Thursday, September 1, 2022

Worship Schedule, News, & More from the MDI Partnership!


Thursday, September 1, 2022 

Weekly News from the Parishes of
St. Andrew and St. John,
Church of Our Father,
& St. Saviour

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Join Us for Worship Sunday, September 4:
The Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
 

8:00 am Holy Eucharist
St. Andrew by-the-Lake, Seal Cove
Celebrant: The Rev. Holly Hoffmann

click here for bulletin

9:00 am Morning Prayer
***David Dawson will provide music before the service,
starting at 8:30!***
Church of Our Father, Hulls Cove
Officiant: Jean Evans

click here for bulletin

11:00 am Holy Eucharist*
St. Saviour's Parish, Bar Harbor
Celebrant: The Rev. Holly Hoffmann

click here for bulletin

5:00 pm Holy Eucharist*
St. John the Divine, Southwest Harbor
Celebrant: The Rev. Holly Hoffmann
click here for bulletin

*= these services will be streamed to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/MDIEPISCOPAL 
 

There will be a
Shared Worship services on the island will resume in October.

You can always look to the online calendar to see the service schedule:
https://mdi-episcopal.org/mdi-calendar/

If you are looking for other online worship,
please visit (click on church name): 
St. Luke's Cathedral at 10 am
The National Cathedral at 11:15 am

 
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.
On the first Wednesday of the month, we will use a Rite I liturgy.
Covid Precautions:

If you are exhibiting any of the symptoms of Covid,
please choose to attend a service online. 

Our Covid protocols will be followed:
 
Vaccinations expected, unless medically prohibited
Everyone masked indoors
Socially distanced seating is available, not required

Outdoor coffee hour, weather permitting
Sanitize your hands prior to receiving Communion. 


The Bread and Wine are both offered at Communion.  Receiving the Bread only is a full communion. If individuals wish to receive the Wine, they should sip lightly from the Cup from the Chalice Bearer. For safety reasons, Intinction - dipping the Bread into the Wine - is not an option. 

God bless you for keeping our church, our community, 
and our loved ones safe.
 
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.
Assisting at Services

While you are on MDI for the summer, perhaps you would enjoy serving on Sundays! We would love your support for our worship services: 
Acolytes, Greeters/Ushers, Lectors, Intercessors, Altar Guild, Flower Guild and Officiants for Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer (at St. John's). If you would like to help at any of our services, please contact the parish administrator of your church. Thank you!
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.
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, our Pastoral Care Associate Maribeth Payne, or a 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. 
News
Season of Creation begins today
Yes, it's time for caring for creation to be the focus of our worship in the Diocese of Maine!

"The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims God's handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the Earth, and their words to the end of the world." (Ps. 19:1-4)

The Season of Creation is a time to renew our relationship with our Creator and all creation through celebration, conversion, and commitment together. During the Season of Creation, the Episcopal Diocese of Maine joins our siblings in the ecumenical Christian family in prayer and action for our common home.The season starts today with the World Day of Prayer for Creation, and it ends on 4 October with the Feast of St.Francis of Assisi. 

The Climate Justice Council shared this letter last week welcoming us to prepare for the Season and pointing us toward liturgical resources.  Find these and more on the Creation Care page of our website. 
Stay up to date with 2022 Diocesan Convention news
 
The 203rd Convention of the Diocese of Maine will convene online on Saturday, October 22. Clergy and delegates who are voting will meet via Zoom. The meeting will be livestreamed on YouTube for everyone to watch!

Finding Convention Information

Convention information is sent out in the weekly Clergy and Lay Leaders (CLL) email newsletter. We also have an all-in-one place diocesan convention webpage here. Scroll through to find the information you need.

If you'd rather subscribe to updates, all of the same info sent out in these enewsletters is also placed on our website's blog.

Afraid you missed something in a past newsletter? This page on the website lists all convention communications that have gone out. (To find it, type "Convention Communications" in the search bar.)

Finally, for all clergy and lay delegates, an "all you need to know" email will arrive in your inbox closer to convention time. 

Important Convention Dates

Mark the important dates below and watch for Town Hall invitations via email!
  • September 16 Resolutions and Nominations Due; Registration Opens
  • September 23 Virtual Choir Videos Due
  • September 27 Intro to Convention & Area Caucus (Town Hall 7 pm)
  • October 4 Budget, Rules of Order, Resolutions (Town Hall 7 pm)
  • October 11 Resolutions, Consent Calendar (Town Hall 7pm)
  • October 12 Changes to Certificate of Elected Delegates Due
  • October 12 Registration Deadline
  • October 18 Diocesan Convention (Town Hall 7 pm)
  • October 22 Day of Convention (Convenes at 9 am) 
  • October 25 Convention Debrief (Town Hall 7 pm)
Sign up for the Convention Virtual Choir
 
Come and Find the Quiet Center
The Convention Virtual Choir is returning for 2022! To lend your voice, sign up here!
We welcome singers of any age!

Soon after you register, look for a confirmation email containing detailed instructions. We will be singing two hymns: we will sing "All Creation Danced" and "O Wondrous Souls of Light" with hymn text written by Vicki Sirota especially for our convention - which will be its world premiere! 

The hymn here was presented at convention in 2021.
Swords to Plowshares demonstration
coming to Maine

 
Grace Episcopal Church in Bath (1100 Washington St) will be hosting "Swords to Plowshares: Transforming Guns into Garden Tools" on Saturday, September 24 from 1-3 pm. This demonstration from Bishop Jim Curry of Swords to Plowshares Northeast will feature hands-on participation at forge and anvil, creating gardening tools and jewelry from guns that have been previously surrendered. (Please note: this event is NOT the time or place to turn in guns.) Learn more about the organization here. Download an event flier here.
 
Upcoming Events and Dates
September 7: Outreach Meeting, 9 am 

The Outreach, Evangelism, and Mission committee meets every first Wednesday at Church of Our Father after 8 am worship. Please join us Wednesday, September 7! 

We will discuss initiatives for the fall and winter, such as the Thanksgiving baskets and holiday gift cards we've participated in for many years. We will discuss the invitation we received from St. Andrew's Lutheran, Ellsworth to co-sponsor the "adoption" of a Ukrainian family who is relocating to the greater Ellsworth area.  
Now - September 13: SASJ Office Is Closed 

Michele, our parish administrator, is out of the office for vacation.

Please call or email the office if you have a need during this time.
We will be checking for messages daily.
Thank you! 
September 14: Eucharistic Minister Training
after 8 am Worship

If you would like to serve as a Eucharistic Minister / Chalice Bearer, please contact Mother Holly and attend this training following worship after the Wednesday 8 am service at Church of Our Father on Wednesday, Sept. 14. There will be another training offered on a Sunday, but please attend this training, if possible, so you can be licensed to start serving earlier. 
September 18: Stained Glass Talk 
at St. John the Divine after 5 pm worship.




IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOIN THIS TALK VIA ZOOM, CLICK HERE.
September 21: Heyward discusses new book
with Maine 
The Maine Council of Churches and The BTS Center have invited world-renowned theologian and Episcopal priest, Rev. Dr. Carter Heyward (one of the "Philadelphia 11" women ordained in 1974, two years before the Episcopal Church authorized ordination of women) to lead us in a conversation about her upcoming book, The 7 Deadly Sins of Christian Nationalism: A Call to Action (Rowman & Littlefield, September 2022). Rev. Dr. Heyward will address the rise of white Christian nationalism and offer perspectives for moving forward with hope and action.
 
Bangor Theological Seminary Professor Emeritus of Christian Ethics, Rev. Dr. Marvin Ellison, will facilitate the online event on September 21 at 4:00 pm. Register here.  Download a flyer here.
September 25: Shared Worship

Partnership-wide Shared Worship Service at 10 am at St. Saviour's with 
Commissioning of all lay ministers and Baptism of "Charlie" Mace, grand niece of Tammy Bloom. 

 
Island-wide worship with SMSJ on the fourth Sunday of the month will resume on October 23, 2022. 

The loose plate offertory collection at this service will go to support the organization Maison de Naissance whose mission is to significantly reduce maternal and infant mortality rates in under-served communities. The organization's primary focus is in Haiti where it was first established. To learn more about this organization, visit: GlobalBirthingHomeFoundation.org. A check of this donation will be hand delivered by parishioner Rita Redfield in October at a meeting in the United States. 
September 28: Join us for our monthly Taize service

Outreach News
Ways to Support Those Suffering from Violence in Ukraine

Continue to pray for Ukraine and those in danger. 
Collect for Peace from the BCP:

Almighty God, kindle, we pray, in every heart the true love of peace, and guide with your wisdom those who take counsel for the nations of the earth, that in tranquillity your dominion may increase until the earth is filled with the knowledge of your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. 

To watch our prayer service for the Ukraine from August 3, go to: 
OUR MDI EPISCOPAL YOUTUBE CHANNEL BY CLICKING HERE

Members of the Partnership parishes gathered in the first week of the month to discuss Outreach projects for the spring. There was a strong desire to focus our energies on promoting organizations that are helping those living in the Ukraine. Two organizations that are being recommended are:  

Episcopal Relief and Development
 is working closely with Anglican agencies and ecumenical partners to meet the urgent humanitarian needs of Ukrainian refugees in Europe. People quickly packed up and fled Ukraine to safety and are now in need of basic supplies and will need long-term support. Your contribution to the Episcopal Relief & Development International Disaster Response Fund will help provide clothing, food, water and other items. For more information on this organization, including instructions on how to give, visit: www.episcopalrelief.org or call 1.855.312.4325

Save the Children: UKRAINE CRISIS RELIEF FUND Ukraine's children are in grave danger of physical harm, severe emotional distress and mass displacement. Save the Children is concerned for children caught in the middle of armed conflict, forced from their homes in freezing temperatures, and exposed to injury, hunger and cold. Your donation to Save the Children's Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund can help provide children and families with immediate aid, such as food, water, hygiene kits, psychosocial support and cash assistance. Together, we can protect children in crisis. For more information on this organization, including instructions on how to give, visit: https://www.savethechildren.org
 
A helpful resource for evaluating charitable organizations is Charity Navigator: https://www.charitynavigator.org
Bar Harbor Food Pantry for Rest of the Summer
Once again thanks to all who have given in these times.  The Food Pantry appreciates our donations. There is a collection spot for non-perishable food items at Church of Our Father and St. Saviour's. Volunteers will transport them to the BHFP.
Thank you for your support!    Brad Berry

 
FELLOWSHIP
Sunday Fellowship Outdoors

As the warm weather continues, we will be having time after the services of worship for fellowship outside.

If you are interested in assisting with refreshments for these times, please be in touch with the parish administrator of your church, and she will connect you with others assisting in this ministry within our community.


At St. John's, speak with Dianne McMullan.
At Church of Our Father, speak with Joanne Sousa.
Please note new contact information for Bunny Watts of St. Andrew and St. John
 
Watts, Eleanor (Bunny)
462 Essex St. 207-564-3049
Dover-Foxcroft, ME  04426 (203) 240-1047 wattsup_65@yahoo.com
bhgables@aol.com

 
Covid Task Force Update
 
Our MDI Covid Task Force meets regularly to discuss our protocols.
Updates:
  • An area (not the whole worship space) will be marked off for Social distancing for those who want to sit in an area designated for this seating arrangement
  • To protect the most vulnerable, masking will required at all indoor gatherings for all people in attendance.
Note: Full vaccinations expected, unless medically prohibited. 
Age 5+ eligible to schedule COVID-19 vaccination,
Age 12+ eligible for booster

COVID-19 vaccination and booster shots are available by appointment at the Community Health Center, Cooper Gilmore, Trenton Health Center, 
and Carroll Drug Store.


The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is the only vaccine currently authorized for children ages 5-17. Everyone age 12+ is eligible for a booster shot. You must be 5 months past your second dose of Pfizer/Moderna or 2 months past your first dose of Johnson & Johnson to receive a booster dose. If you would like to schedule a COVID-19 vaccination or booster, please call one of our vaccination sites below or check our Bar Harbor Regency Clinic calendar. COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are also available by appointment at local pharmacies in Bar Harbor, Southwest Harbor and Ellsworth.

Call now to schedule your vaccine or booster (Pfizer/Moderna/J&J):
Cooper Gilmore Health Center: 207-288–5024 17 Hancock Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609
Community Health Center:  207-244–5630 16 Community Lane, Southwest Harbor, ME 04679
Trenton Health Center: 207-667–5899 394 Bar Harbor Road, Trenton, ME 04605
Carroll Drug Store carrolldrugstore.net 3 Village Green Way, Southwest Harbor, ME 04679

The FDA has authorized a 3-dose primary series of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for children 6 months through 4 years of age.

A 3-dose vaccination series is Authorized for Emergency Use in individuals 6 months through 4 years of age. The initial 2 doses are administered 3 weeks apart followed by a third dose administered at least 8 weeks after the second dose.

The vaccine may not protect everyone.

To learn more, please see the Recipients and Caregivers Fact Sheet (6 months through 4 years of age)