2023-12-05 21:39
And in a blink of an eye, it's Advent! People always ask if you're ready for Christmas. But I have to admit, when I woke up Sunday morning, I couldn't say for certain that I was ready f… Read More
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"Dark clouds will break up, if you will wake up and live!"--Ella Fitzgerald
2023-11-27 04:28
At long last, we've reached the end of this very long season of "After Pentecost." Ready or not, Advent is coming...and that means new projects to run alongside that idea that we're supporse… Read More
2023-11-27 04:04
As I contemplated the parable of the talents in Matthew, I couldn't help thinking about a poem that I have often retrned to because of its question at the end. Mary Oliver presses us to thin… Read More
2023-11-16 13:03
Our diocesan convention took place in Augusta, which for those who don't know the geography of this region is basically on the other end of the earth from Tallahassee. OK, not really...but i… Read More
2023-11-05 17:30
With all the bad news out there these days (and it has been really bad!) it felt to me that I needed to keep up with the theme of last week and remind us that we were not made to be destruct… Read More
2023-10-29 16:00
This has been another terrible week in the world. Not only are things escalating in the war between Israel and Hamas, I was shocked and deeply saddened when I opened Facebook about 9:30pm on… Read More
2023-10-26 02:56
Sermon
for 21A PentecostProper
24October
22, 2023 Last week, I was off at Virginia Theological Seminary to celebrate my alma mater's Bicenntenary. It was fun to visit with a few o… Read More
2023-10-09 02:50
This has been a hard week to get into writing a sermon based on the Gospel of Matthew. We just had our annual Fall Clergy Conference where I spent time getting ready for preaching the Gospel… Read More
2023-10-02 15:25
It's always a good reminder to the church that we are stronger together than when we pull apart. And yet human nature seems to always want us to get into competition with each other.&n&hell…Read More
2023-09-24 22:30
We’ve all heard the phrase “Knowledge is power.”
Teachers know this well.
People who enter the teaching profession don’t do it for the great
pay and certainly… Read More
2023-09-18 12:21
Really, this sermon is sort of a "Part Two" from last week's and it comes at a crucial time in my particular journey. I have been struggling for several years with how, or even if… Read More
2023-09-12 18:56
Sometimes, the Sunday lectionary grabs one by the throat and insists that you must not look away from the very difficult lesson. That's how I felt, anyway, when I saw what was on the d… Read More
2023-09-04 01:24
This has been a really tough week for the region. Hurricane Idalia sent me and my wife to a hotel for the night as we anticipated 100+ mile an hour winds in our city full of live oak trees… Read More
2023-09-02 20:28
My biggest disappointment this week was that I didn't have the story of Moses and the burning bush to work with since we're talking about "Who do you say that I am?"My second biggest disappo… Read More
2023-08-13 17:00
It seems perfect that the Sunday when I am preparing folks for our first bishop's visit since my ordination in January 2022, we have Matthew's tale of Jesus walking on water, and Peter tryin… Read More
2023-08-07 02:47
There's been a lot of heaviness in the news lately. The prior occupant of the White House has been indicted now for a third time, this one dealing with the very serious crime of attempting t… Read More
2023-07-31 20:30
It's not often that the Collect of the Day is what captures my imagination. But this one has a special place in my heart. I once quoted this one in an email to the embattled Bishop Gene Robi… Read More
2023-07-28 21:25
I've been getting a lot of good feedback on my sermons lately. It seems that people are finding the topics relatable and helpful for their day-to-day dealings, which is perfect. And I could… Read More
2023-07-20 03:10
It is heartening to have your Eucharistic Ministers tell you in the middle of the liturgy that your sermon touched them. And it's even better when you have a special program after the servic… Read More
2023-07-09 18:11
I'm tired. Even without having a single massage client this week, an intentional break that I established for myself due to some physical issues, I am still tired. It has been too hot...with… Read More
2023-07-05 00:54
Ever since I started as a deacon in Valdosta back in August 2021, I have been wanting the three Episcopal Churches in the city to find a way to come together and do some activities together… Read More
2023-07-03 14:53
After hearing from some last week that they were suprised that I spent the entire sermon on Hagar, I decided to make an effort to include the Gospel with the horrible story of the bind… Read More
2023-06-26 01:51
After two straight Sundays of Matthew 10, I decided I wanted to put my attention on another reading. And then I opened the First Reading text and saw it was the troubling story of Haga… Read More
2023-06-19 23:57
There were a few choices this week for what I could preach on, but in the end, it was the instructions about the disciples preparing to go out to the masses without a staff or two tuni… Read More
2023-06-12 11:16
I've been looking forward to the chance to celebrate our patron, St. Barnabas, at St. Barnabas for quite some time, and was delighted that his feast didn't fall on a Sunday such as Tri… Read More
2023-06-07 21:00
Today, I returned to my sending parish to preach and co-lead a memorial service for one of the nicest members of the parish who passed away right before I left for France. Linda Heffro… Read More
2023-06-07 19:46
Hello again! I've been away for two Sundays enjoying time in France. A post on that later. While I was there, it gave me time to rest, relax, and reconnect with nature. My wife's family… Read More
2023-05-14 16:00
I've had a really busy week, cramming in as many massage clients as my own body could stand. I'll be off from preaching for a couple of weeks, so won't have much new to post until Trin… Read More
2023-05-11 22:40
I was walking with a
colleague from the diocese of Georgia along the street in Jacksonville on our
way to an Evening Prayer service. We were attending the Episcopal Parish Network conference… Read More
2023-05-07 15:45
I had so many directions to choose from for this week's sermon and I was so tempted to dive into the First Reading from Acts 7 with the stoning death of Stephen. But I am accepting the limit… Read More
2023-04-24 17:18
This past week was yet-another sad and sorrowful time of shootings and state legislative attacks on the LGBTQ+ community of Florida. Now, apparently, going to the wrong house, getting… Read More
2023-04-19 12:02
Easter Sunday was so wonderful. I was feeling joy at seeing so many show up for the O'Dark Early Easter Vigil. We had a delightful breakfast and I had managed to do an honorable job of chant… Read More
2023-04-10 14:07
I find that the Easter Gospel text of the resurrection is the sermon. There's really not a whole lot else to say. But the expectation is there that I will, as a preacher, have to s… Read More
2023-04-10 13:32
I find the toughest thing about Holy Week preaching is to come up with words to match the story we're telling that don't sound as if I'm just repeating old tropes over and over. Writing four… Read More
2023-04-09 03:42
I knew it would have to happen some time. I was so committed to preaching on a reading from Hebrews in the Fourth chapter. I had so many good thoughts to share. And then I realized as t… Read More
2023-04-09 03:26
And so begins the Great Three Days... the Triduum... of Holy Week. Amazingly, I was able to get all four sermons done before Holy Saturday. What struck me as I wrote this one for Maundy… Read More
2023-04-05 13:49
Palm Sunday and Holy Week are difficult times in my interfaith household. My Jewish spouse is always irritated with the abundance of Jesus images that start showing up on TV. And she is part… Read More
2023-04-05 13:25
Well, I'm running way behind the proverbial eight ball in getting my sermons posted! My apologies if you are someone who is visiting this blog and reading the mashed up musings that come fro… Read More
2023-03-19 16:30
I keep promising myself that I am going to sit down and write a blog entry about some of the "things" that have been happening in my world this Lent which has made it a particularly "L… Read More
2023-03-12 20:55
I was away last week to do some of my continuing education hours as a massage therapist. And it was a fantastic experience to be back on the campus in Gainesville, Florida, and enjoying body… Read More
2023-02-26 17:30
Temptation is a fun topic for a sermon, and we always get the opportunity to preach on it at the start of Lent because we always begin the season with the story of Jesus being tempted… Read More
2023-02-26 03:37
A lot has been happening in my world which I will post about at a later time. For now, let's just stick to the transition into the Season of Lent. Too often, I have found that people (especi… Read More
2023-02-20 13:41
I have never been to the Holy Land. And, knowing most of my congregation, I could hazard a guess that most of them have never been to the Holy Land either. A number of my friends from s… Read More
2023-02-12 18:30
I have been seeing a lot of really bad behavior lately. The heckling during the State of the Union address last Tuesday was over-the-top. We have already had some one yell, "You l… Read More
2023-02-09 13:01
I was having a conumdrum with this sermon. I really wanted to get into the Isaiah reading, but I kept getting pulled back to the start of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. And like working aw… Read More
2023-01-29 19:11
This is the Sunday of my second Annual Meeting. But that's not the focus of my sermon. I always hated it when the rector would use the sermon time to basically deliver a "state of the church… Read More
2023-01-28 19:51
I was relieved to see that the Epistle lesson this week was from the start of the First Letter to the Corinithians. During a week in which I was leading a funeral for a parishioner who… Read More
2023-01-19 02:53
There are always a bunch of "firsts" in the life of a rookie priest. In these past two weeks, I've experienced several of them. It seems fitting that my companion on all of these firsts… Read More
2023-01-16 03:23
It felt as if there were several directions I could have gone with this sermon. But the line "What are you looking for?" wouldn't leave me alone. And, just to make it a little more fun, I di… Read More
2023-01-10 15:53
The First Sunday After Epiphany is often the Sunday when we get to celebrate a baptism. And, for the second year in a row, the baptism we celebrated at St. Barnabas was that of Jesus... but… Read More
2023-01-02 21:43
Just because the Gregorian calendar says it's a new year, our lectionary decided it wasn't going to provide a new Gospel. OK, so this time we heard verse 21 from the pericope out of Luke 2… Read More
2022-12-25 17:40
And now... Christmas Part II!Texts: Isaiah 62:6-12; Ps.97; Titus 3:4-7; Luke 2:8-20+++Good morning! And Merry Christmas! What a time to be marking this moment of God’s extraordin… Read More
2022-12-25 00:00
This is my first time ever celebrating Christmas as a priest. I'm a little nervous. I don't know who is coming to church, or if they will ever come back to church after tonight. And so all o… Read More
2022-12-19 03:46
When I sat down with the readings for this week, the discussion about Joseph and his experience of encountering God's messenger in a dream was the winner for my attention. I especially thoug… Read More
2022-12-11 18:46
photo Sandy Hook Elementary students evacuating/CNNI have such a long drive between my home in Tallahassee and St. Barnabas in Valdosta. The upside is that it gives me time to decompress and… Read More
2022-12-04 16:30
This is probably one of the toughest seasons of Advent that I've had in awhile. What I realized as I was preparing to get online with my Spiritual Director is that I am dealing with a great… Read More
2022-11-28 12:26
I have to admit: I am not ready for this being Advent. I mean, I am OK with a change in season and all, but I think the events of the world, the marking of the 44th anniversary of the assass… Read More
2022-11-21 16:08
Well, sheesh! The week we get an apopcalyptic Gospel lesson that sounds just horrible to our 21st Century ears is the same week that I had NO time to lock in and really prepare. We had… Read More
2022-11-21 15:52
I don't typically title my sermons when I write them, but I think this title works for the jist of what I am saying here. Last week was a rough week for me, physically. My insistence on bein… Read More
2022-11-07 22:07
Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicity By Anonymous - http://days.pravoslavie.ru/Images/ii2736&4000.htm, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20576321For all t… Read More
2022-11-02 01:33
I finally had that experience as a preacher where I started writing my sermon... and was nearly finished when I decided to chuck out the whole thing and start over. I just couldn't get to wh… Read More
2022-10-24 02:01
Tis the season for short tempers, at least for me. I had a blow up with some members of the parish over our pumpkin patch when they closed down sales on day two almost three hours early… Read More
2022-10-20 20:41
One of the nicest things about preparing for a sermon is when I pull one of my old "textbooks" off the shelf and take a little time to reacquaint myself with thoughts and concepts that have… Read More
2022-10-08 19:45
October!! The weather is finally turning cool enough in the early part of the day so that we can hold our Eucharistic service at our outside altar. Still, people have no idea how much work i… Read More
2022-09-29 15:26
I always find it helpful when I encounter a passage in Scripture for which I know I have already done exegetical research. And it was a joy to re-read that exegesis paper that I labore… Read More
2022-09-23 02:08
This past Sunday, September 18th, we celebrated the 40th Anniversary of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church. In that time, the church has seen many members come and go. And there have been m… Read More
2022-09-12 11:41
Sometimes, what you think you'll be preaching about ends up not coming to fruition. I had brought the parable of the lost sheep to our vestry meeting for Bible study a few weeks ago. I… Read More
2022-09-05 22:00
How fun to have Philemon appear in the lectionary! While I do reference a sentence from the Gospel lesson, I enjoyed tackling something other than the Gospel to talk about in a sermon. … Read More
2022-08-29 04:17
I've tried to vary the way I start my sermons in the hope that people will listen more and respond. Today, I told a story on myself which was the flattering tale of when I did something unus… Read More
2022-08-21 18:00
Homeless Jesus by Timothy SchmalzWhat a week. Many conversations and messages that all seem to point back to the theme I was picking up from the readings: humans do matter and are important… Read More
2022-08-16 00:24
What a week in American history! I touched upon just some of the craziness that was hitting the fan in this sermon, which seemed only right given that the readings were all about the di… Read More
2022-08-07 15:30
A wonderful thing happened last month that I think got lost in the shuffle of all the other ‘things’ happening in our lives. Amidst all the grim news of floods, fires, and polit… Read More
2022-08-01 02:57
I haven't posted anything more about the Lambeth Conference. I am waiting until they've dropped the metaphorical hanky before I say anything more. Needless to say, everything remains in flux… Read More
2022-07-25 17:55
*This is not one of my sermons but reflects my response to all-things Anglican. Read on...One of my favorite hymns in The Hymnal 1982 begins: Christ is made the sure foundation, Christ… Read More
2022-07-25 01:48
This passage from Luke, with a much more concise and shortened version of "The Lord's Prayer" seemed like a great opportunity to touch on a topic that always seems to come around: teaching p… Read More
2022-07-17 23:37
We're starting to hit those few moments in my very young priesthood that I am preaching on texts that I have actually preached before. I remember three years ago, I shared some of my researc… Read More
2022-07-10 16:00
Parable of the Good Samaritan by Vincent Van GoghI'm baaaaack!I've been out for two weeks thanks to the blasted COVID variant that is running rampant in the United States. Because I am a pri… Read More
2022-06-26 17:27
Well, COVID finally got me. I'd managed to avoid it for these past two-plus years. But Tallahassee is awash in new cases, and I know that I have had close personal contact with at least… Read More
2022-06-19 16:00
Another troubling week in the life of the United States. We had two more days of hearings with the House Select Committee investigating the insurrection of January 6, 2021. And the Epi… Read More
2022-06-13 02:21
I had a Zoom call with a couple of my friends from seminary. All of us are preaching this weekend. (OK, I preach every weekend, but that's beside the point). It was Wednesday evening… Read More
2022-06-05 18:43
Prayer: O God, take our minds and think through them, take our lips and speak through them, take our hearts and set them on fire for Jesus’ sake. Amen. (adapted from William Sloan… Read More
2022-05-29 21:25
Memorial to the Uvalde, TX, victims. Image from the BBC News.Another week, another mass shooting in America. And again, we, who are called to preach, must do what we can to reach the pe… Read More
2022-05-22 16:00
The murder of ten Black people last weekend in Buffalo, NY, has been dominating the news cycle. Listening to the voices of people who live on Buffalo's East Side has left me sad and an… Read More
2022-05-16 23:36
We are in some very dark and depressing times. Over the weekend, there were mass shootings in Buffalo, NY, and then later in Orange County, CA. In the Buffalo case, hatred of Blacks fu… Read More
2022-05-09 02:52
For the first Sunday in what feels like forever, I did not preach. I did not even attend a church service in-person or virtually. Instead, I was moving furniture, vacuuming and cle… Read More
2022-05-02 00:56
The conversion of Paul by Nicolas-Bernard Lepicie, circa 1767. I know: that's a VERY long title for this sermon, but it sums up nicely what I was endeavoring to say in this message. Thi… Read More
2022-04-24 20:00
I love St. Thomas...both my sending parish and the saint. I love that I was attending seminary being sent from a parish named for the one who wanted an experience of the risen Christ for him… Read More
2022-04-18 03:07
I was so slammed trying to get my sermons written. And it was really hard to wrap my mind around Easter when I was actually living in Maundy Thursday. The first draft of my sermon was… Read More
2022-04-18 02:24
I love the Great Vigil of Easter. I love the tracing of the history of salvation. I love the Exsultet. I love the first fire. And, as a priest, I love that it signals that I am almost to the… Read More
2022-04-18 01:46
Because the services of the Triduum are one very long continuous service, I chose not to pray before I started. Instead...I picked up on this one section of John's Passion Gospel. And… Read More
2022-04-18 00:06
This is my first time being in the role of priest for Holy Week. And serving a congregation 80 miles from home has meant that I needed to stay in Valdosta. I chose to write all my serm… Read More
2022-04-11 23:31
Here it comes: my first Holy Week as a priest. As I was sipping on my coffee in the pre-dawn hours of Sunday, a text came in from my seminary classmate, Mtr. Melina, wishing a slew of us all… Read More
2022-04-03 15:15
"You will always have the poor with you..."Interestingly, this phrase was in my head after I taught a class recently at St. Barnabas on the promises we make in the Baptismal Covenant. Specif… Read More
2022-03-28 03:00
There are probably endless ways to look at this story of the prodigal son. But my reading of it, and consideration of the text on this go-around with the story, led me to focus on the questi… Read More
2022-03-21 01:50
Monty Python's "The Comfy Chair" sketch with the Spanish Inquisition. We're roughly halfway through Lent, and the challenges presented by the news could very easily lead to the ha… Read More
2022-03-13 15:30
I don't know how anyone living in the world right now isn't walking around with a broken heart. There are people fleeing Ukraine...joining the ranks of so many others fleeing countries… Read More
2022-03-13 02:39
I had an impossible task. After having preached Ash Wednesday, I needed to have another sermon ready to go for Sunday. And then to make matters more complicated, I was heading to North… Read More
2022-03-02 23:30
There are some sermons that flow out of my brain and into my fingers on the computer keyboard pretty easily. This was not one of them. Between mourning the deaths of my godmother and a good… Read More
2022-02-27 17:00
It isn't easy to talk about the transfiguring power of Love when the world is embroiled in war with Russia's invasion of Ukraine. And we are reminded of the messed-up situations of extrajudi… Read More
2022-02-21 02:24
One of the many signs like this that dotted the landscape of the Capitol Hill neighborhood in Washington, DC, 2019. The Epiphany season's Gospel lessons are a bit like an onion: each we… Read More
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