Dean Letter: Improvements

Hello St. Paul’s, I am back from two weeks of rest and relaxation, and I am very grateful for our parish leadership and staff who keep things running smoothly when I am away. Special thanks to Kathleen Burgess and Donna Perdue for providing the weekly letters. As we approach the general elections I know we … READ MORE…

Dean Letter: Invitation to Pledge

Hello St. Paul’s, This week we launch our 2021 pledge campaign. The Church was built to stand strong in a time such as this: a time when the world is in turmoil, when disease ravages the land, when political tensions divide us from each other, when questions of race, justice, and equity swirl. The light … READ MORE…

Dean Letter: Lemons & Lemonade

Hello St Paul’s, It’s an understatement to say that we are living in anxious times. I’m sure that like me, you could really use some good news. A couple of weeks ago I was in a sort of COVID slump, feeling quite low about the state of the world, including national politics, the pandemic, the … READ MORE…

Dean Letter: Jonah

Hello St. Paul’s, This weekend one of our Sunday readings will come from the book of Jonah. We will hear the end of the story. It’s the only time in our three-year cycle of readings that we hear from Jonah, and it’s one of my favorite books of the Bible, telling the story of one … READ MORE…

Dean Letter: Honoring our rituals

Hello St. Paul’s. I recently started to watch the West Wing series from the beginning. It brings up all kinds of feelings, in part because of the contrast between that White House and the current one, but also because I lived just outside Washington DC for 17 years and many of the exterior shots awaken … READ MORE…

Dean Letter: Clarifying the COVID Guidelines

Hello St. Paul’s, I’m not sure which is more challenging: to have rigid rules that we don’t like, or to have flexibility that brings confusion along with it. I’m sure I am not alone in my struggle for clarity around the rules and restrictions regarding gatherings, worship, and social events. When it comes to COVID-related … READ MORE…

Dean Letter: Scavenger Hunt

Hello St. Paul’s, It seems that most people enjoy the quizzes we see on social media, so this week I invite you to test your knowledge of our great Anglican treasure, the Book of Common Prayer, by going on a short scavenger hunt with me through our Prayer Book. I have twelve questions for you. … READ MORE…

Dean Letter: We are all in this together

Hello St. Paul’s, The other day I sent an email to a couple of my chamber music friends, just to check in. We haven’t been able to play together since February, and I have been strangely reluctant to pick up my viola and practice it during the pandemic, although I have, strangely, been playing the … READ MORE…

Dean Letter: Hearing the Word

 Hello, St. Paul’s. One of my favorite Collects goes like this: “Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life …” We hear it … READ MORE…