“…We may not be able to fix a problem or right an injustice. There may not be much we can do or accomplish (though we must keep trying!). Yet by the power of the Holy Spirit, we can always show up, incarnating Christ’s love, grace and compassion in the world.”

“…This makes me wonder about the acronym WWJD, “What would Jesus do?” I wonder if a different acronym would be more helpful. How about WWJW? “Who would Jesus be with?” The gospels make clear who this includes. The people on the edges, the excluded, the sick and dying, the sinners and outsiders, and, yes, the faithful religious people of his day. Jesus was with all of them. Doesn’t he call us to start the same way? “

“…the Bible tells us human beings have much more in common than our social and cultural biases lead us to believe. When the social constructs of race, gender and sexuality are the lens through which we see the world, we focus on what separates us. We see strangers. We perceive danger. We act with anxiety.

But what happens when we change the lens, when we see everyone as created in the image of God? We see companions and friends. We perceive security. We act with joy and compassion.”

“…Sabbath can be a season or a day or an hour or a few minutes. Will you take a vacation? Or commit to giving yourself one day without checking your email? Or invest a few minutes each morning in prayer and meditation? Or turn off your devices in the evening to listen to the sounds of God’s creation?”

“…Sacraments, the Catechism of The Book of Common Prayer tells us, “are outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual grace, given by Christ as sure and certain means by which we receive that grace.” In a sacrament, a divine gift is given and received. We are made new.”

“…we continue to discern how we will live as a people of faith, hope and love in the world. How will we strengthen our community as we seek to embody the grace, peace and mercy of Christ in all we are and all we do?”

“The Bible encourages us over and over again to be patient. ‘For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.’ (Romans 8:24-25) ‘Love is patient; love is kind.’ (1 Corinthians 13:4) ‘The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.’ (Galatians 5:22-23)…”

“One of the great challenges for organized religion is our tendency to look backwards. The eucharistic liturgy we practice, the creeds we recite, the scripture we read, much of the music we sing; it all comes from the past. This doesn’t make it bad. Indeed, much of it is very good. But focusing primarily on the past can influence us to prioritize continuity over opportunity, to seek safety instead of taking risks.”

“What might it mean for St. Paul’s if we think of ourselves not as a religious institution but as participants in God’s alternative society? Does it transform our ministry? Our mission? Our giving? Our relationships with our neighbors? If we understand ourselves not only as members of a church but also and most especially as stewards of a gift, how might this renew our community? How might it transform our impact?”