The Dio Log - April 28, 2023

View as Webpage

News & Events in the Episcopal Diocese of Maine

Volume 25, Number 8

April 28, 2023

Around The Diocese

Help Camp Bishopswood get ready or attend open house

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.

Stay for the weekend or join for the day on Saturday. Lodging and meals will be provided (donations towards food are greatly appreciated). Learn more here.

Weekend 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.

Start planning now for Deacons Day on June 25

It's time to plan for Deacons Day in the Diocese of Maine!

Remember Resolution 3 from Diocesean Convention in 2022? It sets aside the last Sunday in June for Deacons in the Diocese to travel to a parish that doesn't currently have a Deacon assigned to preach and teach about the Diaconate.

What is a Deacon in The Episcopal Church?

Here's the resolution that passed:

RESOLVED that the 203rd Diocesan Convention affirms the mission of the Diaconate and calls the Church to seek out persons within the Church who may have a call to be a Deacon. Therefore, the Diocese is to set aside a Deacon Day to honor and raise awareness of the calling and mission of Deacons in the Church and World; and be it further

RESOLVED that the 203rd Convention set aside the last Sunday in June as a Diocesan Deacon Day for the Diocese in which:

Deacons may travel to a parish that does not have a current Deacon placement to be the Deacon in the Liturgy, to preach and teach about the Diaconate and the Calling of a Deacon.

That Deacons will coordinate with the Bishop’s Office to schedule the visit. When a Deacon cannot be present on Deacon Day, Deacons will work with the Bishop’s Office to make a visitation on an alternate date.

That the Diocese will intentionally pray for the ministry of Deacons, for those in formation to be Deacons, and will pray for persons to be raised up for discernment to the Diaconate.

How can your parish participate?

If your parish would like to invite a Deacon to come on June 25 to preach and teach about the Diaconate, please send an email to Archdeacon Aaron Perkins by Friday, May 19, and we will match you up with an available Deacon. Also reach out to Aaron if you have any other questions or concerns.

Historic "Assisting Bishop swap" this past weekend

St. Peter's in Portland, Maine welcomed Bishop Rob Hirschfeld of the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire this past Sunday.

Bishop Rob presided and preached at Eucharist and led a lively coffee hour conversation, sharing his thoughts about how the dioceses of northern New England are finding new ways to work together in common mission.

Meanwhile, at St. Peter's in Londonderry, NH, Bishop Thomas Brown celebrated Eucharist and enjoyed the warm welcome of the parish!

The Episcopal Dioceses of Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire continue to try to find new ways of partnership and collaboration. Read the May 2022 letter from the bishops here.

News From Our Congregations

The Cathedral of St. Luke's Interim Dean Search Committee was recently commissioned. From left to right: Claire Hammen, Orion Williams, Rev. Dr. Paul St. Germain, Samuel Allen, Misha Pride, and Robyn Goshorn. Missing is Paula Gillies. The Rev. Dr. Paul St. Germain, Transition Priest, will be departing soon to serve Trinity, Lewiston.

St Bart’s Episcopal Church in Yarmouth is sponsoring a free seminar by the Rev. Dr. Robert D. Flanagan: Courage to Thrive: Practical Steps You Can Start Today to Find Meaning, Joy, and Hope. Rev. Dr. Flanagan will share his personal journey to find meaning, joy, and hope. His journey weaves together the support of mental health professionals and his path of faith.

The event will be held on Saturday, May 13 at 4 pm at St Bartholomew’s, 396 Gilman Road, Yarmouth. It is open to the public free of charge. FMI, please email the church.

Christ Church in Gardiner is hiring a part-time Music Director (Pianist/Organist/Choirmaster). They seek a skilled, dynamic, and enthusiastic Music Director to support worship at their principal Sunday services and to provide music on other Holy Days and special occasions. Christ Church is a small to mid-size parish with a strong musical tradition. Read the full job description here. To apply, please mail or email a cover letter, resume, and references to the Rev. Kerry Mansir, Christ Church, 2 Dresden Avenue, Gardiner, ME 04345.

Bishop Brown spent a wonderful day with the people of Trinity, Saco. His visitation included an official welcome of the Rev. Dave Dalzell to The Episcopal Church.

Correction: Christ Church in Eastport is the only Episcopal congregation that took part in The Greater Eastport Ecumenical Churches Association (GEECA)'s "Soup and Sermon" Lenten event. A photograph and story included in the last issue of The Dio Log (Vol. 25 No. 7) misidentified the churches involved.

Voices Among Us

The Vestry of St. David's in Kennebunk has unanimously passed a motion expressing parish support of tribal sovereignty in Maine. If you have questions, please contact Roy Smoot of St. David's who's also a member of our Racial Justice Council.

The million dollar bid to save a historic Maine bell tower

One of Maine's most historic churches has launched a $1 million fundraising campaign to help save its crumbling bell tower. Christ Church in Gardiner is on the national register of historic places. "One of the questions we get is why not...

Read more
www.wmtw.com

Maine woman still volunteering at 104 years old

News Center featured St. George, Sanford parishioner Barbara Bean who turned 104 in February in a recent story.

Read more
www.newscentermaine.com

Glenis Elliot, Convener of the Episcopal Peace Fellowship-ME Chapter, offers an update on the group's work in this recent blog post.

ACTION ALERT from the Climate Justice Council

We ask you to contact your legislators about four proposed bills set as a priority by the Environmental Priorities Coalition, a partnership of 37 environmental, conservation and public health organizations representing over 120,000 members in Maine.

Read more
episcopalmaine.org

Prayers

Let us pray for Cn. Barbara Martin as she begins her four month sabbatical. May it offer her a time of rest, renewal, and refreshment. Barbara will return on September 6.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to diocesan staff with any questions.

For a staff directory, please click here.
See a list about whom to call first? Click here.

Join us in praying for the ministry of diocesan staff participating in wider-church events this week!

Emily Keniston, Director of Faith Formation (and Global Mission Advocate for our diocese), Standing Commission for World Mission in Baltimore, MD
The Ven. Aaron Perkins, Archdeacon, Executive Council of The Episcopal Church working with the Church Pension Group in Baltimore, MD
Barbara Martin, Canon for Administration, B.E.S.T. Conference in Portland, OR next week
Katie Clark, Canon for Communications, Episcopal Communicators Conference in Texas, concluding her term on the Episcopal Communicators Board and collecting a BIG website award!!

Let us pray for clergy in the diocese who will be attending Clergy Conference with Dr. Catherine Meeks at Schoodic Institute April 30 – May 2, 2023.

Resources

Province I Conversation about Reparations on April 30

The Province 1 Becoming Beloved Community Network invites Episcopalians from across New England to Reparations in the Episcopal Province of New England, a Zoom conversation about reparations work in Episcopal context across the seven dioceses of Province 1. This conversation will take place on Sunday, April 30 from 3-5 pm. They will be inviting attendees to report on the status of reparations work in their local contexts, seeding strategic conversations about joint work, and creating a space to collaborate on and celebrate this important work. To find out more click here, and to register click here.