*Caring for the
Caregiver Group
Mondays @ 9am
To learn more about this upcoming opportunity, please contact Liz Davy.
*St. Alban's Cares
Thursdays @ 9:30am
30-minute Zoom Coffee Chat.
*Notice of Our
Annual Parish Meeting
January 31, 2021 at 11:00 am
via Zoom
We will review the past year and elect officers, vestry members and delegates to our annual diocesan convention.
Please plan to attend.
Those of you with leadership responsibilities, please prepare a report for the congregation of past activities. Questions?
Please contact Mother Lynn by email or by phone
(207) 799-4014, ext 204
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Pageant Costume Return
Pageant costumes may be returned beginning Monday, January 4th.
Please place them securely in a bag and place it just outside the front door of the church,
or contact Debbie,
Thank you!
Holy Experiment
No Children's Program on Sunday, January 3rd.
Holy Experiment returns on Sunday, January 10th @ 10:30am
Until then - best wishes for a happy and healthy 2021!
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Middle School and High School Formation
Rite 13: Grades 7th-8th
Rite 13 is the name of the formation program for youth in Grades 7 and 8. This year Rite 13 will be offered through at home formation opportunities and online through Maine Diocesan Youth, which meets the third Monday evening of each month from 7-8:30 pm for a time to Play, Pray, and Connect. From time to time, we may gather in person for a special event. The Rev. Holly Hoffmann is the staff member coordinating this program with the support of Jason and Amber Burks.
High School Youth Group:
Grades 9-12
Our gatherings for high schoolers make space for getting to know one another and to explore our faith through times of fun and games, fellowship and conversation, and prayer. We will gather online with the Maine Diocesan Youth the third Monday evening of each month from 7-8:30 pm, and we will gather online or in person for special events at other times each month. The Rev. Holly Hoffmann is the staff member leading this program with the support of Randi Hogan.
If you would like to learn about upcoming Rite 13 or High School Youth events and offerings, please contact the Rev. Holly Hoffmann.
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Preparing to share Holy Communion on Christmas Eve. |
Music of the Week
Auld Lang Syne
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Service of the Week
Missed a Service on Zoom?
Follow us by "subscribing" to
St. Alban's YouTube Channel.
It's FREE!
If you missed any services check out our You Tube Channel HERE.
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January 3, 2021
The Fourth Sunday of Advent
Find Sunday's readings HERE.
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If you would like a name spoken aloud during our Sunday worship prayers for healing and hope, please put your prayer request in the St. Alban's Prayer Box by emailing us.
Our intercessors at worship will pray your prayer request aloud.
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The St. Alban's Vestry has commissioned a committee charged with providing guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
We will keep you posted as we make progress, and please reach out to any of us with concerns and suggestions (email us).
Bill Bell, Debbie Fisher, the Rev. Holly Hoffmann, Marybeth Nolt, Chris Pezzullo, Joel Pierce, Maryann Sedlack, Red Sullivan, the Rev. Lynn Carter-Edmands
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Support St Alban's!
Shop at smile.amazon.com and Amazon will donate to Saint Alban's Episcopal Church, at no cost to you.
Thank you.
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Getting connected to your community.
An email was sent with your invitation to Realm, and thank you for taking a few moments to create an account for Realm. If you have questions, please contact Linda at finances@stalbansmaine.org.
For anyone who has forgotten their password, please use this link, and then click on "Forgot your password?"
We're excited by the prospect of having you join us in becoming regular users of St. Alban's Realm site. We look forward to what Realm enables us to do in 2020 and beyond.
Note: Emails from Realm may go to your spam folder so be sure to mark
notifications@onrealm.org
as a safe email.
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With the parish office closed for the time being, and until we get the all-clear from the Bishop's Office, please contact us via email or by phone. The phone system should be transferring calls to the parish staff;
if it does not please let us know! We want to stay in touch!
Sign up for our Weekly E-News HERE
Sign up for the Daily Cup (M-F)
Sign up for the weekly Invitation to Worship (to receive the bulletins and links to Zoom/YouTube)
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Redeemable cans and bottles put in these green Clynk! bags benefit the Youth Pilgrimage.
Thank you for your continued support.
You can pick up Clynk! bags in the box beside the doors to the church from the Oakhurst parking lot of St. Alban's. (They are no longer in the shed.)
After filling your CLYNK bag and tying it tight, please hold on to it for 3 days before you drop it off at any CLYNK drop location.
Please take your bags to Hannaford, as usual, and do not leave them in this shed for the church to transport.
For more information click HERE.
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From the Transition Priest-in-Charge |
Greetings to you all on the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus!
On most calendars we know this as New Year’s Day, but when Jesus was born the Jewish custom was to have all male babies circumcised on the eighth day following their birth, at which time they would be given their name. The angel had already let Joseph know he was to be named Jesus, and so he was named on this day many years ago. (See Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 2:21-38)
What name might you and I be given – or take – this year? Might it be a name that will inform and reflect how we will live and move and have our being in the coming calendar new year?
Jesus means “God Saves” and so he is called Savior. In one of my favorite hymns (#84 in The Hymnal 1982), Christina Rosetti refers to Jesus as Love, who came down at Christmas:
Love came down at Christmas,
love all lovely, love divine;
love was born at Christmas:
star and angels gave the sign.
Worship we the Godhead,
love incarnate, love divine;
worship we our Jesus,
but wherewith for sacred sign?
Love shall be our token;
love be yours and love be mine,
Love to God and neighbor,
love for plea and gift and sign.
As followers of Jesus, is there something about Jesus’ life and teaching that speaks to you more than something else and might help you discern what name you could take on this year? Consider talking through this possibility with a spiritual friend or with one of the clergy. It could make for an engaging conversation, and I would welcome it.
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With every blessing this Christmas, |
(The Rev.) Lynn Carter-Edmands,
Transition Priest-in-Charge
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Rest in Peace Lindon Studdiford |
The Rev. Canon Linton Studdiford of Brunswick died at Maine Medical Center on Tuesday, 29 December 2020. Linton was ordained deacon (1980) and priest (1985) in the Diocese of Maine. During his three decades of ordained ministry Linton served our congregations in Skowhegan, Sanford, Cape Elizabeth, and Wiscasset. He was the rector of St. Alban's from 1992-1999. In addition to being a deputy to six General Conventions, and serving as president of the standing committee (1994-1997), Linton was the Canon to the Ordinary from 1999 until 2008. He is survived by his wife, Bonnie, and two children. Funeral arrangements are postponed until it is safe to gather. For Bonnie's contact information please email Wendy, our parish administrator.
Jesus Christ opens the kingdom of heaven to all who believe in his Name, saying, “Come, O blessed of my Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for you. Into paradise may the angels lead Linton, and the martyrs receive him, even bringing him now into the holy city Jerusalem. May he rest in peace, and rise in glory. Amen.
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Worship with us this Sunday |
We are a gathering people!
On January 3rd
we will gather together online.
Subscribers will receive an Invitation to Worship email with the bulletins and the live links for our worship services on Sunday morning. You can subscribe HERE.
- 9:30 am: The Holy Eucharist via Zoom *
If you are a reader or intercessor, please arrive at 9:00 am.
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5:30 pm: Celtic Eventide via Zoom
- An extended instrumental prelude will begin at 5:20 pm.
- Consider creating a sacred space with a candle to light during the candle lighting in the service.
- An opportunity for conversation follows the service.
If you are a reader or intercessor, please arrive at 5:00 pm.
*Those of you wishing to receive Holy Communion following the 9:30 am liturgy are invited to come to the church parking lot off Oakhurst Drive. To avoid any traffic issues, please approach Oakhurst from Mitchell Road, turn right into the parking lot off Oakhurst and drive around to the Bonhoff Hall entrance. Please remain in your car.
The clergy will distribute the sacrament in one kind for each vehicle. As you share the Body of Christ with others in your car, please use the words, “The Body of Christ, the Bread of Heaven,” as we would at the altar rail at church.
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Letter from Rev. Holly Hoffmann |
Rev. Holly has been called to serve as the Priest-in-Charge of the three Episcopal churches on Mount Desert Island. Read her announcement letter HERE. |
St. Elizabeth's Jubilee Center seeks new Executive Director |
Since our current Director, Rev. Holly Hoffmann, has been called to serve as the priest for three parishes on Mount Desert Island, the Center is looking for a new Executive Director. Located in the lower level of St. Luke's, the Center serves about 140 neighbors in need every Tuesday morning. The Center operates primarily with the generosity and open hearts of volunteers and donations of funding and goods from seven supporting parishes and others from the greater community. For more information please visit www.stelizabethsmaine.org, and if you are interested in this paid, part-time opportunity, please contact Anne Jacobs, Board Chair, at ajacobs207@gmail.com. |
St. Elizabeth's Essentials Pantry |
We continue to serve our neighbors outside and have been blessed with relatively mild weather so far this winter! We are averaging 150-160 neighbors each week so we are very thankful for all the continued support from our member parishes. Our pantry is well-stocked and ready for our next diaper day the first Tuesday of January.
For the coming weeks we would appreciate donations of BABY WIPES and TOOTHBRUSHES in addition to our usual needs of soft household goods and items from our Amazon wishlist. For more information please look at our NEW website. Wishing everyone a peaceful and healthy Christmas.
St. Alban's Representative to St. Elizabeth's Essential Pantry
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Subscribe to the NEW (as of fall 2020) St. Alban's YouTube channel. You will find all of our worship videos there, and we are working on livestreaming our services there as well. If you subscribe you can be notified when we go live, or when new content is posted. |
The life and work of St. Alban's is only made possible because of your generous gifts of time, talent and treasure. Thank you for everything that you do to support St. Alban's. If you have not yet fulfilled your 2020 pledge, we are encouraging you to do so at this time. If you are unable to fulfill your pledge this year, or if you aren't sure if you have a pledge balance, please contact our Stewardship Chairs, Joan Hankinson and Philip Hamilton, at Stewardship Committee.
Thank you!
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During these times of gathering via Zoom, we've been unable to pass the plate, one of the Episcopal traditions that helps to sustain St. Alban's and all that we do. We are offering an alternative to our in-person plate. If you would like to "put something in the plate," please consider Text Giving.
Text Giving is simple, fast and secure. It is offered by Realm, our membership and donation software.
You can give easily and securely from anywhere, anytime. Simply text "4stalbans" and your donation amount to 73256 and follow the prompts.
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