Water (sprites?), Wellness, and Walking in the Way of Love

Readings for the Sixth Sunday of Easter Sunday (Year C) Acts 16:9-15 Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5 John 5:1-9 Psalm 67 This sermon was preached at Christ Episcopal Church in Eureka CA on Sunday May 22, 2022. At yesterday’s Sacred Saunter, we celebrated the feast day of St. Lydia of Thyatira, the first European convert to Christianity – the […]

Sauntering with St. Lydia, the Patron Saint of Listening

Readings for the Feast Day of Lydia of Thyatira This reflection was shared at Sacred Saunter Outdoor Eucharist on Saturday May 21, 2022 at Sequoia Park in Eureka. The Hebrew word for “heaven” (shemayim) is a combination of the words “listen” (shema) and “water” (mayim). So according to Hebrew language, heaven is like listening to […]

The Church of the Province of South East Asia

A brief introduction to the Church of the Province of South East Asia for the Anglican Prayer Cycle In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, we pray for the Church of the Province of South East Asia, one of the youngest provinces within the Anglican Communion.[1] Although Christianity first reached South East Asia in the seventh […]

Pachomius and Communal Prayer

Readings for the Feast Day of Pachomius of Tabenissi 2 Timothy 2:1–6 Psalm 16 Matthew 6:24–33 This reflection was shared at Sacred Saunter Outdoor Eucharist on Saturday May 14, 2022 at Freshwater in Eureka. Pachomius is commonly regarded as the founder of coenobitic monasticism, the form of Christian monasticism in which members live together in […]

Beholding and Being Held

Readings for the Fourth Sunday of Easter Sunday (Year C) This sermon was preached at Christ Episcopal Church in Eureka CA on Good Shepherd Sunday May 8, 2022. In March of 1983, the Irish Rock band U2 released their third album, which is titled “War”; and the opening track of the album is called “Sunday Bloody Sunday” […]

How Long?

The following reflection on John 10:22-30 was written for and published in the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California E News “Explorations in the Gospel of John” on May 3, 2022. May 8 – The Fourth Sunday of Easter Good Shepherd Sunday John 10:22 – 30 The Good Shepherd discourse functions as part of Jesus’s answer […]

Do you love me?

Readings for the Third Sunday of Easter Sunday (Year C) Acts 9:1-6, (7-20) Revelation 5:11-14 John 21:1-19 Psalm 30 This sermon was preached at Christ Episcopal Church in Eureka CA on Sunday May 1, 2022. After casting their net to the starboard side of the boat for a tremendous catch, the disciples realize that the man on […]

The UNflashy Faithfulness of St. James the Less

A reflection on St. James the Less inspired by the oil painting of Fr. George Leonard Shultz (1896 – 1971). This same reflection was published in the Times-Standard on Saturday April 30, 2022 as “St. James the Less’ Unflashy Faithfulness” Because the name “James” was so popular in the first century AD, scholars often debate about the identity […]

Gird yourself in Humility

The following reflection on John 21:1-19 was written for and published in the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California E News “Explorations in the Gospel of John” on April 26, 2022. May 1 – The Third Sunday of Easter John 21:1-19 After casting their net to the starboard side of the boat for a tremendous catch, […]

The Good Shepherd in John 10 (Wordfest)

This reflection was shared at the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California’s WordFest on Saturday April 23, 2022, following reflections on Psalm 23, Ezekiel 34. The Good Shepherd tradition of the Bible continues and even reaches a climax of sorts in the Gospel of John chapter 10. Now the purpose of the Gospel of John is […]