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The Dio Log
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news and events in
the Episcopal Diocese of Maine
since 1999
Volume 19, Number 15 ~ July 21, 2017
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Vacation Bible Camp at St. Ann's, Windham. The Rev. Tim Higgins offers a "backstage pass" behind the altar to teach kids about the Eucharist.
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What's New in the Episcopal Church in Maine
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Farewell to clergy on the move...
The Rev. Craig Hacker of
St. Peter's, Bridgton, will complete his ministry in Maine on August 6. He has been called to be the rector of St. John's, Essex, NY.
The Rev. Erik Karas, pastor of
Church at 209 in Augusta, will depart in August to lead another Lutheran/Episcopal congregation, Christ Church Episcopal & Trinity Lutheran in Sheffield, Massachusetts.
The people of
St. Luke's, Wilton, said thank you and farewell last week to their interim priest,
the Rev. Barbara Clarke. The Rev. Suzanne Cole will join them in ministry next month.
Voices among us...
Maine youth with the Presiding Bishop at the Episcopal Youth Event in Oklahoma City. Check out photos of their trip
here.
Mount Desert Island Episcopal Churches celebrating 150th anniversary of first Episcopal worship service on July 23 at 4 p.m. on the Bar Harbor village green. Here's a story in the MDIslander.
The
Summer 2017 edition of the
Maine Episcopal Network for Justice newsletter - complete with a legislative wrap-up.
Camp Bishopswood is almost full, but there is still some space in the last two sessions. Kids ages 8-16 can come either August 6-12 for International Week or August 13-19 for Cartoon Week. Register here
or learn more about Bishopswood at
www.bishopswood.org.
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Around the Diocese...
Vacation and summer hours at the diocesan office
As it ever was - or at least since the mid-1970s - the diocesan office will close at noon on summer Fridays beginning today through September 1. Also, Bishop Steve Lane will be on vacation until Tuesday, July 25.
Ordination to the transitional diaconate
All are welcome to the ordination to the transitional diaconate of Catherine Amy Kropp on Wednesday, August 16, at 5 p.m. at Trinity Church at 150 Perkins Street in Castine. Reception to follow; clergy, white or festive stoles.
Grant funding available for your church's new or expanded ministry
New this round! Applications to discern the feasibility of new projects/ministries now accepted
At its meeting on June 2 and 3, Diocesan Council issued a call for a second round of New Initiative Fund grants in 2017. Each congregation, organization, committee or program group in the Diocese of Maine is eligible to apply for funding to support new ministries or expanding existing ministries in new directions. Council also approved a new channel of funding to be considered. Groups that seek funds to discern the feasibility of new projects, ministries, and partnerships are welcome to apply. All applications will be evaluated on the how closely they meet the Diocese's
Seven Criteria for Mission.
Applications must be submitted to the online form by the end of business on Tuesday, August 1 for consideration at Council's September 9 meeting. Download this
application worksheet Word doc to use as a working copy of your application. Then cut and paste your responses at
www.surveymonkey.com/r/2017NIF-Round2.
At this meeting Council also decided to set the deadlines for New Initiative Fund grants in 2018. Round 1 will be due on January 1 and Round 2 will be due on July 1. Applications received by the deadlines will be considered at the next Diocesan Council meeting.
Applications now accepted for funding international outreach and domestic poverty
initiatives
Since 2007, the Diocese of Maine has made .07% of its income available to support international efforts and ministries that help to alleviate poverty. Any Maine congregation or program group may offer a proposal to Diocesan Council for consideration to fund an international outreach or development effort. Past grants have awarded funds to the Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza run by the Diocese of Jerusalem, midwife education support in Haiti, teachers salaries at a school in the Diocese of Liberia, and support for the ministry of St. George's Anglican Church in Baghdad. In 2016 the $12,000 available was split between school projects in Kenya and South Sudan.
In 2015 an additional $5,000 was included in the diocesan budget to fund ministry that serves those living in poverty in Maine. The first year's recipients were Church at 209 in Augusta to support the settlement Iraqi refugees and the "Dinner is Served" community meal program out of St. Brendan's, Deer Isle. In 2016 the grant went to the Compassionate Housing Initiative, founded by churches in Yarmouth to offer emergency housing for newly-arrived refugee families.
Diocesan Council will meet on September 9 and consider proposals for both grant programs. The deadline for a letter outlining a proposal is Tuesday, August 1. It should be addressed to Diocesan Council and emailed to Heidi Shott at
[email protected]. Please be in touch with Heidi if you would like to receive copies of proposals that were funded in the past.
Organ free to new church home
Grace Church in Bath would like to give this organ away to a new church home. A Rodgers Concord 755 in good condition has the following d
imensions:
Height: 48 ΒΌ inches
Width: 59 5/8th inches
Console weight: 600 lbs.
Details about the organ are available upon request. Anyone interested should
contact Grace Church at
443-3792
or email
[email protected]
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Got bells?
Four members of St. Mary's, Falmouth, are going to learn about hand bell ringing at an upcoming conference wonder if any Maine church has a set of bells they might borrow to practice with when they return home. If your church can spare them, please be in touch with Maggie Gardner at
[email protected].
Interested in Education for Ministry (EfM)?
The EfM program prepares trainees for the ministry to which we are all called by virtue of our Baptisms. All baptized Christian are called to be active participants in the church's vocation to continue the ministry of Jesus; for that, one needs an understanding of Scripture and an awareness of the church through history as the Body of Christ. As the emphasis on lay ministry has grown, EfM has come to play an important role in Christian formation by providing a program that develops an informed and knowledgeable laity that is confident and inspired to serve as Christ served.
The entire EfM training program covers the study of the Old Testament, New Testament, Church History, and Theology. Though the program is comprehensive and has four years of material, trainees need only commit themselves to one year of study at a time. One always begins in Year I, and then may continue with Year II in the following years; or one may take years off and return later to the program as suits one's schedule. Click here for a flyer.
If you or your parish is interested in a group please contact Patricia Buck Welton @ 207-592-8762, or email [email protected].
Faith Formation Connect - an online learning group for Christian Ed Directors
This group of Christian Ed Formation leaders meets online monthly. Emily Keniston teaches and mentors everyone, provides online learning tools and a facilitated conversation. This is a great way to learn and to interact with colleagues. The project is co-sponsored by Province One and the Diocese of Maine. The learning group is open for new people, but will close again after August 14. For more information, please contact [email protected].
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Upcoming in Maine and Beyond
Retreat on August 4: A Celtic Journey with St. Columba
Come away for a summer day of retreat as we explore Celtic Christianity and the 6th-century life of St. Columba at St. Columba's Church in Boothbay Harbor on Friday, August 4.
Using scripture, prayer, poetry, original historical texts and silence, this retreat day centers around the life of Columba in the context of Celtic Christianity.
The Very Rev. Jeanne Finan will lead our retreat and serves as the Dean and Rector of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Burlington, Vermont.
Suggested free will donation for the retreat is $15.00. Box lunches will be provided for those who register by sending an email
[email protected] or leaving a message at the St. Columba's church office, 633.6313. Please include your name and phone number indicating you wish to register for the
St.
Columba retreat. A
dditional questions? Please contact Gloria Walter at
633.2186.
"Keeping Hope Alive: Palestinian Solidarity Despite 50 Years of Occupation"
An Evening with George Rishmawi, Christian Palestinian activist
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A member of a Palestinian family long engaged in non-violent resistance to Israeli occupation, George Rishmawi directs both the Siraj Center for Holy Land Studies and Masar Ibrahim, a program which brings people from all faiths and nations to walk the Abraham Path to learn Abrahamic values and traditions. Co-founder of the International Solidarity Movement and active in many local and international organizations, George is committed to justice for Palestine and works to build a sense of hope and purpose for the future in the midst of ongoing oppression.
Monday, August 7, 7 p.m.,Blue Hill Public Library
Tuesday, August 8, 7 p.m., Grace Episcopal Church, Bath
Sponsors include Episcopal Peace Fellowship, Maine Chapter; Maine Episcopal Network for Justice; Holy Land Pilgrims of the Episcopal Diocese of Maine, and Americans Who Tell the Truth. For more information, call Maurine Tobin, 207-348-9976.
London Organist's Recital at the Church of Saint Mary, Falmouth, on August 13
Concert organist, Alan Saggerson, music director at St. Mary with All Souls, London (West Hamstead), will offer a free recital at St. Mary's, Falmouth, on
Sunday, August 13 at 6 p.m.
Mr. Saggerson has toured annually in the Netherlands, France, the UK and this year, the United Sates. In 2014 he was featured as a recitalist for the Royal College of Organist's 150th anniversary celebration.
Workshop Day about Children's Christian Formation - August 14
Everyone interested in Christian formation for children and teens is invited to be together on Monday August 14 for Connect the Dots - a day of learning, conversation and connections.
The day will start with coffee at 9:30, and the program will be 10:00 - 3:00 at St. Paul's, Brunswick. Bring your lunch and one thing to share with the group. It could be a lesson, a story, a brochure, a song a practice for including young people in liturgy, a parent communication strategy, etc. Let's learn form one another!
For more information, contact Emily Keniston or Jane Hartwell. RSVP to
[email protected]
Don't let kids be bored this summer!
Youth at Summer Finale Camp is for kids completing grades 6-12.
It's
August 21-27
at Bishopswood during Summer Finale Week.
Summer Finale Week for all ages is ready for you!
Maine Episcopalians of all ages are invited to spend their summer vacation at Bishopswood during Summer Finale Week, August 21-27.
Registration is now open for "Faith-Rooted Organizing with Alexia Salvatierra," September 15-16
The Maine Episcopal Network for Justice, in partnership with The Episcopal Church's Office of Social Justice and the Diocese of New Hampshire, will host a workshop with the Rev. Alexia Salvatierra at the Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center on Friday, September 15 and Saturday, September 16.
A registration fee of $75 will cover the program, materials, one night lodging (double), and three meals. A registration fee of $50 is open to commuters.
Register today. The first 25 people to register will receive a free copy of the book.
St. Matthew's, Lisbon, host healing conference in October
All are invited to attend a two-day healing conference, "
Spiritual Tools for Healing," at St. Matthew's, Lisbon, on
Friday, Oct. 13,
from
6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
and
Saturday, Oct. 14,
from
8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Led by the Rev. Mike Flynn of FreshWind Ministries, the conference will offer
a weekend of healing skills to add to your spiritual tool box.
Click here for brochure. A
Fee of $20 or $30 per couple includes Saturday lunch. Scholarships are available.
To register, contact
[email protected]
or 353-8453. On
Sunday,
Oct. 15, a he
aling service will be held at St. Matthew's at
9 a.m.
Registration for the 198th Annual Convention of the Diocese of Maine is now open
Saturday, October 28, 2017
Cross Insurance Center, Bangor
- Early Registration Fee through October 2nd: $30.00
- Regular Registration Fee through October 11th: $35.00
Save These Dates!
Music workshop with Iona musician - John Bell, musician and songwriter from the Iona Community in Scotland, will lead two workshops in Maine on October 20 and 21.
You can help make this happen by joining the list of sponsoring churches.
For more information,
contact Jane Hartwell at
[email protected]
or Thew Elliott at
[email protected]
Youth event at the Cathedral - Miqra at the Cathedral is the big diocesan event for kids in grades 6-12. It will be on Columbus Weekend - October 7-9. The Leadership Prep is October 6.
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