Worship With Us IN PERSON Masks are required indoors to protect the most vulnerable:
younger children, the immunocompromised, and others who have not yet been vaccinated.
Coffee hour will be held only outdoors and canceled in poor weather.
Pre-registration is not required, and social distancing is encouraged.
Holy Communion will be offered in one-kind only (Bread). Sunday, September 26 10 am at Church of Our Father: Holy Eucharist Celebrant/Preacher: The Rev. Holly Hoffmann Deacon: The Rev. Mary Carol Griffin 10 am at St. John the Divine: Lay Led Morning Prayer Officiant/Preacher: Eric Erickson
10 am at St. Saviour's: Holy Eucharist Celebrant/Preacher: The Rev. Dr. Regina Christianson If you are interested in being a lay leader of Morning Prayer or becoming a lay preacher on Sundays,
please contact Mother Holly and the parish administrator of your church.
Midweek Holy Eucharist on MDI
Wednesdays at Church of Our Father at 8 am Using the readings appointed for the day in the Book of Common Prayer,
we will have a service Holy Eucharist.
| | | Worship Schedule Survey
Your Input Needed
We are considering adjusting service times so that Mother Holly is able to celebrate Holy Eucharist and worship with EACH church MORE often every month.
She would like to find a way to see you more often for worship.
This short survey is anonymous and will take just a few minutes to complete.
Thank you for completing it!
If you or someone you know needs to fill this out by hand, stop by the church office to pick up a copy. Please return by 10/1 | | | Please Wear Your Name Tag to Church Remember that wearing your name tag at worship is helpful to each other, Mother Holly, supply clergy, and to visitors! If you would like a new name tag, contact your Parish Administrator. | | | Assisting at Services We are in need of support for our worship services: Acolytes, Greeters/Ushers, Lectors, Intercessors, Altar Guild, Coffee Hour/Lemonade on the Lawn Hosts, and officiants for Morning Prayer.If you would like to help at any of our services, please contact the parish administrator of your church. Thank you! | | | Pastoral Care Requests Holy Communion: If you are unable to attend an in-person worship service and would like Holy Communion brought to you, please contact the church office (contact information is at the bottom of this email). We will arrange a time for the clergy or Eucharistic Visitors to bring the Sacrament to your home or hospital bedside.
Hospital Visits: If you or a loved one is in the hospital, please let Mother Holly know. She is glad to come visit you in the hospital or call you during your stay. | | | IMPORTANT NEWS and DATES! | | | | Sunday, 9/26 after worship
International Missionary, Mary Chowenhill,
to Speak at Church of Our Father
Mary Chowenhill, a missionary to Uganda at the Ugandan Christian University will be attend the morning service and share her ministry of teaching entrepreneurship to students after the service. The parish of Church of Our Father has supported her ministry over the years. Come hear her story of discernment as the Lord has led her in mission work in numerous African countries. All are welcome! | | | 1st Sunday of Every Month:
Giving to Those in Need
On the first Sunday of the month,
the loose cash and checks designated (memo line "RDF") placed in the offertory plate go to the
Rector's Discretionary Fund to be used for charitable works helping individuals living in need within the community.
Thank you for your generosity! | | | | Sunday, 10/3
The Blessing of the Animals
on the Feast of St. Francis
We will join with other Episcopalians and Congregationalists on MDI for Pet Blessings:
Bar Harbor Green at 1:00 pm
St. John's Church, Southwest Harbor at 3:00 pm
Bring your family pet for a blessing! | | | | Wednesday, 10/6
Outreach Meeting
The Outreach, Mission and Evangelism committee of Church of Our Father (OME) invites everyone to the October outreach meeting following the morning service. The first Wednesday of the month will become the scheduled meeting time going forward, and we invite participation from all parishes. All are welcome.
Building off of the work that Deacon Tracy Shaffer did with us as a part of her ministry internship on MDI last year, OME has identified three possible themes of collaboration across the Partnership based on past Outreach commitments: Food Insecurity (fall),
Children (winter), and
to be determined (spring).
We also hope to address outreach in three areas over any given program year: Local to MDI,
Hancock County/ State of Maine / National, and
International
We hope that these "trinities" of shared commitment and geography will provide a way for parishes in the partnership to collaborate and support one another on the particular ministry projects that speak to them and their congregations.
At this October meeting, we will discuss possible outreach projects the spring and the CoOF outreach budget. Please come, worship and share your thoughts and ideas.
If you are a member of St. Andrew and St. John or St. Saviour and are passionate about outreach, please talk with Mother Holly as we are looking for leaders at both of these churches who are called to the ministry of service to others. | | Saturday, 10/9:
Baroque Concert Series Continues at SSP The Evening Music series will continue with more Baroque chamber-music by the ensemble Harmonie Universelle on Saturday, October 9, which includes our very own Dr. Daniel Pyle. Further information is available by writing to St. Saviour's at music@stsaviours.me. | | | Sunday, 10/24
Lay Preaching Seminar on MDI The Rev. Dr. Mark Jefferson, Assistant Professor of Homiletics at Virginia Theological Seminary, is our guest preacher for the island-wide service of Holy Eucharist on Sunday, October 24 at St. Saviour.
Mother Holly met Mark while in Omaha, Nebraska in June when he was preaching at the Trinity Episcopal Cathedral.
Following this service and time to eat lunch, Mark will be offering at seminar on preaching to any lay person interested in developing their skills in offering a homily.
Folks from MDI may attend in person, if they desire. The seminar may also be attended by Zoom. Stay tuned for registration to attend in person or
to receive the Zoom link or email Mother Holly now to reserve your spot.
This seminar will be hosted by the parishes of the MDI Partnership and open to others in the Diocese of Maine and Province 1.
Dr. Jefferson holds a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Religion focusing on Homiletics from Emory University where he was a doctoral fellow for the Fund for Theological Exploration (FTE) and the Lilly Foundation. During his doctoral work, he received the W.E.B. Du Bois Award from the Candler School of Theology. Active in the life of the church in graduate school in Atlanta, Dr. Jefferson was the Director of Christian Education at The Greater Travelers Rest Baptist Church, which, at the time, was counted as one of the fastest-growing churches in the country, according to Outreach Magazine. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University, where he concentrated his coursework in homiletics, completed a certificate in Black Church Studies, and served as President of the Black Student Caucus. He majored in Political Science and concentrated in Public Administration at Norfolk State University (NSU) in Norfolk, Virginia. While at NSU, he served as the President of Pi Sigma Alpha (the political science honor society), earned the Vince Lombardi Most Outstanding Football Athlete Award, and was named a Coca-Cola Academic All-American. Dr. Jefferson's preaching, scholarship, and engagement with popular culture outline his commitment to be a public theologian. The critical engagement of the American social imagination and African American socio-political enfranchisement and empowerment are areas of concentration for Dr. Jefferson's life and work. Dr. Jefferson is an emerging scholar interested in the ways that consciousness and imagination inform the practice of preaching. His dissertation titled "Beyond the Talented Tenth: W.E.B. Du Bois, the Hip-Hop Emcee, and the Reimagination of African American Homiletics" explores Du Bois' advocacy of the "Talented Tenth" social imagination and its influence in the formation of black preachers and preaching. In his upcoming book, tentatively titled, The Mis-education of the African American Preacher, Dr. Jefferson extends the work of Carter G. Woodson and his critique of the educational and cultural formation of African American leaders, namely preachers, by arguing that they are being formed to ineffectively preach and connect with the black masses. Dr. Jefferson has also contributed to the African American Lectionary and the Academy of Preachers. Dr. Jefferson is an internationally respected preacher and teacher of preachers. He was inducted into the Martin Luther King, Jr. Board of Preachers at Morehouse College and appeared in The Nassau Guardian (Bahamas). He has preached at churches such as: Washington National Cathedral, Washington, D.C.; Alfred Street Baptist Church, Alexandria, VA; Mt. Ararat Baptist Church, Pittsburgh, PA; The House of Hope Atlanta, Decatur, GA; Friendship Baptist Church, Atlanta, GA; Trinity Cathedral, Phoenix, AZ; Alexandria Detention Center, Alexandria, VA and Bethel A.M.E, Hampton, VA among many others churches, conferences, chapels, public gatherings, and occasions. Dr. Jefferson was selected for the historic Lenten Preaching Series at Calvary Episcopal Church, in Memphis, TN. VTS is honoring its 200th anniversary on October 15, 2023, and in contribution to this effort, Dr. Jefferson is currently preaching 200 sermons locally, nationally, and internationally in the years leading up to the Bicentennial Celebration. | | | Covid Task Force Update Our Covid Task Force of the Episcopal churches of MDI have started meeting regularly again due to the increase of cases in Maine. We reviewed our protocols: -
Masking for all regardless of vaccination status at all indoor gatherings -
Social distancing will be marked within the worship space of all our churches -
Refreshments will be only served outdoors (as has been our policy) -
Ushers take care to encourage masking when entering the building and to maintain social distancing, especially during the distribution of Communion | | Youth & Family Formation
Children's Faith Formation at Home on MDI
Brad Berry and Chris Krenicki of Church of Our Father send home materials to support faith formation at home monthly for elementary and middle school aged youth. If you would like to receive these materials or be notified when in person events are happening here for youth in this age range, please be in touch with the parish office. Contact information is at the bottom of this email.
Pray, Play, Connect: A Fun and Prayerful Space for 6th-12th Graders across the Diocese
All youth graduating 5th-12th grade are welcome! If you haven't participated in a diocesan youth event, this is a great opportunity to check one out. FMI: The Rev. Sara D'Angio White, Canon for Youth Formation here.
Let's Talk About It: Compline + Conversation for 9th-12th graders
Fourth Sundays from 7:00-8:30 pm Click here for the ZOOM LINK
Youth have jumped right in and engaged on difficult subjects, such as school violence and racism. Adults are welcome; contact Sara D'Angio White here.
Adult Formation
Bible Study with the Rev. Stephen Muncie The Wednesday Morning Bible Study will resume on October 13, 10:30 am. We will pick up our study of the Book of Exodus beginning with chapter 16. However, we will spend some time offering an overview of the beginnings of Exodus and the Moses story, the plagues of Egypt, and the deliverance at the Red Sea. All are welcome to attend. If you would like to be added to the class mailing list please send Fr. Steve an email here: Email Father Steve. Contemplative Prayer: How About Adding a Group Contemplative Prayer experience to your spiritual life this summer?
Mother Regina Christianson and the Rev. Dr. Jenny Reece are gathering those who have or would like to learn a centering prayer practice every Friday at 1:00 p.m. at the Oranbega Retreat Center in Orland, Maine, starting on Friday, June 18. Beginners are always welcome, as are the more experienced, so long as they have "beginner's mind"! If you are interested please call or email Jenny and she will give you directions to Oranbega. 207-952-2363. Participation via Zoom will be available for those who live too far away to come to Orland for an hour on Fridays. To receive a link, use the above contact info. May your summer be richly blessed with prayer and meditation! If you intend to come to Orland in person, please call or text Jenny at 207-952-2363 for the schedule, as the meeting will be Zoom only on the weeks when she is absent and Mother Regina is leading the group. | | Mother Holly's Office Hours
Sunday as scheduled and where needed
Monday at St. John's
Tuesday at St. Saviour's
Wednesday at Church of Our Father
Thursday where needed and sermon preparation
She is happy to schedule an appointment if you would like to see her!
Call the parish office or E-mail her For pastoral emergencies, call her at 207-244-8144
and leave a message,
if you do not reach her immediately. | | | | IN CASE YOU MISSED IT . . . | | | | 2021 Invitation to Operation Christmas Child It is such a joy to give gifts to children at Christmas time! In order to include interested summer parishioners in the joy of Operation Christmas Child, Church of Our Father is beginning our involvement in OCC now and invites you to join in. Operation Christmas Child is the program under the umbrella of the missionary program, Samaritan's Purse, in which we fill shoeboxes with toys, stationery, and hygiene items for needy children around the world. Shoeboxes can be filled for boys or girls, ages 2 to 14. Once filled, the shoeboxes are collected and flown to distribution sites. Before shoeboxes are distributed, children hear a Gospel lesson. Many children never before will have received gifts or heard the good news of Christ's love. Afterwards, weekly Bible lessons are offered. Children who attend all lessons receive their own Bible.
There are three ways to be involved. You may stuff a shoebox yourself according to guidelines. You may send in items to help fill a shoebox. You may send a donation to Church of Our Father with a by-line of OCC so we can fill shoeboxes for you. If you want to send in items, please email Marilyn Kitler so we can coordinate and avoid duplication. Gen MacKenzie is the point person for St. Andrew's and St. John's. If you are a member of St. Saviour's and would like to serve as a point person at this church, please be in touch with Mother Holly or me. We look forward to sharing the joy with you! Marilyn Kitler, Coordinator |  | | | | |  | The Bells Expert's Visit to St. Saviour's
On Wednesday 1 September, Bob Verdin of The Verdin Company (a bell-foundry based in Cincinnati since 1842) visited St. Saviour's. The bells have not been ringing this summer due to their condition and needed maintenance in order to be played safely. This was opportunity to find out just what we have — a marvelous ring of bells, which may be unique in Hancock County — and how we might care for what has been placed in our trust.
His presentation to church-members, discussing how bells are made, mounted, and maintained, and the specific conditions and needs of our bells is linked here.
One can learn more about the Verdin Company, you can go on the web to https://www.verdin.com/. | | | Update Your Zoom!
Zoom regularly pushes out new versions of their desktop client and mobile app to fix bugs, add enhancements, and address security concerns.
Zoom pushed out a new update on Monday, August 2nd. If you haven't updated your Zoom, consider this your reminder to do so!
Click here for more information and to select the download you need (PC, Mac, Linux, mobile). | | | | 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.
| | | | | Support Your Church To facilitate stewardship, the Diocese of Maine has launched an online giving resource at no charge to the parishes. The Diocese will transfer the funds you give to your church or summer chapel using this online payment system. Simply select your church and set up your one-time or recurring gift or establish automatic weekly or monthly donations to the parish, either charged to your credit card or to your personal checking or savings account. You can also name your gift in memory or honor of someone through this site in the memo section. Congregation names begin with their town; chapels begin with "Chapel" followed by town and chapel name. Click here to visit the online giving portal of the Diocese.
As always, the church accepts other forms of donations. Contact the church office if you would like to request pledge envelopes for the future. | | | Devotional Materials to Support Prayer at Home - Teen Simple Daily Devotional https://d365.org/ This resource is used by teens across the country. It walks you through simple daily devotionals (sort of like meditations). You could use it any day, to strengthen you on your faith journey.
- Forward Movement has the daily office (morning prayer, noonday prayer, evening prayer, or compline) on the Forward Movement Daily Prayer website.
- There is also a daily podcast, A Morning at the Office, with various people leading the prayers and reading the scripture lessons for the day.
- The popular daily devotion Forward Day by Day is posted each day online, and it too is available as a podcast.
- Hardcopies of the Day By Day readers are available by contacting the church office or stopping by when the parish office is open.
| | | Community Resources
Everybody Eats Free Community Meal is a project whose goal is to provide free, healthful and wholesome meals to the Ellsworth community. Visit their Facebook page at
https://www.facebook.com/Everybody-Eats-A-Free-Community-Meal-568143769902367/.
Open Table MDI exists to inspire strong, loving, and inclusive communities by bringing people together to share in nourishing food. For more information visit their website here.
AA recovery groups, online and in person, in Downeast Maine can be found by clicking here
An AA group meets in St. Saviour's Parish Hall in small groups Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at noon, and on Saturdays, Mondays, and Wednesdays at 7 pm. | | | Urgent Message about email, phone and text scams.
Neither the Rev. Holly Hoffmann nor any member of the church staff or leadership will solicit gifts, specifically gift cards, via email, phone or text directly. Neither will we ask if you are "free now" and request only an email or text response. Always check the actual email address from the sender to see if it matches Mother Holly's email and do not respond to the email, text or call. Please report these emails as phishing/scam attempts and block the sender or caller from your inbox or phone . If you are in doubt, or need more information, please contact the parish office. We will return your call. | | | |
