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The Dio Log
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news and events in
the Episcopal Diocese of Maine
since 1999
Volume 18, Number 18 ~ September 26, 2016
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This beautiful shot by Ken Pooley shows the children of St. Bart's, Yarmouth, taking communion before heading off to Sunday School. It was shared on Facebook and Instagram as part of yesterday's third annual Social Media Sunday.
Check out the hashtag #SMS16 on any social media channel to see moments from Episcopal churches across the country.
Bishop Steve Lane took part on Twitter while visiting St. Andrew's, Millinocket.
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What's New in the Episcopal Church in Maine
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voices among us...
At the end of the House of Bishops meeting in Detroit last week,
Episcopal Bishops issued this message to the Church. Read the text version
here
.
.
in the news...
in its coverage of the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, the
Lewiston Sun Journal profiled
Debra Wagner and the Rev. Beau Wagner, rector of St. Matthew's in Lisbon, and the role they played in the weeks after the tragedy. At the time, Debra was Director of Communications at the
Seamen's Church Institute in lower Manhattan.
congratulations to...
On September 10, Diocesan Council awarded two New Initiative Fund grants, two international outreach grants, and one domestic poverty grant. Congratulations to the congregations and ministries funded.
New Initiative Fund grants -
Dinner Church Portland, St. Peter's, Portland - $2,500
Modeled after St. Lydia's Dinner Church in Brooklyn, this new, lay-driven expression of church draws mostly young adults to gather for a meal, music, and Eucharist each month. God is doing a new thing in their midst.
Artful Spirit Connection, St. Patrick's, Brewer - $5,000
Art events are held at St. Patrick's to meet new people, make connections, and build new relationships in our local community by experiencing
art as a spiritual activity that offers opportunities for personal and spiritual growth.
International Outreach grants -
Support for the Gordon Clem School, Kenya; a request from St. Giles', Jefferson - $6,000
Seed funding for the Nyepo Demonstration School and Farm, South Sudan; a request from All Saints, Portland - $6,000
Domestic Poverty grant
Support for the Compassionate Housing Initiative (short-term housing and support of families new to Maine); a request from St. Bartholomew's, Yarmouth - $5,000
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Around the Diocese...
Registration for the 197th Annual Convention of the Diocese of Maine is now open
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Friendly volunteers await you at Convention
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Everyone who will be attending is asked to
register
online here
before
October 7th
.
Click for registration and to discover more information about convention at
This man needs your help...
Diocesan staffer Tom Sumner needs the assistance of a half dozen friendly people to serve as tellers/ballot counters at Convention.
Are you friendly?
Are you a careful counter?
Do you want to make some new friends?
Are you an alternate delegate, visitor, or guest at looking for something to do at Convention?
He thanks you.
Pre-Convention hearing set for St. Pat's, Brewer
Traditionally, we have held Pre-Convention meetings in each of the Areas of the diocese. These meetings are not always well-attended, and some congregations never make it because of the distance to the meetings.
This year, we will hold t
he second of two hearings at St. Patrick's, Brewer, on Thursday, September 29, from 7 - 8:30 p.m. It is open to anyone and will be videotaped. Video will be made available online so that any delegate or delegation can view it at a convenient time and location. We hope that the video will be comprehensive and cover all the matters coming before Convention. The link will be shared on the Diocesan Convention page as well as the diocesan home page, likely by Friday, September 30. Stay-tuned.
The election of Area representatives to Diocesan Council (lay this year) will take place at Area caucuses held at Convention. This will make it possible for every congregation to participate in the election.
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Upcoming in Maine and Beyond
Episcopal Church Foundation fall webinars
ECF offers free webinars for church leaders. Here are a few offered evenings this fall.
Witnessing Faithfully Beyond the Walls - September 27
Fearless Finances - October 13
Basics of Endowments - October 19
Vestry Covenants - November 16
Living Local: Joining God - Saturday, October 1 Training Day
"We haven't failed... the world has changed."
Bishop Steve Lane has been saying that since he first arrived in Maine. Things are different. The world has changed, and the church is affected, and many of us are wondering what God has in mind for us.
Living Local: Joining God
is all about that question. It's a scary question, but an exciting one: it puts us in company with Abraham and Sarah, with Moses and the Israelites, with Mary and Joseph, and with people throughout history who got to be there when new things began.
Next up is a training session for people who want to help their congregations ask whether the
Living Local
journey is for them. We'll learn steps congregations can take to see if they're ready, willing, and able to try new ways of connecting with the world beyond the church walls. The session will be at Church at 209 in Augusta, from 10-3 on Saturday, October 1. We'll have coffee and morning snacks; please bring a lunch.
All are welcome
. If you can come with other members of your congregation that's ideal, but if it's just you, that's great as well. And if you missed the earlier session in May, it's not too late to start! Please let us know your coming by completing this very brief registration form. Questions? Email Michael Ambler,
mambler@episcopalmaine.org
, or call him at 772.1953 ext 123.
St. John's, Bangor marks its 181st year with Choral Evensong on Sunday, October 2
St. John's, Bangor, welcomes all to a Choral Evensong on Sunday, October 2, at 4 p.m. I
n celebration of the 181st Anniversary of the Founding of St. John's Church, music presented will include Stanford's Evening Service in C and Vaughan Williams' festive anthem on "Old Hundredth," composed for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Abbey in 1953.
Donations benefit Spruce Run Domestic Violence Resource Center.
NAMI-Maine presents program in Camden on October 4 to help churches and clergy serve those with mental illness and their families
Bridges of Hope, part of National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) FaithNet, is designed to educate clergy, congregations, and other spiritual communities about mental health. This two hour presentation will help you learn how you can create stronger safety nets and welcoming communities of faith for people living with mental health challenges and their families and friends.
A meeting will be held at Camden Public Library on October 4, from 4:00-6:00 p.m. More info at
www.namimaine.org/BOH
Miqra at the Cathedral - the big diocesan fall youth event for middle and high schoolers
Miqra (pronounced "Meekra") is our big diocesan Fall Youth Event.
This event is for all middle and high schoolers (grades 6-12) and their adult chaperones.
It will be at St. Luke's Cathedral for part of the Columbus Day weekend from Saturday afternoon, October 8, to Monday morning, October 10. The leadership teens, musicians and most adults will meet on Friday, October 7. Like at all diocesan events, there'll be depth, laughter, music, activities, discussions, teen-led worship, swimming, great food, new friends and fun. We'll explore the Cathedral and you'll meet great people.The underlying theme is the Exodus story, and its epic themes as they relate to Maine middle schoolers and high schoolers and to the issues of freedom, justice, courage, wilderness, the Civil Rights movement and trust in God.The middle schoolers will have sleeping spaces and many activities separate from the high schoolers. Leaders include Kim Wallace, Fred Fowler, Jane Hartwell and the Rev. Reed Loy.
Annual Province One Faith Formation Leaders Gathering: Alternative Methods of Sunday School/Faith Formation
Join faith formation leaders from around New England on October 6 to 8 at Barbara Harris Camp in New Hampshire for informal networking, resource sharing and continuing education. Topics include Messy Church, Formation for Tiny Congregations, Online and Hybrid Formation, Living Compass, and Learning with Legos. Emily Keniston from Maine will be one of the presenters. Scholarships are available through the Wolf Fund and the Christian Ed Collaboration network.
Here's more information and registration.
New Mainers celebrated at Trinity, Portland's Butterfield Series on Wednesday, October 19
Trinity, Portland, will host its annual Butterfield Series at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 19.
This year's topic is
Celebrating New Mainers with a talk by Maine author and Muslim scholar Reza Jalali and a performance by Pihcintu Chorus, a Portland-based singing group of young women from 17 different countries.
Mr. Jalali has taught courses at the University of Southern Maine and Bangor Theological Seminary. He is the Coordinator of the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs at USM and advisor to the Muslim Student Association at Bowdoin College. In exile from Iran, Reza Jalali, who works closely with the immigrant community in southern Maine, will talk about Maine's New Americans.
A reception will follow the program. The evening is free to the public; the doors open at 6:15.
Download a flyer
here
.
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