Join Us for Worship Sunday, September 11:
The Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
8:00 am Morning Prayer
St. Andrew by-the-Lake, Seal Cove
Officiant: Eric Erickson click here for bulletin 9:00 am Holy Eucharist*
***David Dawson will provide music before the service,
starting at 8:30!***
Church of Our Father, Hulls Cove
Celebrant: The Rev. Holly Hoffmann click here for bulletin 11:00 am Morning Prayer
St. Saviour's Parish, Bar Harbor
Officiant: Linda Foster click here for bulletin 5:00 pm An Order of Worship for the Evening with Holy Eucharist St. John the Divine, Southwest Harbor Celebrant: The Rev. Dr. Regina Christianson click here for bulletin *= these services will be streamed to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/MDIEPISCOPAL
There will be a joint partnership service at St. Saviour's on Sunday, September 25 at 10 am. Join us for Holy Eucharist, Baptism and Commissioning of Lay Ministers!
Shared Worship services on the island will resume in October.
You can always look to the online calendar to see the service schedule: | | | | 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. | | | Season of Creation September 1- October 4 | | 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.
Here on MDI in the Partnership, we are using a form of Prayers of the People for the Season of Creation, which was composed by our diocesan "Earth Keeper", Linda Foster. We will also have a blessing of the animals on Sunday, October 2 on the Bar Harbor Village Green and in the field beside St. John the Divine, Southwest Harbor. Details to come! | | | |  | | Bishop Brown Welcomes You to Convention Season! | | 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
| | | | 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 S aturday, 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 | | | Our newsletter "Upon This Rock"
was sent out earlier this week.
Hard copies to those who receive them
will be mailed next week.
Click here to view it online. The deadline for the next issue is the third Monday of the month, Sept. 19 | | | 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 15: We Worship Young! with Jennifer Rome Sept. 15, 2022 ,7:00 - 8:30pm  Online, Offered by The Province 1 Christian Formation Network The Province 1 Christian Formation Network is hosts a series of online monthly "Conversations with Noted Speakers" featuring speakers at the forefront of Christian Formation. About this month's speaker: Jen Rome has the best job ever: Pastor of Next Generation Ministries at Pilgrim Lutheran Church in St. Paul. She has 20 years of experience in bringing people of all generations to deeply experience and creatively connect with God, the world, and each other. Nationally and locally, she presents and leads workshops on cross-generational, multi-sensory, interactive faith formation for church professionals and lay leaders. She, her husband, and their two children live inter-generationally with his parents in a duplex in St. Paul, Minnesota. To participate, sign up here. | | | September 19: Newsletter article and photos deadline for the October Issue
Wardens and other contributors to our newsletter, submissions are due to the parish administrator by today (addresses at the bottom of this email). We welcome all photos of events within the parishes.
| | | September 21 (NEW DATE):
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 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  | | | October 5: 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, October 5!
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.
| | | | 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
| |  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 | | | 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 | | | 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) here. Emergency Use Authorization Emergency uses of the vaccine have not been approved or licensed by FDA, but have been authorized by FDA, under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to prevent Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) for use in individuals 6 months of age and older. The emergency uses are only authorized for the duration of the declaration that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of emergency use of the medical product under Section 564(b)(1) of the FD&C Act unless the declaration is terminated or authorization revoked sooner. Click on the link below for more information and talk to your child's pediatrician. | | | Covid Home Tests Extend Shelf Life The US Food and Drug Administration has extended the dates for at home rapid tests for Covid. For more information and a list of test kits to which this applies, click here. | | | ** Project ACT sends FREE at-home COVID-19 tests **
Project ACT
Free Tests can be ordered for those living in some communities in Hancock County. Search by Zip Code: https://www.accesscovidtests.org
| | | | Weekly Sermons and More
Sermon: Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Sermon by the Rev. Holly Hoffmann at St. John the Divine in Southwest Harbor, ME September 4, 2022 "For this reason, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do your duty, yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love-- "" (Philemon 1-21) Sermon begins at 2:30. |  | | | Youth & Family Formation
Children's Faith Formation at Home on MDI A small team of people will 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 or Mother Holly. Contact information is at the bottom of this email.
Episcopal Maine Youth of All Ages
All monthly programming, including the Pray, Play, Connect group for middle and high schoolers, the Let's Talk About It group for high schoolers, and the Formation Folk gathering is on summer vacation. Play, Pray, Connect will start up again in September. We'll be switching to Third Fridays, so mark your calendars. The next session is September 16. Our new musician, Pyam Morin, will lead this amazing group! We'll keep up our theme of Role Playing Games, so feel free to spend the summer dreaming up new characters!
 Join "Faith in Our Homes" a private Facebook group for households in the Episcopal Diocese of Maine to connect with one another as we walk the path of faith. We have made this group private so that we can freely share ideas, photos and thought processes.
| | Listen to the latest episode of the Faith in Maine podcast
| | The latest episode of the Faith in Maine podcast is out now! We continue our series focusing on the four themes from Bishop Brown's 2021 diocesan convention address: Listen, Connect, Adapt, Hope, with Bishop Brown speaking to us in this episode about "Hope".
Find it here, wherever you download your podcasts, or call 207-223-6402. This number is always updated so that you'll hear the latest episode when you dial-in! | | | | Register Now for Ignatian Retreat in Everyday Life
| | The Ignatian Spirituality Partnership of Maine invites you to practice the Spiritual Exercises in Everyday Life with a retreat beginning in early October 2022 and running through June 2023. It's for people who live in or near Maine, and there are options that would permit someone to be fully remote.
In this retreat, pray imaginatively with scripture and explore spiritual resources for decision making, growing closer in authentic friendship with Jesus and finding a greater awareness of God working in your life. Meetings will take place from 6:30 - 8:30 pm on the first Wednesday of every month online, and they also offer individual or group spiritual direction monthly (online or in person). It requires you to set aside 3/4 hour for prayer and reflection each day, which is the crux of the retreat.
Find out more and apply at IgnatianME.org or contact Jane Hartwell or the Rev. Holly Hoffmann. Space often fills up, so apply soon. | | | | Tri-diocese Sacred Ground Circles begin in October
| | This fall, Sacred Ground circles open to those in the dioceses of Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine will meet on Zoom. There will be three circles: Wednesday mornings, Wednesday mid-afternoons, and Thursday evenings. The first sessions of these circles will be held in October and each circle will establish its own rhythm for the rest of the sessions.
The circles are sponsored by the Diocese of Vermont's Anti-Racism Action Group, the Diocese of New Hampshire's Reconciliation Commission and the Diocese of Maine's Racial Justice Council.
Those interested in participating should contact Franci Farnsworth right away. We are limiting the size of each circle to no more than 8 people plus the two facilitators. Learn more about Sacred Ground by watching this invitational video. | | | |  Contemplative Prayer Group: 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. All are welcome, beginners or experienced, so long as you bring a "beginner's mind"! Participation via Zoom continues to be the norm. Please contact Jenny at 207-952-2363 for directions if you wish to come in person to the Retreat House. To receive a zoom link, call or text the same number or email jreece@oranbegacenter.com. May peace surround you as you learn, perhaps with us, to
"be still and know" the God of love. | | | Compline with Episcopal Peace Fellowship Tuesdays in September at 8:30 pm Online | | | Please join members of the Maine chapter of the Episcopal Peace Fellowship (EPF) who will be leading EPF-National Compline at 8:30pm via Zoom on Tuesdays in September. Open to all and they hope you will join them! Click here to join on Zoom. Meeting ID: 817 7614 5441 Passcode: 863435 | | | | We pray for the victims of the recent natural disasters around the world. We pray for all essential services personnel, the first responders and healthcare workers affected by the pandemic. Church of Our Father Please let us know if we don't have your birthdate or anniversary date to celebrate! shalomcoof@gmail.com | | Birthdays:
9/11 Estella Hopkins
9/27 Mike Bullard
9/29 Barbara Linscott
9/30 Susan Snyder | | Anniversaries: 9/9 Dick & Nancy Salisbury
9/27 Ben & Mary Hopkins | | St. Saviour We pray for Don Allen, Bill Scott, Gregory Berube, Connie Brush, Yolanda Ferrari, Cheryl Kolodziej, Julie Grindle, Geoff Schuller, Eleanor Raynes, Howard Brush, John Stewart, Ruth Westphal, Gretchen Westphal, Lucy Triplett, Gail Leland, Christopher Lebida, Christopher Walls, Linda Carman, Mary Smith, John Fibiger, Ray McDonald, Emily O'Connor, Sarah Cleaves, Nicholas, Janet Flood, Rachel, Mimi, Charlie, Sarah B., Dickie, Alex, Penny Ayer, Arletta Sullivan, and Anne Cleaves.
Please let us know of any updates.
Please let us know if we don't have your birthdate or anniversary date to celebrate! info@stsaviours.me | | Birthdays:
9/8 Daniel Pyle
9/18 Julie Grindle | Anniversaries:
9/21 Marjorie and Jack Walls
| | We pray for Bob Stanwood, Charles Sellick, Mary Ann Mahoney, Liz, Elizabeth Ward, Bunny Watts, Anne Wetzel, Chuck Bradshaw, Ted and Joan Bromage, Jean Storace, Spencer Ervin, Geoff Schuller, Doris McCorison, Gail Leland, Michael Shook, Joyce and Jim Risser, Loretta Schmidt, Theresa Mitchell, Fred & Dollis Sprague, Sara Winchenbach, Richard Ramsdell, Dorothy & Jim Clunan, Bill and Barbara Loveland, and Bill Merrill. Please let us know if we don't have your birthdate or anniversary date to celebrate! sasj@mdi-episcopal.org | | Birthdays:
10 Sonia Loizeaux
14 Margot Haertel
20 Sam Lawrence
30 Alice Downs | Anniversaries:
12 Spencer and Floy Ervin
19 Ted Fletcher and Ann Kidder
| | 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 She is happy to schedule an appointment on Zoom or in person, 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 . . . | | |  | | Scholar and historian Jennifer Booher presented a talk on August 23, 2022 about the stained-glass windows of St. Saviour's to a live audience in the sanctuary and those attending on Zoom. | | | NEW MDI EPISCOPAL CHURCH MUSEUM!
The four Episcopal Churches of Mount Desert Island are working to establish a new historical museum located in a beautiful, secured setting at St. Saviour's Church. We have found that there are many, many items of church history hidden away in boxes, closets, etc. that are never seen and should be displayed for all to see. The museum is well underway and will open this summer. This is quite exciting!
We are looking for donations of bookcases, a glass china cabinet, a larger desk, old church history items hidden in parishioners' homes. We will need volunteer docents for times we are open this summer. Please contact Diane Zito, Sue Blaisdell, Joanne Sousa or Lauri Fernald (all listed in the directory) if you can help with any of these items.
Thank you so much! | | | An Invitation to Pray: Transformation Northeast David Janssen. Email questions to here to "start to pray". Sign up for a time slot that isn't yet taken. You will receive an automatic reminder to let you know your prayer time is coming. Find prayer guides Click here Join them in praying 24/7 for Church and regional renewal, transformation, and awakening. Tony Sousa, Senior Warden of Church of Our Father in Hulls Cove, encourages churches in our diocese to become involved. is a nondenominational effort to renew Christianity in New England. Transformation Northeast | | | Praying Compline in the Diocese
Monday-Friday at 8 pm
A core community at the Cathedral of St. Luke, Portland have been praying the service of Compline together for sometime. They would now like to invite anyone in the diocese to come and pray with them! Follow this Zoom link to join them Monday through Friday at 8:00pm. They look forward to meeting you as they end the day in prayer together. | | Island-wide Shared Worship Resumes in October
Island-wide worship on the fourth Sunday of the month will resume on October 23, 2022 and will be hosted at St. Mary's-by-the-Sea.
| | Three Ways YOU Can Help Direct the Future of the Diocese! Fill one of the six open seats on Diocesan Council. Leading up to the 203rd Convention of the Diocese of Maine in October, six new lay representatives, one from each of the six diocesan areas, will be elected to the Diocesan Council to serve a three-year term. As a representative, you take part in the major work and decisions of the church. Click here to learn more about Council. Please use the nomination form to nominate yourself or someone else (with their permission) by September 16. The form will ask for a photo. Please have a headshot of the nominee ready to submit. Nominate yourself for a leadership position Consider whether you may be called to serve in any one of the open leadership positions listed below. Click here to learn more about each position. - Treasurer (1-year term)
- Secretary (1-year term)
- Disciplinary Board - Lay (2-year term)
- Standing Committee - Clergy (3-year term)
- Standing Committee - Lay (3-year term)
- General Convention Deputation (four clergy, four lay to serve at GC 2024)
- Provincial Conference Clerical Deputy (2-year term)
Nominate yourself or nominate someone else (check with them first, please!) by completing this form by September 16th. Propose a change by submitting a resolution Resolutions to be considered by 203rd Diocesan Convention in October may be submitted until September 16th using this form. If you have any questions about resolutions, please contact Marge Kilkelly. Find all these forms and more information on the convention page of our website. | | $$ No Frills Oil Discount $$
No Frills Oil gives a discount to all Episcopalians for a private home: 8 cents off the cash price. Inquire directly with No Frills and contact Andrew McMullan, Junior Warden of St. Andrew and St. John, with questions. | | | | Support Your Church
Online Giving To facilitate stewardship, the Diocese of Maine has an online giving site 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.
If you would like to set up automatic payments for your pledge, 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 or click the button below.
As always, the church accepts other forms of donations (cash, check, etc.). | | | Stewardship:
If you haven't returned your pledge card, please do so now.
If you did not receive a pledge card and would like to, please contact the parish office. | | | | 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
AA recovery groups, online and in person, in Downeast Maine can be found by clicking here.
Downeast Community Partners DCP brings community resources together to help people in Washington and Hancock counties achieve self-sufficiency and a better quality of life. Our Housing division helps people maintain safe, affordable, energy-efficient housing (including heating assistance through the THAW program). Our Transportationdivision staff travels over a million miles each year, helping people get to medical appointments, senior food programs and other important services. Helping Hands Garage helps people buy affordable roadworthy vehicles. Friendship Cottage in Blue Hill offers an Adult Day Service Program. Our Energy Services division provides a variety of services to prevent hunger, hypothermia, and homelessness. At Home provides services to assist seniors aging in place. Everybody Eats! provides a free community meal each week to Ellsworth area residents. Our Early Care and Education program provides Head Start, Early Head Start, Pre-K and Childcare services to local families. Our Supportive Services division provides support to individuals and families working to make changes in their lives. Nurse Bridging and Maternal and Child Health services provide caring nurse support to families with infants and small children. Peninsula Free Health Service provides free medical care to the uninsured on the Blue Hill Peninsula. https://www.downeastcommunitypartners.org
Everybody Eats Free Community Meal is a project whose goal is to provide free, healthful and wholesome take out meals at St. Dunstan's, 134 State Street, Ellsworth each Monday from 2:30 to 4 pm. There is now also a free Brown Bag Lunch program on Fridays from 12 Noon to 2 pm. Call 973-287-9926 to reserve your lunch. 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.
Westside Food Pantry Distribution of vouchers at St. John the Divine in Southwest Harbor occur on the first Sunday (12:00-2:00) and third Sunday (12:00-1:00) of each month from November through April and beyond, if necessary. We invite you to visit the facebook page where you will find periodic announcements and information about the Westside Food Pantry. Please visit the page at: https://www.facebook.com/WestsideFoodPantry and like it. | | | Warning 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. | | | |
