The Dio Log 
    ___________________________________________________________________________________________________
    

news & events in  the Episcopal Diocese of Maine  since 1999

Volume 21, Number 21  ~  November 7, 2019

 

207.772.1953   | www.episcopalmaine.org  

Forest Moors is the happy, red-haired toddler above with the Rev. Jane White-Hassler. He was baptised at St. James in Old Town on All Saints Sunday which was also the church's 170th anniversary.
What's New in the Episcopal Church in Maine
Prayers for...

the Rev. Ryan Mails and the congregation of St. George's, York Harbor as they begin ministry together in December. 

the Rev. Dr . Lynda Tyson,   n ewly called as dean of Province One School for Deacons. Dean Tyson is a priest in the Episcopal Church in Connecticut and was formerly Coordinator of the Annand Program for Spiritual Formation at Berkeley and Yale Divinity Schools. 

all who serve and have served in the armed forces of our country at home and abroad on Veteran's Day. Join churches in Maine to " Ring for Peace" at 11:00 am on November 11 as a way to remember and honor those who have served.
Thanksgiving for...

Ms. Bonnie Rodden and Mr. Charles Priest for their long and faithful ministry to the mission of the Maine Council of Churches
Voices among us...

Efforts of the Episcopal Diocese of Maine to explore the possiblity of partnering with other faith groups to share access to a large solar farm were recently featured in the Portland Press Herald. Thank you to the 20 groups who have joined the cause so far! Read the article  here

The Rev. Eleanor Prior writes about the experience of a group at  St. Luke's Cathedral in using the Sacred Ground film and dialogue series. Their concern about the rise of violent white supremacy after the Tree of Life synagogue shooting and shootings at mosques in New Zealand last year left them feeling called to explore the program. They've completed three of the ten session curriculum. Read more  here. Questions? Email eprior@cathedralofstluke.org
Around the Diocese...
Bicentennial Celebration:  Eucharist in Gardiner Nov. 16

Everyone is invited to Christ Church, Gardiner on Saturday, November 16 at 1:00 pm for an historic worship service to honor and celebrate the Diocese of Maine's 200th birthday. The first Bishop of Maine was the rector at Christ Church and it's the oldest church in the diocese, consecrated in 1820. It shares a birthday with the Diocese of Maine and the state of Maine!

Gather to worship using the Prayer Book of 1789, the first used by the U. S. Episcopal Church, and also use a modern Eucharistic prayer from the Scottish Prayer Book to signal we don't live in the past. Clergy planning to attend and be seated with other clergy, please wear cassock and surplice or cassock-alb with white or festive stole. (Please email The Rev. Kerry Mansir, Rector, if you have any questions.)  A reception will be held immediately following the service. 
 
Do you want to sing in the Bicentennial Choir? The choir will rehearse at 11:00 am the same day as the service.  The anthems will be: 
Those interested in singing should send a message to Sean Fleming, Organist at St. Andrew's, Newcastle, listing name and voice part:  seanjamesfleming@gmail.com
Download a beautiful Advent devotional calendar

The Rev. Tom Mousin and the Rev. Merry Watters, who have collaborated to created Advent devotional calendars for 30 years, wish to share their new calendar for 2019  with the Diocese of Maine. It includes daily Scripture readings and a suggested devotion.  Would you like to receive a daily email based on each devotion? Subscribe here. Download the full calendar at thomasmousin.com. Please copy, distribute and use as you wish. 
Annual audit of diocesan accounts

The Canons of the Diocese of Maine require annual audits of all diocesan accounts.  Additionally, the Canons require the Treasurer of the Diocese to certify that the audits have been completed and are in compliance with Canon.  Treasurer Dick Rozene certified to the recent Diocesan Convention that audits have been completed for 2018.  On the finance page of the diocesan website, audit reports for the Central Diocesan Fund, the Bishop's Discretionary Fund, and the Trustees of Diocesan Funds for 2018 are now available along with the auditor's Governance Letter relating to the audit process.  If you have questions, please contact Canon Terry Reimer,  treimer@episcopalmaine.org.
Service of Remembrance and Peace in Bangor Nov. 17

On Sunday, November 17th at 4:00 pm,  St. John's in Bangor will host a Service of Remembrance and Peace . Modeled on a traditional Evensong, this service will feature readings of poetry, scripture, and prose from some of the most prominent artist-writers in our country. The choir will share music written to pay respects to those saints who've gone before us, to honor those who have served protecting our freedom, and memorializing those who offered the greatest sacrifice.  Please bring a picture of anyone you've lost this past year, of those who've gone before us that you would like to honor, or a photo of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in military or civil service. 
Advent resources from The Episcopal Church available online

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   Click photo above to access the #AdventWord 
New and updated Advent resources for congregations, dioceses, and communities of faith are now available: Way of Love Digital Invitation Kit , updated Journeying the Way of Love Advent calendar and curriculum , AdventWord 2019 , Sermons That Wor k compilation of Advent and Christmas selections, Advent reflections from Episcopal Migration Ministries , and bulletin inserts . All are available here.
How is your church responding to the opioid epidemic? 

The Task Force to Respond to the Opioid Epidemic, created by legislation at the 79th General Convention, is seeking input from lay and ordained leaders throughout the church about the local response to the opioid epidemic through the short survey here. Responses requested by November 27, 2019.

Resolution 2018-C037 Call to Respond to Opioid Epidemic calls on all dioceses and parishes in The Episcopal Church to respond to the opioid epidemic with training, pastoral care, advocacy, and liturgy.  

Maine's response through advocacy has been strong, with the passing of the 2019 Resolution 3 Reducing Opioid Deaths in Maine by the Convention of the Diocese of Maine in October. But, we know many Maine churches are addressing this important work of loving our neighbors in other ways, too. Please take a few minutes to tell the Task Force about it by completing this survey. Your participation is greatly appreciated!
A call for dignity and respect in politics

On November 3, exactly one year before the national election, Christians from a wide variety of denominations came together to affirm the need to apply spiritual principles to our political discussions in order to heal divisions in our country. 

This kicked-off Golden Rule 2020, a program of the National Institute for Civil Discourse, which will strive to provide updates on ways participants can apply the "Golden Rule" in their political activities between now and the 2020 election.  Sign up here to indicate your support and receive updates.  Additional information will unroll throughout the coming months.  
Choro Louco concert at Trinity, Portland Nov. 16

Trinity Concert Series presents the second performance of its 2019-2020 program on  Saturday, November 16 at 7:30 pm.

Choro Louco, a Portland based group of accomplished musicians will present an evening of Brazilian Choro. Band members Carl Dimow, Nicole Rabata, David Newsam, Joel Eckhaus and Eric LaPerna create beautiful melodies, complex harmonies with elements of folk, classical, jazz, Latin and African music resulting in a style that is uniquely Brazilian and enormously appealing.

The concert begins at 7:30 pm at Trinity Episcopal Church, 580 Forest Ave., Portland.  Tickets are available at the door for $15.  For more information, call the church office at 772-7421.
"Handprints Over Footprints" environmental discussion in York Nov. 12

"Handprints Over Footprints: Upgrading Our Lives and Benefiting Others," will be discussed by Gregory Norris, PhD, on Tuesday, November 12 at 7 7:00 pm at York Public Library.  Norris is chief scientist at the International Living Future Institute, teaches at Harvard and is co-director of the Sustainability and Health Initiative for NetPositive Enterprise at MIT.   Dr. Norris will explain our environmental footprint - what it means and where it comes from, and the power of individuals and organizations to create handprints that will become large enough and spread broadly enough to affect some of our greatest environmental challenges. The event is co-sponsored by First Parish Church, York who have adopted a composting program to extend their handprint. Click here for more info. 
Saint Andrew's Day Celtic Concert in Winn Nov. 30

St. Andrew's Episcopal Church is hosting a Celtic Concert to celebrate their patron saint on Saturday, November 30 at 4:30 pm. Performing on the fiddle is Winthrop's own musical prodigy, Owen Kennedy who is pictured at right.   

Following the concert, enjoy haggis, mash, apple sauce, scones, shortbread and other Scots delicacies. The concert will be at 219 Winthrop Center Road in Winn. Entrance by free-will donation. For more information, call 395-2015.
FREE Christian Education resources 

A note from Klara Tammany, Executive Director of The Center for Women's Wisdom: 
I am entering retirement soon after a long career in religious ed and formation in the Episcopal Church. So, it is time to cull my library and I am looking for folks who might make use of the materials. What is there? One group of resources is about religious education in the small church. There is also a lot on teacher training, and baptism (used in researching and teaching my book Baptism as a Way of Life.) There are several resources on children's music, a bit on youth ministry, and adult ed resource for Bible study etc. I need to dispose before my house goes on the market. If interested, please email or give me a call soon to arrange to come look and pick up what you'd like - I live in Auburn. Please feel free to spread the word. I just hope the materials can go to a place that will make good use of them. Thanks everyone! Blessings, Klara Tammany or 207-577-0607.

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