The Parish of
St. Mary and St. Jude
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Message from the Interim Rector, The Reverend Frances CoxMy Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, Alleluia! He is Risen! The Lord is Risen Indeed! This is the ancient and joyful greeting of Easter recognizing the New Life represented by the Resurrection. It was used as a greeting among Christians when they welcomed one another into their homes or met on the streets. Let us proclaim it lustily as we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ during the fifty days of Easter. This is a time of new life and possibilities all around us. The trees are budding despite the cold weather. The sap is running. The ice is almost off the ponds as I write. I saw a couple of hardy (or perhaps foolhardy) kayakers out on Sunday. Basketball is winding down and baseball gearing up. High school seniors are getting word form colleges or planning on jobs after school is out. Gardeners are planting seeds inside to be ready to produce their fruit (flowers or food) at the appropriate time. It is part of the cycle of life that things end and they begin anew. Sometimes it is almost imperceptible as with the creep of spring, and sometimes it is abrupt and jarring as in the death of a loved one or friend. In either case, as Christians we believe that there is new life for us full of hope and possibilities. It is so for us at St. Mary and St. Jude. Work is progressing well at St. Mary's-by-the-Sea and we are on schedule to open June 1. Work will begin shortly at St. Jude's including some new shingles and painting as well as replacing the stained glass window which was restored this winter. Before long all will be shipshape and ready to welcome our summer family and friends. Eastertide is also full of possibilities for us as individuals. Where are those corners of our lives that are in need of new life? What relationships must change and grow? What seeds of new hope need watering and perhaps feeding? The disciplines of prayer, fasting, study and repentance which we have nurtured in Lent will work the rest of the year as well. May we make time this Easter for prayer and study and may we be empowered by the Risen Christ in our lives to reach out and help others to know this new life also. In the Joy of the Risen Christ, Frances From the Interim Rector's Bulletin Board Hospice of Hancock County Offerings: Bereavement Support Group on Tuesdays, April 23rd - June 11th. These are closed groups, free to the public. Pre-registration and an interview are required. For further information please call Hospice of Hancock County at 667-2531. Living with Grief: Loss in Later Life Teleconference Wednesday, April 24th, 2002 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. at St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church in Ellsworth. This teleconference will be of interest to anyone who is older, caring for someone who is older along with healthcare workers, long-term care professionals, clergy, educators and other concerned individuals. The teleconference will provide insight and practical suggestions to those that regularly deal with aging clients, as well as their families and friends. Volunteer Training April 16 - May 28, 2002 Hospice Volunteers provide respite care, emotional support, companionship at home, in nursing homes and hospitals, a helping hand with daily living, education and networking assistance with social and health resources and bedside comfort care. If you are interested in volunteering contact Hospice at 667-2531 or email hohc@panea.com. Interim Rector on vacation I will be on vacation in Ocean City, Maryland from April 19- May 3. I hope to try out the new golf clubs I got for Christmas and spend some time walking the beach and watching the ocean's ebb and flow. If there is a need to reach me call the office during the day or one of the wardens. They will be able to reach me or to contact one of the clergy who will be available for any emergency that may arise. Parish News PLEA FOR PLEDGES The Stewardship Committee During Advent of 2001, the Interim Rector and the Wardens wrote to all 421 members of our Parish asking that each of us make an annual stewardship pledge and send in a pledge card. Four months later, we have received 21 pledge cards from summer parishioners and 38 from year round parishioners - a total of 59 pledges amounting to $41,430. Our 2002 annual budget calls for $165,000 of income in pledged contributions, plate contributions, and special contributions. If you do the math, it shows that 86% of the parish membership has not returned a pledge card, and that we are currently $123,570 short of our income target. Your Stewardship Committee understands that many summer parishioners contribute during the summer or at year-end. We also understand that this is the first year summer parishioners have been asked to fill out a pledge card. Changing life's routines always takes a little prompting, hence this gentle reminder to send in your pledge card. We urge you to think about your pledge as a thanksgiving for God's blessings. We urge you to be generous, letting your pledge follow your heart. And we urge you to think about those serving on our Finance Committee who struggle and juggle to meet the church's financial obligations, and who pray that they hear from you soon. SEARCH AND SITE VISITS The Search Committee The Search Committee has received names of nineteen candidates as of mid-March, and is currently following the five of those individuals whose qualifications best suit the objectives and challenges of the parish. A few more names are expected before the committee plans to stop receiving new names around the end of March. The process of qualifying search candidates has included several stages, beginning with providing a copy of our parish profile to all interested candidates. Eleven of the original nineteen candidates responded to short essay questions. Seven of those were interviewed in telephone conferences. (A generous donor purchased the conference telephone for the committee, which will be passed along to the Vestry after the search is completed.) Several additional candidates may be interviewed by phone during the next few weeks. The committee will arrange for semi-final candidates to visit Mount Desert Island. Confidential field visits will be made to the parishes and communities of final candidates so that committee members can observe them in their current environments and meet with selected parishioners and community members who can offer references. The Diocesan Deployment Office is also checking references carefully. While it is premature to predict the conclusion date of the search, it is conceivable that a new rector may be called as early as this month, for arrival early in the summer. If the committee is unable to make a call from the current group of candidates, its sentiment is to resume receiving names of additional candidates, rather than reconsidering existing candidates who, for whatever reasons, didn't seem to be exactly right for our parish. The search committee appreciates all the support received from fellow parishioners and asks for your continued prayers. PRETZELS AND PRAYERS by Martha Bucklin On Sunday March 3 a combined group of students from The Union Church and St. Mary/St. Jude gathered during the 10:30 service at St. Mary's for Sunday School lessons. The children talked about Lent and about the tradition of making unleavened pretzels formed to look like arms folded in prayer. With the help of Mark Bucklin and Willie Romano, Judy Norwood and Martha Bucklin led the children in shaping and baking these delicious pretzels and in coloring the "Lenten bird of the week." A little problem with the gas stove led to pretzels that rose a bit more than they were supposed to - but eventually all worked out well. The children left some beautifully colored birds for Mrs. Fernald, their regular Sunday School teacher, to enjoy when she returns from visiting her grandchildren in Minnesota. Pretzel recipe is as follows: Ingredients: 1 packet or cake of yeast 3/4 tsp. salt 1 1/2 tsp. sugar 4 cups flour 1 1/2 cups of warm water coarse salt Preheat oven to 400º. Soften yeast in warm water. In large bowl, add salt and sugar. Mix in flour. Knead to make soft dough. Do Not Let Rise! Form "arms folded in prayer" by rolling pieces of dough into "snake" and folding into shape. Place on greased cookie sheet. Dust with coarse salt. Bake approx. 15 minutes or until light brown. Enjoy. RENOVATION AND REPAIR by Roz Rea Work at St. Mary's-by-the-Sea is progressing nicely as many of the items on the Phase One work list are accomplished. Everyone involved with the project continues to gain a better understanding of the building as its secrets and surprises are uncovered. Every two weeks the entire renovation committee meets to review the project and participate fully in decision making for the next two weeks. The new system of drainage pipes and waterproofing around the base of the building has been completed, and the trench surrounding the church has been back-filled in accordance with the engineer's specifications. The perimeter now awaits final grading. The drainage system will be complete when the gutters are properly tied into the underground pipes. The tower roof has been replaced; important discoveries were made in the process. Significant rot on the south side of the tower roof was found as well as evidence of the original roof and its drainage nearly two feet below what was replaced this winter. The old mechanical and electrical systems have been removed, a new floor poured in the mechanical room, and better access to the entire crawl space under the church has been devised. Masons have reset the steps at the north transept entrance and at the choir entrance on the south transept. The stones making up the main entrance (see Student Entrance in the Senior Warden's Notes that follow) have been mapped. Soon the masons will disassemble the entrance porch and rebuild it, this time tying it to the main structure so that it cannot separate from the building as it is doing now. While that is going on Ann Seavey will be attending to the two small windows from the entrance making them ready for reinstallation when the masons are finished. In other news, the east window at St. Jude's has been beautifully restored and is ready to be put back when the weather gets a little warmer. This spring Chuck Bucklin's crew will undertake some repairs at St. Jude's that can not be deferred any longer. This will mark the beginning of a long-range plan to keep the Seal Harbor church secure and looking beautiful. There will be much to celebrate this summer as we return to worship in our summer churches. TALENT AND TREASURES by Martha Bucklin As you may know, the ECW is bringing back the Summer Fair on August 17. Save that date! This year's fair will feature a wonderful new addition - the raffling of a quilt, hand made by Sheila Smallidge with help from Marion Peckham and Phyllis Partridge. The quilt will be in shades of blue and will fit a double or queen sized bed. Anyone who knows Sheila's quilting work will be thrilled to have the chance to own one of her creations. The ECW is grateful for this special opportunity to increase revenue from the fair and in turn make larger contributions towards renovating St. Mary's-by-the-Sea, as well as supporting ongoing outreach projects. The ECW asks that we all remember to set aside for the fair "attic treasures" of every sort (except clothing). If help is needed to transport larger items, arrangements can be made through Kate at the church office by calling 276-5588. FANFARE FOR FERNALD The Vestry is saddened to report that Allen Fernald, our winter and sometime summer organist and choirmaster at St. Mary's, will retire from service in June of this year. For more than five years, Allen has been our faithful organist, cheerful choir coach, and good friend. Having reached retirement age, he and his wife Elaine plan to spend more time enjoying their lives together. A celebration of Allen's ministry will take place after the 10:30 service on June 9, 2002. Notes from your Senior Warden, Sally Merchant COMFORTING CDs "By your Grace, our lives we offer…" Two compact discs that I have recently purchased have been a source of great comfort and joy to me. I have discovered that listening to and singing along with Oleta Adams on her compact disc "Come Walk With Me" (Harmony recording label) is a wonderful modern-day way to pray. With a CD player or home computer equipped to play CDs, you can hold your own private prayer session. I also highly recommend another compact disc entitled "Stories From The Heart" by Bob Carlisle. WHAT IS A "STUDENT ENTRANCE," YOU ASK? At a recent Building Committee meeting to discuss progress on Phase I renovation at St. Mary's-by-the-Sea, those eleven in attendance, George Peckham, Chuck Bucklin, Robert Coolidge, Roz Rea, Rev. Frances Cox, Charlie Tyson, Sally Merchant, Todd Ewing, Michael Hewes, Scott Whitaker and Scott Belesca, were discussing the reconstruction of that particular part of our church's anatomy known as the student entrance. The student entrance is actually the main entryway into St. Mary's-by-the-Sea through which we all pass to worship, celebrate, and convene in fellowship. Committee members have affectionately adopted the name "student entrance" without fully understanding its origin and meaning. This past week the question came up and our architect explained simply that Student Entrance was what was written on the original plans. Whether or not a theological message was intended, we can't say. However, Reverend Cox observed that upon each visit all of us are like young students entering the church eager and ready to be taught by our Master. I pray that when St. Mary's-by-the-Sea reopens this summer you will remember to come humbly and eagerly through the reconstructed student entrance with an open heart, ready to listen and learn anew. |
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The Parish of St. Mary and St. Jude
P.O. Box 105, Northeast Harbor, Maine 04662 Tel: 207/276-5588 Fax: 207/276-3220