The Rt. Rev. Mark Beckwith returns to Southport Island for his 17th year where he will preside over the service of Holy Communion for the next two Sundays at All Saints by-the-Sea. Services are at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. The organist for Aug. 21 is Timothy Harrell from Trinity church in Solebury, Pennsylvania and the organist for Aug. 28 is our resident organist Henry Lowe. Worshipers of all faiths are welcome to join our community as we worship God in this sacred space.

Ordained in the Episcopal Church in 1979, Rev. Beckwith served parishes in Connecticut, New Jersey and Massachusetts. Elected Bishop of Newark (NJ), he served in that capacity for twelve years until his retirement in 2018. As an active bishop, he helped reorganize the Coalition of Religious Leaders of New Jersey, and served as president. In the wake of gang violence in Newark, he helped found the Newark Interfaith Coalition for Hope and Peace. With a local Rabbi and Imam from that coalition, he appeared several times on “Morning Joe,” and did two PBS interview shows hosted by Jon Meacham. He currently serves as the Bishop Liaison for Bishops United Against Gun Violence, a network of 100 bishops he co-founded after the Newtown, Connecticut killings in 2012. He has been part of the leadership team for Braver Angels, a national movement that seeks to depolarize America. He is the author of “Seeing the Unseen: Beyond Prejudices, Paradigms and Party Lines” (Morehouse Publishing, 2022). He posts weekly on his website, markbeckwith.net. A graduate of Amherst College and Yale Divinity School, he lives in Jaffrey, New Hampshire.

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. On Tuesdays, Aug. 23 and Aug.30 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.

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. You may also come to church by private boat. The very beautiful and simple wood chapel is open for quiet prayer and meditation during the week.