News & Events in the Episcopal Diocese of Maine
Volume 23, Number 15
August 12, 2021
Around The Diocese
Join in Summer Finale at Camp Bishopswood
Play hooky with your parish - come worship at Summer Finale at Camp Bishopswood! Summer Finale is a day-long diocese-wide program for individuals and households. There will be free diocese-wide programming during the day on Sunday, August 29, and optional camping is available on both Friday and Saturday nights. Swim, boat, hike, rest, lunch, and worship on scenic Lake Megunticook.

Youth whose families register for Summer Finale should ALSO register for the adjacent Pray, Play, Connect LIVE program. Youth will spend the morning with their families, then peel off and join Maine Episcopal Youth from 1-4:00 pm for a staffed youth event. (See more below.)

Families will gather for Summer Finale on August 29 in the morning and late afternoon for worship, and in the afternoon for a free Bishopswood lunch. Stations will be set up across camp throughout the day, where individuals and households can experience the liturgy on their own terms, at their own pace.

Want to camp overnight? Come up on Friday or Saturday, and enjoy Camp Bishopswood's lodging, food, and hospitality. Diocesan programming is only provided on Sunday, but everything Camp has to offer is available all weekend long. Scholarships are available - we want this to be accessible to all families.

Click here to register for Summer Finale, and for the optional camping. Deadline is August 20.
Learn more about Pray, Play, Connect LIVE

Pray, Play, Connect LIVE is for youth entering grades 6-12. They're invited to gather at Camp Bishopswood on August 29 from 1-4:00 pm to play high energy games, make new friends, take a moment to think about their faith, and even top things off with an ice cream bar!

Click here to register for Pray, Play, Connect LIVE . It's part of Summer Finale, but youth should register separately for this event. Cost is $15, and scholarships are available - just click that option during registration - we want you to join us!
Preparing for the 202nd Convention of the Diocese
"Go forth with hope and grace"
Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 NRSV

The 202nd Convention of the Diocese of Maine will take place online on Saturday, October 23. Time TBA. All information will be posted to the convention page of the diocesan website as it becomes available. Please contact Canon Barbara Martin with any questions.
 
NOMINATIONS FOR DIOCESAN OFFICES ARE OPEN 
 
Please use this form to nominate yourself or someone else. Submissions are due September 15.
 
SUBMIT A RESOLUTION
Resolutions are now being accepted! All submissions will be reviewed by the Resolutions Committee, and if the resolution involves a change to our governing policy, it will also be reviewed by the Committee on Canons.

Any parishioner of a congregation in Maine, a member of a recognized diocesan body, or member of the Bishop's Office may propose a resolution.

  • Resolutions must be titled and include the name and contact information of the submitting person/body.
  • Standard Resolution language is required: all clauses begin with the word “RESOLVED:” if there is more than one clause, the words, “AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED” appear at the beginning of a new clause.
  • Read through the guidelines on the form before submission to ensure that you include all required information. 

We're accepting resolutions now! Please use this form to submit your resolution. Submissions are due September 1.
Group researching church legacy in the diocese
Are you interested in researching your church history in regard to racial injustice and racial justice? A group, sponsored by the Racial Justice Council, has begun to share resources and information regarding our common legacy in the Episcopal Diocese of Maine. They are looking into the financial sources that established our churches and the diocese of Maine. Topics include erasing the culture of Native Peoples, Triangle Trade, and participation in social justice movements. If you have information or are interested in sharing source, please contact Sarah Dowling.
News From Our Congregations
On Sunday, August 15, Grace Church, Bath is hosting Melanie Atha, Executive Director of national Episcopal Peace Fellowship, at their 9:00 am Eucharistic service. As part of a U.S.-wide pilgrimage, Melanie has been traveling coast to coast and connecting with chapters of EPF and Episcopal parishes. Priest-in-Charge, the Rev. Pamela Mott, and the Grace congregation welcome all to worship with them and to celebrate EPF at an outdoor reception following. For information on streaming the service, please consult gracebath.org
The Rev. Elaine Hewes and the congregation of St. Brendan the Navigator, Deer Isle held a Celebration of New Ministry with Bishop Brown on July 28. To view the live-stream of the service, click here. May God continue to bless their ministry together!
Bishop Brown visited Mount Desert Island last week, where he celebrated the new ministry of the Rev. Holly Hoffmann and the churches she serves - Church of Our Father, Hulls Cove, St. Saviour's, Bar Harbor, and St. Andrew and St. John, Southwest Harbor. He also visited The Parish of St. Mary and St. Jude, Northeast Harbor and their priest, the Rev. Steve Muncie. Together with Holly and Steve (pictured above), he boarded the Sunbeam, a vessel used in the work of Maine Seacoast Mission.
St. Bartholomew's, 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 and contact information. 
Voices Among Us
Maine Voices: You have the chance to live - seize it

Margaret Reimer, Senior Warden at St. Peter's, Bridgton and member of our diocesan COVID Advisory Group, offers her family history as a lesson in the impact on the loved ones left behind when otherwise-rational adults refuse vaccination.

Read more
www.pressherald.com
Bishop Chilton Knudsen, Eighth Bishop of Maine, has been called to serve as Chicago's Assisting Bishop. Read more in the ENS article here.
Director of Communications, Katie Clark, offered expertise as part of a panel exploring "Using New Communication Technologies for Religious Purposes". The panel was part of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication's (AEJMC) annual three-day summit. Nona Jones, Director of Faith-based Partnerships for Facebook, was a fellow panelist.
Bishop Thomas Brown guest preached at the Temple at Ocean Park on August 1. Watch the recorded service here on their YouTube channel. Bishop's sermon begins about 49:15.
A congressional bill endorsed by The Episcopal Church proposes designating "Life Every Voice and Sing" as the U.S. national hymn. Read more here.
Prayers
Let us pray for the Rev. Tracy Shaffer newly ordained to the Holy Order of Deacons on August 9 at St. Dunstan's, Ellsworth.
We offer prayers of thanksgiving for the Church of the Good Shepherd, Rangeley. The church is celebrating 100 years of loving and faithful service to the Rangeley community this August.
Resources
Episcopal Diocese of Maine offers VBS resource
The Episcopal Diocese of Maine's Christian Formation team has created a free Vacation Bible School curriculum for churches, households, and individuals based around the theme WATER!


The modules can be used in many ways - one per day, over the course of a week as a traditional vacation bible camp or could be used at various points over the summer. Adapt these ideas to meet your needs! If you have questions or just want to share how you will use this resource, contact Emily Keniston or Rev. Cn. Sara D'Angio White.
Green Team Summit: An Immersive Virtual Summit on Healing
Join Faith in Place, an ecumenical organization committed to caring for the Earth, from September 12-14 for a 3-night immersive and interactive, online journey into healing.

Faith in Place believes our environmental and social crises are rooted in disconnection. During this summit, you will explore ways to heal our connection with our land, body, mind, spirit, and community.
From walking through vividly green wetlands in Shawnee National Forest, to touring a farm, and gathering in a racial healing circle, this virtual Summit will honor our interconnectedness and inspire our environmental work through healing. Learn more here.