From a Daughter's Memorial to a Falmouth Parish
Saint Mary's traces its beginning to 1889, when General John Marshall Brown and his wife, Alida Carroll Brown, erected a private memorial chapel on their Falmouth estate. They named it the Memorial Chapel of Saint Mary the Virgin in memory of their daughter, Alida Greely Brown, a young woman from Portland who had died at age eighteen. The original chapel was inspired by the Norman Church of Saint Mary in Iffley, Oxfordshire, and it still forms the heart of the present building, what is now the sacristy and chancel. In 1902, the Browns added the central Norman tower in memory of their parents and daughter.
The estate chapel became a worshipping parish in 1927 when Saint Mary's was organized and admitted as a Parish within the Diocese of Maine. The Nave followed in 1949, seating 150 to 180 people and bringing in the stained glass and furnishings still used for worship today. A 1979 gift from General Brown's grandson added a Casavant tracker organ, and a $3 million Legacy Project in 2012 and 2013 renovated the church, rectory, parish house, and grounds to make them safe, accessible, and welcoming for the next generation. Today Saint Mary's continues to be a worshipping, teaching, and serving community under its eleventh rector, the Reverend Gregory Baker, who arrived in late 2025. The parish's stated mission is to celebrate the goodness of God, honor the presence of Christ in one another, and serve the world in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Sunday Worship in the Stone Sanctuary
From mid-September through mid-June, two Sunday services are held in the Norman-style stone sanctuary. At 8:00 AM a quiet Holy Eucharist takes place in the chapel, while at 10:15 AM the larger Choral Eucharist includes hymns, anthems, and service music led by the choir and organ. During the summer, the schedule simplifies to a single Sunday service at 9:00 AM, also with music. Both the 10:15 AM service and the 9:00 AM summer service are streamed live on Facebook, with archived services available on demand afterward.
Worship at Saint Mary's follows the Anglican pattern of the early Church, shaped by Jewish tradition and centuries of Anglican custom. Visitors receive a bulletin on arrival that follows the order of service, and the Book of Common Prayer is in the pews. Standing, sitting, and occasional kneeling are part of the liturgy, though newcomers are encouraged to participate as they are comfortable. Hymns may be sung or simply listened to, and all are welcome to receive communion, whether baptized or new to the Episcopal Church. Dress ranges from Sunday best to casual, and a visitor card is offered so the parish can stay in touch. After the service, the whole congregation is invited to coffee and conversation in the Parish Hall.
A Healing Eucharist takes place in the chapel every Thursday from September through mid-June, offering prayers for healing alongside the regular liturgy.
Choir, Schola, and a 1979 Casavant Organ
Music sits at the center of worship at Saint Mary's. The acoustics of the Norman-style stone sanctuary are designed to lift the choir and congregation, and the primary hymnal is The Hymnal 1982, supplemented by Wonder, Love, and Praise and Lift Every Voice and Sing.
The Choir rehearses on Thursday evenings and sings at the later Sunday service from September through June. High school students and adults who love to sing are welcome to join by contacting James Kennerley, Minister of Music. The choir is supported by the Casavant tracker organ, designed in the North German Baroque tradition with 20 stops, 26 ranks of pipes, and mechanical action. Dedicated on April 22, 1979, it is housed in the gallery at the west end of the sanctuary. Two pianos also serve the parish: an 1890 Steinway baby grand in the Parish House auditorium and a second baby grand in the choir room. The James Dalton Thompson Chapel houses a digital organ and piano.
Saint Mary Schola, Maine's premier early music ensemble, is a professional group specializing in Renaissance and Baroque music. Founded by Bruce Fithian and the Reverend James Dalton-Thompson, Schola performs within the parish and across southern Maine. Beyond Sunday worship, the music program hosts Evensongs, Lessons and Carols, and organ concerts, and the sanctuary and Parish House are beloved venues for outside concerts and recitals.
Guiding RAY: Children's Sunday Formation
Guiding RAY (Religious Adventures for Youth) is the children's Christian formation program for children in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. During the program year, which runs from September through May, the program meets on Sunday mornings. Children engage in interactive workshops that focus on Bible stories and themes through arts and crafts, cooking, drama, games, geography, music, and storytelling.
The Sunday morning schedule during the program year begins with nursery care for infants and toddlers up to age three from 9:00 to 11:30 AM. From 10:00 to 10:15 AM, families gather for Family Chapel, a brief ten-minute time with a special guest. Bible story workshops run from 10:15 to 10:45 AM. Children then join their families in the sanctuary at 10:50 AM to receive communion or a blessing. The nursery is in the lower level of the Parish House and is staffed by experienced caregivers. A Quiet Corner has been added to the sanctuary for children who need a calm space during the service.
Guiding RAY is a cooperative effort, and parents and parishioners are invited to serve as workshop leaders, assistants, or event helpers. Kate Herrold, the Family Minister, oversees the program.
Adult Formation Across the Week
Saint Mary's offers a steady rhythm of formation for adults across the week. On Sunday mornings, the Sunday Morning Formation Hour runs from 9:15 to 10:00 AM in the Parish House, with informal conversations, discussions, and presentations led by the Rector. Once a month the hour focuses on the parish's Outreach Partner of the month.
Between the Sunday services, a contemplative offering called Be Still gathers in the Father James Chapel for silence, reflection, and readings on themes such as oneness, light, and hope. On Monday evenings from 5:00 to 6:00 PM, the parish gathers again in the chapel for centering prayer combined with lectio divina. The Merton Group meets on Thursday afternoons by Zoom for a book study of Christian mystics like Meister Eckhart and Richard Rohr. On Tuesday mornings, Wisdom Seekers Bible Study meets from 10:30 to 11:30 AM to consider the Scripture appointed for the upcoming Sunday. Once a year the parish holds a Seasonal Quiet Morning, a retreat with meditations, poetry, and live music focused on a season such as Advent or the Kingdom of Heaven.
Pastoral Care and Prayer Shawls
Pastoral care at Saint Mary's is carried out by clergy and lay volunteers working together. The C.A.R.E. Team (Community Actively Reaching Everyone) was established in 2016 to ensure that no one in the parish family feels alone. Meeting monthly under clergy guidance, the team reviews the needs of parishioners and coordinates meals, cards, visits, rides, and prayer.
The Prayer Partners Ministry gathers a dedicated group who commit to praying daily for the needs of parishioners and the wider world. The Prayer Shawls Ministry creates handmade shawls begun with a prayer and blessed before being given to someone in need of comfort, whether recovering from illness, graduating, welcoming a new baby, or facing a difficult time. Volunteers need not know how to knit, and all supplies are provided. The Meal Train ministry delivers nourishing meals to parishioners after surgery, during illness, or following the arrival of a new baby. The Memorial Reception Ministry provides a Silver Tea reception after funerals, offering comfort and nourishment to grieving families.
Souper Supper, Sandwiches for Milestone, and the Wider Outreach
Souper Supper is a free community meal served in the Auditorium on the second and fourth Fridays of every month from 5:00 to 7:00 PM. The meal includes homemade soup, salad, bread, dessert, and beverages, with menus varying by month. Everyone is welcome, and no reservations are required. Volunteers can help cook, serve, or greet, and the program is partly funded through the sale of discounted Coffee By Design bags at the church.
On the first Sunday of each month, the parish builds sandwiches at coffee hour to send to Milestone, a recovery program serving individuals overcoming substance use disorder. Volunteers gather in the Guild Room after the service to assemble the fixings and connect with one another.
The Outreach ministry also supports New Mainers through tutoring, mentoring, and cultural events in partnership with organizations such as LearningWorks and Portland Adult Education. Food insecurity initiatives include partnerships with the Falmouth Food Pantry and Cumberland Food Pantry and an annual Victory Garden. Saint Mary's also serves the recovery community by partnering with Milestone on spring and fall clean-ups, Sparkles preparations, and shared meals, and it cares for creation through community clean-ups and environmental education.
Nine Outreach Partners Across Maine
Saint Mary's regularly works with nine outreach partners across Maine and beyond. St. Elizabeth's Jubilee Center, a ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Maine, provides non-food essentials through low-barrier pantry services, supporting both new Mainers and long-term residents. Partners for World Health collects and redistributes medical supplies to underserved communities globally. The Falmouth Food Pantry provides weekly food distributions to families in Falmouth and surrounding communities.
Wabanaki REACH supports Wabanaki self-determination through restorative justice, facilitating truth-telling and healing between Wabanaki communities and Maine residents. Greater Portland Family Promise builds stable futures for families facing homelessness through shelter, case management, and support services. Friends of Casco Bay monitors water quality, advocates for pollution reduction, and engages communities in coastal stewardship. In Her Presence empowers immigrant women through language education, job coaching, and cultural navigation. Maine Needs distributes donated household goods and personal care items through a network of social service agencies and schools. Preble Street Teen Center offers 24/7 drop-in services, including meals, crisis intervention, and connections to housing and education for youth ages 12 to 24.
Sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Weddings, Reconciliation, and Funerals
Saint Mary's celebrates and supports the five primary sacraments of the Episcopal Church: Holy Baptism, Confirmation, Weddings, Reconciliation, and Funerals or Memorials.
Holy Baptism is full initiation by water and the Holy Spirit into the Body of Christ and is appropriate at any age. Baptisms at Saint Mary's are typically celebrated during major feast days such as the Baptism of Our Lord, Easter Vigil, Pentecost, and All Saints' Day. Confirmation is the rite in which a mature commitment to Christ is affirmed and the strength of the Holy Spirit is received through the laying on of hands by a bishop. It is open to anyone aged fourteen or older who has been baptized. A rite of Reception welcomes those confirmed in another Christian tradition, and Reaffirmation renews the commitments of those already confirmed.
Weddings at Saint Mary's are a sacred covenant blessed by God and witnessed by the community. The sanctuary seats approximately 180 guests and the chapel seats about 36, with additional space available for receptions in the auditorium or gardens. Parish members work with the Rector on Scripture readings, prayers, music, and pre-marital counseling, and the wedding is recorded in the historic parish register. Non-members may also use the sanctuary or chapel with a donation in lieu of a fee; couples arrange their own officiant and other details. Reconciliation, or private Confession, is available by appointment with the clergy in a confidential setting.
Funerals and memorial services are typically held in the sanctuary, though arrangements can be made for the chapel or another location. There are no required fees; voluntary donations to the organist, sexton, parish, reception, and clergy are suggested, but no one is turned away for financial reasons. Common readings include Psalm 23, John 14:1-6, and Romans 8:31-39, with hymns such as Amazing Grace, The King of Love My Shepherd Is, and For All the Saints.
Buildings, Grounds, and a Stone Labyrinth
Saint Mary's offers several spaces for parish and community use. The Stone Church seats about 180, the Chapel seats about 36, the Parish House includes a large auditorium and kitchen, the lawns are suited for outdoor ceremonies, and meeting rooms include the Guild Room (ten to thirty-five people) and the Ruth White Kneeler Room (four to eight). All events must align with the parish's core values of non-discrimination, non-violence, respect, and the sacred value of every person. Reservations are managed by the parish manager under the rector's direction.
The grounds include three distinct areas for reflection and remembrance. The Old Churchyard sits behind the Rectory and holds the original burial ground. Saint Mary's Woods, at the southern corner of the churchyard, is a natural area primarily designed for the interment of ashes and will remain in its natural state. The Burial Garden, established in 1987 and located to the right of the Rectory, is also primarily for the interment of ashes. A peaceful stone labyrinth connects all three areas.
Serving in the Parish
The life of Saint Mary's depends on dozens of lay ministries. The Acolyte Ministry invites young parishioners aged eight and older to assist clergy during worship by carrying the cross, lighting candles, and preparing the altar. The Altar Guild prepares the altar for all services, caring for linens, vestments, and sacred vessels. Lectors proclaim Scripture, Eucharistic Ministers read Scripture and assist with the chalice, and Eucharistic Visitors bring Communion to homebound or hospitalized parishioners.
Hospitality ministries include the Flower Guild, which designs arrangements for the altar, and the Flower Delivery Guild, which carries altar flowers to homebound parishioners after services. The Kneeler Guild maintains the sanctuary's needlepoint kneelers. Ushers welcome attendees and distribute bulletins. Coffee Hour Hosts set out refreshments in the Parish Hall. The Building and Grounds Committee cares for the campus with seasonal clean-ups, the Churchyard Committee oversees the burial grounds, the Memorial Reception Guild provides Silver Teas after funerals, and Office Angels assist with phones and visitors.
Two long-running traditions tie the year together. The Summer Soiree is an annual fundraiser featuring live and silent auctions, food, and fellowship. The Sparkles Christmas Fair, a beloved tradition of two decades, brings handmade crafts, preserves, lobster stew, and a Christmas pageant to the parish each December. The Angel Giving Tree, in partnership with the Salvation Army, spreads holiday joy to children in need. Together these rhythms sustain a parish that has worshipped on Foreside Road since 1889 and continues to grow into its second century.