Coffee with the
Discernment Committee
Please join members of the Discernment Committee after the 9:30 and 5:30 services on Sunday, January 10 for an update and conversation about the Discernment Process. We continue working on the invitation to the new Rector and would love to hear from you!
Saying Goodbye to the Rev. Holly Hoffmann on
Sunday 1/17 at 11 am and after the 5:30 pm Celtic Eventide
Sunday, January 17 there will be a special "coffee hour" at 11:00 am after the diocesan morning service, and a reception immediately following Celtic Eventide, to send off Rev. Holly to serve three churches on MDI. Zoom links will be in next week's eNews. Please join us to say thank you and goodbye!
Also, if you are hoping to schedule some one-on-one time with Holly+ before she leaves our parish community, please email her to set up a Zoom or, if weather allows, a socially distanced conversation in the garden or walk.
*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 and email it to Wendy by January 20th. Questions?
Please contact Mother Lynn by email or by phone
(207) 799-4014, ext 204
*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.
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Holy Experiment
Holy Experiment Resumes this Sunday, January 10th @ 10:30am for the Baptism of Our Lord. Please join Debbie and we'll see that God's embrace is indeed wide. Click HERE for the Zoom link:!
Parent Meeting
Attention Parents of Children Ages 4 - 6th Grade:
The New Year is a great time to connect, reflect and look forward in regard to the children's programs at St. Alban's. Let's discuss what's worked well, and your ideas and suggestions as to what more we can do as we navigate through this winter and spring.
Please join Debbie for a Zoom meeting on Thursday, January 14th from 5:00-5:30pm.
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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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We look forward to celebrating baptisms together in this space again. |
Music of the Week
Be Thou My Vision
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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 10, 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 |
Annual Parish meetings are important. And they’re not always boring. This January 31st at 11:00 am we will gather via Zoom (surprise, surprise) with a few of the leadership gathering at a safe distance in Bonhoff Hall.
We will say good-bye to “retiring” vestry members Bill Bell, Sarah Choi, and Sheila Zimmerman, and treasurer Doug Jones, who have served ably and well. We will elect our wardens, new vestry members, delegates to our annual diocesan convention, and a new treasurer. Reports from our various groups will be received as well as the 2021 budget approved by the vestry. We will use Zoom to vote – an easy solution for distance balloting.
Even in a time of pandemic, there will be a lot to celebrate as St. Alban’s has continued our mission and ministry and now via Zoom to regions far and near in ways we could not have imagined. You may be surprised to discover all that’s been going on this past year. We will also celebrate the fruits of our Celebrate St. Alban’s Anew campaign and learn more about how the project to renew our worship space is progressing.
I hope you will plan to attend and participate.
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(The Rev.) Lynn Carter-Edmands,
Transition Priest-in-Charge
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Vestry and Delegate Nominees |
Thank you everyone who submitted nominations for vestry and thank you to those of you who were willing to be nominated and serve! We are so blessed at St. Alban's that even during this Covid time we again had a wonderful and large pool of nominees.
It is with pleasure that the nominating committee, consisting of Chris Pezzullo, Maryann Sedlack, Sarah Choi, Bill Bell, Sheila Zimmerman, Sara Merrill, Joan Hankinson, the Rev. Lynn Carter_Edmands, and the Rev. Holly Hoffman, announce the following nominees to be presented to at St. Alban’s Annual Meeting January 31, 2021:
Vestry:
- Amber Burks - 3 year term
- Jeff Cain - 3 year term
- Nancy Shablom - 3 year term
- John Wolfgram - 1 year term
Officers:
- Maryann Sedlack for Senior Warden - 1 year term
- Chris Pezzullo for Junior Warden - 1 year term
Delegates to the 2021 Diocese of Maine Convention:
- Ruth Dodge
- Randi Hogan
- Ed Rea
- Judy Sides
- Robert Stoddard
Your clergy and officers would also like to announce the nominee for Treasurer, Randi Hogan.
Please join us in extending a huge thank you to Sarah Choi, Bill Bell and Sheila Zimmerman for their committed service on the vestry and to Doug Jones for his tireless work and dedication as our Treasurer.
See photos and read bios for the nominees HERE. |
Giving statements for 2020 contributions will be sent via email by January 15. If you would like to preview your statement, and have access to Realm, please follow the steps below. (note: If you aren’t currently using Realm but would like to, please email the Parish Admin and request access.) Please email the Stewardship Committee with any questions on your contributions or pledges. Thank you for supporting the ministries of St. Alban's.
Click on Giving (found on the left side bar)
Click on the box Year to Date, choose Last Year from the dropdown menu.
Click on Filter to bring up the prior year giving.
Click on the printer icon to generate your giving statement. A pledge balance is available on the bottom of this report.
For pledgers, when you click on Giving, on the right-hand side of your screen you will also see the status of your current pledges.
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It’s still possible to volunteer at Preble Street. The kitchen is professionally staffed for the most part however volunteers can request to work in the dining room filling the meal orders that go out every day. Preble Street also operates a food pantry and volunteers help prepare the basic food box that the staff completes to give to people who come to the distribution window. As the meal board shows, they are sending about 900 meals a day out of the kitchen. Katherine, the food reception coordinator, reports that the pantry is also very busy. Some of the pre-pandemic crew from Saint Alban's have found volunteering there feels safe. Temperature checks, masking, and wearing gloves are required. So far, there haven’t been any cases of COVID in the kitchen or receiving staff. If you are interested in helping out, be sure to read the requirements of volunteers at preblestreet.volunteerhub.com. |
St. Elizabeth’s Essentials Pantry Update |
Greetings and Happy New Year!
The pantry continues to hum along serving our neighbors outside under the portico at St. Luke’s Cathedral in Portland.
-Tuesday was DIAPER day and it is always a busy day. We served 165 neighbors. In case you missed it, here is a link to the Portland Press Herald article about the growing need for diapers during the pandemic.
- Flu shots were offered through Northern Light Hospital (7 people received their shots, and most people said they were vaccinated earlier this season)
- We had a visit from Maine State Rep. Rachel Talbot Ross who brought a generous donation of basic essentials funded by a grant from Maine Black Community Development, Inc.
- One of our steadfast, hardworking, weekly volunteers obtained her US Citizenship last week. Congratulations!
CURRENT NEEDS AND HOW TO DONATE
Diapers size 3
Baby Wipes
Another easy and direct way to to donate is through the diocesan website - where you may donate in memory of/in honor of.
Finally, we continue our search for our next ED to follow the Rev. Holly Hoffmann upon her departure the end of the month. We are grateful for all the interest we have had in the position. More on that transition in the coming weeks!
Good health and peace to all.
Any questions? Please email or contact Liz Cutler, St. Alban’s Rep. to St. Elizabeth’s Board
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Worship with us this Sunday |
We are a gathering people!
On January 10th
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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Rest in Peace Linton 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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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. |
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. |
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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