Social media and Christian witness
I firmly believe that getting our social media presence right means using our voice online, even on controversial topics. The Christian voice is important, and silence does no one any good.
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Preaching and discipleship
As disciples, we’re followers, and followers are always on the move. So a pretty good way to think of preaching is as a way to keep the followers moving, for Christ our leader is always challenging us to grow into the full stature of his likeness.
How to kill your church by misusing the internet (church websites, part 3)
If we are going to share the gifts we have been given, we need to find effective ways to do this online. St. Paul wrote about being all things to all people, and that means meeting people online.
Make great websites for cheap! (church websites, part 2)
All it takes to have a great website for your church is the will to do it. If you have that, you can find a way. It might involve a little money, or a few contacts with experts…
Thirteen Commandments for your website (church websites, part 1)
I want us to put our best face forward, literally for the sake of the Gospel. My hope is to kindle a conversation and spur action that might help even a few congregations have better websites.
What is your testimony? A sermon for difficult times
The truth is, scriptures like these were not written for comfortable people. They were not written by comfortable people. These scriptures have nothing whatsoever to do with comfort. This week, we can’t look away. And we shouldn’t look away from the message of grace and mercy that the Gospel has for us.
Taking note–George Herbert: 100 Poems
I was delighted when Cambridge University Press asked me if they could send along a review copy of George Herbert: 100 Poems. While an ebook is available, this is one to own in paper. Keep it at your bedside for morning or bedtime reading, or perhaps leave it at work for mental excursions into rural England during your breaks.
Our next Presiding Bishop
Sometime tomorrow we will all see the slate of nominees for Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church. I’ve been thinking about the challenges our next Presiding Bishop will face, and I wanted to get some thoughts jotted down now, before we know who the nominees are. I don’t want to be seen as campaigning for a particular person.
An appalling and horrible thing
On Friday, March 6, our pilgrimage group visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial. It’s hard to know how to put such horror — on a scale that is unimaginable — into words.
Justice and mercy and faith
Today is Sunday, and so we naturally went to church. We decided to attend All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi. Though we arrived a bit late, we were warmly greeted.
When a dwelling place is not a home
In some ways, Gihembe is not very different from other densely populated villages. Each family has its own mud shelter. These are quite small at about twelve square meters each. There are schools, medical facilities, and places to worship. By the standards of this part of the world, conditions do not appear to be terrible.
Sharing a pilgrimage
I’m on Kenya right now on a pilgrimage with Episcopal Migration Ministries to visit a refugee camp and learn more about the work of resettling refugees. This is not your usual pilgrimage to holy places, but rather it is a pilgrimage to see holy work and to meet holy people. It has already been transformational, and we just finished our first full day in Kenya.