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Maine Council of Churches Presents

AN EVENING
WITH
BISHOP

MARIANN
BUDDE

Courage is Contagious

Her sermon during the 2025 inauguration lasted only minutes. But Bishop Mariann Budde’s example of bravery in speaking truth to power endures. “Let me make one final plea, Mr. President. In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now.”

The backlash against her was immediate and vicious because in a culture of contempt where compassion has become a partisan issue, speaking out for mercy comes at a cost. The Right Rev. Budde (Ninth Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington DC) believes it’s a cost worth paying and she has shown us all what courage looks like.

Her keynote address on October 8, “Courage Is Contagious,” will explore how we can all learn to be brave. All proceeds from ticket sales and donations will benefit the Maine Council of Churches, a coalition of Protestant denominations that speaks with a prophetic voice of faith in the public square and connects people within and beyond the church to help build a more just, compassionate, and peaceful world.

Bishop Budde’s sermons have been published in books and journals, and she has authored several books, including How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith, adapted into a young adult book, We Can Be Brave, and a picture book for children, I Can Learn to Be Brave.

Run Time: Approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes, with no intermission.

Only ADULT prices are available for this event.
Ticket prices include a per ticket service fee, on a sliding scale depending on ticket price.
Please Note: Tickets may not be resold for higher than face value. PortTIX reserves the right to cancel tickets or require tickets to be picked up with a valid ID if we have reason to suspect that tickets will be resold on a 3rd party site. See here for policies.

Thursday, October 8, 2026 7PM

Tickets

$56 (including fees)

Venue

Merrill Auditorium

View details

merrill
auditorium

A beautifully restored 1,900-seat performance venue, this majestic hall is one of the gems of Portland’s downtown Arts District and close to plenty of restaurants to grab a bite before the show.

Merrill Auditorium is owned and operated by the City of Portland.

Wheelchair Accessible
Assisted Listening Devices
Concessions
Nearby Parking
Security Check
Address

Merrill Auditorium
20 Myrtle Street
Portland, ME 04101

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Accessibility
Information

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