Rev Suzanne Colburn The Rev. Suzanne F. Colburn, the new Priest-in-charge at St. Columba's Episcopal Church. (Photo Lisa Kristoff)

St. Columba's Episcopal Church in Boothbay Harbor has chosen The Rev. Suzanne F. Colburn of Boothbay Harbor as its new Priest-in-Charge. She will begin her duties on Thursday, February 22 and will be installed officially by The Rt. Rev. Chilton Knudsen, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese in the spring.

The New York City native is a Bowdoin College graduate and received her Masters in Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School in 1990. She prepared for ordination to the priesthood by attending Episcopal Divinity School and received her Masters of Divinity in 1996. The Rev. Colburn has been ordained for ten years, and for the past three years was the Priest-in-Charge of Christ Episcopal Church in Biddeford. Before returning to Maine, The Rev. Colburn served for six years at Emmanuel Church in Boston and was the Dean of the Boston Harbor Deanery in the Diocese of Massachusetts.

Married to the late Robert B. Colburn of Southport and Capitol Island, Suzanne and Bob and Bob's brother, David, ran a leather goods craft store and Susie's Sunshine Sub Shop at 89 Townsend Avenue. Suzanne was also a licensed real estate broker with Miriam E. Schmidtmann Real Estate on Oak Street and worked on survey crews for Boothbay Engineering. In her "former life," The Rev. Colburn studied at Parson's School of Design in New York City and was a fashion illustrator before coming to Maine.

The Rev. Colburn's son and family live nearby in Damariscotta; Suzanne's daughter, lives Mass-achusetts where she works and attends college.

The Rev. Colburn is excited about serving in the Boothbay Region. "Both my children were born and raised here; they went to Head Start, attended the YMCA and Boothbay Region Elementary School. My late husband and I lived as many do in the Boothbay Region, doing however many jobs you need to do to keep a roof over your head. We shrimped, ran small businesses, did construction, clean-ed cottages and did real estate. I know how wonderful this region is and also how hard it can be to survive and raise a family. It will be an honor to serve at St. Columba's and to give back to the region that has given so much to me and my family."

The Rev. Suzanne Colburn will have office hours Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and will be the preacher and celebrant on Sundays at 10 a.m. All are invited to drop by to say hello and share in the beauty of St. Columba's. The church is located at 32 Emery Lane, the road to St. Andrews Village. For further information, please call the church office at 633-6313.

St. Columba's Episcopal Church welcomes all to a Lenten Program every Tuesday evening entitled, "Alleluia in the Desert" and led by The Rev. Suzanne Colburn. The first session will be held Tuesday, February 27, at the church and will begin with Evening Prayer at 5:30 p.m. Participants are asked to bring a brown bag light supper to enjoy at 6 p.m. with the program 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. All are invited for this and other activities during Lent, Holy Week and Easter.