BANGOR – An ordination service is planned today for two Episcopal lay leaders.

Jessie Cookson Drysdale of Weston and Joan Nelson Preble of Ellsworth will be ordained as deacons by the Rt. Rev. Chilton R. Knudsen, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Maine.

The service will be at 4 p.m. Saturday, May 3, at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 225 French St.

Drysdale is a member of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Houlton and will serve that church after her ordination.

Preble is a member of St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church in Ellsworth and will serve that church after her ordination.

As deacons, each will perform liturgical duties as well as hospital and pastoral care visits.

Drysdale is married to David T. Drysdale and they live in East Grand Lake in Weston.

Preble is married to Ralph A. Preble. She serves as head teacher at the child care center at James Russell Wiggins Down East Family YMCA and is co-owner of SunShine Nursery School.

Drysdale and Preble completed the chaplaincy intern program at Eastern Maine Medical Center, Bangor, in 2002.