The Rev. Barbara Briggs celebrated Eucharist and preached to a full church on Sunday, April 3rd. There were many smiling and happy faces – including hers!
Sunday, April 3: Barbara’s first Sunday! our new Rector will be celebrating Eucharist and preaching. Sunday, April 3: Women of St. Margaret’s meeting, 11AM Sunday, April 10: Palm Sunday – One service at 9:30AM Thursday, April 14: Maundy Thursday – Liturgy with Foot Washing, 7PM and Stripping of the Altar, 9PM Friday, April 15: Vigil at the Altar of Repose, 11AM (Sign up to participate for an hour) Friday, April 15: Good Friday liturgy, NOON Saturday, April 16: Easter Vigil at St Thomas Camden, Barbara Briggs Preaching (time TBA) Sunday, April 17: Easter Day, 8AM and 10:15AM services with coffee hour Sunday, April 24: COFFEE HOUR RESUMES EVERY WEEK BETWEEN THE SERVICES Sunday, May 8: Installation of our Rector with Bishop Thomas Brown, 3:30PM (followed by a reception) Sunday, May 15: Ministry Fair during coffee hour
The Rev. Barbara Briggs will be worshipping with us and celebrating Holy Eucharist for the first time on Sunday, April 3 at 9:30AM. You may greet her on the porch after the service and please remember to wear your name tags. We welcome Barbara!
The Women of St. Margaret’s will meet on Sunday, April 3 at 11AM for a hybrid meeting (in person and streamed on ZOOM – link provided in News from the Pews).Susan Mayer will give a presentation on UTO (United Thank Offering). Everyone is welcome.
The Rev. Vicki Sirota will be leading our Ash Wednesday services, this Wednesday March 2nd. There will be two services, one at 9:30am and the other at 6:00 pm.
On Sunday, February 20, 2022, the Rev. John Nieman, our Transitional-Priest-in-Charge for the last three years, celebrated his last Sunday Eucharist at St. Margret’s. We love both John and Margaret and will miss them so much! Here is a recap of our combined ministries. God bless the Nieman as they take the fork in the road. We look forward to seeing them walk through the door again.
How every modern minister ended up having coffee hour with parishioners during the pandemic – Via ZOOM, March 28, 2021John spearheaded the assembling and training of our first lay leadership team equipping us to lead Morning Prayer and preach. L-r: Kristen Burkholder, Faye Ward, Julian Sheffield, Rev. John, Kenneth Taylor, Audrey Klein-LeachJohn and Margaret’s first Sunday with us! March 3, 2019.On February 23, 2019, we welcomed John Nieman as our interim minister for the next three years.Rev. John Nieman and Cindy Frost at the Episcopal Diocese of Maine Spring Training, April 2019Bishop Lane visited St. Margaret’s on Mother’s Day, May 12, 2019, with Bishop-Elect Thomas Brown Before meeting with he Vestry, Bishop Lane and John talked together in the library.Bishop Lane’s visit to St. Margaret’s in May 2019.John with Kristen Burkholder and Rev. Joel Krueger of Frost Church UCC in Belfast, for Belfast Has Pride 2019John leading St. Margaret’s and St. Mark’s in Waterville congregations in worship at Mosman Park, Searsport, July 14, 2019Lessons and Carols, December 2019John talks with Deirdre Good during our after-school food program “For Goodness Sake”, February 19, 2020Social distancing during ZOOM services meant Rev. John sitting so the camera could see him. June 2020Our first outdoor service was held in our parking lot for those who wanted to gather in person without putting each other in jeopardy during the pandemic. John embraced the challenge wonderfully. July 26, 2020.After months of being in lockdown, services began being broadcast from the sanctuary. John and a small team of people began ZOOM services there. June 2, 2020.Eucharist during the pandemic. September 13, 2020.Bishop Thomas James Brown and Rev. John Nieman during the dedication of our stained glass window. May 23, 2021.John and Margaret Nieman joined the St. Margaret’s contingent for the 2019 Belfast Has Pride parade.While we were in lockdown during the first few months of the COVID19 pandemic, the only way we had to gather was digitally. John literally met us where we were, and kept our spirits up and our eyes focused on God.Absolutely fabulous!John and Margaret Nieman at the 2019 Belfast Has Pride Parade.
Given the forecast and the likelihood that most of us will need to dig out tomorrow, I’ve conferred with the wardens and have decided to hold a ZOOM only Morning Prayer service tomorrow, January 30th, 2022. I will lead the service from home. Please, stay safe and warm.
Backpacks for Reentry is a pilot project spearheaded by Volunteers of America Northern New England. for those leaving Maine Coastal Regional Reentry Center and Knox County Jail. Backpacks will be tailored to those leaving incarceration and returning to our communities with items for immediate needs; and loaded with Recovery and Prevention literature. Items include things like Fentanyl Test Strips, information on how to obtain Narcan and exchange Needles.
This is all made possible by our community partners; Knox County Community Health Coalition, Waldo County Sheriff’s Office, Knox County Sheriff’s Office, Sweetser Inc., Groups Recover, Waldo County General Hospital and many more!
If you are interested in making a donation to continue this project in either Waldo or Knox County, please email the Director Community Justice Robyn Goff [email protected]. Donation items may include hats, mittens, hygiene products, pocket planners, pens and more!
Volunteers of America, in collaboration with Helping Incarcerated Individuals Transition (HIIT) an offshoot of Artivism in Maine (AIMe) is working towards duplicating these efforts for those leaving incarceration from any of Maine’s Department of Corrections Facilities. If you are interested in making an item donation please contact HIIT founder, Norman Kehlnig Email [email protected] Or call 207.323.6260.
The Outreach Committee proposes that the Fifth Sunday Plate Offering for January 30th be given to the Waldo County Diaper Closet founded in 2017. According to the Maine Children’s Alliance most recent data, there are 1,767 children under the age of 5 living in Waldo County and 20% of our children ages 0-18 are living in poverty. Families trying to cover the costs of housing, heating, food, childcare, transportation and much more are often put in the position of purchasing diapers or paying bills. Typical infants require up to 12 diapers per day and a toddler about 8. Disposable diapers can cost more than $80 per month per baby and without transportation to a big box store to buy diapers, the cost increases. There are currently no federal or state programs that provide money specifically for diapers.
Please make checks payable to St Margaret’s and marked for the 5th Sunday Offering Waldo County Diaper Closet. Thank you.
