The Rev. Maria Hoecker, rector of St. Columba’s Episcopal Church in Boothbay Harbor will open the summer season at All Saints by-the-Sea with an online service of worship and music on Sunday, June 21. The pre-recorded service will feature prayers, hymns and a reflection from Rev. Hoecker. The service may be accessed on the website, www.allsaintssouthport.org

Organ music will be provided by Jay Zoller, director of music and organist at South Parish Congregational Church in Augusta, Maine. It is fitting as St. Columba’s and All Saints work together to provide outreach to the community that we celebrate the opening of the season with the sharing of clergy in worship.

A well-known voice throughout the community for her dedication to people of all faiths, Rev. Hoecker is a native of Kansas and received her MDiv from the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. After serving in North Carolina, she and her two children, Chloe and Max, came to Boothbay Harbor in 2011. In addition to serving St. Columba’s, she is active in many aspects of the Episcopal Diocese including being a founding member of the Maine Episcopal Network for Justice and serves as president of the Standing Committee for the diocese. During this season of profound changes in how we gather, Rev. Maria and the parish of St. Columba’s are now offering weekly Evening Prayer podcasts and will soon be offering Morning Prayer videos at www.stcolumbasmaine.org/media/ and on all social media platforms.

An avid gardener, photographer and writer, these disciplines are a spiritual practice for Rev. Hoecker. Her reflections on our Midcoast Maine life together, our spiritual community, and her inspirational music playlist, My Songs for the Way of Love+ can be found on her blog https://mariahoecker.com/ .

In addition to the online service, the chapel will be open for prayer and personal reflection on Sunday, June 21 from 10 a.m. until noon, Tuesday, June 23 from 1 until 3 p.m., Thursday, June 25 from 10 a.m. until noon, Friday, June 26 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. and Saturday, June 27 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Social distancing, special sanitation and the wearing of masks will be in effect during these times. The chapel is located on Southport Island about two miles south on Route 238 on All Saints Road to the left.