What is it?

Who's Who?

Youth Ministries is for you!

Each year about 200 youth in grades 6-12 and young adults come to youth ministry events. Also, we give support to youth, adults and young adults doing ministry in Maine Episcopal churches.

We are part of the Episcopal Diocese of Maine. Teens from about 35 different Episcopal churches and many teens who are not Episcopalians come to youth events each year.

We add to what's happening in your local church by creating weekend and week-long events which gather lots of youth from all over Maine. Although each trip and youth event has a different focus, they're always places where you'll be accepted for who you really are, and where you can ask questions and learn and grow closer to Jesus Christ and grow into the person God made you to be.

Besides offering youth events, the Youth Missioners train and support leaders of youth in local churches and provide links to resources all over the country.

The purpose of Youth Ministries is to help every teenager and young adult to grow closer to Jesus Christ and to know the unconditional love of God.

Who's Who?

LEADERS OF DIOCESAN YOUTH MINISTRIES

Youth Missioners

Jane Hartwell - youth@episcopalmaine.org - is the Youth and Young Adult Missioner. She's a former camp counselor and lawyer who started volunteering in youth ministry for the first Happening high school retreat. For the past fourteen years, she's served our diocese helping teens. She lives with her husband Davis and sometimes with her college and adult sons. She worships at Trinity Church in Portland. Jane helped to create the BION, TEC, and Awakening youth events and assisted in bringing the first Vocare and Happening events to Maine. She has a deep love for Christ, enjoys teenagers and believes that Jesus truly came to bring us abundant life.

Sherry Sivret - ssivret@episcopalmaine.org - is the Assistant Youth Missioner specializing in middle school ministry. Sherry is a graduate of Bangor Theological School and the creator the CrossWalk 2008 and Downeast Youth Events. She has served teens in congregations at numerous diocesan youth events including Awakening, TEC and BION. Sherry lives in Calais with her husband David, daughter Hannah and sometimes her college daughter Kat. She worships at St. Anne's Church. Sherry brings to this ministry an infectious love for God and people, experience and prayerfulness.

Joan Della Torre - jdellatorre@episcopalmaine.org (Trinity, Portland) is the Administrative Assistant who holds everything together behind the scenes.

Diocesan Youth Council (DYC)

The Diocesan Youth Council is comprised of youth and adult representatives from the congregations in the Diocese. We meet each spring to make major decisions and to elect co-chairs, who guide Diocesan Youth Ministries through the year.

Young Adult and College Ministry

Chair of Young Adult Steering Committee: vacant

Campus Missioner: Rev. Shirley Bowen

Leader for Ruach Young Adult Retreat: Ryan Corum, Ben Garren, Rev. Calvin Sanborn, Jane Hartwell, Rev. Stephanie Spellars

Representatives to National Young Adult and College Events

National Episcopal Young Adult Festival at General Convention 2006 - Joshua Buck (St. Patrick's, Brewer)
National Episcopal Young Adult Ministry Conference 2005- Heather Blais (St. Matthew's, Hallowell)and 2006 - Ryan Corum (St. Matthew's, Hallowell)

Diocesan Youth Co-Chairs

this board advises the Youth Missioners
Wayne Franklin (St. Peter's in Portland)
Alyssa Withee, 12th Grade (St. Matthew's, Hallowell)
Anna Lee, 12th grade (St. Giles, Jefferson) 

TEC/Happening Board

Anna Lee (11th grade, St. Giles in Jefferson)
Brian Carlton (11th grade, St. Luke's in Wilton)
Heather Reynolds (11th grade, Grace Church, Bath)
Frank Mitchell (11th grade, St. Luke's in Wilton)
Ryan Corum (St. Matthew's, Hallowell)                                            Steve Young (TEC/Happening Coordinator)
Rev. Bob Landry (St. Andrew's in Millinocket)
Jane Hartwell (Youth Missioner) 

Happening National Leadership Conference

this is a biennial national conference for teens and adults who lead Happening retreats.
2006 Reps:
Katie Beske (St. Saviour's, Bar Harbor, 12th grade)
Sarah Spence (St. Matthew's, Hallowell, 12th grade)
Heather Reynolds (St. Columba's, Boothbay, 10th grade)
Jane Hartwell (Youth Missioner)

National Leadership

2008 E.Y.E. Pastoral Ministry Team - Zan Cadman (12th grade, St. Andrews, Newcastle) (The national church flies him to Texas, where he serves with a group of teens at E.Y.E.) 

E.Y.E. - National Episcopal Youth Event

this happens every three years
2008 Reps: Taylor Peck-Moad (St. Paul's, Brunswick), Stephanie Day (St. Anne's, Calais), Jenny Vickerson (St. Michael's, Auburn), Sherry Sivret (Youth Missioner)

2005 Reps: Juliana Partridge, Erik Lowell and Kirsten Lowell (all from St. Anne's in Windham), Paul Archambault (St. Andrew's in Newcastle), Kat Sivret (St. Ann's, Calais), Crystal White (Lisbon), Lily Lobor (Trinity in Portland), Shannon Haugh (St. George's in York), Sarah Spence (St. Matthew's in Hallowell), Annette Joseph (Assistant Youth Missioner from St. Luke's in Wilton), Wayne Franklin (adult volunteer from St. Peter's in Portland)

Bishop of Maine

Bishop Steve Lane
our bishop leads and guides the diocese that youth ministires is part of

Event Leaders

Each particular youth event is led by a Youth Missioner and volunteers, including youth, clergy, and other adults from all over Maine.