Having traveled to the County for Holy Week and Easter, a different sort of visit, Gretchen and I returned to the County the weekend of October 10 – 11 for an official visit. We left Portland on Friday and drove north through lowering fall skies. We made very good time and arrived at the home of Bob and Thelma Smith in time for me to meet with Bob and prepare for the weekend. Then we joined all the clergy and some spouses for dinner at the Presque Isle Inn and Convention Center.

One of my objectives was to have private time with each of the clergy, so much of the weekend was given over to those conversations. I deeply appreciate the willingness of the clergy to make time in their schedules and to bring me up to speed on their lives and ministries. It was truly sacred time.

Saturday afternoon, I met with the Cluster Council – consisting of members of the five parishes of the Aroostook Episcopal Cluster – and we had some of the frankest conversation I’ve yet had with congregational leadership. The declining economy of Maine is deeply felt in Aroostook County, and several of the congregations are feeling small and old. One, at least, is worried about closing, and we had good conversation about worship, ministry and buildings. These conversations will need to continue, but I think we made important first steps.

It’s hard in the midst of all the challenges are churches are facing not to think that we are doing something wrong, that we’ve failed. But the fact is that the world has changed, and our expectations about how to be church must change as well. We’ve not done a bad job. Rather, we must find new ways to meet the challenges of our time. It’s hard to let go of the way we’ve done things for so long and to consider new ways of being church. I suspect this is the particular task of our day.

On Sunday, all of the congregations of the County met at St. John’s, Presque Isle, for worship. With so many folks in one place, we had a glorious service with special music and a grand lunch. After time for a few bites, we joined in conversation about youth ministry, about concerns in the cluster, and about General Convention. A good morning.

We stayed another night in the County to have opportunity for further conversation with clergy and families. On Monday (Columbus Day) we were up early to get home, but the traffic was so heavy that it took most of the day to return. And we dawdled a bit on the way. The skies had a winterish look… but it didn’t snow.

+Steve

One of the disciplines of blogging is keeping at it. Each week I try to write my blog entry as soon as I get home. But often something gets in the way and the days slip by. So this entry, as the last few, is a catch up entry. My apologies in advance to the congregations I’ve visited. The late blog is not a reflection of the importance of the visit.

On Sunday, October 4, I visited the good people of St. Barnabas’, Rumford. Gretchen and I were out the door very early on a chilly, overcast, fall morning. As we headed north, the sky constantly brightened, and the last few miles were in sunshine. The mountains were covered in glorious color as the foliage reached its peak. Since traffic was very light we arrived early and had time to tour the church. St. Barnabas’ is a jewel of a church, the exterior built of large river rocks and the inside smooth and white. The acoustics are excellent, and the windows are unique and unusual. There is one of Nicodemus up in his tree and another of the call of Isaiah. A simply lovely church.

The congregation was small but we sang with gusto. Fr. Tim Parsons, an accomplished guitarist, accompanied a couple of numbers. There was a confirmation and a reception. Following the service we joined for a lovely lunch and then I met with the vestry. St. Barnabas’ is concerned about the size and age of its congregation and about maintaining its ministries in the community. In those concerns, it joins many congregations of our diocese.

It would have been lovely to linger by the river, but Sunday was a very full day. Leaving Rumford, Gretchen and I dashed to Norway and Christ Church. There I joined with Bishop Richard Malone, of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, in celebrating 30 years of a covenant relationship between Christ Church and St. Catharine of Sienna. These two churches have been colleagues in ministry for a generation and continue to share in all sorts of ministries together. The clergy, including our Anne Stanley, are colleagues and friends and provide continuing support for one another. Bishop Malone and I prayed for the continuing vitality of the covenant and that our relationship would endure despite the stresses between our denominations.

And then we went across the street to Catharine of Sienna to bless the animals! Dogs, cats, birds, ferrets… St. Francis’ Day. A lovely ending to the day leaving both bishops in their finery, covered with hair.

+Steve

On Thursday, October 1, I delivered this statement during a press conference sponsored by the Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry in Maine held at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Portland. The coalition represents individual clergy and members of 18 denominations and groups, and I was joined by five other speakers: two United Methodist leaders, a conservative Rabbi, a United Church of Christ minister, and a lay representative from Catholics for Marriage Equality. More than 25 Maine clergy joined us at the podium including several priests in the Diocese of Maine. Dean Ben Shambaugh of St. Luke’s Cathedral fielded a question on Scripture and marriage equality. Video of his answer may be watched beneath my statement below.

Bishop Steve delivers his statement

My name is Stephen Lane, and I am the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Maine. Today, as a member of the Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry in Maine, I join my brothers and sisters – tens of thousands of Mainers from all over of our state – in supporting the No on 1 campaign. In the past Mainers of every creed and stripe have said proudly and faithfully that “Maine Won’t Discriminate,” and it is time to say it again, clearly and without equivocation.

The Episcopal Church – through its principle legislative body, the General Convention, representing 110 dioceses in 14 countries around the world – has a long history of publicly proclaiming and defending the civil rights of all people. Since 1976, we have specifically and repeatedly held that gay and lesbian persons are entitled to equal protection under the law. It is my belief that the right to marry is a crucial civil right, establishing both protections and obligations that safeguard gay and lesbian couples and their families.

It is core to our Christian belief that we are all children of God, created in God’s image, and, in baptism, we are all full members of the church. In the Episcopal Church, we have also determined that sexual orientation, in and of itself, is no bar to holding any office or ministry in the church, as long as the particular requirements of that office or ministry are met. In many of our congregations, both here in Maine and around the country, faithful same-gender couples and their families are sharing in their local church’s life and ministry and in service to their communities. As full members of our churches and contributing citizens of Maine, these families are as entitled to the rights and responsibilities of civil marriage as any couple.

I believe that faithful, lifelong monogamous relationships are among the building blocks of a healthy and stable society. With the passage of L.D. 1020 last spring, the rights and obligations of civil marriage were extended to all Maine citizens. The passage of Question 1 would deny those rights to certain persons on the basis of sexual orientation, and it would create two classes of citizens and deny one group what we believe is best for them and for society. Domestic partnerships, which Maine allows, and civil unions, which it does not, are not – when measured by the way they are regarded by society or by the legal and financial benefits they bestow – the same as civil marriage.

Although we are not of one mind regarding same gender marriage in The Episcopal Church, we continue to search for ways to honor the varied viewpoints on this issue and to provide a place of dignity and respect for each of them. Therefore, I affirm the portion of the law – passed by both houses of our legislature and signed by Governor Baldacci – that affirms that there will be no effort to compel or coerce any minister to act in a way contrary to his or her belief and conscience. There will certainly never be any requirement in the Episcopal Diocese of Maine to act in contravention of conscience or of church doctrine.

In July the Episcopal Church, during its 76th General Convention, meeting in Anaheim, California, voted to allow Bishops in the six states – including Maine – where civil marriage is legal a measure of pastoral generosity in serving the pastoral needs of same-gender couples who come to our clergy seeking to marry in our churches. In consultation with Maine clergy who represent a wide spectrum of belief, I have developed guidelines to help our clergy minister to same-gender couples when this referendum is defeated in November. Such couples will get no special treatment. They will be required to go through the same pre-marital counseling as any other couple. I believe the fear that same gender marriage will in some way undermine other marriages or damage society is unfounded. To the contrary, same gender marriage will encourage all of us to work together to strengthen long held commitments to monogamy and faithfulness in relationships.

Our tagline of many years, The Episcopal Church Welcomes You, has never seemed more important. I hope and pray the welcome and pastoral care that same-gender couples receive in many of the Episcopal congregations across Maine will open doors to renewed participation in the lives of our congregations and communities.

Maine Episcopal clergy members, the Rev. Mary Ann Hoy (in red), the Rev. Tim Higgins (in front of her), and Bishop Steve. Dean Ben Shambaugh is blocked by the minister in the left foreground.

Bishop Steve with the tv cameras and MPBN

In June we ordained three deacons and a transitional deacon at the Cathedral. Ben Wetherill was not able to participate in that ordination because his daughter was graduating from high school in June. So on Saturday, September 26, I ordained him to the diaconate at Church of the Good Shepherd, Rangeley.

Fall was definitely in the air as Gretchen and I made our way to Rangeley on Friday afternoon. The colors were spectacular, and the innkeeper at the Country Club Inn speculated that peak color would come in just a few days. Arriving the night before the ordination gave us the opportunity to meet and share a meal with Good Shepherd’s new rector, Jud Peeler and his wife, Sandy. We enjoyed a relaxed supper full of conversation about life in Rangeley and the Diocese of Maine.

Saturday began with a rehearsal at the church followed by some prayer time with Ben. Then at 1 p.m. we celebrated the baptismal ministry of the church and Ben’s ordination to the order of deacons. The music, some of it provided by Ben’s family, was accompanied by flute, guitar and organ. The Episcopal Church capable of throwing some wonderful liturgical parties, and this was certainly one of them.

After a sit down reception, Gretchen and I headed down the mountain to St. Luke’s, Wilton. We were the guests of the rector, Tim Walmer and Corey. After a little R&R, I met with the Vestry over supper.

St. Luke’s serves Wilton and Farmington and is involved in a number of ministries. For those who haven’t been there, St. Luke’s is a “recycled” Roman Catholic church with a gracious sense of light and space. But the church is a bit off the beaten path. So my conversation with the Vestry was about ways to get St. Luke’s presence before the larger community. We talked about ministry partnerships and use of their new website.

Sunday morning there was one service at 9 a.m. As part of the service, we celebrated confirmation and reception. I was particularly moved that the person being received is someone who was burned out of her home just two weeks ago. The St. Luke’s community has gathered round her, and she was firm in desire to be received in the Episcopal Church.

Our morning ended with a fine brunch and more conversation about life and ministry, particularly about the recent General Convention. The Episcopal Church is alive and well in Wilton.

+STL

Events often conspire in interesting ways. When the Rev. Paige Blair left St. George’s, York Harbor, last spring, plans were already underway for confirmation in September. Being uncertain about whether or not there would be an interim priest in place in September, we made arrangements for a regional confirmation at St. David’s, Kennebunk. Then the Rev. Caroline Hines arrived at St. George’s, and there was no need for a regional confirmation. But by then, confirmation preparation had already begun at St. David’s. So, on Sunday, September 20, I celebrated confirmation and reception in both places.

St. George’s is well into its transition experience. A discernment committee has been chosen and work has begun on a parish profile. The many ministries continue apace, and the community has continued its three service Sunday schedule with a service focusing on young families between 7:45 and 11 am.

At each of the three services, I commissioned those members of the discernment committee who usually attended that service. And, at 11, I confirmed several young people. The energy and enthusiasm in the congregation was palpable. The music was lovely. A gala reception followed.

A regular part of any visitation is conversation about ministry. The Vestry and I joined over a light lunch to talk about the ministries of St. George’s and especially about strategies for continuing to attract young adults and families.

Then Gretchen and I were off to St. David’s. Fortunately, the Propers were the same, so I could adapt my sermon. I met with the rector, Dan Riggall, and with the confirmands and heard their stories about “why confirmation and why now.” As always, I was moved by what I heard. Then another wonderful service, complete with an anthem drawn from “Wonder, Love and Praise,” accompanied by Spanish style guitar.

As the day wound down, Gretchen and I joined with the good people of St. David’s for a lovely meal and relaxed conversation. A full and quite wonderful day.

+STL

Bishop Steve talks about health care reform with 1st District Rep. Chellie Pingree. Photo by Mary Getz/OGR

When I was first consecrated a bishop, I was invited by Jim Curry, Suffragan of Connecticut, to join Bishops Working for a Just World (BWJW). BWJW is a loosely organized group of bishops who meet to educate themselves about social change and social justice and who meet each year with our legislators in Washington. The group was formed sometime in the 1990’s and the visits to Washington began four or five years ago. The staff of the Office of Governmental Relations in Washington has provided significant support for our work.

This past week I had the opportunity to make my first visit to Washington as a member of BWJW. Also present were Bishops Curry, Andrus (CA), Beckwith (Newark), Chane (Washington), Singh (Rochester), and Sutton (MD). We met at the Washington Theological Union, a Roman Catholic continuing education facility near Tacoma Park, MD.

Our first day and a half were spent with Mike Gecan, lead organizer for the Industrial Area Foundation, which organizes communities to advocate for justice around the country. The IAF works with churches and faith-based groups in its work. We talked a lot about relational organizing, an approach to community organizing which begins with face-to-face meetings with individuals in the community to learn about the community and determine the most important issues for the community. The process then engages in education and training to address the issues, and then moves into focused action for justice. The process reminded me a lot of our normal practices in relation to pastoral ministry in a parish. The training was very helpful.

Following Mike Gecan’s presentations, we spent time with DeWayne Davis, Mary Getz and Ana White of the Office of Governmental Relations to prepare for our visits to Capitol Hill. Congress is in the midst of intense debate about health care reform, so much of our attention was focused on that issue and the resolutions adopted by General Convention this past summer. But we also spent time talking about immigration reform and global warming.

Wednesday was our time on Capitol Hill. Our headquarters for the day was the Office of Governmental Relations on the third floor of the United Methodist Building, which is directly across the street from the Dirksen Senate Office Building. Members of the Office accompanied us on our various visits.

I had the good fortune to meet directly with Senator Susan Collins. I thanked her for her work on health care reform and urged her to support the full inclusion of all Americans in the final bill. We talked together about the coarse nature of the current debate, and our desire to help people engage in civil dialogue.

I also met with Congresswoman Chellie Pingree. I told her that the Episcopal Church had voted in favor of single payer reform this past summer. She supports that option as well. It does not look like that option will be in the final bill, but we agreed that the key issue is universal health coverage.

I was unable to meet with Senator Olympia Snowe, but I did meet with her legislative aides for health care reform and the environment. Again, I thanked Senator Snowe for her brave work on health care reform. The legislative aide for the environment was very interested on our work in our congregations to save energy and reduce our carbon footprint.

Congressman Mike Michaud was on the floor voting on an education amendment when I called on his office.

It was a good few days. I was very impressed by the warm welcome I received from each of our legislators. It’s clear that they are very interested in hearing from constituents and from communities of faith. I was also deeply impressed by the effective work of our Office of Governmental Relations and the expertise of the staff. It’s very important that voices of the faith community be heard in the public square.

+STL

Click here for a story from Episcopal News Service about the Washington trip

Our man in Washington...Bishop Steve walks along with Bishop Eugene Sutton of Maryland and Bishop Jim Curry of Connecticut.

Last Sunday I had the privilege of visiting St. Matthias’, Richmond. For those of you who’ve not been there, St. Matthias’ is a small, square, wood-frame church on a cul de sac in the village. Next to the church is a single room parish house built about six years ago. The campus is in a lovely setting, but a bit off the beaten track.

My visit included the consecration of the Chapel of Jesus and Mary, a new space in the church. The consecration of a church or chapel is a great occasion to affirm the baptismal ministry of the people and to celebrate the life and history of the congregation. The Chapel was dedicated in honor of the Rev. Bruce Alexander who served St. Matthias’ and Christ Church, Gardiner, some years ago. Bruce and his wife, Marjorie, and their daughters were present for the service.

Also present was the Rev. Bill Blaine-Wallace who will be serving as supply priest for some of the coming weeks. St. Matthias’ is taking part in the diocesan development program and is hoping to build toward calling a quarter time priest.

The convergence of all these streams made for a wonderful celebration of the life of St. Matthias’. Folks from several neighboring congregations joined with us and filled the church to capacity. It was a reminder of all the church has been and can be.

It was a chilly morning, but the sun burned off the fog and the bright sunshine at the reception seemed to capture all that had happened. Gretchen and I give thanks for such days.

+STL

There are 18 summer chapels in the Diocese of Maine. Summer chapels are interesting communities. They’re not congregations in the strict sense: they have no members and elect no officers, and they’re not churches in union with the Diocese of Maine. Most are private trusts or foundations or family chapels. They were founded by a family or an Episcopal priest or bishop for the convenience and benefit of family and friends.

And yet they are Episcopal churches. They use the Book of Common Prayer and are served by Episcopal clergy. They are often quite involved in mission work and raise money both for the their communities and for the diocese. Some have been holding services for 100 years or more. Their congregants are devoted. Families have been attending them for generations and have returned for baptisms, marriages and even burials.

There is a long history of good relations between the summer chapels and the diocese. Bishop Knudsen hosted an annual luncheon for clergy and key lay leaders of the chapel, a tradition I’ve continued. The chapels were generous supporters of the One In Christ capital campaign.

I visit the summer chapels as I’m able. The Lambeth Conference last summer and the General Convention this summer limited the number of visits I’ve been able to make. The visits are usually very informal. There are no confirmations or receptions. Sometimes the resident priest presides, and I simply preach. Often there is a reception or lunch after the service. This year I’ve visited five chapels: Holy Trinity Chapel, Peak’s Island, Trinity Chapel, Kennebunk Beach, Trinity Chapel, York Harbor, All Saints’by-the-Sea, Southport, All Saints’ by-the-Sea, Bailey Island.

Some of these are very simple, wood-frame buildings. Trinity, York Harbor, is a quite large Gothic style edifice. Some have lovely locations. All Saints’, Southport is right on the water and has a dock for those who come by boat. Some have have a priest or bishop who comes and stays for a month or the summer. Some have a different priest or bishop each week. Some host weddings or baptisms. Others do not. Nearly all have quite good music. It’s a genuine pleasure to visit the chapels and meet the people.

What has struck me most about the chapels is the diversity and devotion of the people who attend. They come from all over the country, and they come back year after year. They love the sense of community, the informality, the music. And they are caught by the connection between the liturgy and the natural beauty of Maine. Paul Tillich, the great existentialist theologian, once said that only by walking next to the ocean could he get a sense of the vastness and beauty of God. I think Maine offers that sense to many who visit, and the summer chapels offer a place to nurture that spirituality.

++++++++++

We spent much of the third and fourth weeks of August on Mt. Desert Island. I had a chance to meet with the clergy of MDI and the coast, meet with the Vestries of Church of Our Father and St. Saviour’s, and to make a formal visit to St. Saviour’s. We also had some time to take in the beauty of Acadia National Park and to enjoy a day on the water. It was a hot week, and MDI was crowded with tourists, but it was good to see the restaurants and businesses busy. That weekend was also the weekend Hurricane Bill sent huge rollers into the Maine coast. The sight of the waves crashing into the rocky coast was awe-inspiring and not a little frightening – such casual, uncaring power!

The various congregations on Mt. Desert Island have unique identities and common problems. The clergy are seeking ways to cooperate both on the island and with their neighbors in Ellsworth and the coast. Each church is confronting tight resources and is trying to discover new ways of being the church. There is a real willingness to think outside the box.

During our visit, we were guests of the the Rev. Jonathan and Ruth Appleyard at the “old” rectory of St. Saviour’s. It’s a wonderful old building with high ceilings and large rooms. It’s now used for the parish office, for meetings, for guests, and for the offices of a couple non-profit agencies. The Appleyards live in renovated space at the back of the old rectory. The parish is also considering new uses for another building on the campus for the benefit of the Bar Harbor community.

Sunday’s visitation included three receptions, the acknowledgment of half a dozen new members to the parish, and the welcome of more than a dozen “seekers” – folks who have joined St. Saviour’s in their spiritual journeys, but have not yet decided to make St. Saviour’s their home. The liturgy artfully connected the stories of all three groups, and I particularly appreciated the effort to meet people where they are in their spiritual journeys and acknowledge the gifts they bring to us. The music was lovely – and Gretchen got to sing in the choir!

It was a terrific week. I find it helpful to have the opportunity to stay several days in one place. That creates the chance for different sorts of meetings and to see folks in both formal and informal settings. And it saves a lot of time and energy driving back and forth. I hope that I will be able to have such extended stays in other places over time.

+Steve

Dear Friends,

Bishop Steve comparing notes with the deputation after the day's sessions.

Although issues of human sexuality received the greatest attention from the press, a number of very significant measures were adopted. We now have a mandatory pension program for lay employees serving 20 hours per week or more. We now have a church-wide medical health plan which will result in significant savings for most dioceses. We adopted a new disciplinary canon, Title IV, rooted in a professional code of ethics. The canon begins by describing the behaviors to which we expect all the baptized to aspire. We adopted for trial use prayers and rites for pregnancy, childbirth, adoption, abortion and miscarriage, an attempt to bring the prayer of the church to one of life’s profound experiences. We adopted for trial use a new and expanded calendar of the saints, Holy Women, Holy Men. Of particular interest to us in Maine, we adopted a resolution, based on our resolution and resolutions from other dioceses, repudiating the Doctrine of Discovery.

The budget process was wrenching. We cut $23 million from the budget for the next triennium. In 2011 and 2012, diocesan assessments will be reduced to 20% and 19%. 37 positions were cut from the Church Center staff and many important programs were not funded. Much of the church’s ministry has been sent to the dioceses for implementation. God willing and the economy recovering, the 2013-2015 triennial budget will restore some of the cuts. In the meantime, we hope to reduce expenses by making greater use of electronic meeting technology and limiting travel.

The Convention adopted two resolutions regarding the full participation of GLBT persons in our church. The first, D025, acknowledges that such persons are full members of the church who have been and may again be elected to serve as bishops. It also acknowledges that there is a diversity of opinion about this matter in the church and across the Anglican Communion. It expresses our desire to continue to be a constituent member of the Communion and to engage other provinces in conversation about our differences. D025 does not explicitly overturn 2006-B033 or end any moratoria. It acknowledges that our Constitution and Canons remain our guiding authority.

C056 was a substitute for a resolution produced by the Committee on Prayerbook and Liturgy that included material from several resolutions, including B012, the resolution written by bishops of the six states where same-gender civil marriage is legal. The substitute was produced by 26 bishops representing a wide spectrum of views. The resolution acknowledges the pastoral challenges created by the changing landscape of civil legislation. Both marriage equality and legislation banning same sex marriage have created these challenges. Bishops are granted “generous discretion” in responding to these challenges, particularly in states where there is marriage equality. In addition, the church will begin to gather and develop theological and liturgical resources for consideration in 2012. The resolution also acknowledges that we do not all agree about this matter and asserts that no one is required to violate conscience or belief. Permission to utilize Prayerbook rites is not given. I will issue draft guidelines regarding civil marriage in Maine in the coming days, and we will talk about the matter during the September Clergy Day.

There is much more to say about our General Convention. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to read and view the blogs of your deputation. I am very grateful for their hard work and long hours spent representing the Diocese of Maine so well. The links can be found on the Diocese of Maine homepage. In addition, I urge you to invite members of the deputation to come to your congregation to speak. A full report will be offered as part of our Diocesan Convention.

I’m grateful to God for the presence of Holy Spirit during the last two weeks. Thanks to all of you for your prayers and support during our time in Anaheim. I look forward to continuing this conversation with you.

+Steve
The Rt. Rev. Stephen T. Lane
Bishop of Maine