Peace
Our Mission
The mission of the Episcopal Peace Fellowship is to Do Justice, Dismantle Violence and Strive to be Peace Makers.
The Episcopal Peace Fellowship – Maine Chapter is a small but committed group of peace-minded believers. The Episcopal Peace Fellowship is a national membership organization connecting all who seek a deliberate response to injustice and violence and who want to pray, study, and take action for justice and peace in our communities and our churches and the world. It began as the Episcopal Pacifist Fellowship on November 11, 1939, Armistice Day. The Episcopal Peace Fellowship aids and encourages all Episcopalians to strive for justice and peace and to bear nonviolent witness to Christ’s call to peace.
Our Work
In recent years we have accomplished and are continuing to focus on the following:
- Submitted annual resolutions to diocesan convention
- Sponsored a poem/essay contest for youth
- Sponsored a three-day Creating a Culture of Peace
- Retreat for 22 people with Janet Chisholm at Living
- Water and developed four action groups out of the retreat.
- Held booths at Brunswick Peace Fair and diocesan convention
- Co-sponsored a movie with follow-up discussion about Gandhi in Brunswick Movie Theater.
- Developing a movie series in the southern part of the diocese.
- Had a representative speaker at an interfaith rally in Portland.
- Participated in the annual Peace Action Maine dinner annual meeting.
- Work closely with the Committee on Indian Relations to educate ourselves about Native Peoples in Maine (promoting movies and education).
- Have raised funds in support of Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza City
- Created a DVD slide show available to parishes for showing on Al Ahli Hospital
Ways to Get Involved
We invite you to join the Episcopal Peace Fellowship-Maine Chapter in extending peacemaking resources to all the clergy and laity of the diocese. To learn more about us, contact Episcopal Peace Fellowship – Maine Chapter co-conveners Glenis Elliot or Colleen Stevens.
Identify Representatives
Identify one or more people to represent your parish to act as Peace Contacts with the Diocese. We want their ideas and participation. And we will provide them with information for your parish about upcoming events and initiatives. Please provide the names, phone numbers and e-mail addresses of your Peace Contact(s) to Glenis Elliot or Colleen Stevens.
Invite Us to Your Parish
Invite us to your parish to speak to your congregation about upcoming events, to lead an adult forum or to conduct a peacemaking workshop. To schedule a visit by an Episcopal Peace Fellowship member, contact Glenis Elliot, Co-Convener or Colleen Stevens, Co-Convener.
Pray with Us
Litany by long-time member of EPF-Maine, Dick Bamforth, September 2009
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, you come to us in peace and we proclaim you as our Savior.
From the ways we contradict your mission with our response, SAVE US JESUS.
From apathy and arm-chair activism, SAVE US JESUS.
From our tendency to forget what we have learned, SAVE US JESUS.
From our willingness to demonize those who are different, SAVE US JESUS.
From the temptation to glamorize war and from the foolishness of calling it a way to peace, SAVE US JESUS.
From allowing our children to see guns as toys, SAVE US JESUS.
From our blindness to other people’s cultures and from our resistance to learn their languages, SAVE US JESUS.
From the irony of exchanging your peace in the church even as we become the largest arms dealers in the world, SAVE US JESUS.
From our failure to create a culture of peace in our hearts, at home, and abroad, SAVE US JESUS.
Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God and Savior, have mercy on us all, sinners that we are, SAVE US JESUS.
Join EPF-Maine
We look forward to working with you and welcome your ideas about additional ways to advance the peace of Christ throughout our Diocese, our nation and our world.
Support Gun Violence Prevention
We encourage each parish in the Diocese of Maine to join in National Gun Violence Awareness Day and Wear Orange Weekend June 3-5 to show our support for prevention of gun violence.
See EPF's Past Projects
Click here to learn more about our past projects.
Peace Resources
Link
Episcopal Church Policies on Gun Safety and Gun Reform
Video
Recording of Justice Commission Town Hall 2/7/2023
Document
Justice Commission Overview
Link
Pastoral statement on mass shooting in Buffalo from Presiding Bishop Michael Curry – May 16, 2022
Article
EPF-Maine Chapter Past Projects