The Parish of
St. Mary and St. Jude
|
 
A MESSAGE FROM THE RECTOR, DAVID J. LUCEY What Lent and Life in the Church are really about. Because Lent lasts for six weeks, it extends as a theme over two Harbor Charts this year. If the theme of Lent is about amendment of life, and change, and transformation, then what are we changing into? Or is this season simply about imposing some dreary set of rules about doing good, and avoiding bad? A number of years ago a cinematic fable was released. It was called Chocolat. Though an American creation, it was about a quiet country village in France. That village had the usual cast of stock characters: the town drunk and his wife, the repressed noble and his repressed secretary, a young boy who simply needed and greatly desired the affections of his mother, a crusty old grandmother who was now a family outcast, and a bumbling young priest who had yet to establish his own spiritual identity. The heroine, a woman in a red dress, blows into town on an early spring wind with her daughter, and opens a Chocolaterie on the eve of Lent. Everyone in the town knows that you have to give up chocolate during Lent, and you have to walk around with dour faces. Everyone, that is, but our heroine. And through craft and magic and caring she begins a process of breaking down the barriers that keep that small French village so pent up - exclusion, lack of communication, playing out roles not meant to be played out. But, at almost every turn she is met with resistance. Even though her efforts are freeing people to live and to love, there are those in town who are frightened by this freedom. They have spent so long living a pseudo-life. That real life is scary. So they strike back trying to put the lid back on their lives and chase the chocolatier out of town. In the end, life wins, our heroine wins, and that whole town wins. But it is a struggle and a risk. Lent is that time when we prepare for real life. Real life is about openness to the stranger and truthfulness with ourselves. Lent is not about rules and dour faces, but relationships and joy. That's why the setting and summary of this fable on the screen are so appropriate for this time of year. In the end, the priest of this fable summarizes what all this is about when he finally uses his own words in a sermon and not those of some theologian or the town noble. "[Life] is not about how many we exclude, but how many we include. Life is not about how much we accumulate, but about how much we give away." That is what life in the church and life in Lent is really about. That kind of life is scary and risky. It is a whole lot easier and more comfortable to go on as we are, the way things have always been. To embrace the life of Jesus, the life of the church, requires work and training and discipline - the work, training and discipline of love, of including, of giving away. That is what we are preparing for. That is what we are doing. Yours in Christ, David+ Acting as Ballast: Just as an International sailboat requires a certain amount of ballast in its keel to maintain its stability in the water, so a parish needs a certain amount of ballast in its structure to function effectively in service to our Lord and Savior. Recently the vestry, mindful of its fiduciary responsibility, has begun negotiations with an extremely competent structural engineering/architectural firm to repair the west wall of the stone church including the reinstallation of the stained glass window and the bell thanks to the generosity of a few parishioners who came forward even before Charlie Tyson and I have begun a formal capital campaign. That's ballast. Our committees, including the Altar Guild, ECW, Events, and Buildings and Grounds, work tirelessly throughout the year to maintain the infrastructure of the parish and provide outreach to those requiring special attention. That's ballast. Individuals volunteer to edit, publish, and distribute the Harbor Chart. Some graciously assist in the parish office to facilitate the work of the church. Others quietly serve in ways known only to God. That's ballast. Seasonal residents arrive on island and immediately begin to participate in and contribute to the parish. That's ballast. If you find that you are relying on others to do the work and your involvement in your parish is somewhat more passive than this, please consider a change. If, for example, you know you will enjoy the lemonade and cookies after the service because someone else will provide them, you might consider what you can do to make God's place of worship a greater part of your life. You just might get Someone's attention. There are several areas where you might get involved: 1) in worship, representing the heart of Christ, 2) in doctrine, representing words of Christ, and 3) in action, representing the works of Christ. We need you. With much appreciation for the opportunity to serve, Michael Dennis, M.D., Senior Warden Combined Worship On Sunday, March 14th, the parishioners of the Union Church and St. Mary's enjoyed a combined service at St. Mary's winter chapel. The Reverend Mac Bigelow participated in the 9:15AM Rector's Forum, bringing new perspectives to our Lenten conversations about our Spiritual Lives. He then preached the sermon during the 10:30AM service in which he mentioned that 60% of all food sold in supermarkets has no nutrition. Kathy Suminsby produced the beautiful and delicious brunch following the service that was enjoyed by both congregations. She assured us that most of the food was nutritious and went so far as to label the dishes with healthy ingredients and carbohydrates. Mac said he thought the combined services have been a practice for at least 10 years. Saint Mary's parishioners worshiped in the Abby Chapel on Sunday, March 21st, with David Lucey presiding. Rectors Forums: Spiritual Lives We have taken a break from the Town Meeting format in order to spend some time with our spiritual lives. The overall theme of these forums is Foundations of Our Faith. In these forums we are reviewing the things we have forgotten, such as: Who is Jesus and why does He matter? The Bible and prayer; how do we claim them? Good, Evil, and the Holy Spirit. April 4th Forum: Gifts of the Spirit April 18th Forum: What is the Church and what does it do? Come join us for coffee, munchies, education, and conversation on Sundays at 9:15AM on the second floor of the Winter Chapel when you are in town. Post Office Box 105 Please remember to put post office box numbers on all your mail and to use P.O. Box 105 on all church mail. Two long time workers at the Northeast Harbor post office are retiring (Amy Smith, a former Senior Warden, being one) and the new employees won't have the "institutional history" to sort the mail quickly. It could result in mail being held up or even returned to the sender. Treasurer's Report Total Income was up due to the generosity of several parishioners; however, it still did not cover our operating expenses. The operating deficit year to date is in excess of $6,000. Although we have had a good pledge response compared to last year, we are still falling short of our goals. A quarterly report will appear in May's Harbor Chart. Alan Gregory A Stroud Fund Story One of the organizations that has benefited from the generosity of The Stroud Fund is the Acadia Community Theater (ACT). It is celebrating its 10th Anniversary this year with three performances of The Wizard of Oz at the High School on April 2nd, 3rd and 4th. ACT began as an after-school program and evolved into a traveling theater for two summers. For a while, it was the "Union 98 Teacher's Theater" before it became Acadia Community Theater. ACT has always lived up to the "C" part of its name, through its policy of inviting any and all comers to join the show. Productions traditionally showcase the community's most talented actors and actresses as principals, with secondary roles, extras, and crowd scenes providing all others with a place on stage. The troupe provides a place where fun is combined with a sense of discipline to create quality, high-spirited plays. Ageism is out; youngsters are in. It's not unusual to see kids playing grown-ups, adults scrambling around with the children, and whole families signing on for the joy of helping to create a true community event. Behind the scenes, the artistry of many volunteers over the years has been the wand that transforms abstract ideas into Technicolor life. Proceeds help fund scholarships for Summer Festival of the Arts students. Taizé If you live near a college campus with an active Christian community, or if you read your local Episcopal Diocesan newspaper, you may have encountered announcements about a Taizé prayer service. Perhaps you are wondering what Taizé is, or even how it is pronounced (ta-ZAY). It does, after all, have that intriguing French accent, and a lot of people seem to be talking about it. So what's it all about? First of all, it is important to know what it's not: Taizé is not a movement, a trend, or a "new age" phenomenon. Steeped in Christianity, Taizé, has its origins in an ecumenical monastic community based in the village of Taizé, France. It is a style of worship now commonly used in many Catholic and all mainstream Protestant churches worldwide. It is a form of ecumenical Christian prayer centered on Scripture. It includes song (chanting), and intercessory prayers of petition, acclamation and thanksgiving. Woven into it are several periods of complete silence. Over the years it has evolved into a style that is both meditative, yet easily accessible to everyone, even the un-churched. Worshippers enter and depart the service in silence. There is no sermon, no reciting of creeds and no members-only sacraments in this liturgy. A darkened sanctuary, candles and icons serve to enhance the worship setting. Simple and quiet, leaving plenty of room for reflection, it requires only your presence. While services are generally held in a church, this is not necessary if the prayer-space is welcoming and harmonious. Taizé services have been a monthly event here on Mount Desert Island and in Ellsworth for well over a year and the response has been heartening. Along with the Bar Harbor Congregational Church, which is holding a service in April, Taizé services have also been conducted at the Church of Our Father, Hulls Cove, The Maine Seacoast Mission, Bar Harbor, Saint Andrew and Saint John, Southwest Harbor; The Abby Chapel, Seal Harbor, The Somesville Union Meeting House UCC and Saint Dunstan's, Ellsworth. Our own Saint Mary's-by-the-Sea held a Taizé service on a chilly October evening; it was both beautiful and reverent. There is also a service being planned for Saint Peter's Catholic Church, Manset, in May. An invitation: sound interesting? Good, because you are warmly invited to a service at the Congregational Church on Sunday, April 25th at 6:00PM. As the service will start promptly it's a good idea to arrive a few minutes early, leaving you time to take a leaflet and settle in. Come alone or bring along a companion. Kate Gile Baptisms Baptisms are most appropriately reserved for the primary services on a Sunday and especially for the Great Easter Vigil, the Feast of Pentecost, the Feast of All Saints (or the Sunday immediately following), the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord, and for the visitation of the Bishop. Since these days do not fall during the summer season, the Sundays of July 18th and August 15th have been reserved for baptisms. If you are interested in scheduling a baptism for this summer on one of these days, please contact the parish office to discuss this possibility and appropriate preparation for the day. Bishop Doane gave Saint Mary's the Baptismal font, which resides in St. Mary's-by-the-Sea, and came from the Cathedral in Albany where the Bishop presided. The Madonna and Child frieze on the wall behind the font was given by Jarvis Cromwell "To the glory of God and in loving memory of my parents, Mabel and Lincoln Cromwell, who, throughout their long lives, were devoted and beloved members of this parish." Youth Group Youth Group continues every other Sunday beginning at 4:00PM. Our most recent events have included joint outings with the Bar Harbor Congregational Church. The first was a swim night at the Atlantic Oaks on March 14th, and the second was cooking and serving dinner for the guests at the Emmaus Center in Ellsworth on March 28th. Our next scheduled event is Candle Pin Bowling at the lanes in Ellsworth. We will leave the Winter Chapel at 4:30 on Sunday, April 11th. Come join us for this Easter Celebration. Parish News Malcolm Hughes has been appointed the Vicar of Saint John's Episcopal Church, Shawano, Wisconsin, a town in the rolling dairy countryside about thirty miles from Green Bay. Malcolm reports that he will be residing in the parish vicarage, a pleasant space having both lawn and a small garden. Shawano is adjacent to a large lake surrounded by many small cottages, whose owners come on vacation-from Michigan, Illinois and Minnesota. Cards or letters may be addressed to: The Rev. Malcolm A. Hughes, Saint John's Church, 141 South Smolley Street, Shawano, WI 54166, or by email to: berrycliff1@yahoo. A year ago you may have read about the trip Robert Coolidge and Amy Smith took with their niece, Jill Bryant (Amy's sister Peggy's oldest daughter) on a "southern" college tour. Since then Jill has changed her focus from political studies to the hospitality field. They are pleased to report that she will be attending Johnson and Wales, a school of Hospitality and Culinary Arts in Providence, RI this fall and is one of only two of the 3000 incoming freshman to receive a full four-year scholarship. Congratulations, Jill! The big news for Robert and Amy, for those haven't heard, is that they have bought a wonderful parcel of land in Fayette County, West Tennessee east of Shelby County (Memphis area) and will be relocating there within the next year. They are hoping that once they build their house many of us will come visit and share this special area of the country. Ice and snow are gradually being replaced by plenty of mud underfoot and frost-heaved washboard roads here on Mount Desert Island. Another sure sign of spring is the delivery of Girl Scout cookies. The lovely young ladies of Kathy Suminsby's Girl Scout Troop 713 have brought this wonderful tradition back to our community and our parish family is very proud to sponsor them. Our parish prayers and condolences go to the Tyson family. Mrs. Charles (Barbara Kurtz) Tyson died on March 1st at the age of eighty-eight. Although I never had the pleasure of meeting her, I have had the joy of getting to know two of her children, Charlie Tyson and Barbara Tyson Iselin. We are truly blessed to have the Tyson family's love and devotion to our parish family. Our thoughts are with them. There will be a memorial service at 10AM on Saturday, May 29 at St. Mary's-by-the-Sea, Northeast Harbor. Family and friends who would like to attend but cannot are encouraged to send a short written personal remembrance of Mrs. Tyson (happy, sad, funny, outrageous, poignant) to be read at the service by a family member. Please send your remembrance to Charlie Tyson at 1014 Mix Avenue, Hamden, CT 06514 by May 15 at the latest. Our former Senior Warden, Sally Merchant, has begun her duties as Administrative Officer for the Town of Mount Desert. Sal has been working in the guidance office at the Mount Desert Island High School. She will dearly miss the daily contact with the students who include her son Jordan, a sophomore at MDIHS, and Jake, who will join Jordan there in the fall, but she looks forward to seeing town and summer residents and to working with the wonderful people in our Town Office again. She will also work at 151, the terrific Main Street restaurant in Northeast Harbor for her (and its) fourth season. Longtime ECW Treasurer Joan Coulombe and her husband Norman have had a challenging March. Norman injured his back and has spent some time at MDI Hospital. Our prayers are with Norman for a speedy recovery. Colbert Lucey is enjoying spring break from Saint Mark's School with his parents Father David and Katherine Lucey and siblings Carolyn, Diana, George, and Virginia Lee. He has fabulous plans to travel to Tanzania during the summer of 2005 with a group of students from his school as part of the World Challenge Program. They will raise money both as a group and individually to fund their trip. Two weeks of their time in Tanzania will be spent doing volunteer work in the local community and a week will be spent hiking, camping, and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. To help earn money for the trip, Colbert is working at the Neighborhood House during his break. He is performing odd jobs and working in the youth program. He expressed to his parents that playing floor hockey with kids in the program was a rather enjoyable way to earn money for his trip. It is nice to have you back with us, Colbert. More exciting news from the Lucey family: Carolyn's hockey team, Eastern Maine Girls, has won the sixteen and under division of the state championship for 2004. Congratulations Carolyn! I hope that you are enjoying the early days of spring. My loving thoughts are with you and I look forward to hearing from you. Martha Bucklin |
Home | About Us | Calendar | People | Ministries | Vestry at Work
Lectionary's | Newsletter | Getting Involved | Links | Contact Us
The Parish of St. Mary and St. Jude
P.O. Box 105, Northeast Harbor, Maine 04662 Tel: 207/276-5588 Fax: 207/276-3220