When I was a young child, I would sit next to my grandmother in church. We sat on the second pew on "the piano side" of the small country church, and I would look in her Bible case to get peppermint candy during the service--especially when the preacher went on...
Thanks to all who came to our Town Hall Zoom meeting last Thursday! The recording is now available for on demand viewing for those unable to attend. Please let us know if you have any questions!
During these last few months, I have had the chance to go back through my library and pick out titles to read. It is interesting which books stand out to me now, which ones seem to call out to be read during these days. One such work was a fascinating...
Feast of the Holy Cross This Sunday, September 13, we will observe our annual parish feast day: the Feast of the Holy Cross. Each year on this day we typically offer a time for folks to walk onto the chancel and view and touch a stone embedded in our altar....
Following the recent guidelines from the bishop’s office, I am happy to share that I will begin hosting prayer pilgrimages in the nave for small group, in-person gatherings! Each Tuesday and Thursday*, beginning September 15, I will be on hand in the nave for small groups of eight to gather...
Town Hall Meeting Please plan to join us for a special parish informational meeting on Thursday, September 10 at 6:30 PM. We will gather on Zoom for a time of presentation and information as we discuss this year's Stewardship ministry, formation updates, and communication platforms. We will also use the...
Welcome Back COG Children of Grace started school August 17 and the teachers are smiling ear to ear behind their masks! Our hearts have not been this full since March! The hallways and classrooms are once again full of happy noise and all the children have settled in to the...
When I was first ordained a priest, I served as curate at St. Benedict’s parish, in Smyrna. The parish was a new church start, brand new, from scratch. It was an incredible place. Still is. We met for the first two years or so in a middle school gymnasium while...
A Special Renewal of Baptismal Vows This coming Sunday, we will share in a special renewal of our baptismal vows during both the 9:00 AM Zoom service and the 10:45 AM live stream. I had this idea after spending time with the incredible text from Romans 12 that is appointed...
This fall, Cynthia will take her sabbatical break, and I wanted to write with a few key details as we prepare for this time. If you are not aware, the broader Episcopal Church strongly encourages clergy to take a three-month sabbatical break after six years of ministry. It is a...