News & Events in the Episcopal Diocese of Maine |
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Volume 24, Number 14
July 21, 2022
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General Convention: Results and Highlights |
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The 80th General Convention of the Episcopal Church, which was postponed a year because of the pandemic and shortened from eight days to just four, wrapped up last week. |
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Watch video recaps (like the one below from Sarah Braik) and read stories that our Maine deputation shared from Baltimore here on our blog.
You can watch all the recorded sermons and other video highlights from The Episcopal Church on the GC80 Media Hub.
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Some General Convention Actions of Note:
The General Convention acted on 414 resolutions during four days of business in Baltimore, including:
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The bishops adopted a statement on climate emergency, you can read more on that in the below section.
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Several racial equity resolutions were adopted including one establishing a voluntary Episcopal Coalition for Racial Equity and Justice. Read more here and here.
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The convention took action toward defining The Book of Common Prayer to provide for authorized liturgies that are not proposed revisions to the physical book, and designated www.episcopalcommonprayer.org as the church's official liturgical website. Read more here.
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The $100.5-million budget for 2023-2034 was approved, along with a new standing budget committee to consolidate and streamline the budget process. Read more here.
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Resolutions from the Committee on the State of the Church call for task forces and evaluation on technology and tools for church governance work, indicators of 21st-century congregational vitality, revision of the Parochial Report's financial page and re-evaluation of membership counting methods to better reflect a range of contexts and ways of gathering. Read more here.
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Youngest, most diverse slate to date: The House of Deputies on July 9 elected Diocese of Oklahoma deputy Julia Ayala Harris as its new president, succeeding the Rev. Gay Clark Jennings, who completed her third and final term at this convention. Ayala Harris was elected on the third ballot from the youngest, most diverse slate of presidential candidates ever to come before the House of Deputies. Read more from Episcopal News Service here and watch a video clip here. |
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On July 10 the House of Deputies went on to elect the Rev. Rachel Taber-Hamilton as its new vice president. Taber-Hamilton, who is Shackan First Nation, joins Harris, who is Latina, to become the first people of color serving together as president and vice president, and the first time two women will lead the house. Read more on Taber-Hamilton's election from Episcopal News Service here.
We can't wait to hear more from our Maine deputationas they begin to debrief the event. Thank you, deputies!
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The 81st General Convention of The Episcopal Church will be held in Louisville, Kentucky in July 2024. If you’re interested in becoming a deputy, find the nomination form on our diocesan convention page!
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Join the diocese for Summer Finale at Bishopswood |
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Families and households throughout Maine are invited to celebrate the end of summer together at Camp Bishopswood. Spend a night or two cabin or tent camping while you swim, boat, hike, rest, and worship on scenic Lake Megunticook. All meals included.
There will be free diocese-wide programming during the day on Saturday, August 27 including worship. Come for the day or stay for the weekend!
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Apply for a Mission Priorities Grant for 2023 |
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The Episcopal Diocese of Maine invites established, active programs in the diocese to apply for funds for 2023 through a grant process tied to our Mission Priorities. What are our mission priorities? See the 'Seven Criteria of Mission' below:
- Diocesan resources will support program/ministry efforts that are Christ-centered and Gospel-oriented.
- Diocesan resources will support program/ministry efforts that collaborate with other churches, communities and affinity groups and demonstrate a willingness to share personnel and resources.
- Diocesan resources will support those program/ministry efforts led by those who can demonstrate their experience as well as passion for their particular ministry.
- Diocesan resources will support program/ministry efforts with evaluation processes in place and those that can articulate a plan to achieve sustainability.
- Diocesan resources will support program/ministry efforts whose leaders are willing to share their successes and best practices as well as failures with other congregations or collaborative groups that wish to replicate their work in other parts of the diocese.
- Diocesan resources will support program/ministry efforts that demonstrate a willingness to move from a centralized approach to ones that will involve and benefit a wide range and number of people within the diocese and beyond.
- Diocesan resources will support program/ministry efforts that demonstrate the values of transparency, equity, fairness and collaboration.
Applications and guidelines are available here. The deadline is 5:00 pm on August 1, 2022. If you have questions, please email the Rev. Suzanne Roberts.
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News From Our Congregations |
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Capital Area New Mainers, a cross-cultural organization that welcomes immigrants in central Maine, completed renovation to the Hallowell Multicultural Center (formerly the Episcopal Church of Saints Matthew and Barnabas) in time for a grand opening during their International Kids Festival on July 16. God is still at work in that space! |
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Bishop Brown visited St. Ann's in Kennebunkport this past Sunday and celebrated in their beautiful, outdoor seaside space. Thanks to Chris Dalambakis for sharing the photographs!
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St. Mark's in Waterville has broken ground on their new labyrinth! Much like the Cathedral of St. Luke in Portland, they have designed their labyrinth to be part of the surrounding community, including Colby College, the North Street Recreation Area, Quarry Road Trails, the Waterville Maine General Thayer campus, and the Alfond Youth and Community Center. |
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The four Episcopal Churches of Mount Desert Island are working to establish a new historical museum located in a beautiful, secured setting at St. Saviour's Church. They've found that there are many, many items of church history hidden away in boxes and closets that should be displayed for everyone to see! The museum is well underway and will open this summer. |
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Bishop attending Lambeth, but his husband was 'disinvited'
The Anglican church's global conference is inviting gay and lesbian bishops for the first time, but is drawing the line at inviting their spouses, a decision that directly affects the Episcopal Bishop of Maine, one of only a few openly gay...
Read more
www.pressherald.com
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The 15th Lambeth Conference begins next Tuesday. Bishop Brown will be joining bishops from across the globe to explore what it means for the Anglican Communion to be responsive to the needs of a 21st-century world. Download the prayer guide and join us as we pray for those gathering.
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Pray for the repose of the soul of Betty Lane, mother of Bishop Stephen T. Lane. Betty died on July 7. She was 101 years old! Her obituary is here. May she Rest In Peace and rise in Glory.
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We offer prayers and thanks to Lorelei Fleishman, née Hipkins, who recently resigned as Episcopal Maine Youth musician in order to move with her new spouse to Japan. Lorelei has been playing music with Episcopal Maine Youth for the last thirteen years, beginning when she herself was in middle school, and
culminating with her serving as our paid musician for the last four years.
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Help us to remain aware of and sensitive to the families and communities that lose loved ones to gun violence. We pray that all American citizens look for solutions at the personal, social, and political levels. |
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St. Elizabeth's holding vaccine clinic on August 2 |
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St. Elizabeth's Essentials Pantry, a diocesan Jubilee Center, will host a COVID-19 vaccine clinic on Tuesday, August 2. The flyer above is being translated into 5 different languages to share with asylum seekers and immigrants. The clinic is free and open to anyone. Translators will be at the clinic. Spread the word and consider a gift to help the center keep serving the people of Greater Portland.
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Save these dates below! For the full events calendar, click here.
JULY
26 – 8 August The Lambeth Conference
31 Pool Party & Farewell to Grads
AUGUST
26-28 Summer Finale Weekend
SEPTEMBER
27 Clergy Day with the Bishop, Christ Church Gardiner
27 Town Hall
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