fairs including our church fairs.