The three congregations of the MDI Episcopal Partnership - Church of Our Father, Hulls Cove; St. Andrew and St. John the Divine, Southwest Harbor; and St. Saviour's Episcopal Church, Bar Harbor - welcome the Rev. Tracy L. Shaffer as their new deacon! Tracy will also continue to serve as a deacon at St. Dunstan's, Ellsworth. Read more about Tracy here.

She is pictured here at her ordination with the Revs. Jenny Reece, Holly Hoffmann, Steve Muncie, and the Ven. Aaron Perkins.

The Rev. James Nutter has answered the call to serve as priest-in-charge at St. John's in Bangor. Jim was raised up in the Diocese of Maine! He was ordained in 1983, and he served at the Cathedral Church of St. Luke from 1983-87. In 1987, he became the rector of St. Peter’s, Rockland, where he served until 1994. He then served at Palmer Memorial in Houston, Texas until 2013. He and his wife, Lucy, moved full time to Maine in 2021. Jim is very glad to be back in the diocese. Welcome!

The St. Mark's, Waterville congregation and the Rev. Gwen Fry held a Celebration of New Ministry to welcome her as priest-in-charge on January 8th. Bishop Brown presided. Pictured left to right: Bishop Brown, Rev. Gwen Fry, Rev. Cn. Lisa Fry.

Grace Episcopal Church in Bath is seeking a part-time Audio Visual Technician for Sunday mornings. The responsibilities include setting up and adjusting audio-visual equipment, performing routine maintenance, operating equipment, editing, and converting recordings. Location is 100 Washington Street in Bath, Maine. Job entails 4-5 hours each Sunday initially. The role may also include special services as needed and could expand in the future. Please send inquires to Grace Episcopal Church 1100 Washington St. Bath Maine 04530 or email the church here.

Here's a look at Bishop Brown's recent visits to St. John's in Brownville Junction and St. Martin's in Palmyra.

The Rt. Rev. Edward Cole Chalfant, 86, seventh bishop of Maine, died Tuesday in Florida after a brief illness. Chalfant was born in Pittsburgh in 1937. He was a graduate of Wesleyan University and the Virginia Theological Seminary. He was ordained in 1963 and served parishes in Clearwater, FL first as Associate Rector of Ascension Church and then from 1967, as Rector of St John's Church. He was called to Southern Ohio in 1972 to be Rector of St. Mark's Church in Columbus. He served as the seventh bishop of Maine from 1986 - 1996. Funeral services will be private. Condolences can be sent to Mrs. Winkie Chalfant, PO Box 2056, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32004. May his soul and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Please remember the Very Rev. Dr. Benjamin Shambaugh and the congregation of St. Luke's Cathedral in prayer. The dean will conclude 18 years of ministry with them at the 10 am service this Sunday, January 29.

We offer prayers of thanksgiving for John Hennessy of St. Luke's Cathedral, Portland who was elected chair of the General Convention deputation by his fellow deputies. "I take this responsibility seriously and look forward to the Diocese of Maine being an active participant in the proceedings in Louisville next year. I am also intrigued with how we effectively bring the work of GC back to Maine after it is over." Congratulations!

Let us remember in prayer those who have lost their lives and their families to gun violence. We pray that all American citizens will look for solutions at the personal, social, and political levels.