Dear St. Paul’s family, Where are our Pews? It’s hard to miss: when you walk into the back of the Cathedral nave, there is a lot more space than usual. We are running an experiment this summer by removing some of the pews to make additional space and trying out different activities. This is a … READ MORE…
At St. Paul’s and in a growing number of churches, Sunday mornings bring an unforeseeable number of children and families to church each week. For some, regular attendance means showing up monthly, for some it means quarterly, while for some it still means weekly. As a result, on any given Sunday, it is almost impossible … READ MORE…
Dear St. Paul´s family, Our Pentecost celebration last Sunday was joyful and Spirit-filled. I had the blessing of attending all four services and experiencing the wide variety of gifts and cultures that we enjoy here in San Diego. We heard the Acts reading in many different languages, we experienced a graceful dance, we sang great … READ MORE…
May 15, 2018 Dear St. Paul’s family, This week we celebrate Pentecost, the day when the church was born. It’s a day to rejoice in the ways the Spirit has gifted each of us for ministry and to be listening for the movement of the Spirit in our life together. I’ve been listening hard these … READ MORE…
May 9, 2018 Dear St. Paul’s family, This week’s message is about membership and engagement. It’s evident to all of us that attendance at worship has declined in the last four or five years, from an average Sunday attendance (ASA) in 2015 of 607 to 525 in 2017. It’s not a trend any of us … READ MORE…
Dear Cathedral family, Alleluia, Christ is risen! As we enter the second quarter of 2018 I give thanks for the dedication and generosity of our cathedral community. As always, our worship throughout Holy Week was both profoundly reflective and gloriously joyful. Many, many people dedicated themselves to preparing the church, learning the music, creating the … READ MORE…
Dear people of St. Paul’s, If you heard the sermons the last two Sundays, you’ve heard both Jeff and me talk about the significant gap between income and expenses in our operating budget, to the tune of about $200,000 in 2018. A number of people have said that they don’t understand where this came from: … READ MORE…
Dear ones, I so appreciated all the feedback from my sermon last Sunday, which you can find on video here and on the blog here. It was great to have so many folks express interest after the service in getting involved, and we even had some new pledges! Thank you. I do want to assure … READ MORE…
If you visit Episcopal Cathedrals around the country, you will find that although we are a relatively small Cathedral, we have a mighty Verger Corps (see here for more about the vergers’ roles). Your vergers are responsible for the smooth running of the service, spending lots of time before, during and after the service, to ensure that … READ MORE…
This collect we just read ties together the Blessed Virgin Mary, vocation, and service empowered by the Holy Spirit. But this day feels like a hard day to be reminded of that. Mary, on this day, sits at the foot of the cross, and we are reminded of her agony as she watched her son … READ MORE…