On November 1, 2005, Rev. Jill Saxby joined the Maine Council of Churches, as Executive Director of the non-profit ecumenical organization headquartered in Portland.

The Maine Council of Churches is a working partnership among Maine’s Roman
Catholic and Protestant communities. As a voice and a resource for
congregations and persons of faith, the Council seeks to build a culture of justice, compassion and peace rooted in the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures. The Council’s advocacy work and educational programs focus on economic,
restorative and environmental justice. As Executive Director of the Maine Council of Churches, Rev. Saxby will direct the work of the Council in these areas and serve as the primary liaison with community groups, local and government officials, the media, and national organizations with whom the Council works on a wide range of projects and programs.

A Unitarian Universalist minister and formerly an attorney, Rev. Saxby brings to the Council a varied background of experience and skills that lend themselves well to the social justice concerns of the Maine Council of Churches. Most recently, Rev. Saxby served for three years as Associate Minister of the First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, in South Portland, Maine, having received dual fellowship from the Cumberland Association of the United Church of Christ. Prior to that, she served as Associate Minister for six years at The First Parish, Unitarian Universalist in Portland and as the first minister of the Unitarian Universalist Church
of Belfast, Maine. She is a graduate of Bangor Theological Seminary (M.Div., 1995), The Washington College of Law at the American University (J.D., 1985) and James Madison College, Michigan State University (B.A., International Relations, 1982).

In each of her positions in ministry, in addition to the usual duties of parish ministry such as preaching and pastoral care, Rev. Saxby has focused on helping individuals to discover their own gifts for ministry and to organize for effective action. She has initiated new programs in these churches in social justice action, adult faith enrichment, small covenant groups, membership development, lay pastoral ministry and youth ministry. In addition, Rev. Saxby has been a long-time participant in ecumenical and interfaith social justice groups in Maine including the Maine Council of Churches and the Religious Coalition Against Discrimination. She has served
as Adjunct Faculty at Bangor Theological Seminary, where she has taught
Unitarian Universalist Policy and History. She has served on several local and regional committees within the Unitarian Universalist denomination, including the New England Regional Committee on Credentialing which oversees students working toward ordination.

In keeping with the mission of the Maine Council of Churches, Rev. Saxby shares a deep concern for social justice and peace issues. She is particularly interested in how the Council can support people in local congregations doing this work and in opening up participation in the Council’s work to a wider circle of Maine residents.

Recently, after several months of consideration, the Maine Council of Churches Board of Directors adopted “Resolutions for New Directions,” which includes a new mission statement, a clarification of the Council’s values, and a new approach to its work. The Council will seek to help its members and others connect on issues of local and state-wide concern, by initiating, nurturing and providing resources for new programs and collaborations as issues of concern to progressive and mainstream Christians arise.

“I’m excited about joining the Council at this point in its history,” Rev. Saxby said. “I’m particularly looking forward to working with all people, within the Council and the larger community, who share our belief that in these times, Maine needs a clear voice of Christian conscience rooted in the biblical call to ‘do justice and walk humbly with our God’ and in Jesus’ inclusive and challenging commandment to love our neighbors – all our neighbors – as ourselves.”

The Rev. Edward W. Poitras, President of the Board of Directors, says, “The
Maine Council of Churches faces a future filled with daunting challenges, prepared to respond in a way faithful to its traditions of promoting justice in the search for a creative new culture of life-embracing peace. We welcome Rev. Jill Saxby with great enthusiasm and high expectations, convinced that her exceptional talents are a providential fit at this critical moment in our history.”

The Council is committed to moving toward a new model for mainstream and
progressive Christian social action. “We want to help caring individuals to find their voice in the public debate and to organize for effective action together, both locally and state-wide,” said Rev. Saxby. “Many of us have been hungering for a public discussion of “moral values” that brings us back to the heart of the biblical message – which is not condemnation, but love -- radical love for neighbor, with a particular concern for the poor, the outcast, the stranger. And in the 21st century, it’s clear we need to include the entire creation in our fundamental concept of the “neighbor”
deserving of love and compassion.”

“The Council’s future lies not so much in running programs, as in initiating, nurturing and encouraging collaboration among people who believe that what it means to be faithful is to see God in the face of our neighbor, and to put the message of God’s inclusive love into action, on the ground, every day, in our life together in Maine.”

The Maine Council of Churches is a statewide organization representing over
650 Maine churches. Recent initiatives have included establishing the Restorative
Justice Center in Hallowell, Maine in 2004, helping congregations to start local Earth Care Teams addressing environmental concerns and the “Hear Our Story, Know Our Names” drama project about poverty and homelessness in Maine. The Council has also partnered with Maine Native American tribes through the Four Directions Development Corporation to help capitalize a low-interest revolving loan fund called the Giving Winds Project which offers new opportunities for economic development to tribal members. The Council office is located at 19 Pleasant Avenue, Portland, Maine. Information about the Council and how individuals and churches can join its work is on the web at www.mainecouncilofchurches.org.