Families will have two opportunities for corporate worship on Christmas Eve on Southport. For the early-to-bed folks, the Southport Methodist Church will offer a service with choir music at 7:30 p.m. For the night owls and more adventurous among us, All Saints by-the-Sea plans a communion service with Kit Sherrill as the minister and Donna Griffin playing the guitar, beginning at 10 p.m. A stalwart crew of Al Moses, Bud Hawley, Paul Noah, Leal and Will Brinegar and other volunteers plan to clear and decorate the path. If you attend the later service dress warmly as the chapel is not heated and call 633-0672 to be sure the chapel is accessible if the weather is severe.

My Christmas lights award this year goes to Ronny and Nancy Spinney on Route 238 across from the Ship Ahoy motel. They have provided abundance and variety with bushes and the house festooned with lights as well as lighted figures of deer scattered on the lawn and in the woods. Across the road at what I refer to as the "Little Red School House" the wreathes and lights also bring a smile to my face and brighten the winter dark. Both displays are now hard to drive by because of the closing of the Thompson bridge over Decker cove, but westsiders, it's worth your time and effort to enjoy the sight.

Seventeen stalwart souls plowed through the snow to worship at the Southport Methodist Church during last Sunday's snowstorm, over 50 percent of them choir members. Many thanks to our new road crew who plowed and spread sand and salt. About 8 a.m. Sunday morning I skied to the end of our driveway thinking I might get a run on the road before anyone sanded, but just as I ventured forth I heard the truck coming down the hill heading north, so I hastened back to the driveway to keep out of the way. We did not attempt to drive on Sunday, canceling our annual trip to Hanover, New Hampshire to see the Christmas Revels, but I know that Matt and Ben were hard at work.

On Wednesday, December 13, all three of our selectmen, Superintendent of Schools Elaine King, Bruce White, members of the Regional School Consolidation Planning Committee, Howard Wright, Elaine Fernsides, Adam Maguire and I traveled to Augusta to attend the hearing of the Education And Cultural Affairs Committee concerning proposed changes to the School Administration Consolidation Bill. Although I had experienced the tourist's 15 minutes in the U.S. House and Senate and had attended several hearings in Washington, D.C., I had not seen our democracy at work in Augusta.

The organization and geographical diversity of people who spoke impressed me as did the thoughtfulness of the speakers. The Education Commissioner, Sue Gendron, acknowledged she had heard from approximately 60 Southporters on the issue. Our state representative, Bruce McDonald, spoke first for the amendments. Bruce White spoke for us supporting the amendments to eliminate the two mill tax requirement for education and to restore the minimum state subsidy for special education. He suggested that if cost reductions are necessary, let the local units decide how those will be achieved. Howard Wright spoke of the effect that retaining the two mill requirement would have on a private citizen. Most of the people who spoke against the amendments did so because they believed the whole bill was flawed and should be repealed. We have good reason to be proud and thankful that folks are willing to expend time and energy in the effort to get the best education possible for our children.

I am sure Sue Mello has a complete report on the meeting and the subsequent committee decisions elsewhere in the paper, but I am told that the Education Committee in its deliberations the next day, decided to recommend the amendments Southport desires to the legislature when they meet again in January.

The Southport Memorial library Board of Trustees met on Monday, December 17 to discuss the plan beginnings of the renovation project.

They chose Neal Reny to excavate the site this winter to prepare for construction in the spring.

The Island Store will be open on Christmas Eve as usual: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. The store will be closed on Christmas Day and opened only from 8 to 11 a.m. on the day after Christmas, December 26.

Due to the Christmas holiday, next week's column is due tomorrow, Friday, December 21. Please e-mail me or call 633-0672 if you have news.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all readers.