The Dio Log - March 9, 2023

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News & Events in the Episcopal Diocese of Maine

Volume 25, Number 5

March 9, 2023

Around The Diocese

Participate in one of the upcoming diocesan listening sessions

Every faith community’s voice is necessary for us to have a diocese-wide vision! In this video, Bishop Brown talks a little bit about the goal of these meetings.

All members of the diocese are asked to attend at least one of the Listening Sessions listed below:

Tuesday, March 21, 7PM via Zoom Passcode 974491
Tuesday, April 18th, 6:30PM, St. Nicholas, Scarborough
Tuesday, May 23rd, 6:30PM, St. Mark, Waterville
Tuesday, June 20, 7PM via Zoom Passcode 461525

Chrism Eucharist to be held on March 28 in Bath

The diocese will come together for Chrism Eucharist on Tuesday, March 28 at 9:30 am at Grace Church in Bath.

Bishop Brown will lead us in renewing our promises of baptism, and holy oils will be blessed for the coming year. Bishop Chilton Knudsen and Bishop Steve Lane will join us!

RSVP here before March 20.

Province meets for Christian formation conference

Christian formation practitioners from most of the seven dioceses that comprise the Episcopal Province of New England (Province I) met at Barbara C. Harris Center last weekend. They shared experiences, insights, and vital conversations, and they plans to share resources and capacities across Province I. With Byron Rushing, noted church historian, politician and activist, the history of BIPOC people in the Church, and especially in New England, was explored and prayed over. If you would like to be connected to the group of formation practitioners (from any level- household, parish or diocese), please be in touch with Director of Faith Formation, Emily Keniston.

An invitation to a pilgrimage in the Holy Land

The Episcopal Diocese of Vermont is sponsoring a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and invites those from the Episcopal Dioceses of New Hampshire and Maine to join them! The pilgrimage is to take place November 25 – December 5, 2023 and will be led by The Rev. Dr. Frederick P. Moser and The Rev. Kim Hardy, a priest couple, with local guides, Canon Iyad Qumri and Rami Qumri.

Fred and Kim are experienced pilgrimage leaders and have dreamt of taking a group to the Holy Land since experiencing their journey there on sabbatical in 2009. It opened their hearts to seeing the spiritual life as a pilgrimage and offered deep insights into Biblical stories from the Hebrew Scriptures and Gospels.

For full itinerary and details, click here. For questions and more information, reach out to the Rev. Kim Hardy! for more information.

News From Our Congregations

Ash Wednesday liturgies in Castine were shared between the churches of Trinity Episcopal Church and the Trinitarian Congregational Parish of Castine. Led by the Rev. Douglas Beck and Pastor Andi Lloyd (pictured here), the two congregations came together for worship and formation with a great willingness to share and support one another.

St. Margaret's, Belfast is hosting a Lenten Lunch Series. The noon gatherings in the parish house at 95 Court Street are presented by the Greater Bay Area Ministerium under the overarching theme of "Encountering God, the Spirit, the Holy, the Divine, the Sacred in the Arts and in the World Around Us."

Upcoming schedule:

March 15: "Encountering the Spirit through Poetry",

The Rev. Amy Fiorilli, Minister, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Belfast

March 22: "Holding Love and Loss",

The Rev. Jean Ashland, Chaplain, Waldo County General Hospital

March 29: "Encountering the Divine through Art",

The Rev.Ted Chaffee, Pastor, First Baptist Church of Belfast

Airborne Event by Fred Tomaselli (American, b. 1956) Private Collection Image courtesy of the artist and James Cohan Gallery, New York/Shanghai

St. Mark's, Waterville celebrated their monthly intergenerational service on Transfiguration Sunday, with children and youth supporting set up, the procession, beginning the service with the gong to mark a moment of silent reflection, and reading the prayers. After the service, the parish family enjoyed a "mini-Mardi Gras" a few days early with a pancake brunch and masks. They report that it was joyous to celebrate Mardi Gras together indoors for the first time since 2019!

Penny Graham (in gold mask), Caleb Knock, Allison and Mila Hernandez (infant in arms), Tom Nelson, John Dewitt, and India Hernandez

Parishioners at St. Aidan's, Machias and at Christ Church, Eastport came together for festivities on Shrove Tuesday. Here is Ann O'Brien, Clerk of the Vestry at St. Aidan's, enjoying a plate of blueberry pancakes.

Here's a look at St. Thomas', Winn through photos taken during Bishop Brown's recent visitation!

Voices Among Us

The Rev. Amanda Gerken-Nelson, Priest in Charge at St. Bartholomew's in Yarmouth gave the invocation at the Maine State Legislature on February 28. Read Amanda's prayer here.

Bishop Brown has appointed a task force to study the best and highest use for Loring House which currently serves as the diocesan staff office, houses the archives, and was an episcopal residence for five previous bishops. The Loring House Task Force has begun its work to carry out the bishop’s charge (read it here) by gathering building information. and speaking to staff to discern what resources they need to work most effectively on behalf of the diocese. They will expand their information gathering to include learning what the greater diocesan community in Maine needs.

Their work will conclude with a written recommendation to the bishop and a presentation of their recommendation at the convention in November. They will provide updates regarding their work throughout the year.

The Loring House Task Force is:

Lisa Leighton (chair), St. Alban’s Cape Elizabeth

Jamie Cough, St. Luke’s Cathedral, Portland

Lisa Lindsay, (Standing Committee), St. Luke’s, Wilton

Julie Littlefield (Diocesan Council), St. George’s York Harbor

Jeff Mansir, Christ Church, Gardiner

Carlos Mello (Board of Trustees), St. Thomas', Camden

Bill Green of Trinity Church, Portland sat down to interview an exciting Episcopalian…our own Bishop Thomas Brown! Watch here.

UTO Coloring Contest winners announced

This fall, United Thank Offering (UTO) held a "Color Your Own Blue Box" contest in collaboration with Illustrated Ministries. The grand prize winner was Eleanor K. from the Episcopal Diocese of Maine. And she's not the only winner from Maine!

Read more
www.episcopalchurch.org

The Parsonage Gallery launches new season

The Parsonage Gallery launches its first new exhibitions of the year this Saturday, March 11 at 1pm. There are two solo exhibitions by Maine artists exploring spiritual themes. DeGennaro’s exhibition...

Read more
episcopalmaine.org

Prayers

We offer prayers of thanksgiving for the Rev. Richard Ellis. Dick celebrated the 65th anniversary of his ordination in February and was honored by the Cathedral of St. Luke community.

The Rev. Dana Stiver celebrated her last service as Priest in Charge at St. Giles in Jefferson. Please pray for Dana and the congregation of St. Giles during this transition.

Please pray for participants and leaders from the Dioceses of Maine and Alabama as they begin their shared Sacred Ground Circles this week. The two dioceses have very different experiences with race. May these small groups walking together through chapters of America’s history of race and racism benefit by deeper reflection through this expanded perspective.

Please pray for 123 bishops of The Episcopal Church and the Presiding Bishop’s staff who have gathered at Camp McDowell for the 2023 Spring House of Bishops Meeting.

The Rev. Dr. Edward R. Dufresne died Feb. 27, 2023. Edward was an ordained minister of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and licensed priest in our diocese who served frequently at Trinity in Castine and St. Brendan the Navigator in Deer Isle. He was an active parishioner at St. Francis by the Sea in Blue Hill. May his soul rest in peace. Read his obituary here.