Episcopal House of Bishops offers A Word to the Church
Open to Healing: Lenten Meditation, 3/9/2013
Wisdom 7:24-28 By: Callie Swanlund During my senior year in high school, I was in a terrible skiing accident in which I collided with a tree, and broke two bones in my leg. The accident left me bed-ridden for several weeks, as my leg healed from surgery. To add insult to injury, my high school […]
Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music offers commentary on Holy Week liturgies
The Episcopal Church Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music (SCLM) is offering a commentary on some of the lectionary texts for Holy Week (March 24-31). This commentary will focus on texts that are linked to the sometimes unintended anti-Judaism which these texts have nourished in Christian liturgy. The Commission’s work is in response to a […]
EPPN Alert:: Lent: – Border Violence
Before he became one of the thousands of unaccompanied immigrant children who left their homes last year to make the solitary journey across some of the world's most dangerous borders in search of safety, Mario was a high school student in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. San Pedro Sula is one of the most violent cities […]
Faith Transfigured: Lenten Meditation, 2/24/2013
Luke 9:28-36 By: Hillary Raining Faith is a complicated gift. It is the kind of intangible that gets battered around in Christian circles in many different ways. Some people think that faith is a matter of will – that you must strive with all your might to cultivate and build up your faith. Other feel […]
Who Do You Say That You Are?: Lenten Meditation, 2/20/2013
Isaiah 55:6-11 By: Lucas John Mix “Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near;let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts;let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.For my thoughts are not […]
Office of Black Ministries offers Lenten Study Resource
The Episcopal Church Office of Black Ministries has issued a free Lenten Study Resource designed to invite all ages to participate in the reflective nature of Lent. The Lenten Study Resource, “Fill Me, Use Me…for the Work of Ministry” is available here http://www.episcopalchurch.org/black “The Lenten Study Resource has been designed upon the foundation of faith […]
Bible Study: Lent 1 (C) – 2013
Deuteronomy 26:1-11 The Book of Deuteronomy is not just a book of laws, it is a covenant. In ancient Near Eastern societies, covenants or treaties were often made between kings and their vassals. These treaties consisted of a preamble or historical prologue contextualizing the covenant, the terms of the covenant itself, an invocation of witnesses, […]
Synod of the Diocese of Cuba, Opening Eucharist
Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori delivered the following sermon during the opening Eucharist of the Synod of the Diocese of Cuba on Feb. 7 in Havana.
Putting God’s Expectations above Our Own, Epiphany 4 (C) – 2013
Lottery winners. Have you ever met one? It is quite an exciting thing when a lottery winner is from your hometown, bought his ticket from your favorite corner store, or is a member of your family. It’s as if you get to share in their good fortune just by being near them. Of course they […]
Grace Church in Jamaica, New York on their 310th Anniversary
Happy Anniversary to the oldest church in this diocese, and the second oldest in New York! For three centuries you’ve been a good example of what the collect prays for: “may your people shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory.” This body of people called Grace has helped start at least seven other congregations, you […]
Presiding bishop’s sermon at Grace Church, Jamaica
Grace Church, Jamaica, NY (Long Island) 310th anniversary celebration 20 January 2013 The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori Presiding Bishop and Primate The Episcopal Church Happy Anniversary to the oldest church in this diocese, and the second oldest in New York! For three centuries you’ve been a good example of what the collect prays for: […]
Life-giving Choices: Advent Meditation, 12/25/2012
I’ve been pondering lately, just what does it mean to make a “life-giving” choice? Does it mean to nurture relationship with others rather than focus on my own ends, no matter how noble? To acknowledge the individual-ness of others, even if it tramples on my own? How does one discern that a choice is “life-giving” […]
A Good and Joyful Thing: Advent Meditation, 12/20/2012
Luke 1:28-32 By: Christopher Esposito-Bernard While we know that this “Jesus” would eventually change the world, the scandal that would have risen from the baby bump Mary would soon carry would have been devastating. This tiding of great joy could only have been seen as greatly troubling, for at the very least, Mary would have been […]
Holy Cross
Every year the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York celebrates St. Francis Day with an amazing service. In many churches animals are blessed on that day, remembering Francis’ remarkable care for all parts of God’s creation – animals, plants, human beings poor and rich, even brother sun and sister moon. I […]
Prophets Among Us: Advent Meditation, 12/13/2012
Matthew 11:9-10 By: Hillary Raining When I was about 4 years old, I attended a Christmas Eve service with my parents and step-cousins who never attended church. However, this was no ordinary service, as it included the congregation’s pageant, complete with a live baby Jesus. My cousin, who was my age, was in awe of […]
Christ Leading Me: Advent Meditation, 12/12/2012
December 12, 2012 By: Vivian Taylor There are a lot of different kinds of bad news. There’s the “we’re out of that the flavor of ice cream you wanted” kind, the “you missed you’re train so you’re going to have to find a way to kill six hours until the next one comes along” kind, […]
Turning Toward God: Advent Meditation, 12/9/2012
Luke 3:1-6 By: Amy Real Coultas During Advent, we are preparing our hearts to experience the arrival of the Word of God. We’re told to “keep watch” and to “stay awake.” We are supposed to pay attention to what God is up to in the world. In this passage from Luke, a young adult named […]
Struggling Towards Peace: Advent Meditation, 12/7/2012
Psalm 27:1 By: Christopher Esposito-Bernard During the season of Advent, we anticipate peace. Anticipate because we know peace is still just out of reach. That’s the tension of the Christian life. We are in between God’s kingdom and our own. We look around and we don’t see God’s will being done. God’s kingdom hasn’t come. […]
Psalm 23 & Peace: Advent Meditation, 12/5/2012
Psalm 23 By: Carrie Diaz-Littauer The beautiful verses of this well-known psalm have afforded comfort and peace to weary and anxious souls for centuries. But sometimes I feel they are too good to be true. The green, lush, soothing place where a peaceful David is led feels like an unattainable dream. It is one faithful sheep’s […]