Volume 28, Number 2

Feb. 13, 2025

On Wednesday, Feb. 5, the Diocese of Maine hosted a Zoom Webinar titled Faithfully Supporting Our Vulnerable Neighbors. This webinar was held to affirm love and respect for the dignity of all people and the commitment of the Diocese of Maine to support and serve our most vulnerable neighbors at a sensitive time.

Over 160 participants joined to hear inspired guidance on how to equip Christian leaders and other neighbors to serve the most vulnerable populations in our communities. While the webinar focused the topics related to immigration, it also highlighted the need to support other groups and at-risk individuals needing comfort and support. 

Bishop Thomas Brown launched the webinar by offering pastoral encouragement and making the clear connect between our need to renew and support current ministry efforts with our church’s sacramental commitment to the Baptismal Covenant.

Moderated by the diocese’s director of communications, Susan Sherrill Axelrod, the esteemed panel of speakers included the Rev. Jane Fields, executive director of the Maine Council of Churches; Rebecca Linder Blachly, director of The Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations (OGR); John Hennessy, the diocese's public policy director, and Emily Kenniston, the diocese’s director of faith formation.

Resources and information shared by the panel continue to be available upon request. Please contact digital communications specialist, Amy Redfern. 

The Diocese of Maine’s Refugee Sunday is March 9

The Episcopal Diocese of Maine will show its support of Episcopal Migration Ministries and the ministry of refugee resettlement and host a Refugee Sunday on the First Sunday of Lent, March 9. Refugee Sunday is an opportunity to welcome our new neighbors, teach about refugee resettlement, and inspire the local community to take action in support of refugees and immigrants. Churches throughout Maine will join together to share the message of welcome and hope with our community through stories, reflection, and prayer. 

To learn more about Refugee Sunday here. Find more resources for all migration ministries here.

A Successful, Snowy, 'Have Your Say' Youth Retreat



Last weekend, middle and high school youth from both Maine and New Hampshire gathered for a winter retreat at Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center in New Hampshire. Titled "Have Your Say," what began as a listening session and opportunity for youth to offer feedback and share experiences about being young Episcopalians in our respective dioceses a few years ago has grown to include a full-scale youth retreat experience. Read more and see more photos here.

Calling all acolytes and their leaders!

Acolyte Festival

Saturday, Mar. 1, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Christ Episcopal Church, Needham, MA

Join other Province I acolytes on Saturday, Mar. 1 for a day of fun and learning to celebrate the unique ministry that is acolyting in The Episcopal Church! Participants can expect to arrive at Christ Episcopal Church in Needham, MA at 10 a.m. for an acolyte olympics to get to know other youth from around Province I. A pizza lunch will be shared followed by acolyte practice, with dismissal at 2 p.m. Participants will leave with their own editable customary to share with their home church. Cost is $10 per participant, which will cover lunch. To register to bring a group or to ask questions, please email Emily Keniston.

Registration Open For Summer Sessions at Camp Bishopswood

Unplug, connect, and make lifelong friends at Bishopswood! Summer camp is the perfect place to foster independence, teamwork, and friendships through fun activities and cabin life. Located in the beautiful woods of mid-coast Maine, Bishopswood is an affordable, Episcopal coed overnight camp open to all youths ages 6-16.

Honoring Absalom Jones 



Today is the Feast Day of Absalom Jones, the first Black priest ordained by the church. To commemorate the day and the man, people of all backgrounds and faiths are invited to give generously to the Absalom Jones Fund in support of the work of two historically Black institutions of higher education: Voorhees University in Denmark, South Carolina and Saint Augustine’s University in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Both universities were founded after the Civil War to create educational opportunities for formerly enslaved people. Donate and find resources including bulletin inserts here.  Learn more about Absalom Jones here. 

'An Episcopal Bishop Reminded Us That Mercy Must Be Valued, Not Denigrated'



Former Maine Senator and Representative Marge Kilkelly (right), vice president of the Maine Council of Churches wrote an op-ed applauding Washington D.C. Bishop Marian Budde's now-famous sermon delivered at the National Prayer Service on Jan. 21.

"Bishop Budde has indicated that her goal was to start a conversation and speak for those who are seldom heard," Kilkelly wrote. "In my opinion, Bishop Budde’s sermon was an example of living into both her baptismal covenant and her role as the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington." Download the entire op-ed here. 

TONIGHT! Here We Are, Send Us!: Sharing Resources for a Faithful Response to Threats of Harm to the LGBTQ+ Community

Thursday, Feb. 13, 4 - 5 p.m., on Zoom

Join Maine Council of Churches for the second in a series of online "town hall" gatherings to discuss ways Maine's communities of faith can be prepared to respond when vulnerable groups are targeted by the new administration. This session will focus specifically on effective strategies and responses to threats of harm for LGBTQ+ folks. Guest speakers include: the Rev. Amanda Gerken-Nelson, rector of St. Bartholomew's in Yarmouth, the Rev. Tara Humphries, Ophelia Hu-Kinney, Gia Drew, the Rev. Kharma Amos, and others. Registration for this free online event is required to receive the Zoom link. The event will not be recorded.

John Hennessy Headlines Episcopal Peace Fellowship Meeting

Saturday, Feb. 15, 3 p.m., on Zoom

Director of Public Policy John Hennessy will be the keynote speaker at the annual meeting of the Episcopal Peace Fellowship. His presentation will especially focus on how the diocese and the Maine Council of Churches have worked to pass common-sense gun safety legislation in the state legislature—and then defending those laws. John has also spent a decade coordinating the Maine Episcopal Public Policy Network, which has worked on diverse issues, including gun safety, LGBTQ+ rights, access to reproductive healthcare, vaccines, and more.

A Celebration of Black History Month with Roosevelt André Credit

Saturday, Feb. 15, 3 p.m.,

St. John's, Bangor

St. John's in Bangor will host a concert by traditional gospel singer Roosevelt André Credit, a bass-baritone, who has performed at the Met, on Broadway, and in award-winning films.such as "12 Years a Slave." Roosevelt is also a member of The Choir of St. Ignatius Loyola in New York, and a composer, conductor, and recording artist. The concert is open to all and free. Learn more here.

Teaching Others to Pray: A Workshop with the Society of Saint John the Evangelist

Saturday, Feb. 22, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

St. David's, Kennebunk

This one-day workshop is designed especially for pastors, teachers and other lay leaders who assist in the spiritual formation of others. Others who have interest in the topic are also welcome to attend. Participants will learn how to introduce three types of meditative prayer:

• Lectio divina, Ignatian meditation and centering prayer
• How to encourage and utilize meditative prayer in group settings (e.g. vestries, small groups, etc.)
• How to design and lead retreats and quiet days

Brothers David Vryhof and Jamie Nelson of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist (SSJE) in Cambridge, MA will lead the workshop. The SSJE Brothers have a long history of teaching, preaching, offering spiritual direction and leading retreats.



A simple lunch will be provided. Contact the Rev. Andrew D’Angio White to register. A suggested donation of $25 is invited to defray costs, paid by cash or check the day of the event.

Lent and Holy Week

In preparation for the season of Lent, we've collected multiple resources on the diocesan website. These include 40 Days of Welcome and Gratitude, "a call to giving thanks for the ways we are welcomed in the world and the ways that people offer welcome to us and to our communities"—a new partnership between United Thank Offering and Episcopal Migration Ministries; a Lenten Book Group; an alternate Good Friday liturgy, a link to resources from The Episcopal Church, and more. See all of the resources here.

"The Philadelphia Eleven" Documentary Coming to PBS 

Starting March 1, the feature-length documentary film, "The Philadelphia Eleven," will be offered on PBS stations across the U.S. The film covers the journey of the 11 women who first fought for and ultimately won the fight for ordination in The Episcopal Church. It is a moving portrait of the courage of these women and a testament to radical and positive change within in an established institution. The film will also be available to screen online on the PBS website. Learn more here.

Grants Application Process Updated for 2025

The Diocesan Grants Committee has rolled out a new application process in 2025 with the goal of making grant-making easy and accessible to everyone. Wondering if there is a diocesan grant available for your project? Please submit a one-page Letter of Intent (LOI) to the Grants Committee outlining your proposal.

In your letter, please include:

• The full name of the organization or congregation submitting the grant request.
• A brief background of the organization and its mission.
• The name and contact information for a point person from the organization receiving the funds.
• The amount of funding being requested and an overview of the budget.
• A narrative description that includes the scope of the need and explanation of how your program addresses that need.
• Read through the full guidelines here for a list of the things to think about and include in your LOI.

Send your letter plus your budget and any supporting documents in an email addressed to grants@episcopalmaine.org. LOI’s are accepted on a rolling basis! Please send us your letter or questions as early in your planning as you are able.

View the recording of the Grants Town Hall on Jan. 14 here and find more information on our website. 

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Brunswick seeks a part-time (20 hours/week) Lead Admin staff member to join their team four days a week. This five-hours-per-day role involves interacting with St. Paul's team of clergy, staff, parish leaders, and volunteers who together direct the communications, fiscal administration, and building usage. A successful candidate will have skills in fiscal management, demonstrate attention to detail, effective communication skills, and a capacity for confidentiality. They seek a teammate with a creative and generous personality, a desire to serve on a motivated team, and a heart for helping bring progressive Christian hope to the neighborhood, region, and world. Learn more here. 

St. Ann's Episcopal Church and Faith Lutheran Church in Windham seek a full-time rector to serve both parishes. The churches have been informally collaborating and working together for several years and entered into a formal clergy sharing position just over a year ago. Both churches are deeply rooted in the community, welcoming to all, and involved in several outreach opportunities. The congregations have dedicated long term members and are hoping to grow through faith formation, continued collaboration, and with the help of a compassionate, encouraging, and creative clergy person. Learn more here.

Trinity Episcopal Church in Castine is receiving applications from Episcopal priests for the position of part-time priest in charge. Find more information about Trinity Episcopal Church on their website. Find more information and application instructions in the Ministry Portfolio.

Is your church hiring? Would you like us to share the job description? If so, let us know!

See the full events calendar here.

See the bishop's visitation schedule here. 

• Feb. 23, Bishop's visitation, St. Paul's, Brunswick
• Feb. 23, Celebration of New Ministry, St. Martin's, Palmyra and Rev. Christopher Warne, 4 p.m.
• March 1, Parochial Reports due
• March 2, Bishop's visitation, Grace Church, Bath
• March 8, Retreat of Governing Bodies, St. Luke's, Portland
• March 9, Refugee Sunday
• March 9, Bishop's visitation, St. Patrick's, Brewer
• March 13, Lenten Clergy Quiet Day, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Zoom
• April 8, Chrism Eucharist at St. Mary's, Falmouth, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
• May 4 - 6, Spring Clergy Conference

Do you have a story to submit to The Dio Log? Did someone forward you this newsletter? Join our community and help us share the good news!