News & Events in the Episcopal Diocese of Maine |
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Volume 23, Number 23
December 2, 2021
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Bishop Brown invites us to embrace the quiet of Advent |
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In his Advent message, Bishop Brown asks, "What would happen if Jesus really came as if for the first time into our life?"
He encourages us to embrace this Advent season as an opportunity to slow down and wait for the coming of Jesus.
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Follow along with the Diocesan Hymn Advent calendar |
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Please follow along each Advent day in December as we share favorite Advent (and Christmas) hymns and songs, submitted by members, youth, clergy, and staff from all around the diocese!
The link to the Advent calendar is here. Just like any Advent calendar, doors are not available to be opened until the date indicated! Save the link and open one each day.
You can also follow along on the diocesan social media channels where we will also share the daily musical selection from each day of the Advent calendar.
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Check out Maine Faith Formation's December calendar |
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Click here or on the image below to download the December Faith Formation calendar. The pdf has clickable links! Please share this resource widely.
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How to help St. Elizabeth's Jubilee Center this season |
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Many of our Portland, ME neighbors lack the essentials of daily living not covered by food stamps (SNAP). Every Tuesday morning St. Elizabeth's Essentials Pantry distributes these necessary non-food items - toilet paper, a bar of soap, laundry detergent, feminine products, shampoo, winter items (like Adult size boots!), bedding, dental products, and more.
Financial support is always welcome. You can help! No amount is too small! Check out their website to learn more about the Jubilee Center and ways you can contribute at stelizabethsmaine.org.
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News From Our Congregations |
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Sacred Ground, a film- and readings-based dialogue series on race, was launched in 2019 by The Episcopal Church. St. Paul’s, Brunswick is now forming all-community Sacred Ground circles to include participants from any faith background. Some of these circles will meet in person and some will meet on Zoom, as the church tries to draw in participants with many different perspectives. Watch a brief video about the program or visit their website to learn more. If you are interested in finding out more about the expansion of the Sacred Ground program, please email St. Paul's Sacred Ground Program Coordinator.
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The Rev. Martin Smith will lead an Advent retreat on Wednesday, December 8 at 7:00pm at St. Peter's (678 Washington Ave.) in Portland. Rev. Smith is an Episcopal priest, noted author, spiritual director, and leader of retreats across the country.
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to them and eat with them, and they with me.” This verse from Revelation (chapter 3 verse 20) will be the theme for a quiet evening of thoughtfulness and prayer about ways to let Christ in, to help us take advantage of Advent’s invitation to a fresh start. Fr. Martin Smith will give three brief reflections, each followed by a time for personal prayer and reflection. The retreat will conclude with the service of Compline.
All are invited to attend "Christ at Our Door: A Quiet Evening of Preparation in Advent" in person (masks required) or watch the livestream here on Facebook. For more information, visit St. Peter's website.
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St. Alban’s, Cape Elizabeth seeks a part-time, salaried Director of Music who brings deep passion and great skill to a vibrant, intergenerational parish community. Read the full job description here. To apply, please email a cover letter and resume with video links to organ and choral conducting performances by January 31.
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A core community at the Cathedral of St. Luke, Portland have been praying the service of Compline together for sometime. They would now like to invite anyone in the diocese to come and pray with them! Follow this Zoom link to join them Monday through Friday at 8:00pm. They look forward to meeting you as they end the day in prayer together.
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St. Mark's, Waterville piled up United Thank Offering (UTO) boxes for their Ingathering held on November 21. UTO is a ministry that encourages the personal spiritual practice of gratitude in support of the mission of the whole church --encouraging people to notice the good things that happen each day, give thanks to God for those blessings, and make an offering for each blessing using a UTO Blue Box. Traditionally, Ingatherings were held in parishes on the Sunday closest to Ascension or the Sunday closest to All Saints Day. But it's always a time to give thanks! For gifts to count toward 2021, funds must be received before December 11th. For more info about where to send gifts, click here.
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Scenes above are from Bishop Brown's recent visit with St Peter’s, Rockland --where everyone is vaccinated! |
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Read in Bill Nemitz: Ringing in the holidays with tasty Maine spuds about how Jason Briggs, parishioner at Trinity, Saco and vice president of business development for VIP Tour & Charter in Portland, has been inspired through the years to donate pallets of Aroostook County potatoes to points south. The article talks about his collaboration with the Episcopal Diocese of Maine including the time they ended up with 50,000 instead of 5,000 pounds of potatoes to distribute!
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The Maine Council of Churches held an interactive online conversation in November with Maine author Susan Inches, an educator and advocate who has worked in environmental policy for over 25 years. In "Storytelling and the Art of Advocacy", Susan explained how ordinary citizens can use storytelling as a powerful tool in public policy advocacy. Watch a recording of the webinar here.
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Transformation Northeast is a nondenominational effort to renew Christianity in New England. Tony Sousa, Senior Warden of Church of Our Father in Hulls Cove, encourages churches in our diocese to become involved. Join them in praying 24/7 for Church and regional renewal, transformation, and awakening. Click here to "start to pray”. Sign up for a time slot that isn’t yet taken. You will receive an automatic reminder to let you know your prayer time is coming. Find prayer guides here. Email questions to David Janssen.
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Watch this interview of Presiding Bishop Curry by ABC News about the Church addressing climate change following his experience at the COP26 Climate Conference. |
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Each week the Washington National Cathedral prays for one of the states of the union. The State of Maine will be prayed for next week, the week of December 12, 2021.
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Let us pray together for those who will be confirmed, received, and who will reaffirm their faith at a Regional Confirmation service with Bishop Brown at St. Ann's, Windham on December 12. |
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We offer prayers for St. John's, Brownville Junction celebrating 130 years since the church was dedicated by Bishop Rt. Rev. Henry A. Neeley, D.D. on December 6, 1891! The first service was held before the church was built on Sunday, November 23, 1890 in a schoolhouse. There were times when the services were held in a boxcar or inside the Canadian Pacific Railroad station. For more information about the church, contact Susan Worcester at 965-8070 or visit the church’s Facebook page.
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Please join in praying with the diocese using the 2021-2022 Diocesan Cycle of Prayer. View it here on episcopalmaine.org. The Cycle of Prayer is now also available as an add-on calendar. Click the link here to add it as an additional Google Calendar. For an iCal link, click here. (Prayers for this coming Sunday, December 5th are pictured here.)
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"Soul Deep Healing of Racism's Wounds" with Dr. Meeks |
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Episcopal Peace Fellowship (EPF) continues to host a series of online, 1-hour presentations at 4:00 pm on the first Sunday of each month that address different aspects of and approaches to peacebuilding, both with others and within ourselves.
The next offering on Sunday, January 2 is "Soul Deep Healing of Racism's Wounds". Presenter, Catherine Meeks, PhD, takes the healing of racism deeper than politics to address the injuries and grievances we bear in our hearts. Dr. Meeks is the Founding Executive Director of the Absalom Jones Episcopal Center for Racial Healing, a collaborative initiative between the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta and he Episcopal Church.
Register for this presentation here.
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Learn how to integrate online and in person ministry |
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Before the pandemic, churches were exploring how to balance online and in person interaction. The pandemic forced churches to embrace online ministry very quickly and without the luxury of mindfulness. As the pandemic threat changes and people become vaccinated, we are building a new normal. What aspects of our online ministries will we retain? What will we do with in-person ministry? How will we bring the two types of worship together?
Church consultant and author Ryan Panzer leads a ChurchNext webinar called "Hybrid Ministry that Makes Sense" which is available anytime, on demand. The course includes four video lectures on the following topics:
- Introduction to Hybrid Ministry
- Balancing Community Online and Offline
- Creating Hybrid Ministry
- Enhancing and Sharing Your Hybrid Ministry
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