Seven whole days

Blog

March 7, 2022

Easter joy…in Lent?

Today is the official launch day for my latest book, Easter Triumph, Easter Joy: Meditations for the Fifty Days of Eastertide. As the title suggests, it’s a set of meditations for the full Easter season in which I explore the hope that comes to us in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

liturgy / prayer

January 1, 2022

The Epiphany Proclamation 2022

In an annual tradition, here is the customary Epiphany Proclamation of liturgical feast days, to be read out at services on the Feast of the Epiphany and shared with the faithful.

General Convention / humor

April 15, 2021

EXCLUSIVE BREAKING NEWS: Color of the next Episcopal Church Blue Book revealed!

This blog once again has the scoop on the color of the Blue Book for the next General Convention. Read on for an interview with Canon Michael Barlowe about the Blue Book and much more.

Advent / Forward Movement

November 16, 2020

An Advent Word Delivery

Waiting & Watching is Forward Movement’s new Advent book, created in partnership with the Advent Word. Here is a sample meditation from yours truly and more info about the book.

leadership / liturgy

May 14, 2020

Preaching in a time of pandemic

We should always preach Jesus Christ and him crucified, but this time requires attention to the situation in which we find ourselves. Phillips Brooks’ urging to preach the truth with personality can be helpful. What stays the same now? And what changes?

theology

February 8, 2020

What is Truth? A reflection on the neglected reality of Truth with a capital T

Stephen Colbert famously coined the word “truthiness” as a way of poking fun at our habit of caring more about our own feelings than attaining the truth. Caring about the truth isn’t optional for those who follow Jesus Christ.

liturgy / prayer

January 1, 2020

The Epiphany Proclamation 2020

In an annual tradition, here is the customary Epiphany Proclamation, to be read out at services on the Feast of the Epiphany and shared with the faithful.

liturgy / TEC

December 18, 2019

Trying to make order of liturgical chaos

The Task Force for Liturgical and Prayer Book Revision has unveiled a website as part of its work. It has a handy — though problematic — list of Episcopal liturgical resources.

discipleship / jesus

October 28, 2019

What is a disciple, and why does it matter?

What is discipleship? And why does it matter? Discipleship matters because Jesus said so. In fact, Jesus said making disciples was the main thing for us followers to do.

evangelism / jesus / sermons

June 15, 2019

You are witnesses

We are called to proclaim God’s love not just in our familiar churches — standing just inside our red doors to be nice to visitors — but we are also called to proclaim God’s love on the streets, in the mall, on the beach, in the workplace, on the border, in all the places of greatest need. We are called to be witnesses.

liturgy / theology

April 8, 2019

Of ordinations and consecrations

We ordain bishops. It’s time to let die our old habit of referring to the “consecration of bishops.” Our baptismal ecclesiology demands it.

Lent / liturgy

March 5, 2019

Ashes: Should They Stay or Should They Go?

Lent is going to look a little different for each person. I hope you have a holy Lent — however you sojourn. Should your ashes stay or should they go? Well, that depends on what’s in your heart.

liturgy

June 17, 2018

Old story, new life: Thoughts on baptism

We have a catechetical crisis in our church. Vast swaths of our laity and not a few clergy are unable to articulate even the most rudimentary understanding of either baptism or eucharist.