Immobilized by fear, the inner circle of the disciples; Peter, Jonas, & John, were on the ground as they heard the voice of God from out of the cloud. The voice proclaimed – “This is my Son, my Beloved. Listen to him.” Jesus approached the three and gently touched each man. Their fear subsided them…
Living the Love is the human challenge of Faith. In fact, it is Living the Love that makes us human – makes us more like the fully human Jesus. Living the Love for the recent immigrants who built, maintained, and ran the Pennsylvania Railroad meant funding the Young Men’s Christian Association (Y.M.C.A.) throughout our region…
From The Man of La Mancha: …to try when your arms are too weary to reach the unreachable star. This is my quest, to follow that star… And I’ll always dream the impossible dream… We people of faith follow the Epiphany Star, the Morning Star, “the unreachable star.” We people of faith believe in “the…
On Sunday, we celebrated the Presentation of Jesus in the temple in Jerusalem. In the ancient tradition, forty days after a child’s birth, he is presented to God & if he is the first born, the family ceremonially “buys him back” from God for 5 shekels, because by tradition, all first born males as God’s…
In the midst of dark & stormy times, the lyrics of a song for the musical Carousel by Rogers & Hammerstein are so very uplifting – When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high, and don’t be afraid of the dark. At the end of the storm, there’s a golden sky, and…
Some communities are formed around complaining, sharing gripes, “ain’t it awful”. In my experience, community formed around negativity is shallow, poorly rooted. Community formed around light, around building rather than tearing down, has the opportunity to last with deep roots that endure even in dry times. The church, at our best, is built to last….
The collect for Sunday contains the following: Grant that your people illumined by your word and sacrament, may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory, that he may be known, worshiped, and obeyed… Just as a washed car, free of grime, road salt, and mud is more reflective of the sun’s rays, so we more…
In the midst of our current times, it is always important to be reminded of who we are – we are members of the Body of Jesus Christ. In ancient Israel, praying at rising & at bed time, praying at meal times, praying upon entering or leaving home, ones dress as well as circumcision served…
Philip Brooks, the Rector of Holy Trinity located in Philadelphia, wrote “O Little Town of Bethlehem”, immediately following the civil war. One phrase that resonates with me is “so God imparts to human hearts the blessing of his heaven”. In the darkness following the civil war, Philip recognized that God impacts the human heart –…