Real Episcopalians (humor)

Laughing at ourselves a little is not a bad thing! This one has been making the rounds for a while; Canon Jack Lindquist tells us that a similar version also circulates about Lutherans. Episcopalians occasionally believe in miracles and sometimes even expect them, particularly during stewardship canvasses, when electing bishops or rectors, or recruiting church … READ MORE…

Faith and Nature: Book Club Followup

Now that book study preparation is coming to an end, I’ll have more time to read; and I’ll share Phyllis Strupp’s Faith and Nature curriculum with Simpler Living and within some Sunday youth activities. For anyone interested and travelling to Prescott, AZ in August, Phyllis will present Faith and Nature, Friday, August 20-Saturday, August21 at … READ MORE…

Pride weekend

Merriam Webster defines the word gay as meaning, “keenly alive and exuberant : having or inducing high spirits “. In this regard, Pride weekend was a great success in more ways than we might have imagined. Friday night, a contingent representing St Paul’s, led by the Rev. Canon Allisyn Thomas, attended the Pride opening rally … READ MORE…

Same Sex Blessings in San Diego

As your Integrity representative for the Diocese of San Diego, I want to share some wonderful news. This past week, Bishop Mathes has authorized the clergy of the diocese to begin blessing same-sex unions. This is a great step forward, one to celebrate. For those who may not have been in this struggle as long … READ MORE…

St Paul’s and Gay Pride: Stonewall Service Award

San Diego Pride has awarded St Paul’s Cathedral the Stonewall Service Award. From the San Diego Pride press release: Since hosting the first national convention on the West Coast in the early 1980s calling for LGBT rights within the Episcopal Church, St. Paul’s Cathedral in Bankers Hill has visibly campaigned against Proposition 8, and enlisted … READ MORE…

Engaging Open Communion

The Forum last week discussed the concept of “open Communion”, that is, what happens when Communion is restricted to the baptized, and what are the arguments for opening it to all. A couple of years ago, the blog “Fr Jake Stops the World” reviewed “Take this Bread” by Sarah Miles. In this book, the author … READ MORE…

An Anti-Depressant Found In Every Orthodox Church

The Rev. Canon MIchael Kaehr draws our attention to this recent article, Incense Found To Be Psychoactive: Biologists from Johns Hopkins University and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem have discovered that burning frankincense (resin from the Boswellia plant) activates poorly understood ion channels in the brain that alleviate anxiety and depression, suggesting that an entirely … READ MORE…

Summer Choir season is here!

Soprano, alto, tenor, bass…. What’s it like to sing in the choir? You can find out! Summer choir season begins this week. On 11 July, 18 July, and 25 July, anyone who wants to sing is welcome. Meet at 9.30 am in the choir room, where we’ll go over some basics. Then we vest and … READ MORE…