Mark your calendars! Throughout the year, GBAM hosts a monthly prayer in the tradition of Taizé in various locations in the Greater Belfast area.
        JUNE 6, 7PM: St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, 95 Court St. Belfast (6:30 Song Practice)
        JUNE 11, 5PM: Moose Point State Park.
        SUMMER MONTHS: Semi-weekly Taizé prayer at St. Margaret’s at 7 p.m.,
        June 20, July 11, 18, 25, Aug 1 ,8, 15, 22, 30.

On Sunday afternoon at 4PM on May 21 Bishop Brown is coming to celebrate Baptism, Confirmation and Reception with us during a service of Evening Prayer. There will be a simple reception following the service as we greet Magnolia Vandiver, (Baptism), Caleb Briggs, (Confirmation), and Chris Quigley, (Reception).
 
We are familiar with the service of Baptism, and even of Confirmation, but we do not often get to celebrate reception. Baptized persons who have been members of another Christian fellowship and who wish to be affiliated with the Episcopal Church may make a public affirmation of their faith and commitment to the responsibilities of their baptism in the presence of a bishop. The bishop lays hands on the candidate for reception and says, “We recognize you as a member of the one holy catholic and apostolic Church, and we receive you into the fellowship of this Communion” (BCP, p. 418). Candidates for reception normally have made a mature commitment in another Christian fellowship.
 

On Thursday, May 18 at 6PM we will celebrate the Feast of the Ascension. This feast is one of the major festivals in the church calendar, but since it always falls on a Thursday, (since it is always on the 40^th day after Easter), we will never encounter it on a Sunday. So, we’ve added a Eucharist for that Thursday!
 
The Ascension marks the conclusion of Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances. It is the final elevation of his human nature to divine glory and the near presence of God. What it means for us is that jesus is no longer bound by time and space. At the ascension, he becomes present to all humanity at all times and in all places, being no longer subject to the impossibility of being in two places at once. When Jesus stops showing up in bodily form, he is able to uphold his promise to be with us always.

The church was packed with parishioners, clergy and guests from five midcoast churches (St. Margaret’s, Belfast, St. Thomas’, Camden, John the Baptist, Thomaston, and Nativity Lutheran, Rockport. Bishop Thomas Brown was present for a baptism and to celebrate Eucharist at this highly spiritual and joyful service.

COME ONE! COME ALL! Come to our Epiphany celebration this Friday, January 6. We shall begin with church service in the sanctuary at 5:00 to remember the arrival of the Magis. We shall then process into the great hall (the parish hall) led by bagpiper Shaun King. The hall will have been prepared for a feast and frivolity, fun. Everyone should bring a potluck dish (fit for a king). Dessert will be provided. Bakers, Nancy Perkins and Nan Cobbey will provide a king cake. Three lucky people will be crowned king/queen. Louis Pelletier will blow his trumpet for the royal fanfare.Thre will be crowns and capes. After dinner the games and music will begin. Kristen Burkholder will be the Mistress of Fools. Please bring a small, wrapped gift for men in the Reentry Center, or for women in need. Costumes are optional, but part of the fun. Wear something festive, silly, outrageous, or with a medieval or renaissance flair. Have fun being creative. A nonalcoholic punch will be provided, but you are welcome to BYOB. Come and share in this festivity this Friday evening.

Meet our choir! Under the direction of Kristen Burkholder!

Back row from the left: Bob Sirota, Shaun King, Caleb Briggs, Judy King, Craig Watson, Francis Stewart. Middle row: Vicki Sirota, Jean Goldfine and Mary Bigelow. Front row: Cindy Grohdahl, Ruth Shaw, Alexandra Stewart & Linda Dunson. Choir Director: Kristen Burkholder.

They’ll be singing at the 8 p.m. Christmas Eve service!

St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church invites you to the season of Advent and Christmas.

Advent Holy Eucharist at 9:30 in the church every Sunday.

Advent education series: Waiting with Expectation” Sessions begin at 10:30 in the parish hall. No prior knowledge is required.

Nov 27                      The Annunciation                           With Deirdre Good and others 

Dec 4             Waiting in the midst of suffering           With Kristen Burkholder 

Dec 11                       The Visitation                                  With Barbara Briggs

Dec 18                       Signs of Hope                                  St. Margaret’s

Christmas Eve Holy Eucharist with choir at 8:00PM in the church.Christmas Day “Come as you are” Holy Eucharist at 9:30 AM in the church. An all-request Christmas carol service you can attend in your pyjamas.

In a little village in the Burgundy region of France live some 100 monks from all over the world and from many different church traditions. In beginnings of ecumenism and the excitement people were feeling in the 1960s, young people began showing up at the monastery church wanting to pray and visit with the Taizé brothers. In order to make the prayers more accessible to their visitors, the brothers began composing simple texts, (inspired by the Bible), set to simple 4-part harmonies that could be chanted for minutes at time.

Since then, Christian communities all over the world have used their repertoire for prayer.

We are offering such an occasion tonight, Tuesday Nov 1st, at St. Margaret’s in Belfast, 95 Court St.

We are hosting Taize: this kind of praying together is marked by simple chants built from verses of Scripture, prayers, candle-light, icons, readings, and a period of silent prayer. It lasts just over a half hour.

6:15 PM Gather with Kristen in the sanctuary to learn the chants

7:00 PM Taize service

The church lights are somewhat dimmed. Candles burn by the altar. A beautiful icon is on the altar.

People enter in silence and sit quietly wherever they feel comfortable and then the singing begins. After a brief Bible passage is read, the people gathered sit in silence to reflect and pray. The prayer ends with more singing, and people are free to come and go at their leisure.

Come to this service regardless of where you’re at spiritually. You are welcome as you are.

Here is a taste of some of the kinds of simple chants we’ll be doing:

With you, O Lord: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-NeTJTmZfI

But You Know The Way for Me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eseK_kVgdMU&t=12s

O, You Are Beyond All Things: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmSycLfd0Qg

The Rev. Barbara Briggs and Fr. Nathan March joined together to bless pets from parishioners of St. Margaret’s and St. Francis of Assisi on October 4th, Feastday of St. Francis of Assisi.