Midcoast Senior College
WINTER WISDOM 2026

Sponsored by The Highlands

January 7, 14, 21, and 28, February 4 and 11 2026

Wednesdays 1:00 – 2:15 p.m.

TWO LOCATIONS – CHECK EACH WEEK TO FIND LOCATION OF EVENT

United Unitarian Church of Brunswick
Brunswick United Methodist Church, 320 Church Rd, Brunswick, ME 04011

FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!

All events are in-person. Seating is limited; reservations are not accepted. You may arrive up to 15 minutes before the program begins to get your seat. If all seats are taken, we will close the room. Please call 725-4900 or email: mscoffice@midcoastseniorcollege.org with any questions.

January 7: Sean Fleming and Red Hot Peppers Band – Ragtime from its Beginnings through the 1920s
Sean and his ensemble return for an exploration of the evolution of ragtime through the early part of the 20th century. The group will perform classic early Rag tunes followed by a discussion of key composers and influencers of the time. Sean Fleming is a keyboard artist, accompanist and arranger who performs with over ten choral and instrument groups and has been a guest artist with many more. In addition to his own bands, he is on the roster of the Amethyst Chamber Ensemble and is a member of the Maine Friends of Music chamber ensemble. At Universalist Unitarian Church of Brunswick.

January 14: Maine Railroads – When the Good Times Rolled
The seven railroads operating in Maine in the postwar era and an examination of the few key players whose qualifications in leadership led to Maine’s rail industry’s prosperity up to 1980, followed by a look at its downfall and the current network of Maine’s rail service. Geoffrey Doughty is a retired safety consultant to both the railroad and trucking industries. His career included service with Maine Central Railroad, railroad safety director for Maine Central, the Boston and Maine, and Delaware and Hudson railroads under Guilford management’s consolidation of the three. At Brunswick United Methodist Church.

January 21: Humor – Not Just a Laughing Matter
Experts recommend a healthy diet and ongoing exercise to enhance our well-being in the aging process, but what about the role of humor? We’ve all heard the saying “laughter is the best medicine,” but what is it about humor and laughter that makes us feel so good? Susan Flewelling Goran spent her 50-year nursing career caring for critically ill patients and their families as educator, director, author, and clinical specialist. A frequent speaker at regional, national, and international conferences, she was known for her use of humor and creativity for enhanced learning for both professional and lay audiences. At Brunswick United Methodist Church.

January 28: The Three Hundred Year Invasion: The Vikings’ Influence on Ireland
In the last decade of the 8th Century raiders from the North appeared off the coast of Ireland and sacked the unsuspecting monastery at Lindisfarne, the first stroke in what would become a centuries-long conflict. The Norsemen came first to raid, and later to settle, but the meeting of the two cultures would change both Irish and Viking history forever. Award-winning author James L. Nelson will discuss the origins of this invasion and its consequences, along with the story of how he came to write his Viking series, The Norsemen Saga. Nelson has written and published 28 historical novels and non-fiction books, ten of which are Northmen sagas. At Brunswick United Methodist Church.

February 4, 2026: Longfellow Days – A Poet’s Dilemma
Longfellow Days’ theme “Finding Your Voice” will gather 3 local poets for a humorous presentation of the poet’s extra challenge in sharing any poem aloud. At Unitarian Universalist Church, Brunswick.

February 11, 2026: Loving the North Woods: 25 Years of Historic Conservation in Maine
A look at the challenges that led to conservation successes during a remarkable period of activity from 1990 to 2015. During this time of forest ownership changes, Maine went from about 5% of some form of conservation, to 20% being conserved in some manner. The forces that brought forth this change and the stories of conserving Maine’s North Woods will be described. Karin Tilberg was Staff Attorney and Director of Advocacy for Maine Audubon Society, became Maine Director and then interim Director for Northern Forest, served as Deputy Commissioner of Maine Department of Conservation and worked as a Senior Policy Advisor to Governor John E. Baldacci. Most recently, Tilberg was president and CEO of Forest Society of Maine, retiring in 2024. At Brunswick United Methodist Church.