Volume 26, Number 5

May 16, 2024

Bishop’s Visitation, Trinity Church, Saco

Bishop’s Visitation, St. Margaret’s, Belfast

Ordination of the Rev. Ben Cooke, St. Peter's, Rockland

Cinco de Mayo-themed coffee hour at the Cathedral Church of St. Luke, Portland

Quilt Project at St. Nicholas', Scarborough

After attending a clergy retreat presented by Dr. Catherine Meeks, the deacon of St. Nicholas’ Church in Scarborough, the Rev. Ann O'Sullivan, suggested the idea of making a St Nick's quilt. “The project allowed us to share our stories, recognize our commonalities and differences, and gave us an opportunity to celebrate who we are as a community,” says senior warden Kelly Martino. “After a blessing of the finished quilt by our priest, the Rev. Ted Gaiser, during Sunday worship, we celebrated by sharing our stories and highlighting this exciting journey we've been on in a festive coffee hour. Our quilting team of Patty Robinson, Yvonne Wentz, and Nancy Agan did an amazing job. We are truly blessed indeed!” 

Celebrating California's New Bishop

Bishop Brown (far right) participated in the ordination and consecration of the Rt. Rev. Austin Keith Rios as bishop coadjutor of the Episcopal Diocese of California on May 4 in San Francisco at Grace Cathedral.

Photo courtesy of Grace Cathedral

Read more here.

Apply by May 19 to be an Episcopal Church Ecojustice Fellow 

The Episcopal Church Department of Reconciliation, Justice, and Creation Care invites applicants for the 2024 Ecojustice Fellows program, open to young adult Episcopalians between 21 and 30 years old. In this five-month virtual/remote program, fellows will participate six-to-eight hours per week between June and mid-October and receive a stipend of $2,750. Fellows will receive training in creation care theology and advocacy and will develop a local ecojustice project in their congregation, institution, or diocese. Application deadline is May 19.

General Convention Overview

The 81st General Convention of the Episcopal Church will be held in Louisville, KY June 23-28. This year is especially monumental, with the election of a new Presiding Bishop. If you'd like to know more about how General Convention works and what happens there, we are fortunate to have an excellent primer, written by freelance reporter Melodie Woerman and Cynde Bimbi, director of communications and public relations for the Episcopal Church in Delaware. Read the document here. Learn more about convention on our website here.  

Communications Department Debuts Office Hours

Anyone involved in parish communications is invited to Office Hours—an "open door" virtual information session—on Wednesday, June 12 at 11 a.m. Director of Communications Susan Sherrill Axelrod and Digital Communications Specialist Amy Redfern will answer questions about website updates, social media, email newsletters, video production, and any other communications concerns. Email Susan for the Zoom link.

Seventeenth Century Evening Prayer at St. John’s, Dresden 

Sunday, May 19, 5 p.m. 



All are welcome at a special service of Evening Prayer, at St. John’s, Dresden, in which the Rev. Paul Tunkle will portray founding pastor, the Rev. Jacob Bailey, who served from 1761 to 1778. On Sunday, May 19 at 5 p.m., “Rev. Bailey” will lead worship from the English Prayer Book of 1662. A reception will follow in the church vestibule. This service is sponsored by the Dresden Recreation Committee with support from members of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Wiscasset. 

Caring for Loved Ones with Dementia 

Tuesday, May 21, 1:30 p.m. 

St. Bartholomew’s, Yarmouth 



This in-person seminar offers information on the local resources available to care partners of loved ones with dementia. The presentation will be led by Lori Campbell, MA, LSW. Lori is a licensed social worker and a Family Caregiver Resource Specialist in Southern Maine Agency on Aging’s Family Caregiver Support Program. The free presentation will be held at St. Bartholomew's Church, 396 Gilman Rd., Yarmouth. There will be a Q&A period following the presentation. 

More information, including a link to the livestream, is available here.

Late Spring Spirit Chats

Tuesdays: May 21, May 28, June 4, and June 11

On Zoom

Due to high interest with a waiting list, another session of Spirit Chats is being offered.

Spirit Chats are an opportunity for small group faith sharing.  Have you ever experienced a “God-incident” in your life and wanted to share it but weren’t sure where or with whom? Perhaps this has so spilled over into your daily life, you want to talk about it with others, but find it difficult to find the appropriate setting. If you feel God has been moving in your life, and you want to hear from others how God is moving in theirs, the Evangelism Task Force—a joint project of the Episcopal dioceses of Maine and New Hampshire—invites you to share your story during Spirit Chats.

Contact: the Rev. Tim Higgins or the Rev. Alanna Van Antwerpen  with questions, or click the button below to register. 

Celebration of the Life and Ministry of the Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray 

Wednesday, May 23, 7 p.m.

On Zoom 

The Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray was the first Black woman to be ordained in The Episcopal Church. As we celebrate 50 years of women’s ordination, all are welcome to join a Province 1 event to learn about this groundbreaking lawyer, activist, poet, and priest on Wednesday, May 23, at 7 p.m. on Zoom. Rev. Murray’s niece, Rosita Stevens-Holsey, author and leader of the Preserving Pauli Murray Foundation, will speak about her aunt and the legacy she has left us. 

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia 

Wear Orange for Gun Violence Prevention 

June 7-9 

Every year on the first Friday in June, members of the movement against gun violence come together to honor survivors of gun violence and to demand a future free from this crisis by wearing orange throughout the weekend. Wear Orange originated on June 2, 2015—what would have been Hadiya Pendleton's 18th birthday. Just one week after performing at President Obama's second inaugural parade in 2013, she was shot and killed at the age of 15. In the aftermath, teenagers in Chicago who wanted to honor their friend wore orange to raise awareness around gun violence.

The Episcopal Peace Fellowship of Maine wishes to honor Hadiya and the more than 110 people shot and killed every day in the U.S. Congregations are encouraged to join in National Gun Violence Awareness Day and Wear Orange Weekend, June 7-9. Feel free to use this “Litany in the Aftermath of Gun Violence” in your churches and your homes. Find it here.

St. Paul's Church in Brunswick, seeks a full-time Rector. Applications will be accepted until May 31.

Trinity Church in Castine seeks a part-time Priest-in-Charge. Applications will be accepted until May 30.

Learn more about these and other open positions around the diocese on the employment page of our website.

MAY

19 Bishop's Visitation, St. George's, York Harbor, 9 a.m.

21 Meeting of Senior Wardens with Bishop Brown, 5 p.m.

22 Ecumenical Pentecost with Bishop Brown in Windham, 5 p.m.

JUNE

1 Regional Confirmation, St. David's, Kennebunk, 10:30 a.m.

2 Bishop's Visitation, Trinity, Portland, 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.

9 Bishop at Cathedral of St. Luke, 9 a.m.

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