Worship this Sunday:

10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist

Pastor Elaine Hewes, presiding

Reggie Harris, guest musician

Scripture readings for this Sunday (Notes are below)

Wisdom 7:26–8:1

Psalm 19

James 3:1-12

Mark 8:27-38

The bulletin can be found here.

Join us in-person or online. Click below for the Zoom link.

Saturday, September 14

7:00 p.m. Reggie Harris concert (more info below)

Monday, September 16

9:00 a.m. Welcoming and Hospitality Ministry (Zoom)

4:30 p.m. Meditation/Silent Prayer (Zoom)

Tuesday, September 17

10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Kindness Rock Painting - Everyone welcome

Wednesday, Sept. 18

10:00 a.m. In-Person Meditation/Silent Prayer

10:30 a.m. Bible Study - Exploring Healing Prayer

12:30 p.m. Outreach Ministry meeting

4:00 p.m. Choir rehearsal

Saturday, September 21

8:30 a.m. Men's Breakfast

5:30 p.m. Community Spaghetti Dinner at the Congo Church. Donations will benefit the Memorial Ambulance Corps.

Sunday, September 22

10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Pastor Elaine Hewes presiding

Looking Ahead

Sunday, October 13

5:00 p.m. Celtic Eventide

Saturday, October 19

3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Community Blessing of the Animals hosted by the Congo Church.

And I think Mark, by telling this scandalous little story inside the beautiful, hallowed larger story of Jesus, wants us to know the same… The good news of the unconditional, unboundaried, liberating, healing love of God that is on the loose, seeking always to open us to the presence of this gift put into our hands, our hearts, our lives, so we can know it… so we can trust that it is ours even when the stories of our lives are not the stories we would necessarily choose… 

Sermon given by Pastor Elaine Hewes on September 8th.

Click below for the video recording. A text copy is available here.

Acclaimed Musician Reggie Harris in Concert

at the Reach Performing Arts Center

         Reggie Harris – innovative guitarist, fearlessly creative vocalist, and engaging storyteller is coming to the Reach Performing Arts Center on Deer Isle on Saturday, September 14 at 7:00 p.m. Reggie’s music is infused with joy and offers insights about life and love and the human experience reflective of his own personal journey, world issues and history. A 2021 winner of both the Spirit of Folk Award from Folk Alliance International and the W.E.B. Du Bois Legacy Award, he was a recipient of the 2018 Magic Penny Award for lifetime achievement for his impact on music from the Children’s Music Network.

         Uniquely committed to “music as a community-building vehicle,” Reggie performs, creates, and sings in the spirit of his mentors, Pete Seeger and Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagan (founder of Sweet Honey and the Rock). Reggie is a master song leader who loves to help people discover that they can make a difference at any age, wherever they may be. 

         Reggie’s portrait is included in one of the 270 portraits painted by Brooksville artist Robert Shetterly in his series “Americans Who Tell the Truth.” Sponsored by St. Brendan Episcopal Church, the Reach Performing Arts Center, and the Island Education Foundation, the concert on September 14 is free. Tickets can be claimed in advance at www.thereachpac.com or at the door the night of the event. Donations will gladly be accepted and will be shared between the Island Heating Assistance Program and the Reach Performing Arts Center “Reach for the Future” Capital Campaign.  

The Episcopal Diocese of Maine, joining Christians all over the world, celebrates a Season of Creation every year from September 1, the World Day of Prayer for the Season of Creation, to October 4, the Feast Day of St Francis of Assisi.

How can we be better stewards of God's Creation? We are invited to take action this week, joining hundreds of thousands of countries, individuals, and institutions by endorsing the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative in an urgent effort to reverse the climate emergency that we read about and experience on a daily basis. Learn more by clicking the button below.

The Stewardship Ministry is pleased to announce that as of Monday, September 9, the church has received pledges from 24 members totaling $83,910. We have now received pledges for 2025 totaling a little more than half of the budget the vestry adopted for 2024.

We would appreciate it if you could submit your pledge by the end of September so that the Finance Ministry can prepare a budget for vestry consideration.

If you need a pledge form, visit the website (click the button below) or the table in the vestibule.

We appreciate your continuing support of GOD'S work in this congregation.

The Stewardship Ministry

Mimi Gerstell, Pete Dane, Carolyn Mor, and Skip Greenlaw

Join us on Tuesday, September 17

10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

in the Parish Hall

to paint Kindness Rocks.

"May you understand God's love . . . . "

Ephesians 3:18

Meditation/Silent Prayer

every Monday at 4:30 p.m. by Zoom



Readings, poems, and prayers are shared before a period of silence.

In-person Meditation/Silent Prayer this Wednesday at 10:00 a.m.

Bible Study

Wednesday at 10:30 a.m.

September 18 - Exploring Healing Prayer led by Joan Maxwell

September Birthdays

Janet Arrison – 1

Elaine Hewes – 1

Vesta Kowalski – 1

Jack Beaudoin – 2

Donna Downs – 8

Jo Jacob – 11

Curtis Flowers – 17

Joe Grey – 17

Preston Carter – 19

Pam Mallory – 19

Catherine Hicks – 20

Allen Downs – 24

Alan Flowers– 24

Miriam Antich – 25

Barbara Kourajian – 28

News from Near and Far



Tom Russell

Peter Tarlton

Will Oneil

Victoria

Bill Reardon

Ron Dahlen

Isabelle Valencia

Dan Fowler

Janet

Mimi Maslan

Susan Manne

Semantha and Lee

Emily Gibson

Beth and Tito Kyzer

Judy

Megan

Avery

Bishop Michael Curry

Bishop Thomas Brown

Naomi

Robert B. Tobin

Anne Burton

Hewit

Mary Ann and Terry

Nishah

David Morrish

Corbin

Rebecca

Pam B.

Susan Wade

Jaxson

Heather Corey

Stephen Gill

Brent Was

Bill Scaife

Stewart and Julie

Gary and Wellesley

Mary Blanco

Max

Mary Lawrence Hicks and family

Bob Budd

Nancy Greene

Peter Brown

Nick

Seth

Linda Shepard and family

Mary Ann Shaw

Lindsay Bowker

Nancy Boothby

Marcia Scott

Tony Stoneburner

Carol Stoneburner

Nancy Stearns

Isabelle H.

We continue to hold in prayer those in our community who have recently lost loved ones; among them are the Miller/Budd, Verhey, and Greene families.

We pray for those struggling with addiction and mental illness and their caregivers.

We pray for all those receiving care through Neighbor Care and for all the relocated residents of the Island Nursing Home and their families.

We pray for the victims of gun violence -- in our cities and towns, in our schools, in our places of worship, and in our homes.

We pray for the victims of the violence of armed conflicts around the world. We pray for those made refugees by the violence of armed conflicts. We pray for the victims of terrorist attacks everywhere.

We pray for all who suffer the effects of domestic violence and the violence of bullying in our schools and workplaces.



We pray for our nation, our president and vice-president, and all elected and appointed leaders.

We pray for all peacemakers and all those who work for justice; may we be found in their ranks.

We pray for all those serving in the armed forces of our country.

We pray for Justin, Archbishop of Canterbury; Hosam, Bishop of Jerusalem; Michael, our Presiding Bishop; Sean, our Presiding Bishop-Elect; Thomas, our Bishop.

In the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer, we pray for Good Shepherd, Rangeley, for Christian Education and Sunday School programs.

In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, we pray for The Church of Nigeria 

(Anglican Communion).

On the Island and Peninsula, we pray for the Reversing Falls Sanctuary, Brooksville.

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost



Today’s liturgy is similar in theme to the feast of the Holy Cross (September 14), which always falls near this Sunday of the Church year. The Gospel reading is Peter’s acknowledgement of Jesus as the Messiah, which was followed by Jesus’ first prediction of his crucifixion and resurrection. Jesus calls his followers to pattern their own lives on his, sharing the self-giving love which leads to the Cross. 

In the Wisdom writings of the Hebrew scriptures which we are using in our first readings during this period, the term “wisdom” is not simply a function of thought but is the personification of God. Strikingly, God, as Holy Wisdom, is feminine. The person who would be truly wise will live in God. God, Holy Wisdom, will give us her counsel and guidance. 

The second lesson is again drawn from the Epistle of James, an intensely practical discourse on Christian living. In today’s reading, James exhorts us to learn self control, especially in our speaking. The tongue, when disciplined, is used to glorify God, but when undisciplined, can cause hurt and damage. 

The People of God enact in song, story, and sacrament their unity with Jesus dying and rising in their midst. In baptism and Eucharist we join him in his death and resurrection. We speak and sing our praise to him in our worship and in our lives of ministry, acceptance, and love for all people.

The Rite Light: Reflections on the Sunday Readings and Seasons of the Church Year. Copyright © 2009 by Michael W. Merriman. Church Publishing Incorporated, New York

Warden - John Arrison, 207-505-2474 arrison17@gmail.com

Warden - Lis Ingoldsby, 207-348-2586 lisingo@msn.com

Dan Reardon-Treasurer

Emily Hawkins-Clerk

Beth Carter

Woody Osborne

George Pazuniak