Most everyone in the San Diego area knows the Marine Corps motto: “Semper Fi,” always faithful. Some know the Coast Guard motto: “Semper Paratus,” always prepared. From my experience as a deacon, I suggest that the motto for the diaconate should be: “Semper Gumbi,” always flexible. What I thought I would do as a deacon […]
Though the subtitle is tongue in cheek, one of the concepts we learn in Cursillo to help maintain our spiritual life in Christ is summed up in those three words: Piety, Study, and Action. The simple activity of reading the Bible daily to another person has strengthened me in those three disciplines. It has impacted […]
The Good News Festival Holiday Marketplace is Good News! Good News for fair trade farmers, Good News for minority-owned businesses, Good News for social justice organizations, Good News for fair trade artisans, and Good News for YOU – shoppers looking for that very special Christmas gift that does good for the world! On Saturday, December […]
International Day of Peace or “Peace Day” is celebrated annually on September 21. It was established in 1981 by a unanimous vote to a resolution in the United Nations. Peace Day provides a shared date globally for all of humanity to commit to Peace above all differences and to contribute to building a Culture of […]
I have always known myself to be an encourager, helping people recognize the hope and love of God in their lives, as He had shown me. During seminary and later in a hospital residency Clinical Pastoral Education clarified that call for me. I discovered I was at ease talking to new people, offering prayer and […]
As the autumn season begins, many church—and personal—schedules begin to fill up. Days grow shorter and the list of to-do’s only increase as we inch towards forthcoming holidays. Costumes to be made, goodies to bake, presents to be purchased and so on. Considering the busy-ness of the next few months as we approach Advent, here […]
For five days in late May of this year, I had the privilege of gathering with other seminarians at the annual Preaching in Excellence conference hosted by the Episcopal Preaching Foundation (EPF). For 35 years, the EPF has been educating Episcopal seminarians and clergy on the benefits of great preaching. Four of my fellow Sewanee […]
One of the interesting aspects of working in a diocesan office is an awareness of the trends across congregations in various locales. Of course, each congregation is unique in many ways, but we are each part of the same tradition, in the same diocese. Because of that, trends become quickly apparent. One of those emerges […]
As a deacon, I am one who serves. And pastoral care has been a big part of that. Currently, I have been seeing parishioners on a one-on-one basis for coffee. I hear about spiritual journeys, and I always marvel at how God brings people from sometimes radically different backgrounds into our church. For me, this […]
We use Google to navigate, shop, review, search, and much more. It has become an integral piece of our everyday lives. Life without Google sounds prehistoric. But how can we use Google to help spread the Good News of Jesus Christ? Start by leaving a review for your church online. Today, seekers look for input […]
