The Rt. Rev. Mark M. Beckwith celebrates his 20th year of ministry on Southport Island when he will preside over the service of Holy Communion for the next two Sundays at All Saints by-the-Sea. Services are at 8 and 10 a.m. Providing inspirational music leadership from the organ at both services is Mr. Henry Lowe from Walpole.

A special celebration reception commemerating the 120th anniversary of the chapel’s founding and concecration as well as Rev. Beckwith’s 20th year of ministry to the chapel and will be held after the 10 a.m. service on Aug. 23. A coffee hour will also be held on Aug. 16 after the 10 a.m. service. Worshippers of all faiths are welcome to join our community as we worship God in this beautiful, sacred space.

Mark Beckwith is the retired Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark (NJ), a position he held for 12 years.  He is co-founder of Faith Leaders for Ending Gun Violence and is on the leadership team of Braver Angels, a national movement to depolarize America, working particularly with faith communities.  He is the author of Seeing the Unseen:  Beyond Prejudices, Paradigms and Party Lines.  He blogs weekly on markbeckwith.net, which includes his recently posted podcasts.  A graduate of Amherst College and Yale Divinity School, he lives in Jaffrey, New Hampshire.

On Tuesdays, Aug. 18 and 25, from 9 to 10 a.m., Rev. Beckwith will lead a discussion on the porch of the chapel covering the scriptures for the week and offering insights from his writings and teachings. His passion is to invite people to look beyond and beneath their political and theological positions, which in today’s climate of polarization can be overly confining; and find hope and blessing – and a way forward.

All Saints by-the-Sea is on Southport Island on All Saints Road about two miles on the left driving south on Route 238. An Episcopal Church sign marks the side of the road. Parking is available along Route 238, or if necessary, in the limited number of handicapped parking spaces off All Saints Road. A golf cart will ferry persons from the handicapped lot to the church steps. The chapel dock is reserved on Sundays for worshippers wishing to arrive by private boat. The historic and simple wood chapel is open for quiet prayer and meditation during the week.