Dear St Paul’s family, On Sunday we held our quarterly newcomers’ brunch and one of our guests mentioned that he had noticed this week that our worship went through some changes. He wondered why. So here’s a primer on the seasons of the church year and how we mark them with color. The first season … READ MORE…
Dear St. Paul’s family, We live in a world where we often get news of friends and family through social media such as Twitter and Facebook. We also live in a culture that exerts pressure to share news and information immediately. When something terrible or wonderful happens, it is very tempting to share it right … READ MORE…
There once was a man who, when filling out a form for a job, came to a question which said, “What is your church preference?” The man thought about the question for some time because he really needed the job. He wanted to impress the employer and answered very confidently, “I prefer a red brick … READ MORE…
Dear St. Paul’s family, At its January meeting, Chapter adopted the following Principles for Social Justice, proposed and crafted by our Peace and Justice Committee. These now form part of a foundation of essential values, along with the Baptismal Covenant, that underly our decision-making as a community. I hope you will adopt them for your … READ MORE…
Reading today’s lesson from Genesis is like coming across a long-running soap opera for the first time when the final episode is airing. If you’ve never sat down to read the whole story of Joseph, you have missed out on the oldest novella known to humanity. Starting in chapter 37 of Genesis with the story … READ MORE…
Dear St. Paul’s family, After the City Council vote on January 28 to approve our construction project, there was a long series of posts on the neighborhood social media site NextDoor. With input from our consultants, I crafted this letter and posted it to correct some of the misperceptions. You might find it useful in … READ MORE…
Dear St. Paul’s family, From time to time I want to share with you what some of our lay ministers do behind the scenes. As you know, over 300 people donate time and talent to the many ministries of the cathedral. Some ministries are more visible than others, but every ministry is valuable. Here is … READ MORE…
In the midst of splendid worship Isaiah cries out, “Woe is me, for I am a man of unclean lips.” Paul writes that he is unfit to be called an apostle. Simon Peter shrinks back from Jesus, stammering about his own sinfulness. Today’s Scripture conspires to convince us that the call to ministry is no … READ MORE…
Dear St. Paul’s family, Here’s another in our occasional series of “Words of our Worship”. This one is about Laying the Table. When we lay the table for a dinner party we are careful to include the right forks, knives, condiments, place mats and dishes. The same goes for setting the altar for the sacrament … READ MORE…
What is Jesus talking about in today’s gospel? Why is everyone getting so angry? What are these Nazarenes so upset about? In order to get the whole picture of what Jesus is proclaiming in this week’s gospel we need to remember the whole story, which began in last week’s gospel. Not only that, but we … READ MORE…