It’s Thank you Thursday. Today’s shout out of Mission love goes to Mount Desert 365 in Northeast Harbor.
The decision to sell the Mission’s longstanding home, La Rochelle, at 127 West Street, Bar Harbor demanded a second important decision: where would be the Mission’s next home? After meeting with the good people at Mount Desert 365 we knew we had found our new home at their new building downtown Northeast Harbor.
“Mount Desert 365 is a community-based organization promoting long-term economic vitality of Mount Desert, Maine, through expansion of sustainable year-round residential communities and economic revitalization of commercial districts,” says MD 365’s website.
“Beyond the place where we live, work, and raise our families, community is the connection with neighbors, a shared appreciation for the natural beauty that surrounds us, and a sense of commitment towards mutual prosperity, communal health and well-being, and civic pride through engagement,” Mount Desert 365 tells us.
L-to-R: DCP Development Associate Megan R. Hayes, Bobbi Harris (DCP), Mission President John Zavodny, DCP Operations Manager Dale Basher, and Scott Shaw (Mission)
MILBRIDGE, ME — On a misty Monday morning, August 3, a tall yellow crane is suspending a new tiny house in mid-air while carpenters guide the building onto its cement foundation. Four years ago this tiny house was an idea sketched on a paper napkin. The idea grew, and attracted support from four partner organizations, several sponsors, and many volunteers.
Partner organizations Downeast Community Partners (DCP) and Maine Seacoast Mission were already working together — with volunteers — through the Mission’s Housing Rehabilitation Program to make homes in Downeast Maine safe and warm through home repairs and home insulating.
Neither DCP nor the Mission had ever tackled a tiny house. But perhaps tiny houses could serve as a new way to provide safe, warm housing to the elderly, low-income individuals and families, and military Veterans?
Word reached Mission Housing Rehab Program Manager Scott Shaw that a Washington County disabled military Veteran named Ryan needed a place to live. Ryan’s situation was a perfect reason to build a tiny house.
MILBRIDGE, ME — August 3, 2020 was a banner day. The Downeast Tiny House was placed on its foundation. The work and love of many people paid off. Full story, photos, and video coming soon. https://www.downeastmainetinyhouseproject.com/ — in Milbridge, Maine.
CHERRYFIELD, ME — Do you have questions about EdGE Summer Camp or want to learn more about what summer camps will look like this year?
Tomorrow, Tuesday, June 16th at 7:00 pm, EdGE Interim Director Isaac Marnik and Maine Seacoast Mission President John Zavodny, will be answering over Zoom, questions about summer camp for any interested parents.
Fear and hatred are the most isolating forces in our society. Love, compassion, and hope bring us together across boundaries, ideologies, backgrounds, and disparities. Every day, the Maine Seacoast Mission lives our compassion in actions of support big and small. At times like these, though, words themselves are also acts of compassion.
Since 1905, the Maine Seacoast Mission has supported some of the most isolated communities in Maine—from the unbridged islands to rural communities Downeast. With Maine’s vast coastline and sprawling fields, woodlots, and blueberry barrens, we naturally think of isolation as a function of landscape or geography. But isolation comes in many forms and from many sources including economic, social, and educational disparity.
Along with these structural forms of isolation, there is also the isolation of listening and waiting for friends and colleagues to simply acknowledge your suffering. At this moment, and hopefully from now on, the world is shining a light on the suffering of people of color. Of course, acknowledgment only goes so far. Actions speak louder. But sometimes you also have to say the words:
Your life matters. You matter. You are loved.
Since its founding, the Mission has worked to counter isolation and to provide hope in our communities through community building, support for self-determination, and compassion. Lots and lots of love and compassion.
The Maine Seacoast Mission has always been an “Actions speak louder than words” organization. Mission founders Angus and Alexander MacDonald realized early on that love is best expressed through action as they ministered to island communities from a 15-foot Friendship sloop named Hope. One-hundred fifteen years and six boats later, the Mission continues to take action in support of Maine’s most isolated individuals and communities. No matter what kind of isolation they face. And when words are the action we will say the words:
Black lives matter. Your life matters. We love you.
Fear is isolating. Compassion, hope, and love are healing. As with all relationships that need healing, someone has to trust first. To love first. Jesus loved first. So did the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. And every good leader ever.
As for the Maine Seacoast Mission, we will always lovefirst.
Respectfully,
John Zavodny, PhD
President, Maine Seacoast Mission
ELLSWORTH, ME — “Let us be brave and let us play nice.” The Maine Seacoast Mission staff offers our sing-along adaptation of Warren Zevon’s “Don’t Let Us Get Sick.” We think it’s a fitting prayer for our times and a reminder for all of us to be brave, smart, and nice during these challenging times.
Post your favorite part in the comments below: is it the bouncing Sunbeam? Steward Jillian’s wry smile at the end? Maybe it is Shep the dog’s contented sigh? Let us know on the Facebook thread for this video.
