Six years ago I began living and working with my family here at Christ Church Seaway. Two years ago (give or take), my ministry expanded to include working in the congregations of St. John's and Trinity. We have journeyed together through much over these past few years. And as I prepare to leave, I am filled with gratitude for the many blessings that we have enjoyed together.

Jacob's ladder was first made known to me by way of that classic children's toy. A Jacob's ladder toy is made up of several small wooden panels, connected to each other by alternating cloth ribbons.

Sibling rivalry is not a new phenomenon. The author of today's Genesis story appears to be entirely familiar with the nuances of the troubled existence of two siblings, each struggling in his own way, to come out on top.
It starts at the very beginning.

​"Come unto me all that labour and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you."​

These words are familiar to many followers of Jesus. For some Anglicans, the words I just repeated may provide a reminder of the Book of Common Prayer's "comfortable words", a series of biblical quotations which follow directly after the confession and absolution in the service of Holy Communion.

John writes a highly spiritualized account of Jesus life, ministry, death, and resurrection. The first several verses of John's gospel are often referred to as the "Prologue of John." In this text, the author situates the divine phenomenon of the incarnation within the context of creation itself. John's prologue also introduces an all too familiar social theme of other-nes, a very human reality we likely recognize immediately.

The doctrine of the Trinity has been a source of contention for Christians since the first century AD. Lives have been lost and trust between communities has been permanently damaged because of the way we approach the Trinity. Inevitably, agreed upon doctrine is tested against claims of heresy: insults fly, relationships are ended.

This year's Pentecost observance is very different. We are in a time of pandemic. The obvious one being the fear and harm that COVID-19 has loosed upon the world. But as Bishop Michael Curry points out, we are in a pandemic of another kind.

The metaphors we use in describing our relationship with God are as rich as they are flawed. Our vocabulary for this dynamic is at the same time both varied and narrow. Human-divine imagery can bring us to new depths of faith, but it also risks repelling us from embracing our connection with God due to our own limitations…

Recently I had the occasion to reflect on a particular theme that can be detected in each of the church office spaces I have occupied in my work as a priest. On a shelf in the corner of the room, there has been a collection of Bibles--old Bibles. In each of the communities I have served, at various times, people have approached me with copies of scripture and asked if I would please take them. They have explained to me that a Bible belonged to a friend, a relative, that it had been found and it looked too important to dispose of or try to sell. Once, I arrived at the church to discover a small box of Bibles and prayer books with a note that simply said "Please take care of these" as if it were a box of unwanted kittens!

The early chapters of the Acts of the Apostles describe what might fairly be described as the golden era of the church.

One of the devotionals that I read daily comes from Oswald Chambers and is called My Utmost for His Highest. It is one that at times I find thought-provoking and makes me squirm a bit, so I know that it is useful for my growth.

I’ve always loved the story of Doubting Thomas. While most of us will have just heard it at yesterday’s service, the short form is this: The Risen Christ appears to the disciples as they are locked away in their room and brings them a message of peace. Sadly, Thomas, for some reason, wasn’t there.

​In Acts 2, Simon Peter preaches to residents of Jerusalem. In addressing the crowd, he offers a passionate explanation of the newly emerging theology of Christ's death and resurrection. In terms familiar to many of today's Christians, Peter speaks of the death of Jesus as having cosmic implications. And in speaking of Christ's resurrection, he situates that event as the culmination of his cultural and religious history.

Yesterday, my family and I baked bread for the first time in quite a while.

Have you ever encountered someone that you haven’t see in a while and their appearance changed so much, that they were unrecognizable?

"But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb..."