Kim Wallace, St. Ann's, Windham; Julie Morrison, Saint Mary's, Falmouth; Canon Missioner Jane Hartwell; Emily Keniston (with Meredith), St. Ann's, Windham; Deacon Bob Landry, St. Andrew's, Millinocket; Sherry Sivret, St. Anne's, Calais; Ryan and Amber Corum, St. Matthew's, Hallowell; the Rev. Kelly Moughty, St. Alban's, Cape Elizabeth, and St. Peter's, Portland.

Emily Keniston, Christian Ed director at St. Ann's in Windham, writes about the experiences of nine Maine Episcopalians from seven congregations who gathered last month with others from across the Church interested Christian education, discipleship, and formation at the FORMA conference.

She writes, "Often challenged by the idea that we Christians live out our days with the promise of one day achieving eternal life, [workshop leaders] Kimball and Turner suggested taking a slightly different approach: inviting others to experience a Christian life by focusing on how faith improves the quality of our lives right now."

Lay members of the group were supported by the Wolf Fund, a diocesan fund that subsidizes training opportunities for lay Episcopalians in the diocese.

Reminder from the Finance Committee

 

Parochial reports are due at Loring House on March 3, now only a few weeks away. Many thanks to the congregations that have submitted theirs already.

 

Please take care to prepare your report fully and carefully and follow directions for submitting it electronically. If your report preparers have any questions, please phone Canon Terry Reimer at 772 1953 X134 or email him at treimer@episcopalmaine.org.  If asked to leave a message, please begin with Parochial Report Help! it is invaluable for the reports to be timely and accurate. Thank you for your attention.

 

 

Window Dressers, a non-profit organization from Rockland, has created a system that helps Mainers keep warmer and save heating dollars while protecting the environment by reducing CO2 emissions.

On Sunday, February 16, at 3 p.m., Co-founder Frank Mundo will visit St. Paul's to explain the process of construction and installation of low-cost, high quality interior storm windows. Volunteers are essential to the success of this project as work of the volunteers helps keep the cost low by performing the less technical part of the construction. Although these windows can help in any home, Window Dressers and their community partners try to raise sufficient funds to place a significant number of the windows in homes that qualify for the subsidized price of $10 for the entire home.

St. Paul's Earth Care Commission seeks to cooperate with other area churches and organizations to conduct a community build led by Window Dressers that will result in several hundred interior storm windows being ready for installation in the Brunswick area prior to next winter's heating season. All are welcome to attend this session to learn more about Window Dressers and how the program might be brought to your community too.
For more information, visit to www.windowdressersusa.com.


Winter Middle School Event
The Winter Middle School Event will be filled with creativity and friendships.  We'll swim, eat great food, play games, laugh.  There'll be drama, music and worship led by kids.  The focus is on the connections between Jesus's life and the lives of Maine middle schoolers. People from 11 churches are on the leadership team, and the priest is Kelly Moughty.  Now is the time to register!  This event for kids in grades 6-8 will be Feb. 28- Mar. 2 at St. Paul's in Brunswick.  All the info you need is on the Winter Middle School Event flyer, and you'll find registration at www.maineyouth.org.
 
E.Y.E. 2014
This is a wonderful opportunity for high schoolers from your church to be with 1,000 Episcopal teens.  They will live on a college campus, take part in HUGE worship, serve in Philadelphia, sightsee, hear great speakers and meet people from all over the world.  E.Y.E. happens only once every three years.  A group from the Diocese of Maine is going, and your teens can be part of it if they register now!  Timing is everything.  Maine's 24 reserved slots will disappear in February or early March. There are scholarships available.  E.Y.E. (the Episcopal Youth Event) is July 8-13.  Information is on the E.Y.E. flyer. 
 
TEC (Teens Encounter Christ)
This high school retreat will be March 28-30.  The host church is Trinity in Portland. Kim Wallace heads the leadership team and the priest is Nate Ferrell.  A group from the Diocese of New Hampshire is planning to join us.  You can find all the info you need on the TEC flyer, and it leads to our website for registration.
 
Sunday Christian Ed Exchange
An initiative of the Christian Ed Collaboration is to encourage Sunday school teachers and Christian Ed directors to visit other churches to experience what's happening. Reimbursement for gas is available.  To participate, contact Jane Hartwell at jhartwell@episcopalmaine.org.
 
Christian Ed Collaboration meeting - March 10
The next Christian Ed Collaboration meeting will be Monday, March 10, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. If you want to connect remotely, email Chairperson Julie Morrison at jmorrison500@yahoo.com for instructions on how to call-in.

 

From the Society of St. John the Evangelist -  

SSJE's 2014 Lent Online Offering is now available at www.SSJE.org/lovelife. The theme is love in the Gospel of John. There will be a daily short video starting Ash Wednesday through to Palm Sunday. There is a free downloadable workbook or print copies for sale. A resource page and promotional material for group leaders and clergy is available at www.SSJE.org/loveliferesources. This series is designed so that everyone connected to a church can participate even if they can't show up in person. Materials for groups and for people who prefer to access the series via a smart phone or computer are also available. 

 

From Forward Movement -

A variety of low-cost Lenten and Easter booklets and resources are available here.  

 

From Episcopal Relief & Development -

 

 

From Lent Madness -

While supplies last! Heidi Shott has 27 copies to give away. For a free copy delivered to your door, email your name and snail mail address to hshott@episcopalmaine.org

The definitive guide to Lent Madness 2014, Saintly Scorecard features the biographies of the 32 saints in contention for the golden halo. (This year Maine's Heidi Shott will shepherd J.S. Bach, Phillips Brooks - celebrated preacher and the rector behind the building of Trinity, Copley Place, Boston, and Harriet Bedell - a missionary deacon who served native people in Alaska and Florida.)  

 

The booklet includes tips on how congregations and individuals can use Lent Madness as a devotional tool, as well as a handy glossary and fold-out bracket. Bulk pricing: 10-24 copies are $2.00 each; 25+ copies are $1.00 each.