Height and Depth of Liturgical Prayer

Height and Depth of Liturgical Prayer

My father was a pastor in a very non-liturgical church. In fact, I would call it anti-liturgical in many ways. We would stand to pray, not kneel. Communion was grape juice, not wine. And sermons were long and pedantic, not pithy and pointed. There was a choir, but the...
Joy to the World

Joy to the World

In 1991 the Soviet Union, rightly called an “Evil Empire” by President Reagan, dissolved without a shot being fired. The collapse of the USSR remains the most remarkable, unexpected and utterly amazing event of my life. But now I often think about the fact that a...
4 Questions to Ask Ourselves as We Prepare for Advent

4 Questions to Ask Ourselves as We Prepare for Advent

Advent is not something we hear much about outside of church – or even outside of liturgical churches. If you asked a retailer when the “Christmas season” begins, they would probably say the beginning of November. In our faith tradition, the Christmas season does not...
Thanksgiving at St. Michael’s

Thanksgiving at St. Michael’s

O give thanks unto the Lord, and call upon his Name, tell the people what things he hath done. The Book of Common Prayer Morning Prayer, Rite Onefor Occasions of Thanksgiving (40) On All Saints’ Day, and for other major Saints’ days, we open service with these...
Saints, Feasting, and the Kingdom of God

Saints, Feasting, and the Kingdom of God

Feasting with Saints in the Kingdom of God In the Apostles’ Creed we recite that we believe in the communion of saints. The communion of saints includes us! For Anglicans “all baptized Christians are saints” (Price and Weil Liturgy for Living 240). Yet we...
Faith Delivered to the Saints

Faith Delivered to the Saints

During the past thirteen years I’ve served as a full-time staff member, part-time staff member, and retired associate priest. However, my coveted title has been “Priest Not In Charge”. In fact, I now like to think of myself as “Priest Not In Charge Emeritus”. But...