Notable Links
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Round Maine with Bishop Lane
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Read the Presiding Bishop's Pastoral Letter on the Doctrine of Discovery and Indigenous Peoples.
In 2007, the Diocese of Maine passed a resolution submitted by the Committee on Indian Relations repudiating the Doctrine of Discovery.
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NNE - The New Northeast blog
Tracking News, People, Places and Events in the Diocese of Maine
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Lisa Meeder Turnbull considers what it means to be "...witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8) in this week's post on the Maine Stewards blog.
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Save the Date
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BION Teen Camp - August 21-25 at Bishopswood
Apply now for the early-bird price. Here's an application. BION is a five-day camp for teens who have completed grades 6-12. This will be the 13th summer of this popular camp, which is led by Diocesan Youth Ministries and located at Bishopswood. Because most counselors are volunteers, the early-bird price is $200. Financial aid is also available so that no teen needs to be excluded because of inability to pay. Register soon!
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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Join our list
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This week
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Prayers for...
the family of the Rev. Truman Fudge, 78, of Belfast, who died of pancreatic cancer on May 14. Condolences may be sent to his wife Suzanne and their family at
32 Ocean Street
Belfast, Maine 04915
A service will be held at St. Margaret's, Belfast, on Saturday, June 2, at 1 p.m.
Here's a link to an article from yesterday's Bangor Daily News.
Congratulations to...
The Rev. Barbara Clarke of Brewer who recently received a blue ribbon at the Bangor Art Society's juried show for her watercolor, "After the Storm."
and to the Rev. Lev Sherman and the people of St. Andrew's, Millinocket, and St. Thomas', Winn, as he joins them as priest-in-charge;
and to the Rev. Timothy Fleck (Diocese of Lexington, KY) as he joins the people of St. Andrew and St. John, Southwest Harbor, and St. Saviour's, Bar Harbor, as their priest-in-charge beginning May 23;
and to Kelly Moughty, a recent graduate of Berkeley Divinity School at Yale who will be ordained to the transitional diaconate in June. On July 2 she will join the people of St. Alban's, Cape Elizabeth, and St. Peter's, Portland, as assistant.
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Around the Diocese
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UTO Spring Ingathering
While everyday is one we should take stock of the many blessings in our lives, it's generally twice a year, spring and fall, that Episcopalians gather together as a congregation the contents of the United Thank Offering's blue boxes. Together from churches across the U.S. millions of dollars are collected to do ministry across the world. In 2010, St. Alban's, Cape Elizabeth, received a grant to help expand and complete work on school and provide a daily lunch program run by their partner parish in northern Haiti. This year the Cathedral of St. Luke and St. Aidan's in Machias hope to be awarded grants.
Click here for congregational resources to help celebrate the Spring Ingathering.
Support for small congregations
"Small churches are not errors to be corrected, but intentional choices of members who put a priority on human relationships." - Carl S. Dudley
Thus begins the eight-page special report for small congregations published by the Center for Congregations, Indianapolis. Offering a broad range of books, articles, web sites, and resource persons, the report aims to support congregations of 100 or fewer in making the most of their unique and powerful role in their communities and in the wider church.
Click here to download a free pdf of Resource: Small Membership Congregations.
First Light Society-Call for Updates
Have you made a legacy gift or a provision for a future gift during the past year?
Are you a clergyperson, treasurer, or stewardship chair who has learned of a legacy gift intention over the last year? (Many congregations include this question on their annual pledge cards.)
If so, it's time to update the First Light Society records. Keeping the records current enables Bishop Lane to welcome all new and newly identified members in a timely fashion and ensures that all members receive invitations to First Light events.
The First Light Society recognizes the generosity of those who have made a gift in life or a provision in their estate plan to ensure the future mission and ministry of a congregation, Summer Chapel, or other ministry of the diocese. We do not track specific information regarding individual gifts, nor is the list of members ever publicized.
Please send your or your congregations updates in confidence to Lisa Meeder Turnbull, mainestewards@yahoo.com. Lisa would also love to talk with you about including stewardship at the end of life as you plan your congregation's 2012 stewardship program.
General Convention Demystified
Once again the communications team at the Episcopal Diocese of Texas knocks it out of the park.
As Maine's deputation heads to Indianapolis to represent us at the 77th General Convention in July, here's a wonderful video that explains everything you ever wanted to know about GC.
 | | The 77th General Convention of the Episcopal Church |
Here's a fun pdf that does the same thing in a cartoon format.
Sign up to receive email notifications for postings on the Maine deputation blog, Mainers in Indianapolis at www.gc2012.net; Bishop Steve's blog, Round Maine with Bishop Lane, and Maine's GC video blog, www.indy300.net, for a news summary and interviews each day.
Please send your delegate certificates for Convention 2012
Help the Convention Planning Committee, well, plan convention by making sure your congregation's delegate certificate has been submitted to the diocesan office. The deadline was May 1 and so far nine out of 65 have been received.
If your congregation has elected delegates and alternates, please complete the fillable form available here.
Scholarship available from Episcopal Peace Fellowship
The Episcopal Peace Fellowship/PIN is offering a $500 scholarship for a person willing to educate the Diocese of Maine about the occupation of Palestine.
This Witness Visit trip, sponsored by Sabeel: The Ecumenical Palestinian Christian Liberation Center based in East Jerusalem, is from October 30 to November 8, 2012.
Click here for a full description of the trip as well as application instructions and contact information.
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Join tomorrow's workshop online or at St. Francis, Blue Hill
"Journey through a Hard Terrain: Caring and Being Cared for in the Shadows of Alzheimer's"
A day with The Rev. Martin Smith at St. Nicholas, Scarborough, on Saturday, May 19, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., will be live webcast at St. Francis, Blue Hill, and also available for viewing online at home.
Visit www.tinyurl.com/mainewebcast to view the program in three segments. 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.; 10:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. From 2 p.m. to 2:30 Martin Smith will take questions. Viewers at home may email questions to
hshott@episcopalmaine.orgA live webcast of the event was originally scheduled for Good Shepherd in Houlton as well but technical difficulties have caused the event there to be cancelled. The day is sponsored by the Committee on the Spirituality of Aging and The Dementia/Alzheimer's Ministry Project. The Rev. Martin Smith is an author, spiritual director and Senior Associate Rector at St. Columba's Episcopal Church in Washington D.C. In addition to the Scarborough site, participants will gather at St. Francis, Blue Hill, and Good Shepherd, Houlton to watch together. Lunch will be provided at the St. Nicholas site where registration is $10.
Two Opportunities for Safe Church Training on June 2
Christ Church in Eastport and St. Luke's in Wilton
Register for Eastport,
Registration is required. The registration deadline is May 23.
Who should attend?According to Diocesan policy, all clergy (including those licensed to officiate in Maine) as well as persons in the ordination process, all compensated church employees and volunteers who regularly work with children should participate in Diocesan Safe Church training. It is also recommended that Wardens, Vestry Members, Sunday School Teachers, Eucharistic Ministers, Eucharistic Visitors and other congregational leaders attend Safe Church training to raise awareness and have a clearer understanding of diocesan policies and procedures, including how to respond to concerns or allegations of sexual misconduct and. Certificates of participation will be issued and sent to each attendee's congregation.
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