Membership is required before registering for your first class of the year. Membership year is from September 1, 2025 through August 31, 2026. This membership entitles you to take classes at any of the 17 senior colleges in Maine. As a member you will also have an opportunity to participate in occasional free classes and functions throughout the year

with Jeff Goldsmith, MD, DFASAM

This class is an introduction to meditation with instruction about postures and techniques.  The class has discussions before and after a 20 minute period of formal meditation.  Instructive handouts occur from time to time.  All materials are sent out via email. ZOOM

Starts September 11 (thursday)  11:30-12:30                            runs for 8 weeks

> Defiance/disobedience/resistance—all the same activity—involves many very different activities from protecting the persecuted to immiserating the fascist abusers. In this 6 week course, we’ll look at what happened during the Nazi era to see what might happen here now. How did the various religions rally? What could isolated individuals do? What did preventing infection from fascist ideology involve? How was non-fascist culture preserved? What tricks did the Scandinavians have? What heritage did Americans from that era leave us?

Your story matters.  You have experiences and wisdom valuable to others.  This class will help you recall, organize, and write these episodes. Sharing our stories and experiences with others in class often leads to unexpected rewards. Enjoy the encouragement and support of writing and sharing with others in a comfortable and safe atmosphere.  New writers, unsure writers, experienced writers, all are welcome.

 Mike Davis believes everyone has a story to tell and wisdom to share.  His goal is to create a safe and welcoming environment for persons to learn together.  Throughout his career he helped lead safe, respectful experiences of listening and sharing. He treasures each story and the opportunity to bring people together in transforming relationships.

 ZOOM

 Oct 2 (possible switch to 10/9) Oct 23

Nov 6, 20  Dec 4, 18  Jan 8,22

 One of the most amazing phenomena in history has been the two thousand plus years of a religion that has grown from an itinerant backwater preacher and his small band of followers to the world’s largest religion with over two billion followers world-wide. How did this happen? Well, the answer is not a simple one, nor a smooth one, but we will explore the people and movements and events that were all part and parcel of this tumultuous event. And our approach will not only be an historical one as we will also open up many of the cultural components of art, music, literature, and film that have been inspired by and further contributed to this incredible story. I hope whatever your background might be that you will join us to learn more about a force that has had untold influence on the world’s history…and which continues to do so.

Paul Doherty   I bring my overall 45 years of experience in education, broadcasting and ministry to my involvement in Maine’s Senior Colleges,  I have taught courses in Spirituality and Sustainability, particularly as the two work together. is an armchair theologian with experience in music, broadcasting, and ministry. 

Thursdays, October 2 to November 13,  from 1:00-2:30. 

 WITH NO CLASS ON OCTOBER 16

HYBRID PRESENTATION    (ZOOM AND IN PERSON) ZOOM Link will be sent 24 hours in advance. In person class will be held at York Chamber of Commerce.

Your story matters.  You have experiences and wisdom valuable to others.  This class will help you recall, organize, and write these episodes. Sharing our stories and experiences with others in class often leads to unexpected rewards. Enjoy the encouragement and support of writing and sharing with others in a comfortable and safe atmosphere.  New writers, unsure writers, experienced writers, all are welcome.

 Mike Davis believes everyone has a story to tell and wisdom to share.  His goal is to create a safe and welcoming environment for persons to learn together.  Throughout his career he helped lead safe, respectful experiences of listening and sharing. He treasures each story and the opportunity to bring people together in transforming relationships.

ZOOM  

 Oct 6,20 Nov 3.17 Dec 1,15  Jan 5, 19

This class will meet on Zoom on the second Wednesday of each month from 10 - 11:30. The instructor will lead discussions of books and authors. The books are from various genres and should all stimulate interesting discussion.  

                                  BOOK LIST FOR 2025/2026

  DATE           BOOK                        AUTHOR                LEADER

9/10/25     Stolen Queen               Fiona Davis

10/8/25     The Note                      Alafair Burke         Fran Halamandaris  11/12/25   Winds of War                Herman Wouk       Fred Boyle              12/10/25   Lion Women of Tehran   Mariam Kamali      Tess Burke            1/14/26     To be Determined                                     Jane Carlson and                                                                                   Pat Peck                2/11/26     Three Days in June        Ann Tyler              Heidi Julian            3/11/26     Secret of Secrets           Dan Brown           Andrea Dresser      4/8/26       The River is Waiting       Wally Lamb          Arlene Jackson      5/14/26     Karla's Choice                Nick Harkaway     Arlene Jackson      6/14/26     Class will choose this book.  It will be announced at the                           May 14th meeting. 

 A legacy letter (also called an “ethical will”) is a written document that allows people to share their life lessons, express their values and transmit their blessings to future generations. A legacy letter is shorter than a memoir, typically just a few pages. Writing one is a rewarding experience that creates an enduring gift for family, friends and other loved ones. Jay’s presentation includes discussion and brief writing exercises to help participants examine their life histories, explore their values and capture important insights. It offers advice, encouragement and a model structure to help people draft and complete their own legacy letters. Jay works with partner organizations to customize the program; he can offer a one- session workshop, two-session mini-course or four-session course, either online or in person.

In a long and varied career, Jay Sherwin has practiced law, given away money for five charitable foundations, worked as a philanthropy consultant and served as a hospital chaplain. Drawing on all those experiences, Jay created the Life Reflections Project to educate people about legacy letters and ethical wills; he now teaches legacy writing and works with clients to help them draft or edit their own legacy documents. In the past five years, Jay has offered workshops and courses for more than 100 public libraries, adult learning programs, senior centers, churches, synagogues and retirement communities nationwide, reaching more than 3,500 participants. Jay earned a BA degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a JD degree from Northeastern University School of Law. He has lived in eight states and two foreign countries and now resides in Portland, Maine. You can read more about Jay and the Life Reflections Project on his website at www.jaysherwin.com.