The Reverend Paul Tunkle, Rector of Maryland’s largest episcopal parish, the Church of the Redeemer, Baltimore, Md., will conduct services at All Saints by-the-Sea this week and next.

On Sunday, June 23 Holy Communion will be celebrated at 8 a.m., and at 10 a.m., there will be a service of Morning Prayer. On June 30 at both the 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. services, there will be a celebration of Holy Communion.

The Bell Choir of the Presbyterian Church in Morristown, N.J., will be presenting special music at the 10 a.m. service. The "Ringers on the Green" are a choir of high school students that have performed throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. They are currently on their New England tour. The choir is under the direction of Dr. Matt Webb.

A social hour with refreshments follows the 10 a.m. Sunday services. On Tuesday, June 25 and Tuesday, July 2 at 9 a.m., Reverend Tunkle will lead a discussion group on the church porch.

Rev. Tunkle first preached at All Saints in 2004. He began his christian journey in the Diocese of Maine. He and his wife Judy moved to Rockland in 1972, shortly after their marriage. Coming from a family background in secular Judaism, Paul was baptized and confirmed by Bishop Wolf at age 24 at St. Peter’s in Rockland in 1974. Their children were born in Maine.

When they moved to Union, the family transferred to St. Giles in Jefferson and was there for several years before making another transfer to St. John the Baptist in Thomaston. This parish sponsored Tunkle for seminary. He graduated from General Theological Seminary in New York and was ordained a deacon by Bishop Wolf in 1984 and became a priest a year later.

He served as Assistant Rector in St. Luke’s in Salisbury, N.C., from 1984 to 1987 and was Rector of Holy Trinity in South River, N.J., from 1988 to 1993. From 1993 to 2001 he was Rector of St. James in Alexandria, La. Since 2001 Rev. Tunkle has been Rector of The Church of the Redeemer in Baltimore, Md. He is a graduate of the University of Maine and holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from the Theological School of Drew University.

Rev Tunkle and his wife, who is a psychotherapist, have long range plans to return to Maine.

The church is on Southport on All Saints Road about 2 miles on your left as you drive south on Route 238 (look for the Episcopal Church sign by 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 or by the tour boat Novelty, which leaves Boothbay Harbor from Pier 8 at 9 a.m. Novelty picks up passengers from the church dock at 11:40 a.m. for return to Boothbay Harbor.