It’s 7 am on a Sunday morning. I drive off the Route 263 ramp onto Sixth Avenue, on my way to the 8:00 service. There aren’t many people about yet. As I wait at the light, I notice a blanket in a doorway. It’s covering something lumpy, and two worn-out sneakers are sticking out of … READ MORE…
Dear St. Paul’s family, St Paul’s has a distinguished history of speaking up for causes important to our community. In the “summer of love” in 2008, same-sex couples from our congregation and all over California were able to join in legal marriage for the first time in our state’s history. When opponents introduced a proposition … READ MORE…
When listening to today’s Gospel it is as important as ever to remember that we are all disciples. We are all students, we are all learning, we are all followers on the way. Today we hear Jesus say to his disciples, “You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord … READ MORE…
Dear St. Paul’s family, On Sunday October 21 I am leading a conversation about the anatomy of the Eucharistic Prayer. The Eucharistic Prayer, also known as the Great Thanksgiving, is the long prayer which starts after the Peace with “The Lord be with you!” and ends with the Great Amen before the Lord’s Prayer. Regardless … READ MORE…
Now and then our lectionary provides a reading that lines up perfectly with what’s going on in the world or the church. We don’t pick the Scripture we hear on a Sunday: it is prescribed in a three-year cycle, and if we want to do something different we have to ask permission from the bishop. … READ MORE…
Dear St. Paul’s family, A couple of weeks ago I took on a small project of writing thank-you notes to the 127 members of our Legacy Society, that is, those people who made it known to us that the Cathedral is included in their estate planning. It didn’t take long to write one note, but … READ MORE…
Dear St. Paul’s family, Next year we will celebrate a big birthday: on December 18, 2019, this congregation will complete 150 years of ministry in San Diego. A group of parishioners has come together under the leadership of Susan Jester to plan a year of celebration, starting this December. The general approach is to … READ MORE…
My Acorn TV obsession of the moment is a series called The Clinic. It’s an ensemble medical drama set in Ireland. Over and over again misunderstandings and conflict arise because people don’t spell out what they need or what they mean. They keep missing opportunities for important conversations about relationships, death, and family. Maybe you … READ MORE…
Dear St. Paul’s family, Our recent series of summer socials gave me an opportunity to say in person to about 250 of you how much I love St Paul’s and all of you. Every day I give thanks for the tremendous privilege of serving this extraordinary community. You are faithful, smart, sophisticated, engaged, passionate … READ MORE…
Listen. What do you hear? The breathing of the person next to you. The traffic outside. A voice. The shuffling of paper. The beating of your own heart. There is no background music, no mechanical buzz. This is a quiet place, a sacred space, a refuge from the chaos and noise of the world. In … READ MORE…