On Wednesday, March 5, Ashes-to-Go will be available to all who wish the imposition of ashes and a brief blessing  

• in Portland at Monument Square from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• in Windham at the Windham Post Office parking lot on Route 302 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• in downtown Winthrop from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.  
• in Falmouth at the Pratt and Abbot Dry Cleaners parking lot on Route 1 from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.
• in downtown Waterville from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the REM building at 93 Main St.    
• in downtown Brunswick from 6:45 a.m. to 7:05 a.m. at the train station, 7:45 to 8:05 at the bus stop at the corner of Pleasant and Maine Streets, 10:45 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the soup kitchen on Union Street, 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m at Bowdoin College Chapel, at the Tontine Mall 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.  

Here's a link to a short video produced by the Portland Press Herald in 2013 interviewing clergy and people who stopped for ashes at Monument Square in Portland.  

 

It's not too late for other congregations to offer Ashes to Go in your community. Consult this Ashes to Go checklist from the Diocese of Washington or contact the Rev. Larry Weeks at Trinity, Portland, 772-7421 for tips and suggestions. 

Opening for Part-Time Coordinator for Children and Families, St. Mark's Waterville

St. Mark's, Waterville, is looking for a new Coordinator for Children and Families. 

Responsibilities include organizing and administering a Sunday School curriculum for Pre-K through 5th grade, facilitating activities for parish families, assisting families who would like to have a child baptized, and possibly overseeing a Vacation Bible School program for one week in the summer.

The position is approximately quarter-time; hours are very flexible but include three Sunday mornings each month during the academic year (September through May) and regular, usually bi-weekly, staff meetings with the rector and music director. The CCF works closely with the rector to ensure that the needs of parish families are being met and that the Sunday school program engages students with a wide range of learning styles.

St. Mark's has invested significantly in a Godly Play® curriculum, and while extensive Godly Play® and Sunday School teaching experience is not required, a comfort level with children of all ages is, as are excellent organizational and communication skills. Please submit a cover letter and resume to the Rev. John Balicki at jbalicki17@gmail.com by March 14, 2014.


Everyday Basics is experiencing a high demand for services and facing a significant shortfall in financial resources. We serve more than 100 people each time we open (we have served 175 people on some days) on the first and third Saturdays of the month.

Support of this outreach program located at St. Mark's Episcopal Church has given us the opportunity to serve hundreds of individuals and families, many of whom are the working poor in our communities. The program has no eligibility requirements and serves a wide area with guests coming from Waterville to the north, Somerville to the east, Richmond to the south, and Lewiston to the west.

There are two ways to help: First, collect and donate soap, shampoo, toilet paper, tooth paste, feminine hygiene supplies, laundry powder, and diapers. These donations can be dropped off at St. Mark's, 9 Summer Street, Augusta. Second, make a monetary donation. Checks should be made payable to Everyday Basics and sent to St. Mark's Church, 9 Summer Street, Augusta, ME 04330.

 

ECF webinar offerings in March   Don't miss out!  ECF is offering some great web conferences this March.  There is no cost to participate and all lay and clergy leaders are welcome to take part.    Topics include endowments, communications, capital campaigns, evangelism and church growth, Latino ministries, and annual giving.

Basics of Endowments (March 6, 2014, 7:00-8:00 PM ET), presented by ECF Program Director Ken Quigley and ECF Managing Program Director Jim Murphy Communications for Episcopal Leaders (March 6 2014, 7:00-8:00 PM ET)), presented by ECF Associate Program Director and editor of Vital Practices Nancy Davidge Debt:  What it is, its impact, and what to do with it (March 12, 2014, 7:00-8:00 PM ET), presented by ECF Consultant Erin Weber Johnson Faithful & Trusting Christians:  Mission & Evangelism Lessons from South Sudan (March 18, 2014, 4:00-5:00 PM ET), presented by 2013 ECF Fellow, the Rev. Jesse Zink The American Born Latino:  An Expanding Mission Field in the Episcopal Church (March 25, 2014, 7:00-8:00 PM ET), presented by 2013 ECF Fellow, the Rev. Al Rodriguez Walking The Way: Essential Steps in Planning Your Annual Giving Campaign (March 26, 2014, 7:00-8:00 PM ET), presented by the Rev. Laurel Johnston, Executive Director of The Episcopal Network for Stewardship (TENS)

Gould Academy to host reading by the Rev. Spencer Reece, Episcopal priest and poet, on March 6

 

Harpsichordist, Gavin Black to perform Music of J. S. Bach

 

On Saturday, March 8, at 7 p.m., Gavin Black, harpsichordist and director of the Princeton Early Keyboard Center, returns to St. Luke's Cathedral with an all Bach program, played on a German style harpsichord by American harpsichord-builder, Keith Hill.  The performance includes preludes and fugues from both books of the Well-Tempered Clavier and will be held in the Chapel at the Cathedral Church of Saint Luke, 143 State Street in Portland. 

 

Admission is $15; $10 for students and seniors.

While supplies last! There are still about eight scorecards and four poster sized brackets available on a first come basis. Please contact Teresa Pinney to claim yours before "Ash Thursday" at tpinney@episcopalmaine.org

 

 

Youth, Young Adults, and Christian Ed Events 

 

 

 

 

Register now for the Downeast Spiritual Life Conference -

Featuring poet, Celtic scholar, and peacemaker John Philip Newell

July 11 and 12 at Maine Maritime Academy in Castine

  

www.downeastspiritual.org