Pine Tree Newsletter 

A note for clergy who receive The Pine Tree clergy newsletter - it will land in your inboxes on October 17, not October 10 which is Indigenous People's Day. 

Check out the Website for All Things Convention!

As we get closer to diocesan convention, the diocesan website is continually updated with pertinent convention information.

Items that have been recently added or updated include: 

• Nominee Bios
• 2023  Proposed Budget and Narrative 
• Resolutions (drafts posted to this page once draft is finalized)
• Rules of Order

Town Hall Meeting Tonight

We look forward to seeing you at Town Hall meeting tonight! 

Remember that Town Hall meetings take the place of pre-Convention hearings.

Tonight's Town Hall will have updates and worship, and we will discuss the budget, rules of order, consent calendar, and resolutions.  

Please mark your calendars for these additional Town Hall meetings as we head towards diocesan convention:

• Tuesday, October 11 (resolutions, consent calendar)
• Tuesday, October 18 (pre-convention preparation)
• Tuesday, October 25 (post-convention debrief and thanksgivings)

Are these meetings just for delegates? Nope! All are welcome at these learning opportunities!

All Town Hall meetings will run from 7pm to 8pm (with an optional Q&A at 6:30 for the October meetings) and the link to the meeting will be sent out the Saturday morning before the Tuesday meeting.

Watch for your invitations to Town Hall meetings, they will arrive in your email the Saturday before each Town Hall. 

Convention Registration is Open

Register today for the 203rd annual Diocesan Convention!

Who should register? 

• All voting lay convention delegates whose names have been submitted by their congregation
• All voting canonically resident and licensed clergy in charge who plan on attending convention
• All diocesan officers who are canonically granted seat, voice, and vote
• All non-voting staff and volunteers

If you are an alternate delegate and won't be voting, no need to register, please join us on YouTube live stream instead. (If you are called to replace a delegate before convention, we will sort it out then. Thank you!)

Our Convention Delegation has Changed, What Do We Do?

No problem, just let us know through this change form here.

Protecting Houses of Worship

Thursday, October 13, 2022

9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. 

Westbrook Performing Arts Center

Faith-based events and houses of worship, such as churches, synagogues, and mosques, are inherently welcoming, with open access and publicly available schedules for services and events. However, this welcoming nature can pose risks. The past few years have seen a tragic increase in the number of hate crimes, and houses of worship have often been the target of those crimes. As leaders of Maine’s faith-based organizations and houses of worship, you can take steps to proactively reduce risks and provide safe, secure and resilient places of worship and faith-based gatherings.

Brought to you by Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA); Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA); Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Boston Field Office, Portland Resident Agency; U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Community Relations Service (CRS); and U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maine, along with the participation of local law enforcement, Our goal is to provide practical information, tools and resources to help bolster emergency preparedness efforts and foster best practices to keep Maine’s faith-based events and houses of worship safe.

Topics discussed during the event will include:

• Security, Risk and Vulnerability Assessment
• Active Shooter Preparedness, Response & Resources
• Building Your Own Emergency Operations Plan
• Faith-Based Experiences with Public Safety Issues

Click here to register for this event. Seating is limited. 

How to Change Your Name on Zoom

As we attend Town Halls and prepare for Convention, several of you have asked for a refresher on how to change your screen name in Zoom meetings. Watch the video below for a tutorial!

Communications Office Hours

Are you interested in a working session regarding technology, social media, or how to communicate your message?

These are all topics for discussion at CommsChat - aka Communications Office Hours. The discussion each week is guided by the questions of those who attend. This is a non-mandatory, come-if-you'd-like open discussion session with Canon for Communications, Katie Clark.

This week's CommsChat is on Thursday, October 6 from 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Click on the "Register Here" button below if you'd like to attend.

Are you a creative type who also likes to keep things organized? St. George’s in Sanford is hiring a Communications and Administrative Assistant. This position is focused on print and digital communications along with some administrative assistance in the parish office. To see the full job description, click here. To apply, send a cover letter and resume to Rev. Lauren Kay.

St. James in Old Town is looking for a high school student or someone older to take care of the children on Sunday mornings. The compensation is generous! Contact Senior Warden Cass Wright via email or at 207-475-6830.

St. Bart’s in Yarmouth is seeking an organized, energetic, and creative part-time Youth Religious Education Leader to coordinate their youth ministry program. The leader will work 12-16 hours/week during the school calendar year with a salary ranging from $14,000-18,000 based on qualifications and experience. Click here for the complete job description. Please use this email address to apply.

Christ Church in Gardiner has an opening for a part-time, salaried Children and Youth Ministries Coordinator. The Children and Youth Ministries Coordinator is responsible for overseeing and implementing spiritual formation for children, youth, and their families. This is a salaried staff position for approximately 10 hours per week for 10 months a year. Read the full job description here. Applications will be accepted until September 30, 2022. Please include in the application: a current resume, 3 references with contact information, and a letter of interest for this position and email to the Rev. Kerry Mansir.

Love making music to glorify God and inspire worshippers? St. Philip's in Wiscasset is looking for a Music Director to play organ/piano and direct its choir. If interested, send your resume to the Rev. Tom Junkert or call 218-205-0420. The job description can be viewed here.

St. George’s, York Harbor is hiring a part-time communications-focused Administrative Assistant. Use your creative gifts to help them connect people and build community through print and digital media.They are excited to work with someone creative and curious about how to build greater connections in the community and tell their story through digital engagement. Click here for a full job description. To apply, email a cover letter and resume to the Rev. Ryan Mails.

St. David's in Kennebunk is seeking an experienced, technically-minded individual to contract to run their audio and video system to livestream and prerecord their worship services and other events. For more information, and to apply, please email  Cathy Zub, Parish Administrator.

Is your church hiring? Would you like us to share out the job description in the CLL (this email), the Dio Log, and/or the diocesan LinkedIn page? If so, let us know!

As a reminder, churches that are in the search process for a new clergyperson are listed on the diocesan website here.

Save these dates below! For the full events calendar, click here.

OCTOBER

4 Town Hall: Budget, Rules of Order, Resolutions

11Town Hall: Resolutions, Consent Calendar

18 Town Hall: Pre-Convention

19 Diocesan Convention Registration Deadline

22 Diocesan Convention

25 Town Hall: Convention Debrief and Thanksgivings for the Town Hall Program

NOVEMBER

20 Diocese-wide, Belated Bicentennial Celebration

27 Advent Begins