House of Bishops Daily Account for Saturday, September 18, 2010
The House of Bishops of The Episcopal Church is meeting in Phoenix, AZ (Diocese of AZ) from September 16 to September 21. The following is an account of the activities for Saturday, September 18, 2010 Bishop Tom Ely of Vermont presented a meditation on “What is God up to in our midst concerning same-sex blessings.” […]
Today We Reflect On the Story…, The Transfiguration – 2010
âJust as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is good for us to be here.’â In the name of God the adventurer, Christ the radical lover, and the empowering Holy Spirit. Amen. Today we reflect on the story of Jesus’ transfiguration on the mountain top. In the story, not only do […]
Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music asks input on Holy Women, Holy Men
As mandated in General Convention 2009 Resolution A096, The Episcopal Church Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music (SCLM) is soliciting views, opinions and feedback on Holy Women, Holy Men, a major revision of Lesser Feasts and Fasts. The Rev. Ruth Meyers, Ph.D., Hodges-Haynes Professor of Liturgics at Church Divinity School of the Pacific and SCLM […]
The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion
The following is another in a series of talking points prepared as a resource for The Episcopal Church. The Episcopal Church The Episcopal Church is an autonomous church which is a member of the worldwide Anglican Communion, serving God and working together to spread through word and action the good news of God in Christ. […]
There Is a Story or Parable…, Easter 7 (C) – 2010
There is a story or parable, variously ascribed to the wisdom traditions of Arab, Chinese, or rabbinic literature, which illustrates well âthe changes and chances of this mortal life,â as the Book of Common Prayer describes the vicissitudes, the ups and downs, of this world. According to most versions, the story â no doubt apocryphal […]
Good Friday Comes Every Year…, Good Friday – 2010
âFor this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.â Pilate asked him, âWhat is truth?â Good Friday comes every year with its unique burden of grief. We know the story, we have heard it, felt it, […]
Observe Good Friday, Celebrate Easter Sunday with liturgical programming from The Episcopal Church
The Episcopal Church Office of Communication offers ways to observe Good Friday and celebrate Easter with two seasonal liturgical programs. On Good Friday, April 2, the penitential Stations of the Cross will be available online at www.episcopalchurch.org/stations beginning Good Friday, April 2. Originating from St. Mary The Virgin Episcopal Church in New York City, Stations […]
Episcopal Church Office of Communication slates liturgical programming for Good Friday, Easter Sunday
The Episcopal Church Office of Communication will air two seasonal liturgical programs: the penitential Stations of the Cross on Good Friday and a live festive Easter morning service. Stations of the Cross will be available online at www.episcopalchurch.org/stations beginning Good Friday, April 2. Originating from St. Mary The Virgin Episcopal Church in New York City, […]
The Episcopal Church: Its History and Heritage
The Episcopal Church, its History and its long Heritage The Episcopal Church boasts a long history. The Episcopal Church, a hierarchical church, traces its heritage to the beginnings of Christianity. The Episcopal Church is an independent church which is a constituent member of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Its origin is in the planting of the […]
Baptismal Covenant and Commitment
By: Ruth Meyers One of the best-known texts from the 1979 Book of Common Prayer is the Baptismal Covenant. We often refer to it by title – “Our Baptismal Covenant calls us to work for justice and peace,” or “the Baptismal Covenant makes us all evangelists” – with the expectation that our audience knows exactly […]
Letters to Archbishop of Canterbury, Primates discuss C056
Following its passage in both the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and House of Deputies President Bonnie Anderson sent a letter to Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams discussing Resolution C056 at the recently completed 76th General Convention of The Episcopal Church. (Text of letter is at the […]
Varied understandings
The primates' meeting has come and gone, and I'm sure there will have been abundant commentary by the time this is published. I'd like to reflect on some of the deeper issues behind our conversations about sexuality, particularly the influence of our understanding of gender. The most intriguing conversation I had in Alexandria was with […]
We Encounter Two Voices, Advent 2 (B) – 2008
We encounter two voices crying out from the wilderness on this Second Sunday of Advent. The prophet Isaiah calls, âComfort, O Comfort My People,â and John the Baptist shouts, âPrepare the Way of the Lord.â These stories are joined by more than the prophetic voice. In both our gospel reading and the reading from Isaiah, […]
Marks of mission
Who(se) are you? Why are you here? What are you doing about it? That's a shorthand way of thinking about our identity and vocation as Christians. It's also a way of leading us as individuals and Christian communities into thinking about our mission — or better, our partnership in God's mission. Mission literally means "sending," […]
Covenant Is an Interesting Word, Epiphany 1 (A) – 2008
“Covenant” is an interesting word. Mind you Episcopalians hear so much about the “Baptismal Covenant” nowadays that it is in danger of becoming one of those pious slogans often used and seldom contemplated. When The Book of Common Prayer was revised in the 1970s, some of the leading thinkers in our church were developing a […]
In Today’s Gospel Reading…, Proper 27 (C) – 2007
In today’s gospel reading, the Sadducees, who did not believe in resurrection, confronted Jesus with the question of what life would be like if there truly was life after death. They wanted Him to assure them that the human laws, given by Moses, would also apply if there was life after death. In a powerful […]
How Much Is Enough?, Proper 22 (C) – 2007
This is a fundamental question for all of us: How much is enough? Especially at this time of year when words such as âstewardship,â âpledge,â âproportional giving,â and âtitheâ are in the air. Luke has told us in no uncertain terms that Jesus has set his face toward Jerusalem. On the way, Jesus talks endlessly […]
How Could Anyone…, Proper 21 (C) – 2007
How could anyone stand to have a poor man lying in the doorway, covered with sores, those sores being licked by stray dogs â a poor man who longs for nothing but the crumbs that fall off the table? Arenât we outraged that a rich man, dressed in purple and fine linen, who feasted sumptuously […]
Presiding Bishop’s testimony to the Senate on global warming
Written Testimony ofThe Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts SchoriPresiding Bishop ofThe Episcopal ChurchBefore the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee June 7, 2007 God has not given us a spirit of fear, but power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 Good Morning. Madam Chair, Senator Inhofe, my fellow panelists, it is […]