We are pleased to welcome an interfaith chaplain to The Vicarage by the Sea. Myrna Koonce grew up in Belgrade, Maine, and has spent all of her working life in southern Maine. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and an MFA degree from Vermont College, and is working toward a degree in theology.
Her career has included positions as a Head Start center director and administrator, co-director of the Born to Read early literacy program at the Maine Humanities Council, adjunct faculty member at Southern Maine Community College and Central Maine Community College, and teacher-director of the Harpswell Community Nursery School.
She is deeply involved in her faith and attends St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Brunswick, where she is a member of the healing team and the choir.
A mid-life career change brought her to chaplaincy; she received her Clinical Pastoral Education training at Maine Medical Center, and now works for MMC as an on-call interfaith chaplain. Myrna also serves as a volunteer interfaith chaplain at Mid Coast Hospital and with CHANS Hospice. She lives in Brunswick with her husband, has two grown children, and loves to travel, sing, and spend time in nature.
Myrna provides opportunities for Vicarage residents to explore their spirituality, in the basic sense of what gives or has given meaning and purpose to their lives. Small group activities will be available to residents who wish to participate. She will support residents in spiritual reminiscence, sparked by particular objects, pictures or sensations, or during interactions with nature. In addition, our interfaith chaplain will offer blessing or prayer during the last days and hours of a resident’s life.
The Vicarage by the Sea continually seeks to enrich the lives of residents, engaging them in ever-day household activities, gardening, nature walks, gentle yoga, and more. We are confident that having an interfaith chaplain will add to this enrichment.
