Worship With Us IN PERSON
NEW Service Schedule
Sunday, November 14 9 am at Church of Our Father: Holy Eucharist Celebrant/Preacher: Rev. Holly Hoffmann
Deacon: The Rev. Mary-Carol Griffin 11 am at St. Saviour's: Lay led Morning Prayer Officiant/Preacher: Linda Foster 4 pm at St. John the Divine: Holy Eucharist Celebrant/Preacher: The Rev. Holly Hoffmann You can always look to the online calendar to see the service schedule: https://mdi-episcopal.org/calendar/
Covid Precautions
Masks are required indoors to protect the most vulnerable:
younger children, the immunocompromised, and others who have not yet been vaccinated.
Pre-registration is not required, and social distancing is encouraged.
We will be keep a list of those who attend services,
should contact tracing become necessary.
Holy Communion will be offered in one-kind only (Bread). If you or a close contact tests positive for Covid, please let Mother Holly know so we can support you in your recovery and communicate with the community as necessary about their possible exposure to the virus while maintaining confidentiality and pastoral privacy.
| Worship online with the diocese on November 14 | |
Join us for a full diocese-wide service on Sunday, November 14! It will include music, a sermon by Bishop Brown, and participation from across Maine.
Visit our YouTube page at 7:30 am or watch the 'Premiere' on our Facebook page at 10:00 am.
If you have questions or want to participate in the service for December 26, please email Katie Clark, Director of Communications. | |
Using the readings appointed for the day in the Book of Common Prayer,
we will have a service Holy Eucharist.
On the first Wednesday of the month, we will use a Rite I liturgy. | | Weekly Sermons and More This past Sunday's sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlOmBs8d6lg&t=9s The Rev. Holly Hoffmann at St. John's Southwest Harbor, ME. John 11:32-44. "'Lazarus, come out!" The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go." Sermon begins at 2:15. If you missed a sermon offered by Mother Holly or want to hear it again,
you can watch a recording of it by visiting the
MDI Episcopal YouTube Channel. | | | Thank you, Veterans!
Wednesday Morning Eucharist and Observance of Veterans Day.
Special Music and Prayers, led by the Rev. Holly Hoffmann,
Church of Our Father, Hulls Cove, ME.
Midweek Holy Eucharist is offered every Wednesday at Church of Our Father at 8 am.
All are welcome! |  | | | 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, 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. | | Volunteer for Upcoming December Diocese-Wide Worship Service!  This is a call for volunteers to participate in the December diocese-wide online worship service. The service will be broadcast on YouTube and Facebook on Sunday, December 26th.
If you or your church have not yet participated in a diocese-wide online worship service, this is a wonderful opportunity to do so. Participating is easy: attend a volunteer meeting to learn more about the process and the liturgy, and then record your part (on your webcam or smartphone) and send it in.
If you are interested in participating in the December service, please email Director of Communications Katie Clark at your earliest convenience. | | | | IMPORTANT NEWS and DATES! | | | | Before November 14: Drop off your canned vegetables for the joint Thanksgiving Project
 As a Partnership, the parishes of St Saviour's, St. Andrew & John, and Church of Our Father will team with the Bar Harbor Congregational church (BHCC) in their program of boxed food distribution at Thanksgiving. Each church will be responsible for a canned vegetable item: St Saviour's: canned green beans and cans of cranberry sauce; Church of Our Father, canned corn; and St. John's, canned peas (which the SASJ vestry determined will be purchased by 2021 Outreach funds so that collected food items this fall focus on an item for the children's Backpack program - see St. John's email next week for details)..  Each church can also assist (boxing/delivering food) BHCC, if they are able. The final day for drop off of the canned vegetables is November 18. Please bring the designated canned item to your church's collection area by Sunday, November 14. In terms of delivery at other times, call Doreen Willet – 266-8660, and she will meet you at BHCC at the appointed time. May the Lord bless everyone's effort in this activity of helping others at Thanksgiving! | | | November 21: Stewardship Ingathering on
Christ the King Sunday
The stewardship pledge cards mailed to the church offices and those put in the offertory plate through this Sunday will be received and blessed at the altar during the Eucharist on the celebration of Christ the King Sunday. Mother Holly will be celebrate at all three services this day.
If you did not receive a stewardship mailing and you wish to,
please contact the church office.
Please join together in this festive service and the offering of gifts
- time, talent, and treasure - to God.
| | | November 21: Advent Calendar Making
at St. Saviour's at Noon Join Pat Samuel at others at St. Saviour's in this tradition of cutting and pasting together an Advent Calendar of Bible verses right after church in the Parish Hall. Take home kits available, too!  This is a great activity for people of all ages! Consider inviting a young person in your life to church that day and to make a calendar to count down the days to Christmas. This year's kit (all materials included) will make up as a poster-style Christmas tree to decorate with scripture/thought for each day. Questions? Contact Pat Samuel. Please sign up by November 14 so we have appropriate materials prepared.
November 28: Advent Wreath Making at St. John's at 2 pm
 Gather outside at St. John's at 2 pm on the first Sunday of Advent to make Advent wreaths with real candles and fresh greens. Hot cider to be served. This is a great activity for people of all ages! Consider inviting a young person in your life to join you in making advent wreaths to mark the weeks to Christmas Day. Questions? Contact Dianne McMullan or speak with Edie Stanwood. Sign up by using this form or calling the office at St. John's. Cost is $10 if you need both a wire candle ring and candles, $5 if you have either, $0 if you have both. Come join the fun! Please sign up by November 14 so we have appropriate materials prepared.
Slow down. Quiet. It's Advent. Coloring Calendars Jay Sidebotham coloring calendars will be available at all churches when they arrive. In years past, people have found coloring this creative calendar a relaxing way to center themselves and slow down during this season of preparation for the birth of Jesus Christ.
November 28: Christmas Gift Cards for Local High School Students The parishes of Church of Our Father, St. Andrew and John, and St. Saviour all participate in the outreach ministry which provides $50 Gift cards at the holidays to local island students in need. The students are anonymous to us and selected by their counsellors. If you are a parishioner at any parish and would like to donate a $50 gift card (or money towards it), please contact Pat Samuel by e-mail or by phone (see your copy of the church directory for e-mail address or number). Also, Church of Our Father is providing some funds for the gift cards from their 2021 Outreach funds. Thank you for thinking of these students! | | | November 28 at 10 am: Island-wide Worship
Our next shared, island-wide Episcopal worship service will be on Sunday, November 28 at St. Saviour's. | | Booster Vaccine Doses:
The latest from the Maine CDC: "The U.S. CDC recommends that some individuals who received the Pfizer vaccine get a booster dose. This includes those who are 65 years and older, residents in long-term care facilities, and people ages 50-64 years with underlying medical conditions. People ages 18-49 with underlying medical conditions and those ages 18-64 at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission may also receive a booster. For more information, see this FAQ. To find a booster dose of the Pfizer vaccine, find a vaccination site offering the Pfizer shot."
Read the complete information at the Maine CDC website: https://www.maine.gov/covid19/vaccines | | | | 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
- We will be keeping a list of those who attend a service so we can do contract tracing should that be necessary.
| | |
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.
| Episcopal Maine Youth of all ages are gathering online | |
All youth grades 6-12 are invited to join a fun and prayerful online space each month! The next meeting for this age group is Monday, November 18 at 6:30 pm.
No registration needed! Youth can just click here to join via Zoom to spend time getting to know one another, playing some games, and praying together. | |
High schoolers and young adults (21 and younger) are also invited to gather for conversation and prayer online.
They can cick here to join on Zoom on the first Monday of each month. The next meeting is Monday, December 6 at 6:30 pm and then
The group will talk about current events, their faith, God, and everything in between - wherever the conversation goes!
Questions about either of these monthly gatherings? Please contact the Rev. Cn. Sara D'Angio White. | |
Adult Formation
Bible Study with the Rev. Stephen Muncie The Wednesday Morning Bible Study has resumed. 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. | |
Episcopal Service Corps seeks applicants
for 2022-2023 service year
| | Episcopal Service Corps seeks applicants
for 2022-23 service year
The Episcopal Church invites young leaders ages 21 to 32 interested in a transformative outreach and discernment experience to consider applying to the Episcopal Service Corps for its 2022-23 service year.
Applications open online Nov. 15. A virtual open house (click to register) to answer questions and explain more about the process will be at 3 p.m. ET Saturday, Nov. 13, with others to follow. It will include a chance to hear from current and former Corps members. Potential applicants can also take an online discernment quiz.
Every year, 80-100 young leaders serve more than 120,000 hours in local and community-based nonprofits and churches through the Episcopal Service Corps, helping in rural ministries, homelessness support, healthcare, immigration and refugee resettlement, housing justice, education for at-risk youth, and much more. Participants live together in community, creating and living by a household "Rule of Life," and committing to regular spiritual direction and prayer in addition to service.
"Our core values are service, prayer, justice, vocation, community, and leadership," said Wendy Johnson, manager of the Episcopal Service Corps network for The Episcopal Church. "These values shape and inform every aspect of a service year, and they are what set us apart from other post-graduate options."
The service year structure helps guide many participants as they discern their next steps vocationally and spiritually. Many Corps members move into positions of leadership within their churches, the wider Episcopal Church, and community organizations.
Corps members receive housing, health coverage, and small stipends to cover living expenses, transportation, and food. Questions? Please contact Wendy Johnson. | | | | 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 . . . | | | | New Worship Schedule Starting in November:
9 am at Church of Our Father
11 am at St. Saviour
4 pm at St. John the Divine (moving to 5 pm for the summer months)
This schedule allows Mother Holly to worship with you in a celebration of Holy Eucharist all but one Sunday a month while keeping her Sunday schedule manageable across the three parishes.
Our shared, island-wide Episcopal worship services with St. Mary's and St. Jude's will be on the 4th Sunday of the month at 10 am during the program year in different churches that can host larger worship services. We will continue to have a lay-led prayer services but now only once per month and on a predictable schedule because of the new service times: 1st Sundays of the month will be Morning Prayer at 9 am at Church of Our Father 2nd Sundays will be Morning Prayer at 11 am St. Saviour's 3rd Sundays will be Evening Prayer at 4 pm St. John the Divine All other Sundays will be services of Holy Eucharist, and Mother Holly will be the celebrant unless otherwise noted. You can always look to the online calendar to see the service schedule: https://mdi-episcopal.org/calendar/ | | "By God's grace we are becoming a church that looks and acts, and maybe better yet, that loves like Jesus. A church that is his witness to his love and not to ourselves."
Read Presiding Bishop Michael Curry's opening remarks for Executive Council from October 25 here. | | | |  Diocesan Convention:
Resolutions, Elections, and Thanks Click here to view a one-page recap of the 202nd annual diocesan convention held on Saturday, October 23, 2021. Thank you, Delegates! Congratulations to Ted Fletcher, elected to Provincial Conference Lay Deputy.
Thank you to Rita Redfield who led the diocese in prayer at Convention. | |  | Bishop of Maine's Annual Address
The Right Reverend Thomas J. Brown | | | |
