Cathedral Office Closed from Christmas to New Years

In observance of the holiday season the Cathedral office will be closed from Christmas to New Years Day. There will not be an E-pistle published on Thursday, December 29th, however there will be a an E-pistle with the Sunday Service bulletin and announcements published on Saturday, December 31st.

If you need to mail end of the year donations to the Cathedral, please use our mailing address of P.O. Box 4141, Portland, ME 04101

Thank you for your understanding and have a wonderful holiday season.

Annual Meeting & Vestry Nominations

The Annual Meeting of the Congregation is scheduled for January 29, 2023 at 11:30 am. This year’s meeting includes the presentation of the budget and the election of a Senior Warden for a two-year term, three vestry members for three years and one vestry member for one years, and five delegates to Diocesan Convention. On January 29, Anna Christie (senior warden), Peter Bingham, Jamie Cough, and Gayle Anglin (vestry members) will be rotating off. Per our bylaws, the outgoing vestry members and officers and Dean form a nominating committee. This committee received nominations from the congregation in November and will bring proposed candidates to the vestry at its December for approval, which will then be put on a slate for the annual meeting (nominations are also allowed from the floor). Candidates for vestry must be communicants in good standing, at least 15 years of age, and contributors of record to the Cathedral. If the dean is absent, the Annual Meeting is chaired by the Senior Warden. For all committee members and leaders of ministries and activities, annual reports are due to the Cathedral office by January 15. Watch the bulletin and E-pistle for pre-annual meetings and other events.

Vestry Nominations

Sr. Warden - Sam Allen

Vestry (three 3- year and one 1-year position) Jamie Moore, Eleanor Roberts, Mike Thorne,Jamie Cough, Linda Carleton, Judd Hume. The top vote getters will have the three year positions.

Delegates to Convention (5 positions): Curtis Maurand, Gayl Anglin, Judd Hume, Orion Williams, Fred Fowler

Nominations are allowed from the floor. While the annual meeting will be live-streamed, parishioners will need to be present in order to vote. (Votes are limited to parishioners in

Good Standing, people of regular attendance who are pledging members or givers of record). 

Vestry Meeting Highlights

The vestry met last Wednesday night. A few highlights: YTD pledging is a little behind and we will need a strong December to finish the year well. Stewardship for 2023 has 128 pledges totaling $398,000 of our $490,000 goal. If everyone who pledged last year pledges this year, we will come close to this, so please get your pledges in! The vestry passed clergy housing allowances for 2023.  The Jr. Warden reported on projects, including upcoming work on a sign on State Street and a handicapped accessible door off the parking lot entrance. The vestry approved a list of nominations for Senior Warden, Vestry and Diocesan delegates which will be announced once candidates have confirmed. The annual meeting will be January 29, with a financial town hall on January 22. The vestry discussed next steps toward healing and reconciliation with former members of the BBCC committee and agreed to engage a consultant to help with this work. The vestry approved the Rev Paul St. Germain for Sabbatical Coverage and the Rev. Christopher Worthley and the Rev. Anne Fowler as assisting clergy, with the dean’s 4-month sabbatical set to begin after the annual meeting on Sunday January 29. The vestry celebrated the success of the cathedral’s outreach efforts, the concerts, the Advent Lessons and Carols, and many other wonderful happenings at the cathedral then ended its meeting with prayers for Advent and Christmas.

Sabbatical Update

Clergy of the diocese are given four month sabbaticals ever five years. Dean Shambaugh was due a sabbatical this year but it had been delayed because of Covid. At its November meeting, the vestry agreed to give Dean Shambaugh a four month sabbatical beginning January 29th following the annual meeting. We are pleased to announce that during this time, the Rev. Paul St. Germain will be available for ten units (mornings, afternoons or evenings) during the week and three Sundays a month. Paul comes with extensive large church experience and will be the primary contact for day to day operations, pastoral care, and worship planning. He may be contacted through the office 772-5434, [email protected] He will be assisted by the Rev. Suzanne Roberts, the Rev. Christopher Worthley, and the Rev. Anne Fowler, as well as our deacon, the Rev. Rebecca Grant. Note that in the absence of the dean, the authority of the parish rests with the Senior Warden. For more information about the Rev. St. Germain, see his website.

St. E's Blanket Collection

Response to a Crisis in the Community: Many have raised concern about hundreds of asylum seekers and others who are at risk of losing their accomodations in local hotel rooms. St. Luke's is working with other local congregations, with the diocese, and with St. Elizabeth's Jubilee Center in figuring out the best way to move ahead. Watch the e-pistle for more information In the meantime we are doing a special drive to add warm blankets to the winter coats and boots we are currently collecting. Want to help? Bring warm blankets, boots and coats to St. Elizabeth's and we will make sure they get to those who need them!