The Story That
Changed Everything

#thatsmyking: a sermon for Christ the King sunday

https://youtu.be/Au_dzPaiPyg?si=nBp84p4M-7F0bW2e This is the last week of a season in the liturgical calendar that we call “ordinary time.” The Episcopal Church defines Ordinary...

jesus stands for stephen: a sermon on a reading from acts 7

The Reading: Acts 7:55-60 Filled with the Holy Spirit, Stephen gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see the...

finding home in the episcopal church

First, let me say that I'm grateful for my many years worshiping and serving in the non-denominational, charismatic church. But I think I've found home in the Episcopal Church....

which gender pronoun would you use for The Holy Spirit?

As I sit in my Systematic Theology class, a big question comes up. "Which gender pronoun should we use for the Holy Spirit?" Okay, so we're obviously going to take one some BIG...

ananias of damascus: a sermon on a reading from acts 9

The Reading: Acts 9:1-20 Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues...

how to study the Bible (the complete series)

When I stepped into my new role as Director of Family Ministries (and youth minister) at St. Edward's Episcopal Church, one of the biggest things on my heart was to ensure that...

rules for bible interpretation (youth ministry lessons)

Editorial Note: This post is part of how to study the Bible (the complete series). Bible interpretation is part science and part art. There are two phases that you'll go through....

a psalm of david, when he fled from absalom his son

I'll be honest. Just writing this stuff on how to lament is tough. I've gotten feedback as I share on this topic that some people just can't relate. Some prefer to focus on the...

lament: a perspective on sadness in the bible

Wanna know something that drives me crazy? Happiness. Not all happiness. I’m very pro-happiness. I just don’t like fake happiness. You know, the kind people show you at church...

Jesus is like topsoil [4 thoughts about our relationship with Christ]

I'm a sucker for a good simile. Especially ones that help me understand my faith. Statements like, "Jesus is like a [blank]," help us to understand various characteristics of his...

9 songs that inspire my christian faith

"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything." -- Plato These are some insightful words from Plato. And he had never...

the #codexinstagramus initiative: a bible photography project

What if you could only use pictures to tell the story of the Gospel? I've been thinking a great deal about Luke, the writer of his Gospel and the Book of Acts. The influence of...

carrying christmas

My husband and I will celebrate our 42nd wedding anniversary on Wednesday. On Friday, I'll remove my diamond rings. Not to worry, though. It's only temporary. I've had my flu...

three musicians you should know

I'm trying to come down from a Frio River high after four days at Laity Lodge in the Hill Country of Texas with members of The High Calling. On second thought, I don't want to...

3 things i’m learning from being on church staff

The first eight months have gone by really fast. And in that (short) time, I've been learning a lot in my first job being on church staff. I've done a lot over the years in a...

caring for the sick [an #activistfaith guide to the pandemic]

When you're in the midst of a global pandemic, caring for the sick isn't likely the first thing on your mind. Most of us are thinking about our own survival, whether it's with...

how to be life-giving through gifts-based ministry

Note: The article Life-Giving through Gifts-Based Ministry was originally written for a series called "What My Church Does Well" for The High Calling (now at Theology of Work...

a pregnancy of the heart (our story of saying “yes” to #adoption)

She loves to be tickled. When most kids would squirm and ask you to stop, my one-and-a-half-year-old daughter giggles, “Tickle, Daddy!” as if she wants more. I love those moments...

the #activistfaith voter guide to the presidential elections

I'm pretty much over the drama with the current election cycle. Is it just me, or are the presidential elections getting to be more hateful and divisive? And it doesn't stop with...

after three years in jail, this guy has an (awesome) dream for his community

Overcoming the impacts of poverty requires the breaking of cycles. And that's exactly what Alexis Quintero is doing. He runs a store in his community in Casco Viejo, Panama where...

how get #elfontheshelf to preach it!

Like many other families, the Christmas stuff comes out and get set up almost immediately after Thanksgiving. We get the artificial tree out, light up the festive candles,...