Our Clergy

Clergy Search –

After the retirement of our priest in late 2020, St. Dunstan’s is currently seeking a half-time priest. In this interim period, we are working with supply clergy to celebrate the Holy Eucharist every other Sunday. On the other Sundays (and some Wednesdays) we have lay-led worship.

the processional banner we made last year says, “We Are St. Dunstan’s”. Our last priest worked to expand that sense of involvement, especially with our young people. We have many parishioners involved in serving, reading and leading prayers. Our many lay homilists bring a wide range of life experience and reflection to our worship; hearing their stories has been another thread drawing us closer to one another.

While we are eager to resume in-person worship when it’s safe, we have adapted. Using Zoom rather than recorded or streamed-only services permits and encourages worship to be interactive and for us all to check in with each other after the service.

Our strong web of in-reach and outreach, our capable lay ministry team, and our inclusion of youth are key to our resilience.

A Note to Interested Clergy –

Welcome! We’re glad you’re interested in learning more about St. Dunstan’s. We are currently seeking a part-time Priest-in-Charge. Initial inquiries are being accepted April 20-June 15 and should be directed to the Rev. Canon Michael Ambler, Canon to the Ordinary for the Diocese of Maine by email. Our ministry Portfolio can be found on the Maine Episcopal Diocese’s website (click here for direct link to PDF).

Web of Gratitude –

During a combined Sunday Service on the day of our 2019 Annual Parish meeting we stood in a circle and took turns sharing something we are grateful to another church member for, passing a ball of yarn as we went; the yarn creating a ” web of gratitude” encircling the congregation.

Deacon Formation –

Saint Dunstan‘s has raised up several vocational deacons for ordination and is currently helping in the formation of another. An active parish member since 2014, Tracy Shaffer attended an informational session regarding the diaconate in 2015 hosted by active deacons within the diocese. After a period of both informal and formal discernment, and with the recommendation of the St. Dunstan’s vestry, she applied for postulancy in July 2018 and was named a postulant by the bishop in October 2018.

In January 2019 she began a two-year curriculum at the Province One School for Deacons.  She was named a candidate by the diocese in August 2020 and graduated the program in December 2020. She is currently serving in an internship outside of the parish and completing ordination application requirements to be considered for ordination in 2021. With long-term ties to the area since childhood, Tracy moved to the area in 2013 after retiring from Verizon. She currently resides in Ellsworth and is active in several community organizations.