The Episcopal Church’s Presiding Bishop Michael Curry invites you Take the Pledge to Creation Care.
It is a call for all to Reflect and commit to grow a loving, liberating and life-giving relationship with God’s Creation.
This special service included a prayer for Claudia written and read by Milissa LaLonde and Katie MacLeod
At the end of the service there is a “A Celtic Blessing” written by Minister of Music The Rev. Dr. Carlton for Claudia for her last service. It is a piece written for her on a text appropriate to Epiphany Last.
The Rev. Thomas James Brown was elected to become the 10th Bishop of the Diocese of Maine at a Special Electing Convention in Bangor on February 9, 2019. One of five nominees, Rev. Brown, is currently serving as Rector of the Parish of the Epiphany in Winchester, MA. He was elected on the 3rd ballot, receiving a majority of clergy and lay delegate votes representing 60 year-round congregations and 20 summer chapels. The other nominees were Rev. Kenneth Brannon, Rev. Rachel K. Taber-Hamilton, Rev. Anne Mallonee and Rev. Janet Waggoner.
In making the announcement, The Rev. Maria Hoecker, Rector of St. Columba’s in Boothbay Harbor and President of the Diocesan Standing Committee said “We have been blessed by the Holy Spirit today with the election of Thomas Brown and the gifts he will bring as our next Bishop. We thank the Committees and all involved across the state for their prayerful, dedicated and faithful work, as well as the other nominees who were called to pursue this quest with us.”
In addressing the Electing Convention following announcement of the results, Bishop-elect Brown commented, “during the walkabouts it was so clear to me that the church in Maine is living the good news of Jesus Christ. I am humbled and overjoyed to accept the invitation to join the people of Maine as their bishop.”
The Bishop elect told the delegates, “I give God thanks and praise for this call, and the opportunity to continue building the church in Maine on Christ the solid rock. Bishop Lane and his family, along with the diocesan staff, and every congregation are in my prayers as they continue in the holy work of transition. To God be the glory.”
Bishop-elect Brown received his Master of Divinity from The Church Divinity School of the Pacific. In addition to his service at The Parish of the Epiphany, he has served as Rector of St. Michael Episcopal Church in Brattleboro, VT and as the Director of Alumni/ae and Church Relations at The Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, CA. Bishop-elect Brown has held many leadership positions in The Episcopal Church and in the Diocese of Massachusetts.
Pending consent of a majority of the bishops with jurisdiction and the diocesan standing committees, Bishop-elect Brown will be ordained and consecrated on June 22nd at St. Luke’s Cathedral in Portland. Presiding Bishop, Michael B. Curry will officiate. Bishop-elect Brown will succeed the Rt. Rev. Stephen T. Lane who has served the Diocese since 2008 and will retire in June. The bishop-elect and his spouse, Rev. Thomas Mousin, will be moving to Maine later this Spring.
By Clicking on the video below you should be able to see and hear Bishop-Elect Brown speaking to the Electing Convention just moments after the results of the Third Ballot were made known. This is via Zoom and the sound of the bishop-elect is not very good but after 2:45 it clears up nicely.
*Just a quick note: We attempt to post the sermon and service each week as soon as possible. Most weeks it is late evening of that day. But, for various reasons, sometimes it is not until Tuesday Morning. Thank you for your inquiries and understanding.
We hope this doesn’t spoil anything. We held off posting this during the Christmas Season so as not to spoil any surprises.
The full 10 am Service celebrated by the Rev. Claudia Wyatt Smith.
That means that there is nothing to hear here for this Sunday!
10 am Sermon by St. Francis by the Sea Rector The Rev.Claudia Wyatt Smith
The full 10 am Service Celebrated by St. Francis by the Sea Rector The Rev.Claudia Wyatt Smith
A Festival of Lessons & Carols December 30, 2018
The full 10 am Service Celebrated by The Rev. Steve Hayward
Bob Gorrell
Copyright 2018 Creators Syndicate Inc.
Christmas Morning Sermon by the Rev. Steve Hayward:
The Rev. Steve Hayward
Baby Jesus was carried to the altar by Jillian & Sadie Weed Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve Sermon by the Rev. Steve Hayward:
Christmas Eve Full Service celebrated by the Rev. Steve Hayward:
The Third Sunday of Advent 10 am Sermon by the Rev. Steve Hayward:
The Third Sunday of Advent 10 am Full Service celebrated by the Rev. Steve Hayward:
During the anthem this week’s all male choir was accompanied by young Camdyn Chung on flute:
*Just a quick note: We attempt to post the sermon and service each week as soon as possible. Most weeks it is late evening of that day. But, for various reasons, sometimes it is not until Tuesday Morning. Thank you for your inquiries and understanding.
The Second Sunday of Advent 10 am Sermon by the Rev. Steve Hayward:
The Second Sunday of Advent 10 am Full Service celebrated by the Rev. Steve Hayward:
The First Sunday of Advent 10 am Sermon by the Rev. Steve Hayward:
* Because of a microphone issue several parts of the full service were not recorded. We do apologize.
The First Sunday of Advent 10 am Full Service celebrated by the Rev. Steve Hayward:
The Last Sunday after Pentecost, 10:00 am Sermon by the Rev. Carlton Russell:
The 10:00 am Full Service for The Last Sunday after Pentecost, celebrated by the Rev. Carlton Russell:
The 26th Sunday after Pentecost 10 am full service celebrated by the Rev. Steve Hayward:
The 26th Sunday after Pentecost, 10:00 am Sermon by the Rev. Steve Hayward:
A reminder from the Planned Giving Committee. Do you have a traditional IRA. If so, and you are 70 1/2, you might want to make a distribution from that IRA to St. Francis to complete your 2018 pledge (or as an additional gift). As a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD), the amount would not be included in your income but would qualify as part of your required minimum distribution from the IRA. If you have questions, a chat with your tax advisor or IRA custodian might be helpful.
Tim Thomas
The 25th Sunday after Pentecost 10 am Sermon by the Rev. Steve Hayward:
The 25th Sunday after Pentecost 10 am full service celebrated by the Rev. Steve Hayward:
The 24th Sunday after Pentecost 10 am Sermon by The Right Rev. Stephen Lane, 9th Bishop of Maine during what was most likely his final visit to St. Francis before retiring next spring:
The 24th Sunday after Pentecost 10 am Full Service celebrated by The Right Rev. Stephen Lane, 9th Bishop of Maine:
The 2018 St. Francis by the Sea Blessing of the Animals was a big hit for both the two and four-legged among us. Click here to check it out!
The 23rd Sunday after Pentecost 10 am Sermon by St. Francis by the Sea Rector, The Rev.Claudia Wyatt Smith including the words of The Right Reverend Steve Lane from his Homily delivered during this weekend’s 199th Diocesan Convention:
Have you ever wanted to explore the Anglican roots of our worship and spirituality? If so come and join a small group led by the Rev. Claudia Smith, rector of St. Francis by the Sea in Blue Hill for a journey departing on April 29, 2019. Whether one’s interest is to experience religious sites and stories for their spiritual impact or whether one leans more toward an exploration of the history of Great Britain that has formed us as a society – come. This trip has an abundance of both the sacred and the secular to satisfy everyone. There are only a few spots still available however, so contact Rev. Smith at revclaudiainmaine@gmail.com as soon as possible for more information and a detailed itinerary. Or check out this PDF on the trip:
The 22nd Sunday after Pentecost 10 am Sermon by the Rev. Steve Hayward:
“So, As those who have been chosen of God, holy and Beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, gentleness, and patience.” Colossians 3:12
With that bible passage Vestry Member and Stewardship Chair Sarah Everdell kicked off the 2018 Campaign pledge card.
On Sunday, September 30th Vestry Member Mary Crawford’s message was:
“We all come to this sacred, BELOVED space, to worship, to learn, to sing … to mourn, to heal, to celebrate … to be fed!”
Hear it all here:
On Sunday, September 30th new Vestry Member Millisa LaLonde
‘s message was: “I’ve grown to respect the wisdom of the way this community utilizes money…even though we are frugal people we will continue giving because it is a really good investment.”
On Sunday October 21th 
Vestry Member Bob Publicover, Senior Warden’s message was: “there are a lot of important things we do here at St. Francis, not the least of which is our commitment to (community)Outreach.”
We are privileged to celebrate the ingathering with Bishop Stephen Lane when he visits St. Francis on November 4th.
The 21st Sunday after Pentecost 10 am Sermon by St. Francis by the Sea Rector, The Rev.Claudia Wyatt Smith:
On Sunday October 7th during the 10 am Blessing of the Animals service announcements St. Francis by the Sea Fair co-chair Mary Hartley presented a big check to the SPCA of Hancock County for their partnership of the 2018 Fair in Blue Hill, Maine.
Yes, the dogs you hear in the background were there to be blessed.
The 20th Sunday after Pentecost 10 am Sermon by St. Francis by the Sea Rector, The Rev. Claudia Wyatt Smith:
September 30, 2018 The 19th Sunday after Pentecost 10 am Sermon by Guest Preacher The Rev. Canon Hannah Anderson:
During announcements The Rev. Claudia commissioned the new Vestry.
September 23, 2018 The 18th Sunday after Pentecost 10 am Sermon by St. Francis by the Sea Rector, The Rev. Claudia Wyatt Smith:
During announcements The Rev. Claudia, Mary Hartley and the rest of the congregation took part in a dedication of a new kneeler!
The 17th Sunday after Pentecost 10 am Sermon by Saint Francis by the Sea’s Rector The Rev. Claudia Wyatt Smith:
September 9, 2018 The 16th Sunday after Pentecost 
10 am Sermon by Saint Francis by the Sea licensed Lay Preacher Heather Ford:
September 2, 2018 The 15th Sunday after Pentecost 10 am Sermon by The Rev. Claudia Smith:
August 26, 2018 The 14th Sunday after Pentecost 10 am Sermon by The Rev. Claudia Smith:
August 19, 2018 The 13th Sunday after Pentecost 10 am Sermon by The Rev. Emily Blair Stribling:
August 12, 2018 The 12th Sunday after Pentecost 10 am Sermon by The Rev. Virginia Peacock:
The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost August 5, 2018, 10 am Sermon by Allan Sandlin:
August 5, 2018 The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost 10 am Full Service and Baptism of Henry Ronan Malloy celebrated by The Rev. Allan Sandlin:
Dear Friends,
By now you have received the news of our beloved Claudia’s well-deserved retirement. During her almost twelve-year tenure we have grown spiritually and prospered as a faith community. We have faced difficult decisions about the church building, hosted four DownEast Spiritual Life Conferences, collaborated with other churches, welcomed people of different faiths, and enjoyed the benefits of learning and fellowship. And that’s not all. Our children’s ministry was restarted and is expanding. Our Outreach Committee is unmatched in its passion to help our neighbors in need. We have extraordinary music on a weekly basis, and our eClare gets hundreds of “clicks” on each issue. We have proved ourselves to be a vital, involved, and caring community.
As your Vestry, we are already at work ensuring a smooth transition. Our first priority is to honor Claudia’s years of loving St. Francis with her heart, mind, and soul. To that end, there will be two celebrations of Claudia’s faithful ministry: the first, on March 3, will be Claudia’s final day as Rector; the second will be held on July 7, when Claudia will return one last time so that she and our summer congregants can bid farewell to one another. If planning and participating in these upcoming celebrations is your passion and talent, please let us hear from you.
Concurrently, we have made certain that the uplifting worship we enjoy at St. Francis will continue without interruption. Already, supply priests are scheduled through May 12, 2019. In addition, we are actively seeking to hire an interim priest to serve St. Francis until our new Rector is called.
In addition, the vestry has appointed Sarah Everdell, our highly respected former Fair Chair and current vestry member, to serve as Chair of the Discernment/Search Committee, which will be charged to identify our next Rector. The vestry will appoint the Committee before the end of February, when its work will begin in earnest. In constituting the Committee, it is the vestry’s top priority that all constituencies of the church be reflected in its membership. Once the Committee has completed its charge, a final recommendation will be made to the vestry, whose responsibility it is to call and contract our new Rector. We anticipate that he or she will be installed as Rector within the next twelve to eighteen months.
The vestry is already consulting with The Reverend Canon Michael Ambler, Canon to the Ordinary for the Diocese of Maine. As the Bishop’s representative he helps to smooth the clergy transition process for the Diocese and for St. Francis. Michael will visit St. Francis on March 17, 2019, to meet with the congregation. This will be an informative gathering, lots of Q&A, and we hope you will plan to attend.
Finally, please know that each and every member and friend of St. Francis is invited and encouraged to be an active participant in the discernment/search process. We are a talented and committed congregation and everyone’s views are crucial to a successful discernment. We want to hear all of your cares and concerns, as well as your hopes and dreams; and there will be many opportunities over the coming months for you to make them known. In addition, the Search/Discernment Committee will provide regular updates to the vestry and to the congregation throughout the entire process, via announcements, eClare, and on our website.
We have come such a long way together. With God’s help, under Claudia’s dedicated leadership, and with your active and positive participation, St. Francis is a grateful, grace-filled, and healthy congregation. We are a steadfast worshiping community of the faithful, committed to the care of our neighbors. As such, St. Francis is unique here in Blue Hill, on the Peninsula, and in the state of Maine. We are the kind of church our next Rector cannot help falling in love with. We are connected by Love, one to another…. Let us hold tightly to each other as we worship, walk, and work to build the future of St. Francis by the Sea Episcopal Church.
Trusting the steady hand of God to lead us forward, I remain, faithfully yours,
Robert J. Publicover, Senior Warden
On behalf of the Vestry
