STATE — On June 5, the Chaplaincy Institute of Maine (ChIME) ordained 16 new Interfaith Ministers at a ceremony in the outdoor chapel at Ferry Beach Retreat and Conference Center. With towering pines, friends, family, and alumni as witnesses, the ordinands committed to Interfaith leadership, service, and presence in a hurting world.
As one of the Ordinands named, “today is a day of celebration, but time is short. Let’s get to work.” The words and actions from the podium and the forest were humbling, inspiring, and encouraging. As one guest described, “The trees, the music, the words of wisdom made my heart dance!”
The newly ordained local ministers are Abby Luca of Fryeburg and Hadley Couraud of Norway.
Interfaith Ministers, also referred to as Community Chaplains, serve people of any and all faiths and spiritual paths, including those who identify as not religious or spiritual. You will find them leading weddings, funerals, and worship services, as well as offering compassionate presence in institutions, at the bedside of the sick and dying, in the conference room, at the kitchen table, and anywhere else a faithful witness can be of use.
ChIME’s 2-3 year cohort-based Interfaith Ministry program includes 500 hours of academic study and 300 hours of community service, the most rigorous requirements of any Interfaith seminary in the country. ChIME is currently accepting applications for the 2022-2023 academic year. To learn more, please visit www.chimeofmaine.org or contact Dean, Lisa Steele-Maley, at lisa@chimeofmaine.org.
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