Snake-on-a-Stick Sunday

Readings for the Fourth Sunday in Lent This sermon was preached at Christ Episcopal Church Eureka on Sunday March 10, 2024. “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” There’s a Facebook meme that comes around during […]

The Courage of Betty Chinn

This paragraph was written for The Episcopal Diocese of Northern California’s Beloved Community Resource Newsletter published by The Commission for Intercultural Ministries – February 18, 2024 Special Edition. Inspired by Betty Kwan Chinn, Rev. Daniel has addressed the role of Christ Church in the Chinese expulsion in Eureka in the late 19th century and engaged in […]

Let Christ Pray in Your Wilderness

Readings for the First Sunday in Lent This sermon was preached at Christ Episcopal Church Eureka on Sunday February 18, 2024. On this First Sunday in Lent, we pick up our reading in Mark’s Gospel right where we left off, way back on the Second Sunday of Advent (almost two months ago!), when we read about […]

The Rhythm of God’s Healing Love: Rector’s Report on 2023

Readings for the Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany This sermon was preached at Christ Episcopal Church Eureka on Sunday February 4, 2024. There’s a rhythm to the healing ministry of Christ revealed right away in the first chapter of Mark’s Gospel, where we read about Jesus first worshiping with his disciples in the synagogue, then healing, and […]

The Name That Charms Our Fears

Readings for the Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany This sermon was preached at Christ Episcopal Church Eureka on Sunday January 28, 2024. Six years ago today, I preached on these same readings on my first Sunday here, readings that proclaim the holy and awesome and life-giving power of God’s Name and the Name of Jesus Christ […]

Baptismal Covenant Epiphanies (From Karl Barth and beyond)

Readings for the First Sunday after the Epiphany This sermon was preached at Christ Episcopal Church Eureka on Sunday January 7, 2024. Today we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of our Lord, when we read again portions from the Gospel of Mark that we heard back on the Second Sunday of Advent, when the camel-haired beast […]

New Year Reflections On the Saint of Rievaulx

This article was written for the January 2024 Chronicle newsletter for Christ Church Eureka. This January, I begin my seventh year at Christ Church (Jan 28), and I also celebrate the 10-year anniversary of my ordination to the priesthood (Jan 11). Since I was ordained on the Eve of the Feast Day of St. Aelred of Rievaulx […]

Affirming “Brother Ass”

Readings for the First Sunday after Christmas Day This sermon was preached at Christ Episcopal Church Eureka on Sunday December 31, 2023. 800 years ago, a 41-year-old deacon travelled to the Italian town of Greccio, where he pondered the mystery of Christmas expressed in the words of the Gospel we just heard read. Although his younger years […]

St. John, Celtic Spirituality, and the Heart Sense

Readings for the Feast of the Christ Mass This sermon was preached at Christ Episcopal Church Eureka for the Christmas Day service on Sunday December 25, 2023. Merry Christmas! In the ninth century, the brilliant Celtic theologian John Scotus Eriugena (815–877) wrote a homily on the Gospel we just heard read, a homily that has been called […]

The Heavenly Peace of Silent Night

Readings for the Feast of the Christ Mass This sermon was preached at Christ Episcopal Church Eureka for the Christmas Eve service on Saturday December 24, 2023. Merry Christmas! Some authors have argued that the spiritual character and contribution of each Christian denomination can be represented well with a great feast day of the church, claiming that […]