“…I asked Chris what he had read recently that made a huge impact. ‘With Open Hands,’ he said immediately, ‘a book on prayer by Henri Nouwen…Nouwen writes that so many of us come at prayer with a clenched fist instead of an open hand. We want things, are asking for things, have an idea of exactly what we want God to do. But real prayer requires the unclenching of a closed fist – that we instead be open, silent, and receptive to God.’”

When you see Chris at church, please introduce yourself and congratulate him on taking his vows to the novitiate. He is a diamond in our midst.”

“I will always hold you in my heart. But it is of utmost importance that I establish clear boundaries which allow my successor to create healthy and loving pastoral relationships with you. As I said during my address at the annual meeting, just as I need to let go of you, so you need to let go of me.”

“Living in the middle understandably raises anxiety. It is so easy to focus on what we don’t know instead of what we do know. Which makes this a good time to remember that God is with us always, including in the middle. ‘Even there your hand will lead me, and your right hand hold me fast.’”

“The final countdown to retirement has begun. Four more Sundays. Three more weeks in the church office. Two more sermons to preach. One more Evensong to officiate. With a heart full of gratitude, I intend to cherish every moment.”

“…acts of compassion and mercy, Jesus says, are how God’s power is made known. And since this is Jesus’ calling and purpose, it also ours as his disciples.

Who do you worship? Whose light will you shine?”

“…we strive for justice but do so with open and welcoming hearts. As the prophet Micah reminds us, kindness and humility are necessarily linked to the work of justice. ‘What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?’ (Micah 6:8)”

“One way you can be a sign of God’s mercy and presence is by making a donation to the Wildfire Response Fund at Episcopal Relief and Development. Your donation will support not only the immediate needs in the region but also the ongoing work that will continue long after the fires are extinguished.”

“You and I can choose to live our faith each day in whatever opportunities God gives us to shine the light of Christ for those who most need it.”

“Whatever is going on in the world or in our lives, there are always blessings. What are the blessings in your life? For what are you thankful? Perhaps it is supportive family and friends or a warm place to call home. Perhaps it is the ability to get up each morning and live a new day or a bed to rest in after a tiring day. However large or small your blessings are, Thursday is an opportunity to name them and include them in a prayer of thanks to God.”

“…we often fail to see what is right in front of us. We take the present moment for granted instead of being ‘acutely aware’ of it. So, we miss the opportunity to rejoice in the beauty around us or to celebrate the relationship of the person we are with. Or we push away our grief from the loss we’re experiencing or the opportunity to care for the neighbor who is hurting. We miss the gifts of the season we’re in because we’re living too soon in the season to come.”

“We are not powerless. We are not subject to the capricious whims of gods or anyone else. We are created with the divine spark of goodness, a spark which fills us with the power of a loving and gracious God. This same God equips us and calls us to share God’s goodness with our neighbors and all of creation.”

‘“Inspired by sacred worship and Jesus’ call to love our neighbor, St. Paul’s welcomes and serves all with a commitment to justice, inclusion and generous hospitality.’ This is who we are. This is what we do. We are a people committed to sharing Christ’s love, creating community and striving for justice. People need Jesus’ compassion today. We are the people called to share it.”

“I invite you to pray these prayers with me from Friday, November 1 through the day after the election. Whatever our political differences may be, this is a way we can unite ourselves in faith.”

“…Words have power. They have the power to lift up or push down, to encourage or discourage, to include or exclude. Words can inspire us to love or to hate, to work for justice or to turn a blind eye to injustice. They can fill us with hope or fear, with courage or despair.”

“If you feel anxious about the upcoming election, you are not alone. In my conversations, some people seek comfort, wanting assurance that God is with them. Others seek direction, some way to channel their anxiety into positive action…”

"Bear witness to Christ in your life so others see a different way of being Christian. Follow St. Paul’s teaching to live by the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)"

How does our Christian faith influence our vote? How might scripture be a resource as we evaluate candidates and their policies? How do my values as a Christian inform my vote? Whatever happens in November and beyond, how can I be a person who bears the peace, grace, love and justice of Christ into the world? 

"How do you find balance in your life? If your life feels extroverted, how do you create time to rest and turn off the noise that infiltrates your life? Can you commit to a few minutes to pray? Can you give yourself permission to set aside the to-do list for a short nap or to read or take a walk? Can you put down the phone and social media for a few minutes to rejoice in the beauty of creation?"

"...when I stop trying to master it all, when I’m grateful for the life I have and accept God’s presence and love in it, I’m filled with the peace of Christ which settles my mind and spirit."