Some thoughts on this web site

I sent this out yesterday:

Hello everyone-

(I’m sending this to eveyone who expressed interest in an island-wide
web site at the Epiphany meeting at St. John, and to a few other
people suggested at that time. Please let me know if you wish *not* to
hear any more on this topic.)

http://mdiepiscopalians.wordpress.com/ is up.

I have been posting items that I think will be of Episcopal islandwide
interest. Thus far my sources have been
* St. John (where I am a member and am webmaster),
* the Church of Our Father Friday email which I’m now receiving (Thanks!)
* The Dio Log email newsletter from the Diocese

Where from here?

My thoughts:
* It would be good to put a link to
http://mdiepiscopalians.wordpress.com/ on each of the individual
church web sites. I think it would be good to put it on the front page
of each of the sites in the lists of links.
* The individual church web sites could incorporate the island-wide
posts directly into their web sites. I’ve done this at
http://saintsmdi.org/ (on the left side - scroll down a screen or two)
* The web site can be set up so that other people people can make
posts. Ideally there would be one person at each of the four churches
who would make posts.

Each of these items would make the site more truely represenative of
the whole island Episcopal community and increase mutual awareness and
interaction.

For now, I’ll keep doing what I’m doing. I can assist with the steps
I’ve suggested. But we should move forward from this point.

-Michael Shook

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper at St. John

A Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper will be held at St. John in Southwest Harbor on February February 28 at 5:30 p.m. Sign up sheets are in the undercroft. St. John folk, please sign up. Other, please call the church office at 244-3229 to let us know you’re coming.

Healing Services at Church of Our Father

There will be a healing service at Church of Our Father this Wednesday Thursday, February 9, at 6:30 p.m., and another at the same time on March 9.

Volunteer Opportunity: Meals for Me

Meals for Me is an island wide organization that delivers hot meals to home bound people who may otherwise go without. We also provide larger meals that are delivered and served at our 4 different dining rooms on the island for those who live in the housing units or are age 60+. We are in great need of volunteers in order to keep this service available. Volunteers deliver hot meals directly to people’s homes, deliver to the dining rooms in the area, and help with serving in one of the dining rooms. We need about 9 volunteers a day in order to accomplish all of this, giving somewhere between 45-75 minutes of their day. Adopting one day a week or even one day a month would make a huge difference to our organization and especially to our clients who rely on these meals. Volunteers are reimbursed for miles traveled and it truly is rewarding to know you’ve done something to make someone else’s day better. If you can share some of your time, please contact Kate Maginn at Meals for Me, 288-2030, or e-mail her at katem [at] mdimaine.us.

February Taizé Service

The February Taizé service will be held at St. Saviour’s Church, Bar Harbor on Saturday, February 18 at 5 pm. This is an opportunity to worship in a quiet way with folks from other churches on MDI and beyond.

Mimi Barnes

The Search for a New Bishop

Sounds like the title of a story, and it’s the beginning of a long saga yet to be written. At the meeting of the Area 2 delegates on Sunday, January 15, Sarah Flynn and Vesta Kowalski, both (presently) from St. John’s were chosen as the lay and clergy representatives from this region to the Search Committee for the next Bishop of Maine. The Standing Committee will make the actual appointments of one clergy and one lay representative from each area, and an additional four (maximum) other committee members from among those who were nominated but not elected in their various areas. The Committee is charged with recommending a slate of candidates from which our next bishop will be elected at the 2007 Diocesan Convention.

Four Way Talks Open

Getting four Episcopal parishes to talk about common goals and visions can be as difficult as getting four hostile nations to negotiate, but the climate is right on Mount Desert Island, and a truly significant conversation began on Friday, January 6, the Feast of the Epiphany.The event took place at St. John’s, and began with a Service of Light and Eucharist. Nearly 80 people remained for an excellent pot-luck supper and a substantive discussion, ably facilitated by Sarah Flynn.

Some major themes emerged, and the “elephant in the tent,” the high cost of four full-time priests for four geographically close congregations, was named and discussed. Future steps include continuing conversations about: whether we might all save if we purchase our oil together; how we might develop an Island-wide ministry to our Island youth; how we might do outreach and communication together; and the “elephant,” the possibility of some day sharing clergy (a largish committee with representatives from all four congregations has agreed to continue this conversation).

The mood of the evening was upbeat, frank, open and caring. We already know one another because our paths cross in so many ways. Engaging one another as Episcopalians helps us deepen our connections, and may accomplish the goal of many: beginning to see ourselves as the Episcopal church on Mount Desert Island, worshiping in our four different places.

One result of the evening was the following prayer for our clergy, written by Andrew McMullan:

Dear Lord, please look with special favor upon Thy servants and our shepherds. For those who have answered Thy call and given themselves unselfishly and completely to Thy service are indeed special souls. As they lead us on our path to becoming closer to You and closer to our Brothers and Sisters in Christ, please keep them from all harm and strengthen them in all goodness. In a sometimes dark and broken world, fraught by doubt and human frailty, please comfort and embolden them in the knowledge of our respect, gratitude, great need, and above all, unfathomable love for them. Godspeed our clergy on our journey together, as they guide us to fulfill Thy will for us on earth. AMEN

Vesta Kowalski

Diocesan Stewardship School

The Diocesan Stewardship School is presenting a free conference at St. Mark’s in Waterville on Saturday, March 4, from 9 am to 4 pm.  Workshop topics include the “tool box” for parish stewardship leaders; financial planning; generational differences; capital campaigns; and the stewardship of time.  Larry Johnston is one of the workshop leaders.  Register on or before February 14.  For more information, contact Jim Bowditch at 236-2272.