Discernment Committee updates

June 25, 2025

It is with great excitement that we can announce that the rector position has been posted to all four websites that the Maine Diocese works with. We are so grateful to Rev. Suzanne Roberts for doing the legwork to get this out. Check out the postings!

Office of Transition Management (OTM) – private listing that requires a login account
Maine Diocese Employment
Transition Ministry Conference (TMC)
Episcopal News Service (ENS)

June 15, 2025

We are very pleased to share that our mid-year pledge campaign for a full-time rector has already received $31,475 in increased commitments from 28 pledging households, including 3 brand new pledges. We want to thank everyone who has helped make this campaign a great success! As we continue preparing financially to support a full-time rector, we will be exploring additional funding options to help close the gap toward our $50,000 goal. Many thanks and much praise to God for your faithful and generous support as we step into this next chapter in the mission and ministry of St. John’s Episcopal Church.

May 30, 2025

Throughout April and May, we worked with the Diocese to finalize St. John’s parish profile, which we expect to post on three Episcopal job boards by June 5. In the meantime, a short video introducing St. John’s—created with help from parishioners and a professional media company—is now live on our website and Facebook page. It powerfully reflects on our vibrant community—thank you to all who made it possible.

The Diocese has already received some early expressions of interest in our rector position. However, no one can formally apply until the profile is posted. Interviews could begin within a month.

But here’s the critical point: we are not yet ready to make a financial offer. The Diocese estimates we need $50,000 beyond our current resources to support a full-time rector. Thanks to early generosity, we’ve raised $21,880—but we still need $28,120.

We ask for your help—urgently—to reach our goal. A vibrant, growing parish like ours must be able to offer a competitive salary to attract the right candidate. Thank you for your thoughtful support as we step into this next chapter in the life of St. John’s Episcopal Church.

May 13, 2025

From Strength to Strength: A Call to Sustain Our Growth in Christ’s Love

On behalf of the Vestry and Discernment Committee, we are writing to you today with deep gratitude and a heartfelt invitation. St. John’s stands at a turning point — one full of hope, renewal, and continued growth. As we prepare to welcome a new rector, we are responding to what we heard clearly and consistently throughout our discernment process: our parish longs for — and is ready for — the leadership of a full-time rector.

Why Now?

The Diocese of Maine estimates the cost of a full-time rector at $140,000 annually. Currently, we are paying Fr. Nutter $70,000. In faithful anticipation of this transition, the vestry has already increased the endowment draw from 3% to 5%, adding $20,000 toward this goal. That leaves a remaining budget gap of $50,000 — and this is where we need your help. We are launching a special pledge campaign to ensure we can move confidently into this next chapter of ministry, and we invite every member of the parish to consider how they can take part.

From Strength to Strength — Together

Some generous parishioners have already stepped forward with increased pledges, giving us a strong start of $16,600 toward our goal. All parish leadership has been asked to stretch their giving in this moment of need — and they have responded with faith and generosity. Now we turn to you — the wider parish family — to help us close the gap:

  • If you’ve already made a pledge for 2025, we ask you to prayerfully consider an increase.
  • If you have not yet pledged, we warmly invite you to begin. Every gift — of any size — matters deeply.

We know how much this parish means to each of us. A full-time rector is essential to sustaining and deepening our common life as we grow in faith, serve our community, and share Christ’s love. This is more than a financial need — it is an invitation to live into the future we are building together.

What You Can Do

Please consider your response and return a pledge card — or let the church office know of your commitment — by the end of May. With your help, we will move from strength to strength, grounded in gratitude for all we have been, and filled with hope for all we are becoming.

April 5, 2025

The Discernment Committee sponsored a Saturday workgroup with the parish from 9am to 1pm. There were 26 people who participated, where we broke into small groups, including a group on zoom, to honestly answer a series of questions about where we are now, and where we are being lead. Below is a list of the major themes.

  • Community and Fellowship:
    • The parish highly values the sense of community and fellowship. This is evident in their emphasis on “Fellowship and wanting to get to know each other” and the importance of “strength thru community”.  
    • They express that “food brings us together”, indicating that shared meals and gatherings are important for fostering community.  
    • The phrase “The Peace is robust; helps build community” suggests that the practice of exchanging the Peace during services is a significant way they connect with one another.  
    • They strive to create a welcoming and accepting environment, as shown by “Accepting who you are and where you are!” and being “loving people, [and] likes people”.  
    • The community is also seen as a “Port in the storm! Especially those who are hurting”  
    • There’s a desire for the church to have “fun events to socialize for us and the greater community” and for the priest to be someone who “works w/ community groups”
  • Worship and Tradition:
    • Worship and tradition are fundamental to the parish. They identify as a church “united by our worship” and emphasize being “Eucharistic centered” and “grounded by liturgy”.  
    • They value their “Anglican tradition” and “liturgical traditions”, showing a connection to their historical roots.  
    • “Music and liturgy” are important components of their worship experience.  
    • They celebrate specific elements like “the order in tradition: Lord’s prayer, Nicene Creed” and observe various services, including “Christmas Eve / Easter service” and “Morning and Evening prayer 5 days/week”.
  • Inclusivity and Outreach:
    • The parish demonstrates a strong commitment to being “Welcoming” and creating “a place where everyone’s welcome”.  
    • They express a desire for “Extending as beyond our doors”, indicating a wish to reach out to the wider community.  
    • This is further supported by the idea of “welcoming all church traditions”.  
    • They identify “Evangelism- growth in this area” as a goal, with specific strategies like finding ways to “utilize various programs,” develop “community programs,” “draw community to our events,” and attract “more families”.
    • They also see a need for “More work in engaging our young adults, partnering with other faith communities” and using “social media to ask questions” and focus on broader community outreach
  • Leadership and Ministry:
    • The importance of leadership is highlighted by the statement that the “Minister is well likes and meets needs of parish”.  
    • They seek a priest who can “help us with inward worship and share outwardly” and who is a “strong church leader”.  
    • The desired qualities in a priest include being “somewhat of an extrovert; approachable; and can communicate”, able to “represent us”, and someone who can “know their strengths and where they can delegate”.
    • The parish is also aware of the challenges related to a “leadership transition”  
  • Growth and Future Direction:
    • The parish expresses a sense of positive momentum, stating they are “in a better place, in great place” and “moving in a right direction” and have “strong energy”.  
    • However, there’s also “some anxiety about next..”, indicating uncertainty about the future.  
    • Looking ahead, they emphasize the importance of “making Jesus Christ our center” and a desire to “embrace scriptures in our daily lives” and “to be more like him”.
    • There’s also a recognition of the need for “More work in engaging our young adults”
  • Challenges and Concerns:
    • The parish acknowledges several “challenges”, including “demographics -getting downtown folks to SJEC” and the complexity of “Sun[day] worship”.  
    • They are concerned about the “church’s dependence on Fr. Nutter” and the difficulty in replicating him.
    • Other challenges include the risk of “burnout”, “long-term budget issues”, the need to “grow Christian End program”, and “ways to share our story”.
    • The parish also recognizes that the “next call will depend on our positivity”

March 30, 2025

The Discernment Committee met with the parish after the service, and outlined the roadmap forward. We also unveiled the Discernment Prayer that will be included in our prayer life throughout this entire process.

A prayer for discernment

O God of grace, whose spirit bestows wisdom and discernment, fill our church family with unity and love in the search for our next rector. Empower us with courage and kindness to face the coming transition together. Send us candidates who are steadfast in their love for you, for the gospel and for our common worship. Equip our Discernment Committee with a vision for the ministry to which you are calling us as your church. Fill them with wisdom and grace to call a priest and pastor who will walk with us and who will lead us on the journey of faith. Inspire our new pastor with a vision for your kingdom so that together we may continue growing St. John’s to be a beacon of your love in Bangor, the Diocese of Maine, and beyond. Open all our hearts to receive one another with the grace and love of your son, our savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

The YouTube link of the entire meeting can be found here https://youtu.be/cFlacyJ31Jo

March 23, 2025

Our Search Committee is making great strides in finding the next rector for our church! Guided by prayer and thoughtful discussion, we are moving forward with a clear vision and enthusiasm.

Key Updates:

Salary & Budget Planning – We are aligning our financial resources to offer a competitive salary and ensure a smooth transition for our next rector. Conversations are underway about increasing endowment support and encouraging leadership commitments before approaching the congregation for pledges.

Parish Engagement Begins! – Our search process kicks off on Sunday, March 30, when we will introduce the journey ahead. Then, mark your calendars for a Parish Workshop on April 5 (9 AM – 1 PM, in-person & Zoom) and an All-Parish Meeting on April 13 (Palm Sunday). These will be opportunities for everyone to share thoughts on our future and what we seek in our next rector.

Church Profile & Outreach – To attract the right candidates, we will develop a dynamic church profile, incorporating insights from parish discussions, survey, and other communications. Our goal is to finalize and submit these materials to Rev. Suzanne Roberts of the Maine Diocese by early May. We are also exploring creating a video profile to showcase our vibrant community!

Next Steps – A budget is being outlined for candidate interviews and moving expenses. A Discernment Prayer, written by Jacqueline, will be shared at the March 30 parish meeting.

This is an exciting time for our church, and your voices are essential in shaping our future. If you have any questions, thoughts, or concerns, please reach out to me at Eric Boberg or any member of the Discernment Committee. Thank you for your prayers and participation as we continue this journey together!

Clergy Search and Transition

On March 16th, we will be joined by The Reverend Suzanne Roberts, the Transition and Deployment Officer for the Episcopal Diocese of Maine. The Rev. Roberts will deliver the sermon during the service and will hold a meeting immediately following the service, in the Sanctuary, to talk to us about the Clergy search and transition.

The Rev. Roberts guides clergy and congregations through their times of transition. She trains search committees, screens candidates, and creates letters of agreements.

At any point during our search process, please feel free to reach out to Eric Boberg, Discernment Committee Chair, with any questions you may have.

Discernment Committee formed

As the Discernment Committee Chair (formerly known as a Search Committee), please join me in thanking our committee members Charlene Boggins, Jacqueline Camm, Nancy Dymond, Robert Ford, and Bruce Mallonee for agreeing to serve in this important ministry effort. I am excited to start working with this faithful group of parishioners to help chart the future spiritual leadership of St. John’s, with God’s help. As we progress, you can expect to see updates posted here. Please feel free to contact me or any member of the discernment committee with any questions, concerns, or thoughts.

Faithfully,

Eric Boberg, Discernment Committee Chair