Next Taizé Service: Saturday, July 22

Next Taizé Ecumenical Prayer Service: Saturday, July 22, at St. Saviour’s Church, Bar Harbor, at 7:00 p.m

Ultreya 5:30 Saturday, June 24 at St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Ellsworth

Two Weeks To Go for the Ultreya planned for Saturday, June 24, at 5:30 pm at St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Ellsworth: Showcasing great singing by Bob Theriault and Tony Sousa, along with Tim Searchfield and some of the musicians from St. Andrew; and including a witness speaker along with Eucharist given by the Rev. Yvonne Wesley-Rohrbach and the Rev. Chuck Bradshaw. Please join us and bring friends and family. If you are able, potluck contributions (to feed approximately six people) will be most welcome. Be a part of this great night of worship and praise to end no later than 8:30 pm.

Help with Bar Harbor Food Pantry garden

Greetings to All from the Bar Harbor Food Pantry:  A request has been made for some help roto-tilling our new garden spot, so I am writing to you all in hope that one of you or someone you know may be able to help us get this project underway.  The garden plot is located just off the Crooked Road.  Drive 2 miles up from Hulls Cove and Porter Settlement Way will be on your left.  Down that drive is a nice big piece of land that is waiting to be planted.  The work day that has been arranged is going to be Sundays from 9am-noonish.  Please let Beth Swazey know if you’ll be able to help her, as she has been so kind to volunteer her Sundays this summer to work on and oversee this garden for the food pantry.  You may contact her at bwrootworks@yahoo.com .

Bedrooms for Liberty and Justice

Family and friends of the Rev. Katrina Swanson have scheduled a memorial weekend for this pioneer priest July 27-30, 2006, at St. Saviour’s Parish in Bar Harbor. Details at www.katrinasdream.org

The weekend is intended to move America a little closer to the complete liberty and justice for women that Katrina did not find.
At this date people have said they’re coming from across the country.

If you would like to offer someone a bedroom for July 27-30, please contact Katrina’s husband, George, at 244-0579 or seawallroad [at] yahoo.com. It will soon be necessary for people “from away” to book motel rooms for our high season before they fill up. So your offer of a room would help right away. Lunch and dinner on Saturday, July 29th, will be pot luck. Anyone who would like to sign up to bring food please contact George. Your art, your poetry, your music are all welcome – again contact George.

To receive news updates about the weekend, send your email or US Mail address to George Swanson at the email above. Or to PO Box 1265, Southwest Harbor, ME 04679. Or call 244-0579.

Eucharist for Ascension Day

"God has gone up with a shout…  Sing praises to God, sing praises…"  (Psalm 47:5, 6) 
The celebration of the Eucharist for Ascension Day — a sadly under-celebrated holiday in the Church Year — will be at 6 pm on Thursday, May 25, at St. Dunstan's in Ellsworth.  The regional PRE-GENERAL CONVENTION HEARING will follow at 7 pm.  It would be a mistake not to attend, if you are able.

Ultreya at St. Andrews Lutheran Church

There will be an Ultreya at St. Andrews Lutheran Church in conjunction with the local Episcopal churches and the Redeemer Lutheran Church (Bangor). We are excited about getting together with St. Andrews for Ultreyas, beginning with one planned for June 24th. They will also be participating with the Episcopal churches for the upcoming Cursillo in November. Beginning at 5:30 pm on Saturday, June 24, you will enjoy great singing by Bob Theriault and Tony Sousa, along with Tim Searchfield and some of the musicians from St. Andrews. There will be a witness speaker and Eucharist will be celebrated by the Rev. Yvonne Wesley-Rohrbach, a retired Lutheran minister, who will be assisted by the Rev. Chuck Bradshaw. Please come and bring a friend. . .or two. . .or more, plus a potluck to feed six people! Be part of this great night of worship and praise (to end no later than 8:30 pm).

Vote to Sell St. Andrew

In a decision of some moment to Episcopalians on Mount Desert Island, the members of the Parish of Saint Andrew and Saint John in a special parish meeting this past Sunday 30 April voted to sell Saint Andrew. Find out more at the parish web site here, here and here. The sale is not likely to happen quickly. It must first be endorsed by the Diocese. And in spite of this decision, seasonal services will resume at Saint Andrews at 8:00am Sunday June 4. Also, there will be a Taizé service at Saint Andrew at 7pm Sunday June 11.

We ask for your prayers as we move forward with this difficult choice.

Collective Purchasing of Fuel Oil

I’ve just finished gathering and disseminating information on collective purchasing of fuel oil for next winter’s heating season.  This year the four island churches, plus St.Dunstan’s bought or pre-bought 25,350 gallons of #2 heating oil for a total of $47,679.

The least expensive price per gallon was $1.77 for 12,000 gallons ($21,240); the most expensive was $2.32 for 4,950 gallons ($11,484).  A total of three oil companies served the 5 parishes.  Had we pooled our purchases about $2,810 (6%) would have been saved for doing other of God’s work on this island.  Hopefully we’ll have a program in place that will help everyone next winter.  One of the next critical steps is to have interested persons from the four churches gather and find more ways that we can collectively serve our island community.  

Ted Bromage

June Taizé Service

There will be a Taizé service at 7:00pm Sunday June 11 at St. Andrew's in Seal Cove.

Safe Church Training Update

There has been a change in date for the Safe Church Training at St. Dunstan’s in Ellsworth. The new date is Saturday, May 6, from 10 am to 2 pm. You should register by May 1 with Pam at 1-800-244-6062, ext. 21.

Holy Week and Eastertide Services

THURSDAY, APRIL 13, MAUNDY THURSDAY

St. Andrew & St. John
9:30 a.m. – Holy Eucharist
5:30 p.m. Agape Supper, Stripping of the Altar

Church of Our Father
6:00 p.m.  Holy Eucharist, Foot Washing, Dinner

St. Mary & Jude
5:30 p.m.  – Holy Eucharist, Stripping of the Altar

St. Saviour’s
6:00 p.m. – Liturgy, Laying on of Hands, Stripping of the Altar 
FRIDAY, APRIL 14, GOOD FRIDAY

St. Andrew & St. John
4:00 p.m. – Good Friday Liturgy

Church of Our Father
5:30 p.m. – Good Friday Liturgy

St. Mary & Jude
12:00 noon – Last Words & Meditions at Union Church
6:00 p.m. – Good Friday Liturgy

St. Saviour’s
8:00 a.m. – Good Friday Liturgy, 12:00 noon – Ecumenical Service

SATURDAY, APRIL 15, EASTER EVE

Church of Our Father
8:00 p.m. – All Island Great Vigil of Easter

St. Saviour’s
8:30 a.m.  – Holy Saturday Liturgy

SUNDAY, APRIL 16, EASTER DAY

St. Andrew & St. John
8:00 and 10:00 a.m. – Festive Eucharist

Church of Our Father
7:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. – Holy Eucharist

St. Mary & Jude
8:45-9:45 a.m. – Breakfast, 10:00 a.m. – Holy Eucharist

Time Change!

Remember to set your clocks ahead one hour this coming Saturday evening April 1.

Alternately, arrive at the end of the service Sunday morning.

Islandwide Men’s Supper & Program at St. John

The men of St. Andrew & St. John invite island Episcopal Church men for an evening of fellowship, food and conversation in the undercroft on Monday, April 17^th. Since it’s tax time, the 6:00 p.m. meal will be “Hard Times Chili - Cincinnati’s Finest”. David Buccello, Chief Ranger at Acadia National Park will talk about the life and times of being a Park ranger. Please join us for this event.

Palm Sunday Music

Dear Episcopal friends:

I hope that there are members of your congregations that would like to sing with the St. Saviour's choir on Palm Sunday. Here are the details:

Rehearsals on Thursday, March 30 and April 6 (7-8pm)
   (an earlier email had the incorrect time)
Anthem: "Lift Up Your Heads" by William Matthias
Hymns: 154, 164, 474, 435
Sanctus: S-130

It would be helpful to know who plans to sing so that I can have music ready. The anthem is not sight-readable, so rehearsal attendance is very important. You can leave a message for me anytime at St. Saviour's (288-4215).

I look forward to our Palm Sunday celebration and to having some additional voices in the choir! Please call if you have any questions.

Julia Morris-Myers
Director of Music, St. Saviour's

St. John’s Chamber Choir of Bangor at St. Saviour’s April 2

The St. John’s Chamber Choir of Bangor, under the direction of Kevin Birch, will present a concert of music for Lent on Sunday, April 2, at 7 pm at St. Saviour’s in Bar Harbor. Although affiliated with the music program at St. John’s Catholic Church in Bangor, the members of the group represent many different churches throughout the area. The mostly a capella program will include music by Allegri, Palestrina, Barber, Thompson, et al. ALL proceeds from donations (suggested $10) will go to Episcopal Relief and Development to aid those affected by the Pakistani earthquake last fall.