The prophet Isaiah’s vision of God’s throne room is mind-blowing. A presence that fills the Temple, mystical creatures flitting about, songs of praise that rattle the rafters, hot coals, smoke, a call to serve – it vividly reminds me of last Sunday’s festival service for Pentecost. Susan Forsburg’s wonderful online photo essay of the minutes … READ MORE…
The feast of Pentecost is sometimes referred to as the birthday of the church, because it marks the transition of the disciples from a small group gathered to pray in one room into a movement of international apostles empowered to proclaim God’s good deeds far and wide: this is a day when we celebrate the … READ MORE…
If you weren’t paying close attention, you might have missed it. It didn’t get coverage on the nightly news, and we didn’t even have a special service for it. But this week the Church celebrated a milestone in the Gospel story, the Ascension of Jesus. It’s the missing link in the story of how the … READ MORE…
Easter 6/Year B Acts 10:44-48 1 John 5:1-6 John 15:9-17 Last summer I had the opportunity to go on retreat at Ghost Ranch in New Mexico. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Ghost Ranch, it is located in high upper desert at the north end of the state and like the state, is … READ MORE…
The 20th century anglican priest and theologian Austin Farrer said that “religion is more like a response to a friend than it is like obedience to an expert.” My deepest experiences of God tell me that Farrer is right, but my deepest ingrained habit is to approach the wisdom of Christianity looking for expert answers, … READ MORE…
‘There he lay, a vast red-golden dragon, fast asleep; thrumming came from his jaws and nostrils, and wisps of smoke, but his fires were low in slumber. Beneath him, under all his limbs and his huge coiled tail, and about him on all sides stretching away across the unseen floors, lay countless piles of precious … READ MORE…
On Friday I returned home from the annual conference of deans of North America, which this year took place in Jerusalem. We were about 35 deans and spouses, from the US including Hawaii, Canada, and the Bahamas, as well as our hosts, the Deans of St George’s College and St George’s Anglican Cathedral. A gathering … READ MORE…
Alleluia. Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia! When I got up this morning I started, as usual, to look for signs for life. I turned on the faucet, and as the clean water flowed out I gave thanks that, even in a severe drought, all I have to do is turn the … READ MORE…
Aaron Harvey did not grow up where I did. He grew up in Lincoln Park, in southeast San Diego, the territory of the Lincoln Park Bloods. Aaron, who is black, grew up with his three siblings just streets away from both sets of grandparents, who had themselves moved into the area with their kids in … READ MORE…
Fifth Sunday in Lent, March 22, 2015 It was spring festival time in Jerusalem. The city streets were awash with tourists and pilgrims. The Temple was crammed with people coming to both worship and sightsee, from all over the Empire. Visiting Gentiles had heard about the Galilean rabbi who had created a stir, parading into … READ MORE…