Notable Links
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Round Maine with Bishop Lane
Check out his Lenten video series
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Maine Episcopalians and Congregations in the News
Check out Bill Nemitz's column in the Sunday Telegram on Lent at St. Alban's, Cape Elizabeth
This Lent don't give up; instead, give
A new welcome video
from
 | | St. Philip's Church, Wiscasset, Maine |
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NNE - The New Northeast blog
Tracking News, People, Places and Events in the Diocese of Maine
Maine priests reflect on taking Ashes-to-Go to the streets of Portland
International, national, and local press coverage of Ashes-to-Go
Portland Daily Sun
MSNBC Photoblog
Also in the print versions of the Press Herald and USA Today and, believe it or not, the online version of Germany's Der Spiegel, but darned if we can find it.
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Visit new posts on other Diocese of Maine blogs -
Looking toward Lent
at MaineInformation
Lisa Meeder Turnbull on
Church Bathrooms
at
Maine Stewards
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Join our list
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Prayers for ...
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the Rev. Jonathan Appleyard of Woolwich as he fights the latest infection in his knee.
the family of the Rev. Douglas Milton Norwood, of Bar Harbor, who died on January 23. Born in Southwest Harbor in 1926, he served as a priest in the Dioceses of New York and Central New York, but upon returning to Maine in retirement sometimes preached and celebrated at Church of Our Father, Hulls Cove.
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Lenten Resources
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Practicing the presence of God: Lenten video meditations by Bishop Steve
A new mediation will be posted each Wednesday throughout Lent. The theme this year is practicing the presence of God. The video for Lent I on repentance is below. Follow the links for the Ash Wednesday video reflection or the text versions.
 | | Meditation for Lent 1 from Bishop Steve Lane |
(Virtual) Compline Sunday Evenings in Lent
Seven brave souls from across the diocese read Compline together last Sunday evening and it was lovely.
Each Sunday evening in Lent, at 9 p.m., those who wish may gather for virtual Compline.
Interested? Please sign up for one or more dates below.
The order of service will be displayed on the screen and the audio will be by phone conference call. Instructions for all will be sent by invitation once you register. Turning on your webcam is optional given the evening hour.
To start, each week will be limited to the first 15 people who sign up.
March 4
March 11
March 18
March 25
April 1
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| What's New | | |
Applications for Bishopswood director position now welcome
 After 34 camping seasons Camp Bishopswood director, Georgia Koch, will retire at the end of the summer. The Trustees of Bishopswood have put out a call for a new director and are accepting applications through March 31.
Contributors wanted: Share your ministry stories at Justice & Mercy ME
The Rev. Heather Blais, keeper of the blog Justice & Mercy ME, is looking for contributors from across the Diocese to share personal stories of ministry and hope. Each contributor will be asked to write an entry about four times a year.
Each entry would be about 300 to 500 words with photos welcome. Lay people, deacons, and priests (and bishops) are invited to tell the stories of people and situations you encounter as you minister in "official" settings and in everyday life - wherever you may fight injustice or offer mercy in Christ's name.
Video about long-term solitary confinement features Maine Council of Churches leader
The Maine Council of Churches is a member of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT), an organization consisting of religious groups and leaders who believe that "Torture is a Moral Issue" as it violates the basic dignity of every human being. Long-term solitary confinement in prisons is a form of torture because it can lead to permanent psychological damage. In the past two years Maine Department of Corrections has made a dramatic reduction in the use of solitary confinement. Advocacy by the Maine Council of Churches and its member denominations - including the Diocese of Maine - has played a role in that success.
NRCAT has produced a 20 minute video, Torture in Your Back Yard, including interviews with individuals who have experienced solitary confinement. Because of MCC's work to eliminate unrestricted solitary confinement in Maine prisons, MCC Executive Director, Rev. Jill Saxby is featured in the video.
Also included in the film is Maine Commissioner of the Department of Corrections Joseph Ponte who talks about the dramatic reduction in the use of solitary confinement in Maine's prisons and the positive impact that has occurred because of the change in prison procedures.
Please consider showing the video at your church or at any gathering of individuals who care about just treatment of all human beings. Contact the MCC office at info@mainecouncilofchurches.org or call us at 207-772-1918. The video, along with the study guide and additional resources, will be sent to you at no charge.
Take the environmental stewardship survey for New England congregations
This survey is being conducted to learn about congregational energy reduction projects, while offering churches, which may be interested in beginning this ministry, information and ideas about how to start this work. Anyone interested in congregational energy use is encouraged to respond - particularly rectors, Environmental Stewardship Committee chairs and Building & Grounds Committee chairs. The survey will be open through March 9.
Summer Organist Position
St. Mary's by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, Northeast Harbor, (Mount Desert Island) is seeking a musician
to fill the position of Summer Organist. The successful candidate will provide music for the 10:00 a.m.
Sunday services during August. Duties will include performance of preludes & postludes, playing for
hymns and accompanying a choir of approximately 25 singers. Compensation will be on a per diem
basis considering experience.
For more information, please contact the Rev. Patricia Robertson (207-276-5588) or revprome@roadrunner.com.
Information about the parish may be found at www.maryjude.org.
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| From the Bishop ... | | 
Regional confirmation opportunities Last fall, I invited congregations and clergy to consider the possibility of regional confirmations. Such confirmations give us the opportunity to experience being part of a larger church and allow us to focus on Confirmation as the sole item of business. Three congregations have taken me up on my offer. The times and places of those services are listed below. Saturday, April 21, at 4 p.m., St. John's in Bangor HOLDING: Sunday, April 29, Time TBA, at Church of the Good Shepherd in Houlton Sunday, May 6, at 4 p.m., Cathedral Church of St. Luke in Portland If you would like to participate in a regional confirmation service, you need to do three things: 1) Prepare your confirmands, 2) Notify the host congregation of your intention to take part, 3) Send Barbara Martin I also invite your suggestions to me for lessons and hymns. If you have special needs or concerns, please let me know. My email is slane@episcopalmaine.org. If you are interested in hosting a Regional Confirmation in the late fall, there are some calendar opportunities available, please be in touch with Barb for available dates/times. That's it. I look forward to being with you at these celebrations. Consider attending "Buildings for a New Tomorrow," April 15 - 17 Sponsored by the Church Building Fund, this symposium offers solid support for congregations that need assistance with "solving the dilemma of church buildings." Held at the Conference Center at the Maritime Institute in Linthicum Heights, Maryland, (just a ten minute free shuttle ride from the BWI airport), the symposium features some wonderful speakers, including Bishop Eugene Sutton of the Diocese of Maryland. His intriguing topic is "Why Hope Eats Fear for Lunch." Please visit the registration site here to find out more about the speakers and workshops. With just an inexpensive, one-hour flight to Baltimore on AirTrans - I've taken it many times - and a reasonable registration fee, I encourage clergy and church leaders interested in thinking strategically and creatively about church buildings to consider attending this event. Please contact Barbara Martin - bmartin@episcopalmaine.org - in my office about applying for financial assistance from the Wolf (laity) and Loring (clergy) Funds for continuing education. |
Up and Coming in Maine and beyond
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Organizational meeting for Central Maine Integrity Chapter
All who are interested in forming a chapter of Integrity in Central Maine are invited to a meeting to discuss the possibility on Sunday, March 4, at 1 p.m. at St. Mark's, Augusta. For more on Integrity, visit the national website at
Saint Mary Schola performs at Saint Mary, Falmouth, March 18
On Sunday, March 18, at 4 p.m. the Saint Mary Schola under the direction of Bruce Fithian will perform 'Ave Maria' at the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, 43 Foreside Road, Falmouth.
The early music ensemble will present music of great variety, including the Vivaldi's Violin Concerto in E, a Legrenzi string quartet, and Biber's virtuoso Passacaglia from his Mystery sonatas. The vocal selections will include rarely heard music by Barbara Strozzi, a beautiful motet by Morales based on the Annunciation theme, and a great master work from the Baroque era, J. S. Bach's motet 'Jesu meine Freude'.
Tickets are $20 at the door.
Lenten Quiet Day and Eucharistic Visitor Training
St. Augustine's Episcopal Church, Dover-Foxcroft
March 24 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Our meditation for the day will be on the meaning and experience of the Eucharist, and will include Eucharistic Visitor training and a celebration of the Eucharist.
Please RSVP to Nancy Moore, 943-5168 or nlmoore67@gmail.com by March 21.
From Youth Ministries
TEC (Teens Encounter Christ) is the big spring high school event, March 23-25 at Trinity, Portland. TEC is about the compassion, authenticity, wisdom and struggles of Jesus. Because relationships are important both to Jesus and to high schoolers, we'll look at relationships with God, friends and others. TEC will have an international flavor - with perspectives from Sudan and Myanmar. We hope that teens from your church will join with their peers from all over our diocese. Here's a TEC application.
Applications for the Diocesan International Youth Mission Team are due on Easter. This is a major commitment, and a wonderful opportunity to serve. The high school team will meet for over a year and will serve in the Dominican Republic village of Jalonga in 2013. Here's a Mission Team application.
Registration is now open for the Downeast Spiritual Life Conference to be held August 24 and 25 in Ellsworth. Principal speakers include Phyllis Tickle, Richard Rohr, and Andrew Harvey. Learn all about it (and register) at www.downeastspiritual.org
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