Following last year’s successful interfaith Martin Luther King Jr. Day service, People United Against Racism (PUAR) has organized two days of community events on Sunday, Jan. 14 and Monday, Jan. 15. Six stand-alone events, happening throughout the twin villages of Newcastle and Damariscotta, will each be hosted by one of PAUR’s community partners. All events are free and open to the public and intended to facilitate conversations around how we can continue working toward Dr. King’s vision of building the “Beloved Community” in Lincoln County and beyond.

The events start Sunday morning, Jan. 14 at 10:30 with Midcoast Unitarian Universalist’s (MUUF) Sunday service in Porter Hall at Skidompha Library, Damariscotta. That Sunday, the Rev. Erika Hewitt will offer a special MLK Day service, titled “The Arc of Justice: From the Civil Rights Movement to Black Lives Matter,” to which the public is especially invited.

The next event begins at noon and is a showing of the documentary video by Paula Palmer, “Quaker Indian Boarding Schools,” at Midcoast Friends Meeting, 77 Belvedere Road, Damariscotta. After the screening, Daniel Hall will offer queries to spur reflection and discussion. Quaker queries are questions or a series of questions used for reflection and in spiritual exercises. All are welcome.

The next day on Monday, Jan. 15, 9 a.m. to noon, the National Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service will be organized from the Second Congregational Church in Newcastle.The Baha'i Faith, along with the Lincoln Academy Interact Club; the service fraternity, Alpha Sigma Gamma, and the service sorority, Sigma Sigma Chi, will be offering service to the community. Others are welcome to join in providing service by gathering in the basement at 9 a.m.

Right next door to the Second Congregational Church in Veteran’s Memorial Park, from noon to 1 p.m., will be People United Against Racism’s Weekly anti-racism Vigil. The community stands up to systemic racism every Monday in the park for ½ hour from noon to 12:30 p.m. On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, it will be a special, hour-long vigil. Participants are encouraged to arrive anytime during the hour and bring their own signs or pick one up from the side entrance of the church.

After the vigil, the Lincoln Theater will be showing a free matinee of the movie “13TH” at 2 p.m. The film explores the "intersection of race, justice and mass incarceration in the United States; "it is titled after the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which freed the slaves and prohibited slavery (except as punishment for a crime). After the movie, Rev. Erika Hewitt of the Midcoast Unitarian Universalist Fellowship will lead a post-screening conversation.

Finally, at 5:30 p.m., the Second Congregational Church in Newcastle will host a potluck lunch and discussion panel. All are welcome and invited to bring a dish if they can. During the dinner, there will be a moderated panel of expert guest speakers. Two panelists will reflect on their experiences as activists in the Civil Rights Movement fifty years ago, while others will share how they are currently active in today's anti-racism movement. There will be a time for small group conversation and engagement with the panelists afterward. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn, to reflect, and to connect with others.

For more information, email People United Against Racism at peopleuar@gmail.com.