“Silence can be a great gift. The silence of my porch on a summer evening. The silence of my morning prayer time. The silence of the church early on Sunday morning before the first service begins. In a world that is often too noisy, I yearn for these times of silence in which God feels very present.”

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. So begins the third chapter of the book of Ecclesiastes in the Hebrew Bible. I could describe this season of our life at St. Paul’s in many ways. This month, it seems most appropriate to say we are in a season of transition.”

“How can we possibly shout alleluia in the face of death? As we read in the Prayer Book: ‘The liturgy for the dead is an Easter liturgy. It finds all its meaning in the resurrection. Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we, too, shall be raised. The liturgy, therefore, is characterized by joy. … This joy, however, does not make human grief unchristian. The very love we have for each other in Christ brings deep sorrow when we are parted by death. … So, while we rejoice that one we love has entered into the nearer presence of our Lord, we sorrow in sympathy with those who mourn.’”

“What are you reading? Please let me know. I’m always happy to receive suggestions of books you find interesting, inspiring, intellectually stimulating and entertaining. “

“Sabbath is not about going to church. It’s about giving yourself time for rest and renewal. Admittedly, setting aside an entire day each week is probably too much for most of us. But how about a morning, afternoon, or evening? Or an hour? Thirty minutes? My Sabbath is Friday. It’s not an entire day of rest. But I do intentionally make time to read, bake and nap, activities I find renewing.”

“God invites us to take a road that includes suffering and struggle as well as joy and celebration. Sometimes the road is easy. Other times it requires more of us than we think it’s possible to give.”

“As we celebrate the founding of our nation this week, let us also give thanks for those who embraced ‘the happy occasion which was offered to them’ and established not only a church but also the principles that continue to guide us today.”

“Pursuing “righteousness, faith, love, and peace” and behaving “kindly to everyone” will not in and of themselves transform the world. But they can create social connections that break down the walls that so often divide and isolate us.”