May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be accepable in your sight, O God our strength and our redeemer. Amen. I would like to reflect with you this morning upon our collect for the day. The collect for the day is on your scripture handout, and I’m using the language from the contemporary because I saw it as a kind of formula for the Christian life…
It seemed to me that this day would be a great day to talk about faith. Here we are at our annual “in-gathering” – at the time of year when we are all invited to make a decision regarding our financial commitment to St. Paul’s. Throughout the year, all of us are given countless opportunities to participate with our time and with our talents in various efforts here at St. Paul’s. But today’s invitation is a pledge of monies…
I remember being in 7th or 8th grade of our public school music class learning the song “Let There Be Peace On Earth”. You may remember the second phrase of this song, “…and let it begin with me”…
This morning is the one year (exact to the date) anniversary of Care n Share’s Hand Blessing Service. And therefore this is going to be the second annual day of thanksgiving for the Care n Share ministry. It is indeed a day of thanksgiving for all of you, for all of our volunteers who care so well for one another…
It is great to see your faces! And I am delighted to be back with you. I’ve already worked a few days in the office but I still feel like I’m on “sabbatical time” in my mind. And I am hoping that I can hold on to that sense for awhile. Some of you may have heard me talk about or may have read something I wrote about spending time during my sabbatical using my hands more than my head and hoping to s-l-o-w down the pace of my life…
There was a time when death was only known as the loss of all things. A darkness without an end. But not any more. There was a time when those who insulted God or failed God could be punished, even in public. But not now. At least not in this country. There was a time when the dry bones of an expired life meant nothing more than dry bones. But that time is past…
One week ago yesterday, Saturday the 4th of April, 10 high school students and 6 adults met here in the church parking lot at 6:30am and by 7:30 were loaded and driving away toward New Orleans. Our youth coordinator, Fred Lowry, had a vision in his mind of joining with the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana and assisting with the repairs and renewal of the city’s poorest neighborhoods which were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in August of 2005. And he worked for over a year to see that vision come to fruition…
You have heard me say, many times I am sure, how much I am grateful that we worship God by following a seasonal calendar throughout the year. And possibly you have also heard me say that Lent is my favorite season in the church calendar. I really like Epiphany too, but Lent is my favorite. I was glad, for my own spiritual journey, to be able to preach on Ash Wednesday and talk about my understanding of Lent as the opportunity that God gives us to look honestly at ourselves within a context of safety…