News & Events in the Episcopal Diocese of Maine |
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Volume 25, Number 7
April 13, 2023
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Alleluia! Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! |
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"Because of Easter we literally live in a new world where the ultimate reality is not the death of all things, but is life in God and love everlasting," Bishop Brown writes in his Easter message. Read the entire message here.
Seen here is Bishop Brown celebrating Easter Vigil with St. Margaret’s, Belfast; St. Thomas’, Camden; St. Peter's, Rockland; St. John the Baptist, Thomaston; and Nativity Lutheran, Rockport at St. Margaret's on Saturday.
Click here to view more Holy Week and Easter photographs from our churches.
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Help ready Camp Bishopswood for the season or attend an Open House |
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Spring Work Weekend
May 5 – May 7
Join Camp Bishopswood for their annual Spring Volunteer Work Weekend to clear away winter and prepare the Camp for summer. Alumni, campers and their families, and friends of Camp will wash windows and walls, clear trails, prepare cabins and campsites, set up the swim area, and more.
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Stay for the weekend or join for the day on Saturday. Lodging and meals will be provided (donations towards food are greatly appreciated). Bring work gloves, sturdy boots or shoes, clothing for layering, bedding, toiletries, shop vacs, your travel tool kit and your enduring camp spirit. Learn more here.
Weekend-long Open House
June 2 – June 4
This is a great time for families to come and spend one or two nights and experience camp with their children. This weekend, highly recommended for kids attending Mini Camp or for first-time campers, is a great opportunity for campers to learn the routines and try some of the fun activities, all with the comfort of their families. Learn more here. |
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Second listening session to be held in person next week |
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Every faith community’s voice is necessary for us to have a diocese-wide vision! You're invited to attend at least one of the Diocesan Listening Sessions below:
Tuesday, June 20, 7PM via Zoom Passcode 461525
Click here to learn more from Bishop Brown about his hopes for these gatherings. |
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News From Our Congregations |
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The Episcopal Church of St. Mary in Falmouth welcomes applications for a Minister of Music for 20 hours per week. They seek an organist/choir director with a master’s degree or equivalent experience, skilled in hymn playing and in preparing, conducting, and accompanying a devoted volunteer choir. Read full job description here. Those interested should submit a CV, cover letter, and link to a video recording of organ playing by April 30. Please email all application materials to Committee Chair here. |
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Palm Sunday procession 🌴 | by St. Luke's, Wilton
Watch a video from St. Luke's Episcopal Church's Palm Sunday procession.
Read more
www.facebook.com
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The congregation of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Wiscasset invites you to a celebration of the 25th Anniversary of Ordination for Rev. Marcia Richardson as a Deacon in the Episcopal Church.
Join us to acknowledge the completion of her ministry as an active Deacon, serving her entire 25 years as Deacon at St. Philip’s in Wiscasset on Sunday, April 30 at 2:00 pm. Read more here.
If you are unable to attend, you are welcome to send a card with your well wishes to Marcia c/o St. Philip's, 12 Hodge St, Wiscasset 04578.
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Christ Church, Eastport and St. Aidan's, Machias report that their Lenten "Soup and Sermon" event at area churches on Mondays in March was an astounding success. The crew shown here (left to right, Deacon Madeline Murphy, Laura Safford, Thomas Kohl, Pat Christopher, Sarah Darulis, Kathy Carroll) served four delicious homemade soups and a variety of home baked breads on March 20. An average of fifty people attended each event hosted by The Greater Eastport Ecumenical Churches Association (GEECA). |
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Emmanuel Lutheran Episcopal Church in Augusta is seeking a part-time, 20-hour per week, Church Office Administrator to oversee the operation of the church office and to perform general clerical support duties for the clergy and the church leadership. This position includes both routine general administrative duties and assisting with projects. The full job description is available here. To apply, please email a letter of interest and resume and include "Church Office Administrator" in the subject line. |
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A group of area churches came together to celebrate Easter Vigil on Saturday. The Episcopal churches of St. John's, Bangor; St. James', Old Town; St. Augustine's, Dover-Foxcroft; Trinity, Castine; and St. Patrick's, Brewer along with Redeemer Lutheran of Bangor were hosted by St. Patrick's in Brewer. |
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Welcome to a new season of the Faith in Maine podcast! This season we focus on stories from around the diocese, learning more about the people that make up the Episcopal Diocese of Maine.
In this episode, learn more about the Rev. Amanda Gerken-Nelson, Priest in Charge at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in Yarmouth.
Our Faith in Maine podcast just reached 5,000 downloads on Podbean which is just one of the platforms where it can be found! The lastest episode is also available by telephone. Call the permanent number: 207-223-6402.
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Palm Sunday celebrated with forsythia in Lewiston
Sarah Strong presents a forsythia stem to the Rev. Tim Parsons. Trinity Episcopal Church in Lewiston uses local flora instead of palm fronds on Palm Sunday.
Read more
www.sunjournal.com
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John Hennessy, Director of Public Advocacy for the Diocese of Maine, shares the latest advocacy news.
"It has been a busy couple of weeks on the advocacy front now that the legislature has dealt with the state budget. Speaking of the budget, you have heard the democratic majority passed a budget that effectively eliminates the possibility of a government shutdown in July.
The budget funds ongoing state services with certainty and stability without raising taxes. Given the unfortunate volatility in the statehouse, I believe this will be a good thing as the remaining public policy initiatives and new spending can be addressed without the distraction of a disruption to state government.
We have testified to support expanding health care (LD 199) to new asylum seekers and refugees, common sense gun safety (LD 22, 60, 168), and maintaining the ban on religious exemptions for vaccines (LD 51, 1098, 1209)..."
Read the rest of the update here. |
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Rev. Jay Sidebotham's new book Signs of Life is available now as well as an accompanying free study guide. It offers a consideration of the challenges facing congregations as well as a celebration of practices that contribute to spiritual vitality in congregations.
Bishop Thomas Brown writes, "Signs of Life is written by a pastor for any person, lay or ordained, who cares about congregations. Jay’s decades of experience in parish churches, as well as his vulnerable witness that developing 'more programs' is not the same as deepening faith in Jesus Christ, grounds this work and makes it both practical and beautiful."
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The Parochial Report is an annual report made by every Episcopal congregation to their diocese. In the 2022 edition, there were new demographic questions added, and The Episcopal Church needs your help to answer them!
This data helps the leadership of The Episcopal Church know who is sitting in the pews, and at the wider church level, make decisions about financial and staff support for ministries aimed at different age groups (like Children, Youth, and Young Adult, etc) and racial/ethnic identities (like staff positions for Indigenous, Hispanic/Latino, African Descent Ministries).
The committee on the State of the Church wants to hear your feedback on the 2022 parochial report questions and the way data is collected. All comments are welcome. You can email them here. |
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Easter Reflections: The Light Shines in the Darkness
Dr. Barry Black and the Most Reverend Michael Curry join Jonathan Capehart to offer reflections for Holy Week and Easter Sunday.
Read more
www.msnbc.com
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Congratulations to Canon for Finance and Stewardship Terry Reimer on his well-deserved retirement.
Terry joined the diocesan staff eighteen years ago, in 2005, and has faithfully served under three bishops: Bishop Knudsen, Bishop Lane, and Bishop Brown. Notes for Terry can be sent to the diocesan office, and we will send them along.
The Rev. George Cooper, Acting Director of Finance, will be covering Terry's duties in a short-term transitional capacity, as announced previously this year. Contact George for support with your faith community’s finances and matters related to the Trustees. |
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Pray in thanksgiving for the Rev. Lauren Kay and Rev. Stephen Fales. Lauren finished their ministry as rector at St. George’s in Sanford on March 19 and is now taking time to figure out what’s next. Steve Fales (pictured here), a retired priest from the Diocese of Indianapolis, living in Saco, becomes the interim rector at St. George’s. During his 40 years of ordained ministry, he has served 5 parishes in 4 dioceses. |
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Prayers for and welcome to Julian Sheffield who, as was moved and approved at March's Diocesan Council meeting, becomes the Diocesan Treasurer pro tem.
Sheffield has managed finance and HR in church, education, other non-profit institutions and small businesses in New York and Maine. Julian retired in 2018 after 10 years as Director of Finance at The Brooklyn Youth Chorus, a 600-student after-school training and performing institution in New York.
Julian was a member of the Community of the Holy Spirit for 10 years, and holds a Th.M. from Union Theological Seminary. Julian and her wife Deirdre Good worship at St. Margaret’s Belfast, and live in Northport with their dogs Maddy and Simba and the cat with the huge personality, O’Malley.
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Rev. Kit Sherrill a priest of the Diocese of New Jersey, and a longtime member of All Saints by the Sea on Southport Island and St. Columba’s in Boothbay Harbor died April 10 at Miles Memorial Hospital in Damariscotta, as the result of a brain injury caused by a fall. He was 88. Kit will be remembered at the 10 am service at St. Columba’s, Boothbay Harbor on Sunday, April 23, and his funeral will be held on Saturday, August 12 at 11 am at All Saints by the Sea Chapel, Southport. Read Kit's obituary here. May he rest in peace and rise in glory! |
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The Rev. Clifford T. Geiger, 83, died on March 18 in Ashland, Massachusetts. Cliff was rector at St. Mary's, Falmouth from 1966 to 1968 and at St. David's, Kennebunk from 1968 to 1985. Read his obituary here. May his soul and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. |
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Registration open for "It's All About Love" festival |
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Episcopalians everywhere are invited to register to join a churchwide festival of worship, learning, community, and action July 9-12 at the Baltimore (Maryland) Convention Center.
“As we emerge from COVID, we need more of God’s love, guidance and power in order to keep becoming a church that truly looks, lives and loves like Jesus,” said the Rev. Stephanie Spellers, the presiding bishop’s canon for evangelism, reconciliation ,and creation care. “In other words, we need a revival of relationships and love. That’s what this festival is all about.”
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Save these dates below! For the full events calendar, click here.
APRIL
18 Diocesan Listening Session (St. Nicholas, Scarborough)
30 April through 2 May Clergy conference with Dr. Catherine Meeks, Schoodic Institute
MAY
23 Diocesan Listening Session (St. Mark's, Waterville)
25 Diocesan Listening Session (Trinity, Portland)
JUNE
20 Diocesan Listening Session (Zoom)
- 10, 17, 24 and 31 October: Town Halls as Pre-Convention Gatherings
- 21 October Diocese-wide Convocation at the Cathedral
- 11 November Annual business session via Zoom for clergy and lay delegates
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