“In the moments of despair, in the moments of the worst darkness, God had done something incredible,”Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop and Primate Michael B. Curry said in his Easter 2019 Message.“God had raised Jesus from the dead.”
We held six services during Holy Week, commemorating Jesus’ finals days before his death, and resurrection.
The traditional Liturgy of the Palms service began with everyone picking up a fresh palm leaf to wave during the processional and includes The Passion Gospel from the book of Luke.
The Maundy Thursday Service is held to commemorate Jesus’ last supper with his friends and his commandment, “As I have loved you, you should also love one another.” (John 13:34)
Following the ancient tradition, based on Jesus’ washing of the disciples feet, the congregation is offered the option of having their feet washed by The Rev. Steve Hayward or by someone else of their choice as well.
The service ends on a poignant note as the altar and all decorative furnishings are removed and the lights dimmed; communicants leave in silence.
Friday, April 19, noon. The Good Friday Ecumenical Service is to commemorate Jesus’ crucifixion.
Clergy and members of the congregations of the First Baptist and First Congregational churches in Blue Hill joined those from St. Francis in a deeply meaningful service of The Stations of the Cross.
At 5:00 p.m. we had an Episcopal Liturgy Service. The Passion Gospel was read, followed by the solemn Collects which date back to the 3rd and 4th Centuries. The service concluded with brief devotions and a final prayer.
The service began in darkness as the new light of Christ’s radiance was ignited marking Jesus’ passing over from death to life.
It is by this light that the sacred story of God’s saving acts is told, prayer and praise are offered, and we celebrate the Easter sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist. Drawing on this ancient tradition, therefore, this service becomes the first celebration of Jesus’s resurrection at Easter.
A Festival Eucharist will be held as the high point of the week. Jesus’ resurrection is celebrated with word, special music, and flowers symbolizing Christ’s new life among us.
Today, (April 11, 2019) Presiding Bishop Michael J. Curry announced that a majority of the bishops with jurisdiction and a majority of diocesan standing committees of The Episcopal Church have consented to the election of the Rev. Thomas J. Brown as the Tenth Bishop of Maine.
In The Episcopal Church, a bishop is elected for the whole Church and now the whole church has spoken and affirmed our election.
Meanwhile, the Standing Committee and the Trustees of the Diocese of Maine, along with Thomas, agreed to the terms of an Episcopal Letter of Agreement. We will complete the signing process in the coming days. Thomas isn’t a bishop yet; that will happen when he is ordained and consecrated as the Tenth Bishop of Maine on June 22, 2019, at St. Luke’s Cathedral in Portland.
During Holy Week and a good part of Eastertide, we’ll all enter into a time where gracious space is made for Thomas and Tom to get settled into their home and rest up a bit from the excitement of the transition. Starting on May 6, Thomas will be closely working with Bishop Steve at Loring House and around the diocese.
We rejoice in the completion of this important phase of our election process. We are grateful for all who faithfully participated in our quest for the Tenth Bishop. Many wheels are turning as Thomas, and his husband, Tom, make their way to Maine this week and settle into their home in Portland. In March, their friends and their two parish churches in Massachusetts gave both of them heartfelt and loving farewell celebrations.
Together, they will be determining their schedules throughout May and June.
Nobody knows right away how to be a bishop. That happens in the fullness of time. It will be Steve and Thomas’ work to collaborate together as Thomas leans into “learning the ropes”.
Keep watch on the bishopquest.org website for the latest information on the Farewell events for the Lanes in May and the details of Thomas+ Ordination on June 22. Seats at the cathedral are limited, and each parish will be given a limited number of tickets. We also expect a number of bishops from across the Church to join in our celebration. The entire Consecration will be live-streamed and we invite you to begin planning now for a “Watch Party” at your parish so everyone can enjoy this very happy day.
Again, on behalf of the Standing Committee, we want to extend our deepest thanks to all who have brought us to this day with your faithful participation and prayers during our quest to call the Tenth Bishop of Maine.
We believe the Holy Spirit continues to walk with us as we move more deeply into this season of transition.
Let us pray: We give you thanks, O God, that you have called us to a goodly fellowship of faith in the Diocese of Maine. In the power of the Spirit, you have guided us in the election of the Tenth Bishop. We ask your blessings on all our people, especially on Bishop Lane, Bishop Elect Brown and their households that each may move safely into their new callings and that, together, we may work to strengthen and share your Mission among us. We pray this in Christ’s name. Amen.
| The Rt. Rev. Stephen T. Lane Ninth Bishop of Maine | The Rev. Maria J. Hoecker President, Standing Committee |
This was the Rev. Steve Hayward’s first Sunday as Interim Rector of St. Francis by the Sea.
The Rev. Canon Michael Ambler visited St. Francis in his capacity as Canon to the Ordinary, Episcopal Diocese of Maine. As one of Bishop Steve Lane’s deputies he is charged with, among other things, helping congregations going through Transition. He came to help us to understand the process and make it work. He also celebrated and preached an excellent thought provoking sermon.
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.
Sunday March 3rd was a day of celebration and goodbye at St. Francis as our beloved Rector of 11 plus years the Rev. Claudia Smith retired.
March 17, 2019
Dear Friends,
I am writing this on a Sunday morning, two weeks after my final day as your rector. Please forgive my taking so long to thank you for the terrific send-off you gave me. In part the delay is because I have been hustling to get my new home in South Portland ready for the move; but in part it has taken this long to process all of the emotions retiring as your rector has triggered.
Your farewell celebration was truly lovely and I thank you. Although I know many of you contributed in a myriad of ways, I would be remiss if I didn’t identify a few of you in particular for your roles in making the day so meaningful. First, thank you to Bob Publicover for coordinating the day’s activities and sharing the messages written by the Vestry and the Bishop. Many thanks to the Carlton Russell for composing a special Celtic Blessing just for me and to Lorna Russell and the choir for performing it so well. A big thank you also goes to Mary Boyd (and the minions that assisted her) for organizing a truly wonderful coffee hour feast. Nora Schroeder gets a special thank you as well; not for just escorting me out at the recessional (her “job” since she was a very small girl) but also for giving us all the permission for one last good cry. And finally to all of you who contributed to the very generous “purse” I was given to help me get resettled. Trust me, it is greatly appreciated and already has been put to good use.
I don’t know if the title “Rector Emeritus” is a real thing. But I love that the vestry bestowed that title on me in their farewell proclamation because of the way it speaks to the fact that we will always be connected if in no other way than at the level of the heartstrings that bind us together regardless of location. Please know that my life has been deeply blessed by my years as your rector and you will be in my prayers always.
With deep and abiding affection,
Claudia Wyatt Smith+
Rector Emeritus
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.
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
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
