The Diocese of Maine Ministry Faire

The Fifth Annual Ministry Fair
Living Our Baptism Day by Day
Saturday, September 11, 2004
Bangor Theological Seminary
8:45 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.

The Ministry Fair is a celebration of ministries of all kinds, lay and ordained with people from congregations across Maine. It will feature storytelling, music, time with Bishop Knudsen and a variety of workshops as well as excellent catered lunch.

Representatives from the Commission on Ministry and many of its committees will be available to provide information about their programs, including the Committee on Baptismal Ministries and the Committee on Holy Orders. Many other diocesan organizations and committees will have information available.

There will also be the opportunity to learn about the Commission on Ministry’s ministry discernment program and to join a regional discernment group.

people of all ages, including high school youth, who are trying to figure out their vocation -

people who love to hear other Christians’ faith stories -

people who want to meet other Maine Episcopalians engaged in similar ministry -

people who want to explore their own ministry in more depth, whether lay or ordained -

people who want to learn about ministry
discernment & perhaps join a discernment group -

people who want an excellent lunch -
(donations will be accepted)

8:45 Coffee and Registration
9:15 Greetings, Speakers and Music
10:45 Break
11:00 Workshops
12:15 Lunch
1:15 Workshops
2:30 Break
2:45 Wrap-up with Bishop Knudsen
3:15 Go in peace

Six members of the Diocese of Maine talk about the ministry they are currently engaged in.

Detailed program information and registration opportunities will be available by mid-May.

Traveling north or south on I-95, take Exit 46 (Hammond Street). At the top of the exit ramp, turn right (northbound) or left (southbound) and drive approximately 0.8 mi. Turn left onto West Broadway (just before the florist shop), then take the second right on Hayward St. At the stop sign, proceed straight into the Seminary parking lot.

Bangor Theological Seminary
300 Union Street
Bangor, ME 04401
(800) 287-6781 (nationwide) ~ (207) 942-6781 (local)

The Commission on Ministry has developed a discernment process that is designed for people seeking
to live more fully into their Baptismal ministries, including the possibility of ordination.

In the beginning, we are trying to start on a regional basis to respond to a large number of people who have expressed interest, either because of an interest in ordination or in developing a more focused lay ministry. (In the past discernment groups were formed for the ordination process around one individual AFTER the ordination process was begun.) In this new process, ordination is seen as one of many ministry possibilities.

                 --   Each group will be made up of "seekers", lay people seeking to discern their ministry within in a community.

                --   There will be two facilitators for each group to serve as resource people, at least one of whom is a lay person.

                -- A general "guidebook" titled, Here I Am, Send Me is intended as just that: for guidance, not a rigid manual. There is a small fee ($5.00) to help defray the cost of price.

                -- The process is designed to last approximately six months.

                -- The process is centered around prayer, reflection, sitting together in silence and reflecting back to each other what is heard.

                -- There will be background readings and other suggested resources in the guidebook. It is divided into three sections:   vocation, context, empowerment.

                -- Groups will start in early October and meet every three weeks for nine sessions and will end in March.

                -- For people wishing to pursue the question of ordination or a lay ministry, there will an additional discernment process that will begin in April.

                -- Teams of facilitators will convene the groups regionally throughout the diocese.

People who are interested in joining a discernment group should contact
Canon Vicki Wiederkehr at vwiederk@diomaine.org or 1-800-244-6062 x23