The Rev. Scott Planting, former president of Maine Seacoast Mission, will lead the service at the Wilson Memorial Chapel on Ocean Point on Sunday, Aug. 2. This will be Maine Seacoast Mission's 102nd year leading service at Wilson Memorial Chapel. The service is at 9:30 a.m. All are welcome!

Margaret Mceldowney will serve as organist, and special music will be provided by the renowned Maine duo Castlebay. Castlebay weaves together the heritage of New England with Celtic lands in their ballads; their music transcends time and place.

A non-denominational, non-profit organization, Maine Seacoast Mission provides spiritual, health, and youth development programs in coastal and island communities from Midcoast to Downeast Maine. One of their far-reaching, high-impact programs is EDGE, an afterschool program serving approximately 700 children in Washington County. The Mission supports coastal and island communities in many ways, including providing valuable healthcare services and hospitality via the Sunbeam V.

Rev. Planting graduated from Amherst College and Harvard University Divinity School. He has two daughters, Mercer and Hadley, and five grandchildren.

Before beginning his service at Maine Seacoast Mission in October of 2010, Rev. Planting served as a parish minister of a 3-church parish in Western Maine (Farmington, New Portland and North New Portland) for 35 years. The parish was part of a cooperative parish called Mission at the Eastward (MATE). MATE is comprised of eight congregations and several social service ministries—youth, housing, camping and a partnership with a rural South African parish. Rev. Planting served as Mission Coordinator for MATE for 24 years and especially enjoyed connecting the cultural history of the region with the ministry.

The offering collected at our Aug. 2 service will be given to Maine Seacoast Mission to support their ongoing and life changing work.