The Final Final
May 2, 2024
My son Ethan has taken his final final – it is his last exam to achieve his undergraduate degree. Prior to this week, I gave him some advice. I did not savor my final final. During the exam, it dawned on me that this was it. There are no other exams, or tests, or papers due. A weird feeling stirred in my stomach – both joy and grief, hopeful expectation, and as if I was falling off a cliff. I asked Ethan to take time this week to ponder his entire educational career. And, as such, I am doing that now.
Ethan’s first teacher was Ms. Cathy at Head Start at Christ Episcopal Church, Alameda California. An inspiring woman of African descent who loved all her students as if they were her own children, who had strict rules to follow, and a heart big enough to swallow up the entire city block. She put Ethan on the right path for inquisitive learning, knowledge, and care for others. After graduation from seminary, we were called back to our home diocese. He enrolled in the Lutheran Academy of the Master in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. As a “LAM” they taught extensively about Jesus our great shepherd. Again, he had a fantastic teacher who gave the children a thirst for knowledge and a caring heart for those around them.
When the Spirit called, we moved to the San Diego area during his kindergarten year. He enrolled in a public school; it was a difficult environment for him. It wasn’t clicking the way Head Start and LAM did. I shared this with my bishop. That conversation led me to accept his invitation to lead and serve at Saint John’s Episcopal Church and School (pre-k through 8th grade). Although this was by far the hardest pastoral assignment I had received, it was the best academic environment for Ethan. Starting in 4th grade, Christi and I watched him come out of his shell. Episcopal education is special and so were his teachers. They challenged, encouraged, pushed, and rewarded him. He was the salutatorian at his 8th grade graduation. From there he attended a Roman Catholic High School and continued to excel.
Halfway through his sophomore year, the Spirit called again – this time to southwest Florida. He said goodbye to his San Diego friends and started the spring semester at Bradenton Christian School. He remarked that the teaching style from a Catholic school to BCS was substantially different, but he excelled with the diversity of style. At BCS, four years ago, he met Mackenzie, his soon-to-be wife. During his time at BCS, the world struggled through a global pandemic. Yet, Ethan found that he could thrive in an online environment. After graduating with honors, he started his freshman year at the University of South Florida at the Sarasota campus. Over the last three years, Ethan has taken classes at all three USF campuses. They say one’s GPA normally drops a full point in college. Ethan’s has not. In fact, from my perspective, many of his classes seemed easy when compared to his rigorous High School experience. One thing Christi and I observed was that Ethan was way ahead of many of his classmates when it came to academic preparation and performance.
I have felt guilty for moving-with-ministry because it interrupted his academic life. Yet, as I reflect on his final final, I can see that he has learned how to adapt to changing scholastic situations. Moving from one USF campus to another did not faze him. As you can imagine, I am more proud of him than I am able to express. I am thankful for Ms. Cathy and all of his teachers who have helped him along his journey. This is probably not his last final in academia. But it is a life-changing, permanent step that he has taken. I thank God that I have the privilege of walking with this amazing man and calling him my son who has taught me about love, connection, and has given me a thirst for knowledge and helping others.
- Rev. Dave
Ethan’s first teacher was Ms. Cathy at Head Start at Christ Episcopal Church, Alameda California. An inspiring woman of African descent who loved all her students as if they were her own children, who had strict rules to follow, and a heart big enough to swallow up the entire city block. She put Ethan on the right path for inquisitive learning, knowledge, and care for others. After graduation from seminary, we were called back to our home diocese. He enrolled in the Lutheran Academy of the Master in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. As a “LAM” they taught extensively about Jesus our great shepherd. Again, he had a fantastic teacher who gave the children a thirst for knowledge and a caring heart for those around them.
When the Spirit called, we moved to the San Diego area during his kindergarten year. He enrolled in a public school; it was a difficult environment for him. It wasn’t clicking the way Head Start and LAM did. I shared this with my bishop. That conversation led me to accept his invitation to lead and serve at Saint John’s Episcopal Church and School (pre-k through 8th grade). Although this was by far the hardest pastoral assignment I had received, it was the best academic environment for Ethan. Starting in 4th grade, Christi and I watched him come out of his shell. Episcopal education is special and so were his teachers. They challenged, encouraged, pushed, and rewarded him. He was the salutatorian at his 8th grade graduation. From there he attended a Roman Catholic High School and continued to excel.
Halfway through his sophomore year, the Spirit called again – this time to southwest Florida. He said goodbye to his San Diego friends and started the spring semester at Bradenton Christian School. He remarked that the teaching style from a Catholic school to BCS was substantially different, but he excelled with the diversity of style. At BCS, four years ago, he met Mackenzie, his soon-to-be wife. During his time at BCS, the world struggled through a global pandemic. Yet, Ethan found that he could thrive in an online environment. After graduating with honors, he started his freshman year at the University of South Florida at the Sarasota campus. Over the last three years, Ethan has taken classes at all three USF campuses. They say one’s GPA normally drops a full point in college. Ethan’s has not. In fact, from my perspective, many of his classes seemed easy when compared to his rigorous High School experience. One thing Christi and I observed was that Ethan was way ahead of many of his classmates when it came to academic preparation and performance.
I have felt guilty for moving-with-ministry because it interrupted his academic life. Yet, as I reflect on his final final, I can see that he has learned how to adapt to changing scholastic situations. Moving from one USF campus to another did not faze him. As you can imagine, I am more proud of him than I am able to express. I am thankful for Ms. Cathy and all of his teachers who have helped him along his journey. This is probably not his last final in academia. But it is a life-changing, permanent step that he has taken. I thank God that I have the privilege of walking with this amazing man and calling him my son who has taught me about love, connection, and has given me a thirst for knowledge and helping others.
- Rev. Dave
Thanks to Karen
April 25, 2024
I met Karen Hensel in the parking lot of All Angels in April 2020. She was in the driver’s seat of her silver Honda SUV and her husband was next to her. They were driving around on Sunday morning to see what the pandemic lockdown had done to the island. When they drove by the church, they saw people outside sitting in lawn chairs participating in the service that was being broadcast on loudspeakers. They pulled up and listened. The next week, she was greeted by Debi, one of our ushers, who passed them a bulletin through their open window using our pool sweep basket (to keep distant). As the year went on, we became more sophisticated – eventually live-streaming on YouTube. Each week, Karen and her husband faithfully attended, remotely.
Two years ago, she asked if I could meet her at the hospital. Her husband was on a breathing machine (non-Covid related) and it was time to say goodbye. We participated in Last Rites, and then they disconnected the machine. A few months later, she attended All Angels in person, via her walker (some of you may remember Karen), but she found it was better for her to participate at home.
Some of you know that I attend a weekly business networking group called BNI. There are many reasons why a priest would participate in a networking group, but the main one for me is thanks to Karen. At one point, she needed computer help. There was a local guy who had been by the church a couple times to market his in-person IT business for seniors, so I passed his card to Karen. Unfortunately, it was not a good fit for her. That showed me I need to have a strong network of business professionals to be able to make good referrals. Shortly after that, my friend, and parishioner, Tryla, invited me to BNI and the rest is history – thanks to Karen.
Six months later, Karen passed away. I was contacted by her estate attorney because All Angels was named as a beneficiary in her will. This week, we deposited a large check from her estate. Our finance committee will review our capital needs and make recommendations to the Vestry. My gut feeling, however, is that we are going to use a portion of it to improve the campus; perhaps resurfacing the parking lot and upgrading our live-streaming system; and the rest will go into the endowment for growth and future use. I feel that way because the parking lot and our A/V system is what Karen depended on to receive the good news about the living Christ. I think she’d approve.
The early Church (before the Gospels were written down) went through persecution. As a result, they met in the homes of wealthy widows. Without these faithful and brave women, the Church today would be dramatically smaller. If you have ever wondered why we use a silver plate and chalice for communion, it is to remind us of the widows who opened their home to the Church and used their finest serving ware for the Holy Eucharist. The Church went through a hard time in the pandemic lockdown. Yet, just like in the early Church, faithful and brave people stepped forward and continued the tradition of offering peace and community in the name of Jesus.
I don’t think Karen would consider herself a wealthy widow, but she certainly opened her heart to the mission and ministry of All Angels which is to bring the living Christ to those inside and outside the church. She has left a substantial sum for us to invest for the future and to improve our campus today. She has joined a long tradition of people who have given to the Church of the future by remembering All Angels today in their will. I look forward to the improvements that are coming, and I will be sure to give thanks to God, and thanks to Karen too.
- Rev. Dave
Two years ago, she asked if I could meet her at the hospital. Her husband was on a breathing machine (non-Covid related) and it was time to say goodbye. We participated in Last Rites, and then they disconnected the machine. A few months later, she attended All Angels in person, via her walker (some of you may remember Karen), but she found it was better for her to participate at home.
Some of you know that I attend a weekly business networking group called BNI. There are many reasons why a priest would participate in a networking group, but the main one for me is thanks to Karen. At one point, she needed computer help. There was a local guy who had been by the church a couple times to market his in-person IT business for seniors, so I passed his card to Karen. Unfortunately, it was not a good fit for her. That showed me I need to have a strong network of business professionals to be able to make good referrals. Shortly after that, my friend, and parishioner, Tryla, invited me to BNI and the rest is history – thanks to Karen.
Six months later, Karen passed away. I was contacted by her estate attorney because All Angels was named as a beneficiary in her will. This week, we deposited a large check from her estate. Our finance committee will review our capital needs and make recommendations to the Vestry. My gut feeling, however, is that we are going to use a portion of it to improve the campus; perhaps resurfacing the parking lot and upgrading our live-streaming system; and the rest will go into the endowment for growth and future use. I feel that way because the parking lot and our A/V system is what Karen depended on to receive the good news about the living Christ. I think she’d approve.
The early Church (before the Gospels were written down) went through persecution. As a result, they met in the homes of wealthy widows. Without these faithful and brave women, the Church today would be dramatically smaller. If you have ever wondered why we use a silver plate and chalice for communion, it is to remind us of the widows who opened their home to the Church and used their finest serving ware for the Holy Eucharist. The Church went through a hard time in the pandemic lockdown. Yet, just like in the early Church, faithful and brave people stepped forward and continued the tradition of offering peace and community in the name of Jesus.
I don’t think Karen would consider herself a wealthy widow, but she certainly opened her heart to the mission and ministry of All Angels which is to bring the living Christ to those inside and outside the church. She has left a substantial sum for us to invest for the future and to improve our campus today. She has joined a long tradition of people who have given to the Church of the future by remembering All Angels today in their will. I look forward to the improvements that are coming, and I will be sure to give thanks to God, and thanks to Karen too.
- Rev. Dave
Metron
April 18, 2024
I am excited for my friend Alex. He is the new Rector of St. John The Divine in Sun City Center (near Ruskin and Apollo Beach on the east side of Tampa Bay). Back when I was introduced to the diocese, Alex was the first clergy person to ask me out to lunch. We became fast friends and, flash-forward five years, we are now in Season 2 of our podcast, A Bridge Between with Alex and Dave (available on iTunes, Spotify and YouTube). I have walked with him during his time of transition – being called from Rector of a smaller parish in St. Petersburg to the larger St. John’s. He has asked me to preach at his installation service coming up on May 2nd. I am thrilled to do so.
The lessons Alex has chosen for his installation service – and the ones I will be preaching on – include a reading from the Letter to the Ephesians where the author, presumably St. Paul, writes about the gifts that God gives each person: some are apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry. As you would expect, I read the passage in Paul’s original language of Greek. There is a word in it that I’d like to share with you. The word is “metron”. It’s a fun word to say. But, there is a lot more to it than what we see at first glance. In English, metron is a description of a major city or a subway (metro); it is a device used by musicians to give time to music; and it is a repeating section, 3 to 6 syllables long, of a poetic meter. How can English have these three different definitions of the same word? In Greek, the primary use of “metron” is in measurement. We can measure a great number of things – the size of a city, of a transportation system, of music and of written word. It can all be metron-ized if you will.
Metron popped out at me because it was repeated; but, it had two entirely different English words – measure and properly. Yes, you are reading that right, metron is written in one sentence as “measure” and another sentence as “properly”. Here is the first sentence from chapter 4, verse 13: to the measure of the full stature of Christ. The second sentence from verse 16: as each part is working properly promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.
How can this be? Verse 13 – metron – according to my Greek dictionary, is described this way: “the required measure, the due, fit, measure.” Verse 16 – metron – is this: “in proportion to measure.” One is required measure, the other is measure-in-proportion. What does this mean in our life of faith?
You may have heard the phrase, “all fall short of the glory of God.” In comparison to that, we are to measure [metron] our lives with living into the full stature of Christ. That’s the goal, or, in this case, the measurement. At a funeral of a notoriously sinful person, the preacher said, “All fall short of the glory of God; the deceased fell shorter than most of the full measure of Christ.” That’s metron in action.
The second use of metron, in verse 16, I find particularly valuable. It harkens back to the Greek philosophical question of can love be measured? Love can be felt, received and given, but is love measurable? And, once one measures love, does it disappear? Perhaps in response to those questions, Paul is asserting that although love is without measurement, when people are working together in faith, in proportion [metron] love grows.
Alex and his family are feeling proportional love from their new parish home. It warms my heart and reminds me of the love the Marshall family has felt, is feeling, and will feel at All Angels. When people are working together in faith, in metron, love grows as a result.
- Rev. Dave
The lessons Alex has chosen for his installation service – and the ones I will be preaching on – include a reading from the Letter to the Ephesians where the author, presumably St. Paul, writes about the gifts that God gives each person: some are apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry. As you would expect, I read the passage in Paul’s original language of Greek. There is a word in it that I’d like to share with you. The word is “metron”. It’s a fun word to say. But, there is a lot more to it than what we see at first glance. In English, metron is a description of a major city or a subway (metro); it is a device used by musicians to give time to music; and it is a repeating section, 3 to 6 syllables long, of a poetic meter. How can English have these three different definitions of the same word? In Greek, the primary use of “metron” is in measurement. We can measure a great number of things – the size of a city, of a transportation system, of music and of written word. It can all be metron-ized if you will.
Metron popped out at me because it was repeated; but, it had two entirely different English words – measure and properly. Yes, you are reading that right, metron is written in one sentence as “measure” and another sentence as “properly”. Here is the first sentence from chapter 4, verse 13: to the measure of the full stature of Christ. The second sentence from verse 16: as each part is working properly promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.
How can this be? Verse 13 – metron – according to my Greek dictionary, is described this way: “the required measure, the due, fit, measure.” Verse 16 – metron – is this: “in proportion to measure.” One is required measure, the other is measure-in-proportion. What does this mean in our life of faith?
You may have heard the phrase, “all fall short of the glory of God.” In comparison to that, we are to measure [metron] our lives with living into the full stature of Christ. That’s the goal, or, in this case, the measurement. At a funeral of a notoriously sinful person, the preacher said, “All fall short of the glory of God; the deceased fell shorter than most of the full measure of Christ.” That’s metron in action.
The second use of metron, in verse 16, I find particularly valuable. It harkens back to the Greek philosophical question of can love be measured? Love can be felt, received and given, but is love measurable? And, once one measures love, does it disappear? Perhaps in response to those questions, Paul is asserting that although love is without measurement, when people are working together in faith, in proportion [metron] love grows.
Alex and his family are feeling proportional love from their new parish home. It warms my heart and reminds me of the love the Marshall family has felt, is feeling, and will feel at All Angels. When people are working together in faith, in metron, love grows as a result.
- Rev. Dave
First John
April 11, 2024
This Sunday we are reading from the First Letter of John. I love this letter because it got me interested in studying Greek. I want to tell you about that but first we have to start with the basics – who is John and what is his First Letter.
John is most likely the Apostle John – the one whom Jesus loved, the youngest, the one who outran Peter to see the empty tomb, the one to whom Jesus said from the cross, “John, this is your mother [Mary],” and, “Mom, this is your son [John].” It is believed that the author John also wrote the Gospel attributed with his name. And some people (like me) believe he was exiled on the Island of Patmos where he had the vision which was written down as The Book of Revelation. In other words, John is one of the most influential and important of all the Apostles.
Many believe his letter was one of the first written Christian documents. It is not addressed to any particular congregation or region but rather the entire assembly or gathering of the followers of Christ. It is written in an easy-to-read version of Greek. There are even a couple of grammatical mistakes which have been carried forward for centuries. Clearly, the letter is written by someone who has taken Greek as a second language. More on that in a moment.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, John is passing along a message that is timeless. He is writing about the things that he has seen, heard, touched and understood as the Word of Life. It is a first-person account of Jesus in the flesh as the Logos (Word). Secondly, he is issuing a warning: there are detractors of the faith who he calls “anti-Christs” which should be taken literally – as people who are the opposite of Christ – and not demonically. Third, he is writing with hope – we are loved so much that we are called God’s children. The world did not “see” Christ so they therefore cannot “see” us. But, keep this hope: we are seen by God, loved by God and we are God’s own.
John’s First Letter is used by seminaries to teach the basics of understanding Greek. After a couple of months of doing a graduate level study of his letter, I distinctly remember holding the Greek New Testament version, in an easy chair with the soft afternoon California light shining on my lap, and just reading it. No translation needed. I read word by word. And then something miraculous happened: I understood it! I “saw” what John himself was writing. I grasped it. I was holding onto the Word that he himself held. That spark of the Word of Life has remained with me to this day.
John wrote about what he saw and touched and heard. He was compelled to write; just like I am compelled to write. And what a gift he has given us – a simple written expression about the miraculousness of God in the flesh that he knows. This written testimony may have been what caused him to be arrested and placed in exile on the Island of Patmos. But, he had to do it. I am thankful that he did. And so is the Episcopal Church. The number one name for an Episcopal Church is “Christ” with 527 churches bearing that name. The second is St. John with 524 churches bearing his name. Number three is Trinity at 520 churches.
John wrote about what he saw and touched. He also gave the early Christians this two-fold warning: there are some who did not see Jesus who therefore cannot see us; and there are people in the world who are the exact opposite of him. But, do not lose heart. Remember that God so loved the world that he sent Jesus, his only son, to redeem it. Remember that you are loved by God. Remember that you are a child of God. And even when things look dim, the light that shines through Christ shines in you and will illuminate the whole world.
- Rev. Dave
John is most likely the Apostle John – the one whom Jesus loved, the youngest, the one who outran Peter to see the empty tomb, the one to whom Jesus said from the cross, “John, this is your mother [Mary],” and, “Mom, this is your son [John].” It is believed that the author John also wrote the Gospel attributed with his name. And some people (like me) believe he was exiled on the Island of Patmos where he had the vision which was written down as The Book of Revelation. In other words, John is one of the most influential and important of all the Apostles.
Many believe his letter was one of the first written Christian documents. It is not addressed to any particular congregation or region but rather the entire assembly or gathering of the followers of Christ. It is written in an easy-to-read version of Greek. There are even a couple of grammatical mistakes which have been carried forward for centuries. Clearly, the letter is written by someone who has taken Greek as a second language. More on that in a moment.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, John is passing along a message that is timeless. He is writing about the things that he has seen, heard, touched and understood as the Word of Life. It is a first-person account of Jesus in the flesh as the Logos (Word). Secondly, he is issuing a warning: there are detractors of the faith who he calls “anti-Christs” which should be taken literally – as people who are the opposite of Christ – and not demonically. Third, he is writing with hope – we are loved so much that we are called God’s children. The world did not “see” Christ so they therefore cannot “see” us. But, keep this hope: we are seen by God, loved by God and we are God’s own.
John’s First Letter is used by seminaries to teach the basics of understanding Greek. After a couple of months of doing a graduate level study of his letter, I distinctly remember holding the Greek New Testament version, in an easy chair with the soft afternoon California light shining on my lap, and just reading it. No translation needed. I read word by word. And then something miraculous happened: I understood it! I “saw” what John himself was writing. I grasped it. I was holding onto the Word that he himself held. That spark of the Word of Life has remained with me to this day.
John wrote about what he saw and touched and heard. He was compelled to write; just like I am compelled to write. And what a gift he has given us – a simple written expression about the miraculousness of God in the flesh that he knows. This written testimony may have been what caused him to be arrested and placed in exile on the Island of Patmos. But, he had to do it. I am thankful that he did. And so is the Episcopal Church. The number one name for an Episcopal Church is “Christ” with 527 churches bearing that name. The second is St. John with 524 churches bearing his name. Number three is Trinity at 520 churches.
John wrote about what he saw and touched. He also gave the early Christians this two-fold warning: there are some who did not see Jesus who therefore cannot see us; and there are people in the world who are the exact opposite of him. But, do not lose heart. Remember that God so loved the world that he sent Jesus, his only son, to redeem it. Remember that you are loved by God. Remember that you are a child of God. And even when things look dim, the light that shines through Christ shines in you and will illuminate the whole world.
- Rev. Dave
Solomon's Gift
April 4, 2024
Heidi Haverkamp in her article, The Wisdom of Not Knowing, wrote, “An infinite, all-inclusive buffet for the mind is now spread before us online. We can find out just about anything we have ever wondered about, at any time, and at almost any place on earth.” This was our discussion group article and to start the conversation, I read from the Bible about the young King Solomon (who took over from his dad, King David). In a dream, God asked Solomon what he wished for. The response: Please give your servant a discerning mind in order to distinguish good from evil, because no one is able to govern without your help. God granted him a discerning mind and now Solomon is known for his wisdom.
Discernment is different than knowledge. While it is probably true that we live in an infinite, all-inclusive buffet for the mind, it won’t give us wisdom or discernment – especially knowing good from evil. If anything, that buffet-for-the-mind makes discerning good from evil all the more difficult.
A parishioner on Tuesday responded to a popup on her computer from Microsoft. It said that her computer was vulnerable to attacks. She called the phone number on the screen and a helpful person answered almost immediately. He asked for permission to take over her computer. Once it was granted, he discovered that she had been hacked. When he asked for her home address and information off her credit cards, she backed away from the conversation. Thankfully, at the same time, the internet on Longboat Key went dead – it was a helpful coincidence. After the encounter, she asked me if I thought it was legitimate. I did this Google search: “Does Microsoft alert me if I have been hacked?” The answer: No, that’s a fake so-called Tech Support scam. Real error messages from Microsoft, or other big tech companies, never include phone numbers.
One of my neighbors is a skilled tradesman from a family of law enforcement in New Jersey. The other day, he asked if I received a phone call from the power company about changing out our meters. I had not and asked what happened. He said he was out on a job, ankle deep in hydraulic fluid, and his phone rang. Thinking it was his boss, he answered it and it was “the power company”; they were at his house and needed to reset the meter so they could install a new one. They asked him to verify information. He did, and even gave them his social security number. I said, “You did what?!” He dropped his head, said some unpublishable words, and then walked inside to make some phone calls to his bank and other institutions. I’m telling you this because if the scam happened to him, it can happen to any of us.
The most common crime you’ll encounter is white collar. At the same time, it is becoming more and more difficult to distinguish good from evil. This means we need to be wise, like Solomon, and ask for a discerning mind to help us navigate this all-inclusive buffet for the mind.
I will never send you an email, a text, or a voice mail that asks for money or gift cards. At the same time, All Angels asks for contributions because we depend completely upon the generosity from our congregants and friends of the church. If at any time you think you may have received something from us, but you are not sure, please (please please) ask. Also, remember these two things: 1) Good will remain; evil is impatient. If there is someone at your electric meter, he’ll wait while you verify. Evil, on the other hand, will not wait for you to verify, it’ll move on to the next potential victim. 2) Wisdom and discernment happen when two or three are gathered together. If at any time, you receive a popup, a text, an email, a phone call and are wondering if it is good or evil, be sure to ask someone else.
- Rev. Dave
Discernment is different than knowledge. While it is probably true that we live in an infinite, all-inclusive buffet for the mind, it won’t give us wisdom or discernment – especially knowing good from evil. If anything, that buffet-for-the-mind makes discerning good from evil all the more difficult.
A parishioner on Tuesday responded to a popup on her computer from Microsoft. It said that her computer was vulnerable to attacks. She called the phone number on the screen and a helpful person answered almost immediately. He asked for permission to take over her computer. Once it was granted, he discovered that she had been hacked. When he asked for her home address and information off her credit cards, she backed away from the conversation. Thankfully, at the same time, the internet on Longboat Key went dead – it was a helpful coincidence. After the encounter, she asked me if I thought it was legitimate. I did this Google search: “Does Microsoft alert me if I have been hacked?” The answer: No, that’s a fake so-called Tech Support scam. Real error messages from Microsoft, or other big tech companies, never include phone numbers.
One of my neighbors is a skilled tradesman from a family of law enforcement in New Jersey. The other day, he asked if I received a phone call from the power company about changing out our meters. I had not and asked what happened. He said he was out on a job, ankle deep in hydraulic fluid, and his phone rang. Thinking it was his boss, he answered it and it was “the power company”; they were at his house and needed to reset the meter so they could install a new one. They asked him to verify information. He did, and even gave them his social security number. I said, “You did what?!” He dropped his head, said some unpublishable words, and then walked inside to make some phone calls to his bank and other institutions. I’m telling you this because if the scam happened to him, it can happen to any of us.
The most common crime you’ll encounter is white collar. At the same time, it is becoming more and more difficult to distinguish good from evil. This means we need to be wise, like Solomon, and ask for a discerning mind to help us navigate this all-inclusive buffet for the mind.
I will never send you an email, a text, or a voice mail that asks for money or gift cards. At the same time, All Angels asks for contributions because we depend completely upon the generosity from our congregants and friends of the church. If at any time you think you may have received something from us, but you are not sure, please (please please) ask. Also, remember these two things: 1) Good will remain; evil is impatient. If there is someone at your electric meter, he’ll wait while you verify. Evil, on the other hand, will not wait for you to verify, it’ll move on to the next potential victim. 2) Wisdom and discernment happen when two or three are gathered together. If at any time, you receive a popup, a text, an email, a phone call and are wondering if it is good or evil, be sure to ask someone else.
- Rev. Dave
Swallowing Up Death Forever
March 28, 2024
On this mountain, the Lord will prepare for all peoples a rich feast and choice wines. He will swallow up death forever. The Lord God will wipe tears from all faces; the Lord has spoken. – Isaiah 25:6-8
The first lesson for Easter Sunday is from Chapter 25 of Isaiah from the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament). This is a popular reading for funerals and yet here it shows up on Easter Sunday too. I’d like to walk you through why it is good news for both funerals and Easter.
On this mountain. The first mention of a mountain in the Bible is during Noah’s flood. The water rose above the mountains and, as the water receded, the Ark rested on one. The second reference was when Abraham was told to go sacrifice his son Isaac (on a mountain; and, thankfully, God stopped him from going through with it). The burning bush Moses saw was on a mountain. The Ten Commandments were given on a mountain. The Promised Land is outlined by mountains. If you have been to Jerusalem, you will know it’s on top of a mountain. In the New Testament, mountains play an important role including the Transfiguration (when Jesus’ clothes turned dazzling white), the Sermon on the Mount, and when Jesus ascended to heaven, his disciples were on a mountain. In other words, mountains are places of transformation where, metaphorically speaking, heaven and earth touch. Isaiah’s “On this mountain” highlights a time of great transformation.
All peoples. “All” in Hebrew is the same in English, it means all. “Peoples” means the different groups, tribes, languages, ethnicities of the world. “All” is an intentionally repeating word in this passage – all faces, all people, all the earth. In other words, no one is left out.
A great feast. The food and wine, as described in detail in Hebrew, take a long time to prepare. Likewise, it takes a long time to eat. This passage is why we believe in heaven there is a great feast for all people.
Swallow up death forever. Most likely an intentional play on words; while all people are eating and drinking (swallowing) what is God eating? The answer: death. When: forever.
Wipe tears from all faces. God is the Feast Preparer, the Inviter of all people, the Swallower of Death, and God is the Great Comforter. Wiping away tears is an intimate, individualistic act. Probably an intentional play on words, the text switches from “all people” to the eyes of each individual. As a loving, compassionate parent wipes away tears from the face of a crying child, so too will God do with you.
The Lord has spoken. A trivia question for you: what’s the first thing God said in the Bible? If you answered, “Let there be light,” you are correct. That light, once spoken, is still active and present and will be here tomorrow and all the tomorrows forever. What God speaks happens; now, and in the future. The feast; swallowing up death; wiping away tears – God has spoken (and is speaking and will speak for every tomorrow for ever). In other words, if you see light in the day and the stars at night, God too will do this on the mountain.
We read this at funerals and on Easter Sunday because it is a summary of the Good News. God has/is/will prepare a feast for you, and for everyone you include in your “all”, and for everyone outside of your “all” too. Therefore, we fear death no more and we rely on God our Great Comforter. The food is being prepared; let us meet God on the mountain and celebrate!
- Rev. Dave
The first lesson for Easter Sunday is from Chapter 25 of Isaiah from the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament). This is a popular reading for funerals and yet here it shows up on Easter Sunday too. I’d like to walk you through why it is good news for both funerals and Easter.
On this mountain. The first mention of a mountain in the Bible is during Noah’s flood. The water rose above the mountains and, as the water receded, the Ark rested on one. The second reference was when Abraham was told to go sacrifice his son Isaac (on a mountain; and, thankfully, God stopped him from going through with it). The burning bush Moses saw was on a mountain. The Ten Commandments were given on a mountain. The Promised Land is outlined by mountains. If you have been to Jerusalem, you will know it’s on top of a mountain. In the New Testament, mountains play an important role including the Transfiguration (when Jesus’ clothes turned dazzling white), the Sermon on the Mount, and when Jesus ascended to heaven, his disciples were on a mountain. In other words, mountains are places of transformation where, metaphorically speaking, heaven and earth touch. Isaiah’s “On this mountain” highlights a time of great transformation.
All peoples. “All” in Hebrew is the same in English, it means all. “Peoples” means the different groups, tribes, languages, ethnicities of the world. “All” is an intentionally repeating word in this passage – all faces, all people, all the earth. In other words, no one is left out.
A great feast. The food and wine, as described in detail in Hebrew, take a long time to prepare. Likewise, it takes a long time to eat. This passage is why we believe in heaven there is a great feast for all people.
Swallow up death forever. Most likely an intentional play on words; while all people are eating and drinking (swallowing) what is God eating? The answer: death. When: forever.
Wipe tears from all faces. God is the Feast Preparer, the Inviter of all people, the Swallower of Death, and God is the Great Comforter. Wiping away tears is an intimate, individualistic act. Probably an intentional play on words, the text switches from “all people” to the eyes of each individual. As a loving, compassionate parent wipes away tears from the face of a crying child, so too will God do with you.
The Lord has spoken. A trivia question for you: what’s the first thing God said in the Bible? If you answered, “Let there be light,” you are correct. That light, once spoken, is still active and present and will be here tomorrow and all the tomorrows forever. What God speaks happens; now, and in the future. The feast; swallowing up death; wiping away tears – God has spoken (and is speaking and will speak for every tomorrow for ever). In other words, if you see light in the day and the stars at night, God too will do this on the mountain.
We read this at funerals and on Easter Sunday because it is a summary of the Good News. God has/is/will prepare a feast for you, and for everyone you include in your “all”, and for everyone outside of your “all” too. Therefore, we fear death no more and we rely on God our Great Comforter. The food is being prepared; let us meet God on the mountain and celebrate!
- Rev. Dave
Where is Heaven
March 21, 2024
Last week I wrote to you about the opposite of Heaven (you know, that other place). It figures that this week I should write to you about Heaven. In particular, is Heaven a place? Is it a state of mind? Is it a fabrication to control the masses? Or, is it something else entirely.
Let me ask you a question: if you were asked to point to Heaven, where would you point?
A recent survey of Americans showed that nine out of ten believe heaven is real. 85% of those surveyed believe they are going there. A friend of mine said, “I find it strange that 85% believe they are going to Heaven because with America’s declining belief of Christianity how do people think they are going to get there?” Come to think of it, how can we get nine out of ten Americans to agree on anything? Perhaps that’s a part of the unity of the Holy Spirit. Nevertheless, my friend’s question assumes that heaven is a place (how do they think they’ll get there). But is it a place?
How many of you, when asked to point to where heaven is, would point up? The Old Testament points to heaven being in the sky or beyond the skies. If you point up, you’d be following the model found in the Hebrew Scriptures. Instead of pointing up, would you point to heaven being inside your heart? Jesus said that the Kingdom of Heaven is around, near, and in us. By pointing inward, you’d be following the New Testament model.
When asked about where Heaven can be found, how many would point to their family or friends? How many would point to their pets? Actor and social commentator, Will Rogers, said this about heaven: if dogs are not in heaven, I want to go to where they are. Speaking of dogs, it is said that within some Native American tribes, they believe heaven is where we will dance with our dogs.
Where is Heaven? Some would point to good work being done in their community. We recently had a group from All Angels and Temple Beth Israel tour the Turning Points facility in Bradenton. They saw firsthand the good work being done to help those experiencing homelessness and what is being done to keep people from experiencing it. Jesus said that the Kingdom of Heaven is for those who do the will of God the Father. He expanded on that theme by saying that when you heal the sick – both mental and physical – you proclaim (through your actions) that the Kingdom of God has come near.
Some point to heaven with their hands folded in prayer. For those folks, Jesus would say the Kingdom is around, near, and within when people love, when they sacrifice for one another, when they pray, and when they serve one another. That’s heaven.
When pointing toward Heaven, some would point to the Church (and All Angels in particular). We are building the beloved community here; and that, to this author, feels like heaven. Going back to the Hebrew Scriptures (the Old Testament), it is written that heaven is not big enough to hold God’s presence. In the New Testament, Jesus said that not even the gates of hell can withstand the growing presence of the Church. That’s reassuring to know that God is bigger than heaven which means God’s presence is in all the places where one would point – up, or inside, or toward those helping people, to the Church, and to hands that are folded in prayer. It seems that Heaven is wherever you would point because it is all around, and inside, and outside too.
- Rev. Dave
Let me ask you a question: if you were asked to point to Heaven, where would you point?
A recent survey of Americans showed that nine out of ten believe heaven is real. 85% of those surveyed believe they are going there. A friend of mine said, “I find it strange that 85% believe they are going to Heaven because with America’s declining belief of Christianity how do people think they are going to get there?” Come to think of it, how can we get nine out of ten Americans to agree on anything? Perhaps that’s a part of the unity of the Holy Spirit. Nevertheless, my friend’s question assumes that heaven is a place (how do they think they’ll get there). But is it a place?
How many of you, when asked to point to where heaven is, would point up? The Old Testament points to heaven being in the sky or beyond the skies. If you point up, you’d be following the model found in the Hebrew Scriptures. Instead of pointing up, would you point to heaven being inside your heart? Jesus said that the Kingdom of Heaven is around, near, and in us. By pointing inward, you’d be following the New Testament model.
When asked about where Heaven can be found, how many would point to their family or friends? How many would point to their pets? Actor and social commentator, Will Rogers, said this about heaven: if dogs are not in heaven, I want to go to where they are. Speaking of dogs, it is said that within some Native American tribes, they believe heaven is where we will dance with our dogs.
Where is Heaven? Some would point to good work being done in their community. We recently had a group from All Angels and Temple Beth Israel tour the Turning Points facility in Bradenton. They saw firsthand the good work being done to help those experiencing homelessness and what is being done to keep people from experiencing it. Jesus said that the Kingdom of Heaven is for those who do the will of God the Father. He expanded on that theme by saying that when you heal the sick – both mental and physical – you proclaim (through your actions) that the Kingdom of God has come near.
Some point to heaven with their hands folded in prayer. For those folks, Jesus would say the Kingdom is around, near, and within when people love, when they sacrifice for one another, when they pray, and when they serve one another. That’s heaven.
When pointing toward Heaven, some would point to the Church (and All Angels in particular). We are building the beloved community here; and that, to this author, feels like heaven. Going back to the Hebrew Scriptures (the Old Testament), it is written that heaven is not big enough to hold God’s presence. In the New Testament, Jesus said that not even the gates of hell can withstand the growing presence of the Church. That’s reassuring to know that God is bigger than heaven which means God’s presence is in all the places where one would point – up, or inside, or toward those helping people, to the Church, and to hands that are folded in prayer. It seems that Heaven is wherever you would point because it is all around, and inside, and outside too.
- Rev. Dave
The Opposite of Heaven
March 14, 2024
King of Horror, American author of supernatural fiction, Stephen King, wrote this: Alone. It is the most awful word in the English tongue. Murder doesn't hold a candle to it and hell is only a poor synonym.
Alone.
I have read one of his books – Pet Sematary which scared me so much I have not read another. Feeling alone is the horror of that book; alone in death and in life. In the pet cemetery, reanimated animals were completely opposite from what the beloved pet was like in life. The reanimated pet made their owners feel isolated and alone with no possibility of reunion.
In the second chapter of Genesis, the speaker, presumably God, says, “It is not good for the human to be alone. I will create another. That will help.” The surgeon general has declared that there is a loneliness epidemic in the United States. One researcher has concluded that widespread loneliness poses health risks as deadly as smoking 15 cigarettes daily.
Although there is a distinct difference between being alone and lonely (some can be by themselves and feel happy. Others can be surrounded by people and feel lonely), Stephen King believes that hell is a synonym of alone. Interestingly enough, the Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church agrees. It is written that hell is a complete separation (aloneness) from God.
At our discussion groups this past week, we discussed an article from the Wall Street Journal about hell. I was asked two main questions:
Is hell a physical place or a state of mind?
Is hell present now, on earth, or is it experienced after death?
In Anglican theological tradition, I answered with this: yes. Is it physical or a state of mind – yes. Is it present now or after death – yes.
My understanding of hell has been shaped by pastoral relationships with addicts. Whether by drugs or alcohol, the user experiences isolation from family, friends, and, frankly, their own sanity. An alcoholic who gave me permission to share his story said this about hell: I am not afraid of hell because I lived it. The only thing I fear is slipping back into my addiction which will again separate me from everyone I love.
I have witnessed addicts turn their life around. There is a lot of good news there. In this sense, their present experience of aloneness/hell can be transformed into connection and sanity.
One of the difficulties of the doctrinal premise of hell is God’s mercy, love and grace. How can hell exist since God is all loving and merciful? British writer, literary scholar, and Anglican lay theologian, C.S. Lewis, wrote this about hell:
All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek, find. Those who knock, it is opened.
Using Jesus’ words of “ask; knock; seek”, the author believes the soul that seeks joy will find it. Lewis also writes that at the entrance to hell there is a bus with an open door. It is headed to heaven. The bus is waiting for anyone who is willing to receive God’s grace and love. Hell is a place where people choose not to love and therefore remain separated. They are there not of God’s will but of their own.
English poet, civil servant, and author of the 1667 poem Paradise Lost, John Milton, wrote this:
The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.
I have met people who can make the sunniest day feel cloudy and gloomy. Conversely, I surround myself with people who can take a gloomy day and make it shine.
In comparison, hell is often described as an isolated dark jail cell; heaven is an open field full of people you love. Hell is alone; Heaven is connection. We can do things on this earth to separate and make our own jail cell. We can also ask, seek, and find connection with one another, with God and even with our own sanity.
- Rev. Dave
Alone.
I have read one of his books – Pet Sematary which scared me so much I have not read another. Feeling alone is the horror of that book; alone in death and in life. In the pet cemetery, reanimated animals were completely opposite from what the beloved pet was like in life. The reanimated pet made their owners feel isolated and alone with no possibility of reunion.
In the second chapter of Genesis, the speaker, presumably God, says, “It is not good for the human to be alone. I will create another. That will help.” The surgeon general has declared that there is a loneliness epidemic in the United States. One researcher has concluded that widespread loneliness poses health risks as deadly as smoking 15 cigarettes daily.
Although there is a distinct difference between being alone and lonely (some can be by themselves and feel happy. Others can be surrounded by people and feel lonely), Stephen King believes that hell is a synonym of alone. Interestingly enough, the Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church agrees. It is written that hell is a complete separation (aloneness) from God.
At our discussion groups this past week, we discussed an article from the Wall Street Journal about hell. I was asked two main questions:
Is hell a physical place or a state of mind?
Is hell present now, on earth, or is it experienced after death?
In Anglican theological tradition, I answered with this: yes. Is it physical or a state of mind – yes. Is it present now or after death – yes.
My understanding of hell has been shaped by pastoral relationships with addicts. Whether by drugs or alcohol, the user experiences isolation from family, friends, and, frankly, their own sanity. An alcoholic who gave me permission to share his story said this about hell: I am not afraid of hell because I lived it. The only thing I fear is slipping back into my addiction which will again separate me from everyone I love.
I have witnessed addicts turn their life around. There is a lot of good news there. In this sense, their present experience of aloneness/hell can be transformed into connection and sanity.
One of the difficulties of the doctrinal premise of hell is God’s mercy, love and grace. How can hell exist since God is all loving and merciful? British writer, literary scholar, and Anglican lay theologian, C.S. Lewis, wrote this about hell:
All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek, find. Those who knock, it is opened.
Using Jesus’ words of “ask; knock; seek”, the author believes the soul that seeks joy will find it. Lewis also writes that at the entrance to hell there is a bus with an open door. It is headed to heaven. The bus is waiting for anyone who is willing to receive God’s grace and love. Hell is a place where people choose not to love and therefore remain separated. They are there not of God’s will but of their own.
English poet, civil servant, and author of the 1667 poem Paradise Lost, John Milton, wrote this:
The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.
I have met people who can make the sunniest day feel cloudy and gloomy. Conversely, I surround myself with people who can take a gloomy day and make it shine.
In comparison, hell is often described as an isolated dark jail cell; heaven is an open field full of people you love. Hell is alone; Heaven is connection. We can do things on this earth to separate and make our own jail cell. We can also ask, seek, and find connection with one another, with God and even with our own sanity.
- Rev. Dave
Yada & Rafah
March 7, 2024
I’d like to get two pieces of Scripture to have a conversation: Psalm 46:10 and John 13:12. I would also like to read them in light of the prayer I pray over the congregation every Sunday in Lent, which is this: Grant, most merciful Lord, to your faithful people pardon and peace, that they may be cleansed from all their sins, and serve you with a quiet mind.
Here are the passages:
‘Be still, and know that I am God! Jesus asked, “Do you know what I’ve done for you?”
I am exalted among the nations, John 13:12
I am exalted in the earth.’
Psalm 46:10
Psalm 46 was most likely written by descendants of Levite priests a little more than a century after Solomon’s Temple was destroyed (around the year 700 BCE). It is believed to be written as a reassurance that God is their savior and deliverer when they call on him in difficult times. Around 732 years later, Jesus was at a table with his friends. He took off his robe and washed their feet. Sometime later, John 13 was written to remind people of what Jesus said during what is now called the Last Supper. After he washed their feet, he put on his robe, sat down, looked at them all, and asked: Do you all know what I’ve done for you?
At this point, these two don’t seem to have much to say to each other, but let’s listen in a little closer.
“Be still” in Hebrew (the language the psalm was written in) is “rafah”. A rather popular word in the Old Testament, rafah can mean to become limp, to let one’s hands fall at one’s side, to relax. As used in the sentence, “Be still and know that I am God,” it is a command. A hypnotist could command people to rafah, or go limp/relax, but for everyone else, it is something that we have to make an intentional decision to do so. That is what I believe this psalm is trying to convey to its readers – relax, let go, let your hands fall and know that I AM is here. The word that follows rafah is “know”; which in Hebrew is yada and is one of my favorite Hebrew words. What I take from this passage is that we can relax and know that God is I AM; or, conversely, learning to know that God is I AM will help us to let go, to relax, or let our minds go limp for a little while.
Jesus’ question at the Last Supper, “Do you know [yada] what I have done for you?” reminds me that from the manger, to the cross, to the empty tomb it is nearly inconceivable to know the totality of what Jesus has done for us. Yet, in Aramaic/Hebrew, his question could be read this way: “Are you learning (yada) what I have done for you?” Reading it that way, I’d say the question is much easier to answer yes to. I’d say, we are yada (learning) what he has done for us.
If Psalm 46:10 could talk to John 13:12, I’d hear them saying that knowing I AM, and beginning to learn what Jesus has done for us, will make us relax.
Each week in Lent, I earnestly pray over the congregation that they may be cleansed from all their sins and serve the Lord with a quiet mind. I believe this is the purpose of both rafah and yada – to know is to relax and to relax is to know. The end result is a quiet mind. Perhaps the command, “be still” is a command not of our physical body but that of our mind. I am still learning (yada) what Jesus has done for me. One lesson is that Jesus, the one who washes feet, participates in the process of cleansing which can result in a quiet, peaceful mind.
-Rev. Dave
Here are the passages:
‘Be still, and know that I am God! Jesus asked, “Do you know what I’ve done for you?”
I am exalted among the nations, John 13:12
I am exalted in the earth.’
Psalm 46:10
Psalm 46 was most likely written by descendants of Levite priests a little more than a century after Solomon’s Temple was destroyed (around the year 700 BCE). It is believed to be written as a reassurance that God is their savior and deliverer when they call on him in difficult times. Around 732 years later, Jesus was at a table with his friends. He took off his robe and washed their feet. Sometime later, John 13 was written to remind people of what Jesus said during what is now called the Last Supper. After he washed their feet, he put on his robe, sat down, looked at them all, and asked: Do you all know what I’ve done for you?
At this point, these two don’t seem to have much to say to each other, but let’s listen in a little closer.
“Be still” in Hebrew (the language the psalm was written in) is “rafah”. A rather popular word in the Old Testament, rafah can mean to become limp, to let one’s hands fall at one’s side, to relax. As used in the sentence, “Be still and know that I am God,” it is a command. A hypnotist could command people to rafah, or go limp/relax, but for everyone else, it is something that we have to make an intentional decision to do so. That is what I believe this psalm is trying to convey to its readers – relax, let go, let your hands fall and know that I AM is here. The word that follows rafah is “know”; which in Hebrew is yada and is one of my favorite Hebrew words. What I take from this passage is that we can relax and know that God is I AM; or, conversely, learning to know that God is I AM will help us to let go, to relax, or let our minds go limp for a little while.
Jesus’ question at the Last Supper, “Do you know [yada] what I have done for you?” reminds me that from the manger, to the cross, to the empty tomb it is nearly inconceivable to know the totality of what Jesus has done for us. Yet, in Aramaic/Hebrew, his question could be read this way: “Are you learning (yada) what I have done for you?” Reading it that way, I’d say the question is much easier to answer yes to. I’d say, we are yada (learning) what he has done for us.
If Psalm 46:10 could talk to John 13:12, I’d hear them saying that knowing I AM, and beginning to learn what Jesus has done for us, will make us relax.
Each week in Lent, I earnestly pray over the congregation that they may be cleansed from all their sins and serve the Lord with a quiet mind. I believe this is the purpose of both rafah and yada – to know is to relax and to relax is to know. The end result is a quiet mind. Perhaps the command, “be still” is a command not of our physical body but that of our mind. I am still learning (yada) what Jesus has done for me. One lesson is that Jesus, the one who washes feet, participates in the process of cleansing which can result in a quiet, peaceful mind.
-Rev. Dave
Learning Curve
February 29, 2024
During our weekly podcast, A Bridge Between, my friend, Fr. Alex Andujar and I discussed the story of Jesus throwing the money changers out of the Temple. We both believe that Jesus did this because of the barrier that existed within the Temple marketplace that kept the faithful from participating in that particular part of the Passover. In our conversation, we asked what sort of barriers the Church puts up today that keeps people from participating. After suggesting a few, we quickly realized we were talking about two different things: barriers and learning curves.
Barriers are things like steps to get into church. Ramps are better – and both of our churches have them – but Alex and I realized we both serve churches that require their clergy to be able to climb a stair to be at the altar. Another barrier is the need to hear and to see in order to participate in worship. We also talked about more subtle barriers – like liturgical language and reading four passages from Scripture each Sunday. Our beautiful and longstanding tradition can be seen by some as a barrier to worship. Alex quickly interjected and said that our tradition is not a barrier, it is a learning curve. There was a time when even our most active congregants and church leaders did not know the ins and outs of our liturgical tradition. Someone had to teach them. Metaphorically speaking, they walked up the learning curve; but not by themselves, they had a guide.
In the United States, there is a great diversity of Christian tradition and worship. Some of those traditions have a slight learning curve; for example, watching TD Jakes or Joyce Meyer – they are designed for a very broad television audience. In contrast, if you were to attend a Greek Orthodox service, it would have a very steep learning curve. Somewhere in between televangelists and the Greek Orthodox church is the Episcopal Church. In our diocese, there are services in Creole, Mandarin, American Sign Language, Spanish and English. There are outdoor services, children’s services and Rite 1 services with incense. Yet, each one has a learning curve, to a greater or lesser degree, associated with it.
The Sunday bulletin is a way to help with the learning curve. We used to have to juggle a bulletin, an announcement sheet, a Scripture leaflet, the Book of Common Prayer, and the blue hymnal. Nowadays, it’s a little simpler (with larger print). The best way to navigate our service, however, is to walk the learning curve with someone. I am pleased to no end when I see parishioners who have climbed the curve, see the view from the top (which is marvelous, I’d like to add), and then help others walk with them. This past Sunday, we had a couple that was at All Angels for the first time. The ushers welcomed them and handed them a bulletin, but, just as important, the people sitting next them greeted them and made sure they were following along in the service. That makes me very happy to see.
Our beautiful and meaningful worship service is not meant to be a barrier, like the money changers. We are carrying on the Anglican tradition (as Scripture says) to a generation yet unborn. At the same time, we rely on fellow travelers to help one another along our Episcopal learning curve.
- Rev. Dave
Barriers are things like steps to get into church. Ramps are better – and both of our churches have them – but Alex and I realized we both serve churches that require their clergy to be able to climb a stair to be at the altar. Another barrier is the need to hear and to see in order to participate in worship. We also talked about more subtle barriers – like liturgical language and reading four passages from Scripture each Sunday. Our beautiful and longstanding tradition can be seen by some as a barrier to worship. Alex quickly interjected and said that our tradition is not a barrier, it is a learning curve. There was a time when even our most active congregants and church leaders did not know the ins and outs of our liturgical tradition. Someone had to teach them. Metaphorically speaking, they walked up the learning curve; but not by themselves, they had a guide.
In the United States, there is a great diversity of Christian tradition and worship. Some of those traditions have a slight learning curve; for example, watching TD Jakes or Joyce Meyer – they are designed for a very broad television audience. In contrast, if you were to attend a Greek Orthodox service, it would have a very steep learning curve. Somewhere in between televangelists and the Greek Orthodox church is the Episcopal Church. In our diocese, there are services in Creole, Mandarin, American Sign Language, Spanish and English. There are outdoor services, children’s services and Rite 1 services with incense. Yet, each one has a learning curve, to a greater or lesser degree, associated with it.
The Sunday bulletin is a way to help with the learning curve. We used to have to juggle a bulletin, an announcement sheet, a Scripture leaflet, the Book of Common Prayer, and the blue hymnal. Nowadays, it’s a little simpler (with larger print). The best way to navigate our service, however, is to walk the learning curve with someone. I am pleased to no end when I see parishioners who have climbed the curve, see the view from the top (which is marvelous, I’d like to add), and then help others walk with them. This past Sunday, we had a couple that was at All Angels for the first time. The ushers welcomed them and handed them a bulletin, but, just as important, the people sitting next them greeted them and made sure they were following along in the service. That makes me very happy to see.
Our beautiful and meaningful worship service is not meant to be a barrier, like the money changers. We are carrying on the Anglican tradition (as Scripture says) to a generation yet unborn. At the same time, we rely on fellow travelers to help one another along our Episcopal learning curve.
- Rev. Dave
Metanoia
February 22, 2024
I’d like to share an experience with you that I had (am having and will have) with the Holy Spirit. This past Sunday, I gave what some folks are calling the Metanoia Sermon. After dropping a hint about it in a previous sermon, I gave it my full attention. In case you missed it, or, if you’d like a refresher, here it is:
According to Mark’s Gospel, Jesus was baptized, then tempted in the desert for 40 days, he returned and said, “The Kingdom of God is here. Metanoia and believe in the Good News!” It is the first thing Jesus said and, I opine, that the entirety of Mark’s Gospel should be heard through this declaration. But what does “metanoia” mean?
It is the combination of two Greek words, “meta”, which means beyond (or a bird’s eye view) and “noia”. Common words that begin with meta are metamorphosis, metaphysics, and metaphor. All of them have a meaning of going above or beyond or taking a higher view. The second half of the word, “noia”, has to do with the way we think. Other words with that root are paranoia and annoyed – all which have to do with how or what we think. Combine the two and you get “beyond-thinking”. Some think that a 21st century phrase of metanoia is this: think outside of the box. Technically, it would be “think above the box” or “think beyond the box”. In the terms of the Kingdom of God, this writer believes that Jesus said, “The Kingdom of God is here” and followed it with metanoia because we have to think outside of ourselves to see it.
Before I tell you about my Holy Spirit experience, I need to tell you one more thing. I believe all words have meaning; some words have power. You’ve heard the phrase the pen is mightier than the sword. I believe that words are mightier than the pen. The mightiest words are spiritual. The mightiest spiritual words are names. The name of Jesus Christ is the name above all names, the name in which all things in heaven, on earth, and under the earth must bow and obey, has been given to us for prayer, protection, peace, healing, salvation and joy. I speak His name carefully and thoughtfully. He is the Living Word. He is the Word incarnate (made flesh). And, he declared the Kingdom is among us; metanoia and believe the Good News. His words have power.
Here is how I experienced his power through the Holy Spirit: I have had over twenty conversations about metanoia in the days that followed the message. Each person has had a beyond-the-box thinking experience. And; here is what I found surprising; each experience is different. Some had an inkling of the reality of God’s Kingdom which is right at our fingertips. It’s not up in the sky, or in some distant galaxy, but it is right here. All we have to do is open the eyes of our mind and heart (to think beyond ourselves) and experience it. For some, their metanoia was experiencing the very-present-God in nature. Others found the peace of the Kingdom within themselves by changing the way they thought of their present circumstances. And yet others came to the realization that their loved ones, for whom we see no longer, are with them now, and they are in the Kingdom, and that the two are both parallel and beyond. And, that by metanoia with them, we too are in the Kingdom with them.
When I gave the thinking-beyond message, I thought each metanoia experience would be the same because one of the marks of the Holy Spirit is unity. Yet, my own personal metanoia experience showed me that each person has had (is having, will have) a tailor-made way of thinking. In other words, the Kingdom of God is here and each person has their own unique way of thinking about it. What is held in unity of the Spirit is that the Kingdom brings peace and joy to everyone, although it is uniquely and individually experienced. Also held in unity is this: The Kingdom is here for everyone who thinks beyond themselves.
- Rev. Dave
According to Mark’s Gospel, Jesus was baptized, then tempted in the desert for 40 days, he returned and said, “The Kingdom of God is here. Metanoia and believe in the Good News!” It is the first thing Jesus said and, I opine, that the entirety of Mark’s Gospel should be heard through this declaration. But what does “metanoia” mean?
It is the combination of two Greek words, “meta”, which means beyond (or a bird’s eye view) and “noia”. Common words that begin with meta are metamorphosis, metaphysics, and metaphor. All of them have a meaning of going above or beyond or taking a higher view. The second half of the word, “noia”, has to do with the way we think. Other words with that root are paranoia and annoyed – all which have to do with how or what we think. Combine the two and you get “beyond-thinking”. Some think that a 21st century phrase of metanoia is this: think outside of the box. Technically, it would be “think above the box” or “think beyond the box”. In the terms of the Kingdom of God, this writer believes that Jesus said, “The Kingdom of God is here” and followed it with metanoia because we have to think outside of ourselves to see it.
Before I tell you about my Holy Spirit experience, I need to tell you one more thing. I believe all words have meaning; some words have power. You’ve heard the phrase the pen is mightier than the sword. I believe that words are mightier than the pen. The mightiest words are spiritual. The mightiest spiritual words are names. The name of Jesus Christ is the name above all names, the name in which all things in heaven, on earth, and under the earth must bow and obey, has been given to us for prayer, protection, peace, healing, salvation and joy. I speak His name carefully and thoughtfully. He is the Living Word. He is the Word incarnate (made flesh). And, he declared the Kingdom is among us; metanoia and believe the Good News. His words have power.
Here is how I experienced his power through the Holy Spirit: I have had over twenty conversations about metanoia in the days that followed the message. Each person has had a beyond-the-box thinking experience. And; here is what I found surprising; each experience is different. Some had an inkling of the reality of God’s Kingdom which is right at our fingertips. It’s not up in the sky, or in some distant galaxy, but it is right here. All we have to do is open the eyes of our mind and heart (to think beyond ourselves) and experience it. For some, their metanoia was experiencing the very-present-God in nature. Others found the peace of the Kingdom within themselves by changing the way they thought of their present circumstances. And yet others came to the realization that their loved ones, for whom we see no longer, are with them now, and they are in the Kingdom, and that the two are both parallel and beyond. And, that by metanoia with them, we too are in the Kingdom with them.
When I gave the thinking-beyond message, I thought each metanoia experience would be the same because one of the marks of the Holy Spirit is unity. Yet, my own personal metanoia experience showed me that each person has had (is having, will have) a tailor-made way of thinking. In other words, the Kingdom of God is here and each person has their own unique way of thinking about it. What is held in unity of the Spirit is that the Kingdom brings peace and joy to everyone, although it is uniquely and individually experienced. Also held in unity is this: The Kingdom is here for everyone who thinks beyond themselves.
- Rev. Dave
New Life and New (to You) Art
From the Desk of Ethan Marshall
February 15, 2024
The New to You Art Sale is my favorite activity at All Angels. Let me tell you why.
It all started a few weeks ago when Fr. Dave (my dad) discussed in his sermon about seeing God in the rear-view mirror. To recap, God is ever-present in our lives, however, it can be very hard for us to see God working in the present. Upon reflection, however, we can clearly see how God has blessed us, protected us, guided us, and loved us. Fr. Dave mentioned that he could see things happening in the now but cannot quite connect the dots together. I may be of assistance connecting the dots; I believe this church is doing two things: bringing new life and the light of Christ to others.
At the University of South Florida, I am in my senior year studying Environmental Science and Policy with a minor in Urban Studies. Through my studies I have learned and experienced how community action and sustainability projects are reshaping how people live in positive ways. Urban centers are becoming more sustainable. At the same time, city living is becoming more livable – through a renewed focus on parks, city beautification, recreation and multi-system public transportation. This is good news for the climate as well as for the individuals living in the city. Each step towards sustainability makes life better for the inhabitants and the environment.
I see sustainability and community outreach happening at All Angels. By supporting our New to You Art Sale, your purchase keeps art displayed and not shoved away into an attic, under a bed, or worst yet, put in a landfill. Recent city planning has focused on beauty in structure and purpose. It is believed that art makes for better living. So, by bringing art out of the attic, and displaying it for others to see, you are making life more livable. At the same time, your contribution to the New to You Art Sale helps Turning Points – an organization that breaks the cycle of poverty by offering resources to those who are on the brink of homelessness. Turning Points also helps those who are trying to find jobs and they help people who are experiencing homelessness. By donating and purchasing art, you bring new life to this church – by displaying and showing art – and you are bringing new life to our community; especially those who are in need.
New life is what God is showing me at All Angels. My mom repurposed left-overs from the Christmas Tea, and other events; she even reused metal tins from the Spring Fling; to make Epiphany Sandwiches at a recent coffee hour. Each time we have fellowship, we improve the life of our community. Fellowship also creates something new.
Whether it is from displaying and reusing art, or repurposing Christmas ham for Epiphany Sandwiches, I encourage you to reflect on three things: how can you bring new life into this church; how do we continue to bring the light of Christ to others; and how can we support simple activities in our communities and neighborhoods to make more sustainable and more livable? Reflecting and acting on these will bring new life to the church, our community, and new life in our personal lives.
This church refreshes and brings new life to me every Sunday. Just seeing you here, or when you participate online, refreshes me and brings me new life. Do not think that any act is too insignificant to make a difference. I assure you, we all bring new life with God’s help.
The New to Art Sale is my favorite activity this parish does because it brings together sustainable actions, community development, new life, and the light of Christ to our communities and our hearts.
- Ethan Marshall
It all started a few weeks ago when Fr. Dave (my dad) discussed in his sermon about seeing God in the rear-view mirror. To recap, God is ever-present in our lives, however, it can be very hard for us to see God working in the present. Upon reflection, however, we can clearly see how God has blessed us, protected us, guided us, and loved us. Fr. Dave mentioned that he could see things happening in the now but cannot quite connect the dots together. I may be of assistance connecting the dots; I believe this church is doing two things: bringing new life and the light of Christ to others.
At the University of South Florida, I am in my senior year studying Environmental Science and Policy with a minor in Urban Studies. Through my studies I have learned and experienced how community action and sustainability projects are reshaping how people live in positive ways. Urban centers are becoming more sustainable. At the same time, city living is becoming more livable – through a renewed focus on parks, city beautification, recreation and multi-system public transportation. This is good news for the climate as well as for the individuals living in the city. Each step towards sustainability makes life better for the inhabitants and the environment.
I see sustainability and community outreach happening at All Angels. By supporting our New to You Art Sale, your purchase keeps art displayed and not shoved away into an attic, under a bed, or worst yet, put in a landfill. Recent city planning has focused on beauty in structure and purpose. It is believed that art makes for better living. So, by bringing art out of the attic, and displaying it for others to see, you are making life more livable. At the same time, your contribution to the New to You Art Sale helps Turning Points – an organization that breaks the cycle of poverty by offering resources to those who are on the brink of homelessness. Turning Points also helps those who are trying to find jobs and they help people who are experiencing homelessness. By donating and purchasing art, you bring new life to this church – by displaying and showing art – and you are bringing new life to our community; especially those who are in need.
New life is what God is showing me at All Angels. My mom repurposed left-overs from the Christmas Tea, and other events; she even reused metal tins from the Spring Fling; to make Epiphany Sandwiches at a recent coffee hour. Each time we have fellowship, we improve the life of our community. Fellowship also creates something new.
Whether it is from displaying and reusing art, or repurposing Christmas ham for Epiphany Sandwiches, I encourage you to reflect on three things: how can you bring new life into this church; how do we continue to bring the light of Christ to others; and how can we support simple activities in our communities and neighborhoods to make more sustainable and more livable? Reflecting and acting on these will bring new life to the church, our community, and new life in our personal lives.
This church refreshes and brings new life to me every Sunday. Just seeing you here, or when you participate online, refreshes me and brings me new life. Do not think that any act is too insignificant to make a difference. I assure you, we all bring new life with God’s help.
The New to Art Sale is my favorite activity this parish does because it brings together sustainable actions, community development, new life, and the light of Christ to our communities and our hearts.
- Ethan Marshall
Hunting Jesus
February 8, 2024
I have some good news from an obscure Greek word that I’d like to share with you. The New Testament was written in Greek. One thing I like about Greek is the ability to combine words to make a new meaning. We do this in English too. My favorite is “brunch” (lunch + breakfast). Another one is “email” (electronic + mail) or “guesstimate” (guess + estimate) and “internet” (interconnected + network).
In last Sunday’s lesson, the Gospel writer Mark used this phrase “Simon (Peter) and his companions hunted for Jesus.” The translation we use for the Sunday Gospel lesson will occasionally use a strange word as a clue to preachers and theologians to take a closer look; in this case, “hunted”. Taking their clue, here is what I found.
First, it’s an aorist tense (of course), so it should be read this way: Peter hunted, is hunting, will hunt for Jesus. In other words, the hunt goes on! Second, when Peter found Jesus, he said, “Everyone is searching for you.” Notice the verb change from “hunting” to “searching”. It’s as if Mark was hinting at something. (And, just in case you were wondering, “searching” has the present-active-indicative tense which shows an action that happened in the present time.) So, by using a different verb and a different tense, I think Mark really wants us to reflect on what Peter and his companions were doing by “hunting” for Jesus.
The Greek word translated as “hunting” is katadioko. Found only once in the New Testament, it is the combination of two words – kata and dioko. Kata means “down”. Dioko means to “run or flee”. The literal-to-English translation, down-run or run-down, has several meanings in English – “I had to run him down”, “the house looked run down,” “the squirrel was run down by the car” and “give me the rundown.” It’s obvious then why our English translations didn’t use the literal translatio
Why is it translated as “hunting”? Looking at how that word is used historically, I think Mark’s word is similar to “tracking” a hunting term which is to look down while pursuing a particular purpose. I have a friend who is a deer hunter. He can find deer footprints and track them easily. Peter and his companions did exactly that – they looked with intent for Jesus. If I were writing it today, I’d say that Peter “tracked him down”.
Mark is telling us that Jesus has been on the move, is moving, and will be moving; thus, it is our job to track Jesus. So, let me ask you this: do you see the footprints of Jesus in your life? Can you track him in our community and in the world?
The New to You Art Sale started this week. I am tracking Jesus to it. When neighbors donate art, when neighbors purchase art, when volunteers from All Angels and Temple Beth Israel bond together in unity to raise money for Turning Points, I feel like I am seeing where Jesus has walked (is walking and will walk). The search for Jesus was completed. But, tracking him through our lives and in our community is ongoing.
One more thing, the Old Testament was written in Hebrew but a long time ago it was also translated into Greek. There is another example of katadioko found in Psalm 23 (The Lord is my shepherd), verse 6: Surely goodness and mercy shall katadioko me all the days of my life and I will live in the house of the Lord forever. In other words, goodness and mercy has tracked, is tracking, and will track-me-down all the days of my life.
If I can combine Mark’s Gospel and Psalm 23, it seems that we are tracking and being tracked all at the same time.
- Rev. Dave
In last Sunday’s lesson, the Gospel writer Mark used this phrase “Simon (Peter) and his companions hunted for Jesus.” The translation we use for the Sunday Gospel lesson will occasionally use a strange word as a clue to preachers and theologians to take a closer look; in this case, “hunted”. Taking their clue, here is what I found.
First, it’s an aorist tense (of course), so it should be read this way: Peter hunted, is hunting, will hunt for Jesus. In other words, the hunt goes on! Second, when Peter found Jesus, he said, “Everyone is searching for you.” Notice the verb change from “hunting” to “searching”. It’s as if Mark was hinting at something. (And, just in case you were wondering, “searching” has the present-active-indicative tense which shows an action that happened in the present time.) So, by using a different verb and a different tense, I think Mark really wants us to reflect on what Peter and his companions were doing by “hunting” for Jesus.
The Greek word translated as “hunting” is katadioko. Found only once in the New Testament, it is the combination of two words – kata and dioko. Kata means “down”. Dioko means to “run or flee”. The literal-to-English translation, down-run or run-down, has several meanings in English – “I had to run him down”, “the house looked run down,” “the squirrel was run down by the car” and “give me the rundown.” It’s obvious then why our English translations didn’t use the literal translatio
Why is it translated as “hunting”? Looking at how that word is used historically, I think Mark’s word is similar to “tracking” a hunting term which is to look down while pursuing a particular purpose. I have a friend who is a deer hunter. He can find deer footprints and track them easily. Peter and his companions did exactly that – they looked with intent for Jesus. If I were writing it today, I’d say that Peter “tracked him down”.
Mark is telling us that Jesus has been on the move, is moving, and will be moving; thus, it is our job to track Jesus. So, let me ask you this: do you see the footprints of Jesus in your life? Can you track him in our community and in the world?
The New to You Art Sale started this week. I am tracking Jesus to it. When neighbors donate art, when neighbors purchase art, when volunteers from All Angels and Temple Beth Israel bond together in unity to raise money for Turning Points, I feel like I am seeing where Jesus has walked (is walking and will walk). The search for Jesus was completed. But, tracking him through our lives and in our community is ongoing.
One more thing, the Old Testament was written in Hebrew but a long time ago it was also translated into Greek. There is another example of katadioko found in Psalm 23 (The Lord is my shepherd), verse 6: Surely goodness and mercy shall katadioko me all the days of my life and I will live in the house of the Lord forever. In other words, goodness and mercy has tracked, is tracking, and will track-me-down all the days of my life.
If I can combine Mark’s Gospel and Psalm 23, it seems that we are tracking and being tracked all at the same time.
- Rev. Dave
Awareness Raising
February 1, 2024
You’ve heard of fundraising but have you heard of awareness raising? It’s like fundraising but instead of asking you for money, we ask for awareness and understanding. Raising awareness is another way to describe the Church season of Epiphany. Each week, during the Eucharistic prayer, I say these words: “Because in the mystery of the Word made flesh, you have caused a new light to shine in our hearts, to give the knowledge of your glory in the face of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” In other words, Epiphany is awareness raising. The Church believes that through awareness raising, we can set people free.
Quantum mechanics is just beginning to show that objects under observation behave differently than when not under observation. This was already understood by researchers who have tried to observe the life of house cats because cats act differently when they are being observed than when they are not. Every kindergarten class in America exhibits this observation tendency – the kids act differently when the teacher is in the classroom. In the spiritual sense, I believe that awareness brings knowledge; knowledge is a light that shines in the darkness and that shining light can change reality and set people free. For instance, in sales, I was taught that when I have a customer I don’t get along with, all I need to do is think I like you, I like you, I like you, when I talk with them and the relationship will change. I’ve tried it, many times, and it works.
Another way to look at this is what I call the Camry principle. Christi and I have owned three different Toyota Camrys. The first one we bought, almost by happenstance, led me to have Camry awareness which is this: once I bought one, I saw Camrys everywhere. I had never paid attention to them before – why would I – but once I owned one, I saw them everywhere.
Gerry Fox, of Christ Church Presbyterian, Longboat Key, has brought an awareness to the religious leaders on the island. Through his gentle, and persistent, communication and kindness, he has raised the awareness of human trafficking in our community (and yes, even on our island). The Outreach groups from each house of prayer have been meeting for almost a year to address what we can do. And, just like what I learned at the luncheon addressing anti-Semitism in Sarasota, the first, and most important, thing to change a community is to have the citizens become aware of the situation around them. As soon as we are aware of hate in our community it cannot grow and then starts to fade.
I am aware that on Longboat Key, the potential for human trafficking exists. I’d sure like it to be different, but, the potential exists. And, according to law enforcement, if the potential exists, it probably does exist. Here’s an example that we were given: someone may rent a corporately owned home on Longboat; have a big golfing event, and, in the evening, a car with girls shows up and stays for a couple of days. Again, I’d like this to be different; but, I have to tell you what I have become aware of.
On Saturday, February 24, there is an awareness raiser happening at Christ Church. Each house of prayer is bringing people to it. The public at large, through advertisements, leaflets and social media is also encouraged to attend. At this 90-minute event, the reality of human trafficking in our communities will be addressed. The keynote speaker is the leader of Selah Freedom – a place for girls, women and boys to escape trafficking in Sarasota. The program has a 90% success rate. According to Selah, the first and most important step for the community is to be aware that trafficking can and does exist. We will not be asked to do sting operations, or confrontation, or even surveillance. Instead, like the Camry principle, if you are aware of it, you might see it. By raising awareness of trafficking, a new light will shine, and that light will set people free.
- Rev. Dave
Quantum mechanics is just beginning to show that objects under observation behave differently than when not under observation. This was already understood by researchers who have tried to observe the life of house cats because cats act differently when they are being observed than when they are not. Every kindergarten class in America exhibits this observation tendency – the kids act differently when the teacher is in the classroom. In the spiritual sense, I believe that awareness brings knowledge; knowledge is a light that shines in the darkness and that shining light can change reality and set people free. For instance, in sales, I was taught that when I have a customer I don’t get along with, all I need to do is think I like you, I like you, I like you, when I talk with them and the relationship will change. I’ve tried it, many times, and it works.
Another way to look at this is what I call the Camry principle. Christi and I have owned three different Toyota Camrys. The first one we bought, almost by happenstance, led me to have Camry awareness which is this: once I bought one, I saw Camrys everywhere. I had never paid attention to them before – why would I – but once I owned one, I saw them everywhere.
Gerry Fox, of Christ Church Presbyterian, Longboat Key, has brought an awareness to the religious leaders on the island. Through his gentle, and persistent, communication and kindness, he has raised the awareness of human trafficking in our community (and yes, even on our island). The Outreach groups from each house of prayer have been meeting for almost a year to address what we can do. And, just like what I learned at the luncheon addressing anti-Semitism in Sarasota, the first, and most important, thing to change a community is to have the citizens become aware of the situation around them. As soon as we are aware of hate in our community it cannot grow and then starts to fade.
I am aware that on Longboat Key, the potential for human trafficking exists. I’d sure like it to be different, but, the potential exists. And, according to law enforcement, if the potential exists, it probably does exist. Here’s an example that we were given: someone may rent a corporately owned home on Longboat; have a big golfing event, and, in the evening, a car with girls shows up and stays for a couple of days. Again, I’d like this to be different; but, I have to tell you what I have become aware of.
On Saturday, February 24, there is an awareness raiser happening at Christ Church. Each house of prayer is bringing people to it. The public at large, through advertisements, leaflets and social media is also encouraged to attend. At this 90-minute event, the reality of human trafficking in our communities will be addressed. The keynote speaker is the leader of Selah Freedom – a place for girls, women and boys to escape trafficking in Sarasota. The program has a 90% success rate. According to Selah, the first and most important step for the community is to be aware that trafficking can and does exist. We will not be asked to do sting operations, or confrontation, or even surveillance. Instead, like the Camry principle, if you are aware of it, you might see it. By raising awareness of trafficking, a new light will shine, and that light will set people free.
- Rev. Dave
To Fear or Not To Fear
January 25, 2024
If I could change one thing about cats, it would be to take away their fear response. The worst cut I ever received from a cat was when Harpo (my sassy, long haired tuxedo cat) went from a dead sleep on my lap to full-on freak-out. As she jumped off my lap, her back claws dug deep into my leg. A few minutes later, she decided there was nothing to fear and that it was time for another nap. My lap was not available because I was in the bathroom with wound care and a bandage. She stood in the doorway with her long tail swishing back and forth as if to say, “I’m waiting…”
If it were up to the angels in the Bible, I think they’d like to remove our fear response too. The most common command in the Holy Scriptures is this: be not afraid. Yet, psalm 111, appointed for Sunday morning, tells us to fear. Here is a passage from verse 10:
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; those who act accordingly have a good understanding; his praise endures for ever.
Alex, my close friend and clergy partner on our weekly podcast, A Bridge Between, shutters when he hears this passage because the nuns in his school used this passage as a way to instill fear into the students. Some of you know what Alex experienced. How do we balance the phrase – fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom – and the most often repeated phrase fear not?
The psalm was originally written in Hebrew. The word translated “fear” has no direct English equivalent. What I have read by Hebrew theologians and scholars is this: to translate the word into English, you would have to combine three elements – respect and obedience combined with reverential affection. As you can see, we have no such word in English. Somewhere along the line, the English word “fear” was chosen.
Although I cannot remove the fear response in cats, I can make a difference in my community. For this Sunday, I have gone with a different English translation of this psalm passage which reads as follows: To respect and obey the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Another translation says this: “The wise respect, obey and have affection for the Lord.”
The psalms paint a contrast between the wise and the foolish, the happy and the wicked, the upright and those who hide in the shadows, the righteous and the doomed. Psalm 111 highlights the marvelousness of God’s works which are compassion, graciousness, faithfulness, and justice. As such, it is wise to respect and obey the Lord. The foolish, on the other hand, do not obey or respect the Lord.
Another way to look at this is that wisdom is not about book knowledge or even street-smarts. Wisdom, in God’s Kingdom, begins with respect and obedience. On the other hand, fear drives out wisdom. Fear makes us act out, run, fight, fall into binary thinking (us vs. them), be easily swayed, or completely shut down. None of those actions are manifestations of wisdom in God’s Kingdom. It is wise to respect and obey the Lord. I think it is also wise to look at Biblical translations and to ask questions about fearing, or, in this case, not fearing.
I eventually let Harpo back up on my lap but I was wiser. You see, the chair I was sitting on had a wooden handle that made it recline and, at the same time, a foot rest would pop up. Sometimes, when releasing the lever, it would make a loud “Boing!” sound. The “boing” startled the cat which gave me a deep cut. In addition to respecting and obeying the Lord, perhaps the beginning of wisdom is also to change one’s actions (like quietly releasing the reclining lever); because, as we all know, you can’t change a cat’s behavior.
- Rev. Dave
If it were up to the angels in the Bible, I think they’d like to remove our fear response too. The most common command in the Holy Scriptures is this: be not afraid. Yet, psalm 111, appointed for Sunday morning, tells us to fear. Here is a passage from verse 10:
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; those who act accordingly have a good understanding; his praise endures for ever.
Alex, my close friend and clergy partner on our weekly podcast, A Bridge Between, shutters when he hears this passage because the nuns in his school used this passage as a way to instill fear into the students. Some of you know what Alex experienced. How do we balance the phrase – fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom – and the most often repeated phrase fear not?
The psalm was originally written in Hebrew. The word translated “fear” has no direct English equivalent. What I have read by Hebrew theologians and scholars is this: to translate the word into English, you would have to combine three elements – respect and obedience combined with reverential affection. As you can see, we have no such word in English. Somewhere along the line, the English word “fear” was chosen.
Although I cannot remove the fear response in cats, I can make a difference in my community. For this Sunday, I have gone with a different English translation of this psalm passage which reads as follows: To respect and obey the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Another translation says this: “The wise respect, obey and have affection for the Lord.”
The psalms paint a contrast between the wise and the foolish, the happy and the wicked, the upright and those who hide in the shadows, the righteous and the doomed. Psalm 111 highlights the marvelousness of God’s works which are compassion, graciousness, faithfulness, and justice. As such, it is wise to respect and obey the Lord. The foolish, on the other hand, do not obey or respect the Lord.
Another way to look at this is that wisdom is not about book knowledge or even street-smarts. Wisdom, in God’s Kingdom, begins with respect and obedience. On the other hand, fear drives out wisdom. Fear makes us act out, run, fight, fall into binary thinking (us vs. them), be easily swayed, or completely shut down. None of those actions are manifestations of wisdom in God’s Kingdom. It is wise to respect and obey the Lord. I think it is also wise to look at Biblical translations and to ask questions about fearing, or, in this case, not fearing.
I eventually let Harpo back up on my lap but I was wiser. You see, the chair I was sitting on had a wooden handle that made it recline and, at the same time, a foot rest would pop up. Sometimes, when releasing the lever, it would make a loud “Boing!” sound. The “boing” startled the cat which gave me a deep cut. In addition to respecting and obeying the Lord, perhaps the beginning of wisdom is also to change one’s actions (like quietly releasing the reclining lever); because, as we all know, you can’t change a cat’s behavior.
- Rev. Dave
Kingdom Eye
January 18, 2024
O God, the protector of all that trust in thee, increase upon us thy mercy so that we may pass through things temporal that we lose not our hold on things eternal; grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ's sake our Lord.
Chances are, if you are reading this, you have sight. That should be celebrated. Sight is a wonderful (and miraculous) thing. So, if you are reading this, join me by sticking your index finger in the air and saying, “Delight!” It is a delight to participate in life with sight; to read, to drive, to fish, to golf, play tennis, to see the smile on a loved one’s face, to see the sunset over the gulf. The list goes on and on. So many delights come in through our sense of sight.
All the while I am delighting in sight, I have two friends who are losing their sight due to macular degeneration. Walking with them through it gives me pride in how they are handling it and it also makes me appreciate my sight. They remind me to relish in sight – something we often take for granted.
During my stint as a chaplain in the V.A., I got to know an Episcopal priest, named David, who was blind. In his words: I went to ‘Nam with sight, and I returned without it. As a disabled American veteran, he used the V.A. to live into his new reality. David is a stellar chaplain. Using what he calls his Kingdom eye, or inner eye, he could “see” much deeper into a pastoral conversation than the rest of us. David believes the Kingdom eye is seeing with our heart.
The Kingdom of God, which we pray every week will be on earth as it is in heaven, is not easily perceived by our eyesight. In Eastern spiritual practices (especially in Hinduism and Buddhism), the inner eye is how we perceive higher consciousness and enlightenment. In the West, the inner eye is how we see those in need and respond in compassion and mercy. It “sees” the spiritual side of life whereas our eyes see only the physical world. For Chaplain David, and perhaps others who have lost their physical sight, they can see more of the spiritual world with the eyes of the heart.
Us sighted folks can switch between what is seen in our heart (the Kingdom eye) and what is seen with our eyes. We use sunglasses to diminish the brightness of the sun and to protect our eyes. Are you using a different type of sunglasses to shield your heart? I have to admit, I skip over parts of the news that show the effect of the Israel/Hamas war on children. I wonder if I am doing that so I don’t become jaded or am I shielding the eyes of my heart. It is with my heart, with my inner eye, that I pray for war to cease and for children in Israel and Gaza to be in school and to live in peace.
Chaplain David insists that the Kingdom eye is what we will use when we all (eventually) meet Jesus face to face. It is the eye that is used when people have near-death experiences. Perhaps it is also that eye that is awake when we dream of joy and peace. Another way to look at this is that our Kingdom eye is the permanent eye; or, in the words of Thomas Cranmer (who is credited with the above prayer), our eyesight is temporal and our inner eye is eternal. Regardless of one’s religious beliefs, our eyesight, which is vitally important in our physical world, is liminal. It is passing – not what it was and not what it will be.
Perhaps the great design of the human body, in which eyesight develops last and is often the first sense to diminish, is that as we age we need to focus more on the Kingdom eye – on the things that are eternal – as we pass through things temporal.
- Rev. Dave
Chances are, if you are reading this, you have sight. That should be celebrated. Sight is a wonderful (and miraculous) thing. So, if you are reading this, join me by sticking your index finger in the air and saying, “Delight!” It is a delight to participate in life with sight; to read, to drive, to fish, to golf, play tennis, to see the smile on a loved one’s face, to see the sunset over the gulf. The list goes on and on. So many delights come in through our sense of sight.
All the while I am delighting in sight, I have two friends who are losing their sight due to macular degeneration. Walking with them through it gives me pride in how they are handling it and it also makes me appreciate my sight. They remind me to relish in sight – something we often take for granted.
During my stint as a chaplain in the V.A., I got to know an Episcopal priest, named David, who was blind. In his words: I went to ‘Nam with sight, and I returned without it. As a disabled American veteran, he used the V.A. to live into his new reality. David is a stellar chaplain. Using what he calls his Kingdom eye, or inner eye, he could “see” much deeper into a pastoral conversation than the rest of us. David believes the Kingdom eye is seeing with our heart.
The Kingdom of God, which we pray every week will be on earth as it is in heaven, is not easily perceived by our eyesight. In Eastern spiritual practices (especially in Hinduism and Buddhism), the inner eye is how we perceive higher consciousness and enlightenment. In the West, the inner eye is how we see those in need and respond in compassion and mercy. It “sees” the spiritual side of life whereas our eyes see only the physical world. For Chaplain David, and perhaps others who have lost their physical sight, they can see more of the spiritual world with the eyes of the heart.
Us sighted folks can switch between what is seen in our heart (the Kingdom eye) and what is seen with our eyes. We use sunglasses to diminish the brightness of the sun and to protect our eyes. Are you using a different type of sunglasses to shield your heart? I have to admit, I skip over parts of the news that show the effect of the Israel/Hamas war on children. I wonder if I am doing that so I don’t become jaded or am I shielding the eyes of my heart. It is with my heart, with my inner eye, that I pray for war to cease and for children in Israel and Gaza to be in school and to live in peace.
Chaplain David insists that the Kingdom eye is what we will use when we all (eventually) meet Jesus face to face. It is the eye that is used when people have near-death experiences. Perhaps it is also that eye that is awake when we dream of joy and peace. Another way to look at this is that our Kingdom eye is the permanent eye; or, in the words of Thomas Cranmer (who is credited with the above prayer), our eyesight is temporal and our inner eye is eternal. Regardless of one’s religious beliefs, our eyesight, which is vitally important in our physical world, is liminal. It is passing – not what it was and not what it will be.
Perhaps the great design of the human body, in which eyesight develops last and is often the first sense to diminish, is that as we age we need to focus more on the Kingdom eye – on the things that are eternal – as we pass through things temporal.
- Rev. Dave
Delight!
January 11, 2024
My New Year’s resolution for 2023 was to be kinder to myself. I can be my own harshest (and quite unfair) critic. Thankfully, my new habit worked. For 2024, I’m trying a new habit.
I call it, Delight.
Based on Catherine Price’s guest columnist piece in the New York Times, from January 1st, she invited her readers to make 2024 the year of delight. Based on Ross Gay’s essay collection, The Book of Delights, the premise of making 2024 the year of delight is a simple, three-step process. First make a point to notice things in your daily life that delight you. Second (and this is the hard part), when you see something that delights you, stick your index finger in the air and say, out loud, “Delight!” The third step: share your delight with someone else.
Step one: notice something that gives you delight. Here are four delightful experiences I have had in the past 24-hours: driving across the Longboat Pass bridge this morning, the sun was breaking through grey clouds and cast a yellow shimmering light on the bay. Delight! I had two delightful discussion group experiences about this article. At Publix, Evan, the friendly bagger, made a point to tell me what the saint of day is. It was a delight to see his enthusiasm. And, just before heading home, I saw a red-headed woodpecker perched on an oak tree branch at All Angels. I stood next to my car and savored the sight.
Step two: raise your index finger in the air and say, “Delight.” This might sound silly; and, it might look even sillier; but, I can tell you from experience, this is just as important as noticing something that delights you. One must say it out loud for the experience to take effect otherwise it will be one of many fleeting moments that we all have every day. I can also tell you from experience that neither the discussion groups, nor the sunrise, nor Evan or the woodpecker found my practice to be silly.
Step three: share your delight. After writing to you about the four delights I experienced, I am in a better mood (and frankly I was in a good mood when I sat down to write). I felt the corners of my mouth turning into a smile as I was writing to you about Evan and his excitement about the saint of the day (St. Theodosius).
In her article, Price wrote that making a point to notice and share things we find delightful can improve our moods, relationships and even physical health. It’s hard to believe, but clinical study after clinical study shows that people who savor delightful moments have better heart health (and other related physical benefits). Who knew that sticking your finger in the air and saying delight will help your heart. But, apparently it will. And, sharing your delights with others will help lift their moods which will also impact their physical health as well.
After trying this habit out for a week, I have come to the conclusion that God has wired us to delight in delights. Conversely, I watched twenty-two minutes of a television news program last night and did not lift my finger once to say delight. After noticing my lack of delight, I used my finger to find a program that would give me a delight (which was Name That Tune. It featured one of my favorite singers, Belinda Carlisle, as a contestant. She spontaneously sang a song from my youth. I raised my index finger and said, “Delight!”).
The calendar has given us an opportunity to make a new spiritual habit in the form of a New Year’s resolution. I would be delighted if you too resolved to make 2024 a year of delight.
- Rev. Dave
I call it, Delight.
Based on Catherine Price’s guest columnist piece in the New York Times, from January 1st, she invited her readers to make 2024 the year of delight. Based on Ross Gay’s essay collection, The Book of Delights, the premise of making 2024 the year of delight is a simple, three-step process. First make a point to notice things in your daily life that delight you. Second (and this is the hard part), when you see something that delights you, stick your index finger in the air and say, out loud, “Delight!” The third step: share your delight with someone else.
Step one: notice something that gives you delight. Here are four delightful experiences I have had in the past 24-hours: driving across the Longboat Pass bridge this morning, the sun was breaking through grey clouds and cast a yellow shimmering light on the bay. Delight! I had two delightful discussion group experiences about this article. At Publix, Evan, the friendly bagger, made a point to tell me what the saint of day is. It was a delight to see his enthusiasm. And, just before heading home, I saw a red-headed woodpecker perched on an oak tree branch at All Angels. I stood next to my car and savored the sight.
Step two: raise your index finger in the air and say, “Delight.” This might sound silly; and, it might look even sillier; but, I can tell you from experience, this is just as important as noticing something that delights you. One must say it out loud for the experience to take effect otherwise it will be one of many fleeting moments that we all have every day. I can also tell you from experience that neither the discussion groups, nor the sunrise, nor Evan or the woodpecker found my practice to be silly.
Step three: share your delight. After writing to you about the four delights I experienced, I am in a better mood (and frankly I was in a good mood when I sat down to write). I felt the corners of my mouth turning into a smile as I was writing to you about Evan and his excitement about the saint of the day (St. Theodosius).
In her article, Price wrote that making a point to notice and share things we find delightful can improve our moods, relationships and even physical health. It’s hard to believe, but clinical study after clinical study shows that people who savor delightful moments have better heart health (and other related physical benefits). Who knew that sticking your finger in the air and saying delight will help your heart. But, apparently it will. And, sharing your delights with others will help lift their moods which will also impact their physical health as well.
After trying this habit out for a week, I have come to the conclusion that God has wired us to delight in delights. Conversely, I watched twenty-two minutes of a television news program last night and did not lift my finger once to say delight. After noticing my lack of delight, I used my finger to find a program that would give me a delight (which was Name That Tune. It featured one of my favorite singers, Belinda Carlisle, as a contestant. She spontaneously sang a song from my youth. I raised my index finger and said, “Delight!”).
The calendar has given us an opportunity to make a new spiritual habit in the form of a New Year’s resolution. I would be delighted if you too resolved to make 2024 a year of delight.
- Rev. Dave
Fellowship Chair
January 4, 2024
I wrote to you last week about a new fire panel. This week, I am writing to you about new chairs. All Angels does three things: worship, fellowship and outreach. It’s our trinity. One flows into the other and, at times, it is hard to distinguish one from the other. For instance, worship draws us into a space where we pray for those who are in need. Prayer also makes us do things to help others which is outreach. When we help others, we naturally give thanks to God. It makes me wonder where outreach ends and worship begins; and vice-versa. But what about fellowship?
Going out on an ecclesiological limb here, I’d say that fellowship is the most important thing we do at All Angels. The gym I go to does outreach (they have a bin for food that goes to the food bank). As far as worship, I have talked with folks who worship God while walking on the beach and one fellow stated that he finds God while fishing. In other words, people can participate in outreach and worship individually. Fellowship, however, is something distinctly different.
The United States is in an ever-increasing state of loneliness. This was happening before Covid-19 and has been growing ever since. We are not alone. It is happening in Canada, the UK and in all developed nations. There are many causes to blame; none of which I focus on because there is nothing I can do about the causes. But, at All Angels, we can counter loneliness with fellowship.
There is a particular sound that fellowship makes. I hear it during the Peace in worship. I hear it during Coffee Hour. It is present before and after our discussion group gatherings; I hear it before and after choir practice, in the kitchen, in Vestry meetings, on Zoom, in the parking lot and in the gallery. The sound is of conversation – greetings, salutations, well-wishes, acknowledgements. It’s a sharing and listening of one to the other. Ask any of the people on the Party Planning Committee and they will tell you what fellowship sounds like. To me, it is music. The music of fellowship is what heals the lonely soul. Fellowship fuels our desire to worship God and to help others.
If you look up online how to “cure” loneliness, the advice out there is to eat nutritious foods, spend time in the sunshine, get enough sleep and exercise. Nowhere in these recommendations does it say to go to the Parish Hall and talk to someone or to join a discussion group online and listen and share with others. Yet, in my experience, this is a very good way at counteracting loneliness. Oddly enough, the most popular food at Coffee Hour is not diet food; it is served indoors (away from sunshine); while we are awake; and sitting. Our fellowship is counter to the very advice given to “cure” loneliness. Yet, it works.
And that brings me back to talking about chairs. The blue chairs in the Parish Hall are over 25 years old. We have definitely received our money’s worth on them. Yet, during the Caring Angels fraud prevention presentation, while sitting on one of those chairs, I crossed my legs and felt the chair break underneath me. I didn’t fall through (thankfully!) but the backing under the seat did crack and settle a couple of inches lower. You have probably sat in a chair in the Parish Hall that felt like that. Because of the increasing number of broken chairs, the Vestry decided that it was time to replace all our blue chairs. The new ones are now in place (and the Parish Hall has that “new chair” smell).
The new chairs will help our mission of fellowship. They are more comfortable so I imagine people will talk longer. They match; which, let’s face it, is important to us in the Episcopal Church. And, the chairs will also be used by the ever-increasing number of groups who, from time to time, use our Parish Hall. All Angels has a beautiful location which, frankly, is a little hard to find. However, each group that meets in our Parish Hall is another group of people who have found us. Whether it is on a Sunday, or Tuesday, or whenever people gather at All Angels, they now have comfortable (and matching) chairs on which to sit. These fellowship chairs are one way that we are making an impact in our community in countering loneliness and making connections along the way. Most importantly, those connections bring us to worship which helps us to help others.
- Rev. Dave
Going out on an ecclesiological limb here, I’d say that fellowship is the most important thing we do at All Angels. The gym I go to does outreach (they have a bin for food that goes to the food bank). As far as worship, I have talked with folks who worship God while walking on the beach and one fellow stated that he finds God while fishing. In other words, people can participate in outreach and worship individually. Fellowship, however, is something distinctly different.
The United States is in an ever-increasing state of loneliness. This was happening before Covid-19 and has been growing ever since. We are not alone. It is happening in Canada, the UK and in all developed nations. There are many causes to blame; none of which I focus on because there is nothing I can do about the causes. But, at All Angels, we can counter loneliness with fellowship.
There is a particular sound that fellowship makes. I hear it during the Peace in worship. I hear it during Coffee Hour. It is present before and after our discussion group gatherings; I hear it before and after choir practice, in the kitchen, in Vestry meetings, on Zoom, in the parking lot and in the gallery. The sound is of conversation – greetings, salutations, well-wishes, acknowledgements. It’s a sharing and listening of one to the other. Ask any of the people on the Party Planning Committee and they will tell you what fellowship sounds like. To me, it is music. The music of fellowship is what heals the lonely soul. Fellowship fuels our desire to worship God and to help others.
If you look up online how to “cure” loneliness, the advice out there is to eat nutritious foods, spend time in the sunshine, get enough sleep and exercise. Nowhere in these recommendations does it say to go to the Parish Hall and talk to someone or to join a discussion group online and listen and share with others. Yet, in my experience, this is a very good way at counteracting loneliness. Oddly enough, the most popular food at Coffee Hour is not diet food; it is served indoors (away from sunshine); while we are awake; and sitting. Our fellowship is counter to the very advice given to “cure” loneliness. Yet, it works.
And that brings me back to talking about chairs. The blue chairs in the Parish Hall are over 25 years old. We have definitely received our money’s worth on them. Yet, during the Caring Angels fraud prevention presentation, while sitting on one of those chairs, I crossed my legs and felt the chair break underneath me. I didn’t fall through (thankfully!) but the backing under the seat did crack and settle a couple of inches lower. You have probably sat in a chair in the Parish Hall that felt like that. Because of the increasing number of broken chairs, the Vestry decided that it was time to replace all our blue chairs. The new ones are now in place (and the Parish Hall has that “new chair” smell).
The new chairs will help our mission of fellowship. They are more comfortable so I imagine people will talk longer. They match; which, let’s face it, is important to us in the Episcopal Church. And, the chairs will also be used by the ever-increasing number of groups who, from time to time, use our Parish Hall. All Angels has a beautiful location which, frankly, is a little hard to find. However, each group that meets in our Parish Hall is another group of people who have found us. Whether it is on a Sunday, or Tuesday, or whenever people gather at All Angels, they now have comfortable (and matching) chairs on which to sit. These fellowship chairs are one way that we are making an impact in our community in countering loneliness and making connections along the way. Most importantly, those connections bring us to worship which helps us to help others.
- Rev. Dave
A Fire Panel for Christmas
December 28, 2023
Late on a Thursday afternoon, ten days before Christmas, I was playing Handel’s Messiah. As I was wrapping things up and getting ready to head out the door I heard these words: The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light! That particular passage was based on the Prophet Isaiah’s proclamation about the coming Messiah. The music stirred me so I stopped what I was doing and listened for a couple of minutes. Just then, I was startled by the ringing of the church phone. I picked it up and almost immediately regretted doing so. It sounded like a sales pitch. This is what I heard the caller say: “Hello, this is so-and-so from some-company-you’ve-never-heard-of. How are you today? (Me: fine) That’s good; good to hear. (uncomfortable silence) So, how is your fire panel working? (It is fine, we are happy with our existing service.) Are you sure it is working fine? (uncomfortable silence) … because you ordered a new panel two years ago. It just came in.” I was shocked and surprised at the news. I then asked the caller to start over from the beginning.
During the pandemic, the leadership at All Angels commissioned much needed maintenance to the campus. As it turned out, this was one of the wisest moves in our parish history. Since that time, prices have doubled (tripled, maybe) and the availability of contractors has diminished.
At the same time that we were doing our upgrades, Longboat Key Fire Department upgraded their incoming alert system from a dial-in service to a digital cellular network. We needed to follow suit. Back in 2021, with all the other changes we made, we ordered this new fire alert panel. What we didn’t realize back then is that the panel needed parts produced in China; they were in a lockdown so we had to wait. Imagine my surprise when I received the phone call late on Thursday; two years later; that our panel was ready. The following Monday it was installed. Although it is reasonable to assume the old system would have worked, we will enter 2024 more secure.
This was a Christmas surprise. The hard work we did a couple of years ago, that we all forgot about, suddenly showed up just in time for the Nativity of our Lord. Thankfully, our fire monitoring company (that I almost hung up on) did not forget about us. They were faithful and now we are better off.
I’ve never compared a fire alarm company to God’s Grace before, but, we’re entering a new year so why not. We pray to God about something that seems imminent and scary at the time and then the moment passes. But, God, who is faithful, who does not sleep or slumber, will respond when the time is right. And, speaking of grace, we did not need a fire alarm, or a monitoring company, these past couple of years. We did not know that at the time, but we rejoice and give thanks for it now.
This whole experience got me thinking about prayer and grace. I’m wondering what I prayed for two years ago. How about twenty years ago? In faith, I believe God hears every time we pray and will answer when the time is right. Isaiah tells us that the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. It took over 700 years from the time that Isaiah spoke those words for the Messiah to be born. That’s a lot of walking. Nevertheless, when the time was ready, God responded.
Knowing that God hears all prayers and responds when the time is right is comforting to me. It also gives me hope that small businesses, like the one who handles our fire alarm monitoring, are also keeping watch and responding when the time is right. For this New Year, and with a new fire alarm panel, I enter it with a feeling of awe, expectation and wonder of what this year will hold.
- Rev. Dave
During the pandemic, the leadership at All Angels commissioned much needed maintenance to the campus. As it turned out, this was one of the wisest moves in our parish history. Since that time, prices have doubled (tripled, maybe) and the availability of contractors has diminished.
At the same time that we were doing our upgrades, Longboat Key Fire Department upgraded their incoming alert system from a dial-in service to a digital cellular network. We needed to follow suit. Back in 2021, with all the other changes we made, we ordered this new fire alert panel. What we didn’t realize back then is that the panel needed parts produced in China; they were in a lockdown so we had to wait. Imagine my surprise when I received the phone call late on Thursday; two years later; that our panel was ready. The following Monday it was installed. Although it is reasonable to assume the old system would have worked, we will enter 2024 more secure.
This was a Christmas surprise. The hard work we did a couple of years ago, that we all forgot about, suddenly showed up just in time for the Nativity of our Lord. Thankfully, our fire monitoring company (that I almost hung up on) did not forget about us. They were faithful and now we are better off.
I’ve never compared a fire alarm company to God’s Grace before, but, we’re entering a new year so why not. We pray to God about something that seems imminent and scary at the time and then the moment passes. But, God, who is faithful, who does not sleep or slumber, will respond when the time is right. And, speaking of grace, we did not need a fire alarm, or a monitoring company, these past couple of years. We did not know that at the time, but we rejoice and give thanks for it now.
This whole experience got me thinking about prayer and grace. I’m wondering what I prayed for two years ago. How about twenty years ago? In faith, I believe God hears every time we pray and will answer when the time is right. Isaiah tells us that the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. It took over 700 years from the time that Isaiah spoke those words for the Messiah to be born. That’s a lot of walking. Nevertheless, when the time was ready, God responded.
Knowing that God hears all prayers and responds when the time is right is comforting to me. It also gives me hope that small businesses, like the one who handles our fire alarm monitoring, are also keeping watch and responding when the time is right. For this New Year, and with a new fire alarm panel, I enter it with a feeling of awe, expectation and wonder of what this year will hold.
- Rev. Dave
Christmas Light
December 21, 2023
Welcome to the celebratory Season of Light. As the northern hemisphere is shrouded in winter darkness, you can see beautiful light displays in the city, in homes, and even on boats.
Yet the Season of Light is more than beautiful displays, it’s a season to bring light to others.
This is also the heaviest season. And yes, I’m talking about my own seasonal weight gain. It’s also a heavy time of looking back on what 2023 brought us. Winter darkness, and reflecting on how this year ended with captives and war, can make us feel isolated and powerless against a darkened world.
If this is how you feel, let us recall that this is the season of light.
According to Isaiah, light gives us hope:
Arise! Shine! Your light has come.
The Prophet’s light is not an exterior light that will magically make you feel better and fix societal problems; no, this light of hope shines from inside of you and radiates outward for justice and peace. Sending a note of cheer, giving a compliment to a complete stranger, donating to a cause that helps others – these are all ways to let the light inside you shine outwardly.
For as much as we love looking at beautiful displays this season, let us remember that shining our inner light will make this a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.
- Rev. Dave
Yet the Season of Light is more than beautiful displays, it’s a season to bring light to others.
This is also the heaviest season. And yes, I’m talking about my own seasonal weight gain. It’s also a heavy time of looking back on what 2023 brought us. Winter darkness, and reflecting on how this year ended with captives and war, can make us feel isolated and powerless against a darkened world.
If this is how you feel, let us recall that this is the season of light.
According to Isaiah, light gives us hope:
Arise! Shine! Your light has come.
The Prophet’s light is not an exterior light that will magically make you feel better and fix societal problems; no, this light of hope shines from inside of you and radiates outward for justice and peace. Sending a note of cheer, giving a compliment to a complete stranger, donating to a cause that helps others – these are all ways to let the light inside you shine outwardly.
For as much as we love looking at beautiful displays this season, let us remember that shining our inner light will make this a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.
- Rev. Dave
RE: in-Carnation
December 14, 2023
Several people over the past two months have asked me about reincarnation. I have not been impressed with any of my answers so today I’m giving it another shot. In Sunday’s Gospel lesson, the religious leaders asked John (the baptizer) if he was the Prophet Elijah. Reincarnationologists, who believe the idea of reincarnation can be found in the Bible, often quote Sunday’s passage. The assertion is that the Prophet has reincarnated into the man we call John. And, they say, when John replied that he was not the Prophet, he didn’t say, “No because that is impossible; we only get one go-round on this planet.” Because he didn't say it, that leaves the door open to say it is possible.
The term, reincarnation, is a little murky. It means to re-enter the flesh. The big question is which flesh? When Jesus raised his friend Lazarus, his body had been dead for four days. Jesus himself, in our Christian belief and tradition, died at 3 pm on Good Friday and then at the dawn of Easter Sunday morning, he was alive back in the flesh. Based on the term, reincarnation, Jesus and Lazarus re-entered the flesh. Later on, St. Paul was stoned to death and his body was dragged outside of the city gates. He – Paul – saw heaven and was then told to re-enter the body and continue his ministry. From what I have read, reincarnation theology means we get another turn on earth, in the flesh, to fix or learn what we did not get the first time. In each example – Lazarus, Jesus, Paul – they did not re-enter the body to learn something more.
There are components that have been added onto reincarnation, such as karma – doing good acts that help one the next time one cycles (rehabilitates) through. There is also a sense of justice within this theological landscape – those who have acted poorly to others will reincarnate to a lower, or lesser flesh form.
In the spirit of unity and understanding, I’d like to point out where Christianity and reincarnational theology meet. Both agree about the soul – it’s eternal. We both believe in a sense of justice and of helping (loving) one another. We also agree that each person has a purpose and particular gifts that we are supposed to share. There is some historical evidence to show that reincarnation was being discussed in the time of the early Church. One such Church thinker, named Origen, has been cited as believing in it. I think that is an over-statement. From what I can gather, Origen was talking about the universality of salvation – eventually all souls, no matter how wicked, will one day be reunited with God. It’s not that we get to keep trying it, in the flesh, until we get it right, it’s that God’s grace will eventually be accepted by every soul.
One more thing to consider is King David – the one from whom the messiah is to come. Matthew’s Gospel shows Joseph’s lineage to David; Luke shows Mary’s lineage. Is the messiah a reincarnation of David? Nowhere in the Hebrew or Greek texts (the Bible) is that belief stated. It’s all about lineage. The same can be argued about the Elijah-to-John question. Is John doing the work; acting in lineage; of the Prophet? Again, his answer is, “no” because he is doing different work – mainly baptizing and preparing the way of the Messiah.
Where does that leave us?
Sometimes I say or do something exactly like my dad. I don’t believe I am the reincarnation of him but I do try to live as he taught me. Likewise, I talk about Jesus who lives inside of us. His work is made manifest through our own hands, our feet, our words, deeds and actions. In other words, when we love God and love our neighbor, it could be said that we are acting as Christ-in-the-flesh; a Christ-carnation. In this season of Advent, when we prepare room in our hearts for the Christ child, I believe that as we love one another, forgive as we have been forgiven, and serve one another in the way that Christ wants us to; when we do that, Christ is being made known in our hearts, in our lives and in the world.
- Rev. Dave
The term, reincarnation, is a little murky. It means to re-enter the flesh. The big question is which flesh? When Jesus raised his friend Lazarus, his body had been dead for four days. Jesus himself, in our Christian belief and tradition, died at 3 pm on Good Friday and then at the dawn of Easter Sunday morning, he was alive back in the flesh. Based on the term, reincarnation, Jesus and Lazarus re-entered the flesh. Later on, St. Paul was stoned to death and his body was dragged outside of the city gates. He – Paul – saw heaven and was then told to re-enter the body and continue his ministry. From what I have read, reincarnation theology means we get another turn on earth, in the flesh, to fix or learn what we did not get the first time. In each example – Lazarus, Jesus, Paul – they did not re-enter the body to learn something more.
There are components that have been added onto reincarnation, such as karma – doing good acts that help one the next time one cycles (rehabilitates) through. There is also a sense of justice within this theological landscape – those who have acted poorly to others will reincarnate to a lower, or lesser flesh form.
In the spirit of unity and understanding, I’d like to point out where Christianity and reincarnational theology meet. Both agree about the soul – it’s eternal. We both believe in a sense of justice and of helping (loving) one another. We also agree that each person has a purpose and particular gifts that we are supposed to share. There is some historical evidence to show that reincarnation was being discussed in the time of the early Church. One such Church thinker, named Origen, has been cited as believing in it. I think that is an over-statement. From what I can gather, Origen was talking about the universality of salvation – eventually all souls, no matter how wicked, will one day be reunited with God. It’s not that we get to keep trying it, in the flesh, until we get it right, it’s that God’s grace will eventually be accepted by every soul.
One more thing to consider is King David – the one from whom the messiah is to come. Matthew’s Gospel shows Joseph’s lineage to David; Luke shows Mary’s lineage. Is the messiah a reincarnation of David? Nowhere in the Hebrew or Greek texts (the Bible) is that belief stated. It’s all about lineage. The same can be argued about the Elijah-to-John question. Is John doing the work; acting in lineage; of the Prophet? Again, his answer is, “no” because he is doing different work – mainly baptizing and preparing the way of the Messiah.
Where does that leave us?
Sometimes I say or do something exactly like my dad. I don’t believe I am the reincarnation of him but I do try to live as he taught me. Likewise, I talk about Jesus who lives inside of us. His work is made manifest through our own hands, our feet, our words, deeds and actions. In other words, when we love God and love our neighbor, it could be said that we are acting as Christ-in-the-flesh; a Christ-carnation. In this season of Advent, when we prepare room in our hearts for the Christ child, I believe that as we love one another, forgive as we have been forgiven, and serve one another in the way that Christ wants us to; when we do that, Christ is being made known in our hearts, in our lives and in the world.
- Rev. Dave
Post-denominationalism
December 7, 2023
If you have been in a confirmation class of mine, I always start with this: The Episcopal Church is not a denomination. This statement has landed me in rather heated discussions with clergy who ardently (and in my opinion, incorrectly) hold onto the notion that we are a denomination. But, (again, in my opinion) history shows we did not denominate from anything.
In the year 595, Pope Gregory sent a delegation from Rome to England. Very little is known about this delegation except that a monk named Augustine was a part of the group. (He later became a saint) The earliest record of this event was written 140 years later by (St.) Bede. Christianity had been brought to the British Isles centuries earlier but when Augustine arrived (according to Bede) he found the people had been greatly influenced by the Saxons and were pagans – for lack of a better term. Although this history is murky at best, what is clear is that Christianity took hold and the world has never been the same.
The Church of England, in my opinion, did not denominate from anything. Augustine brought the faith tradition of Christ Jesus from Rome and the English made it theirs. The Church of England was established wherever the crown went. This is why Anglicanism is worldwide – from South Africa to New Zealand, to Canada and Hong Kong… and the American colonies.
On Monday this week, I was in an interfaith meeting (all five houses of prayer on the island) about an upcoming joint-outreach project in February. If we were to ask our neighbors-in-need to discern who is of what denomination, they would have no idea – Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian – or even if one was Jewish or Christian. I don’t think they could tell or frankly would be that interested. Why? Because they are in need.
For those that attended the Interfaith Thanksgiving Service, you heard the trumpets. They were hired musicians from off-island. Could they tell who in the choir was of what particular denomination, or Jewish, I don’t think they could tell, or frankly would even care. And why would they – music is the goal and it was beautiful.
At our pet blessing event with All Angels and Temple Beth Israel, the rabbi and I were pleased with the turnout and especially with those for whom we did not recognize, which means they were not associated with either congregation. We achieved our goal of reaching beyond our own walls to bless those who call Longboat Key their home (either for a day, a month, a season or year-round).
On Tuesday, I visited a patient in the ICU at Sarasota Memorial. Sometimes when I am there, I will get stopped for prayer by patients or staff. Once in a great while I will get asked by a stranger what denomination I am with. I have yet to be turned away when I say The Episcopal Church. Last week, I had lunch with the pastor from St. Armands Lutheran. He and I talked about the phenomenon of getting stopped at the hospital by strangers; he’s never been turned away either.
We recently sent much needed funds to our ministry partners – Turning Points, Mothers Helping Mothers and Habitat for Humanity. Although the checks are printed with All Angels by the Sea Episcopal Church, the help that is provided is certainly non-denominational. I think that was the goal of Gregory the Great. He famously wrote that the Church is a hospital for all who need spiritual healing.
The Episcopal Church is not a denomination, we are a faith tradition. That tradition came to us from Rome which came from Jerusalem which came from a small town named Bethlehem from the birth of a Jewish child from Jewish parents. Our tradition is to love God and love our neighbors; and, as we are showing on this island, love for God and one another is not denominational, it is straight from God’s love for us.
- Rev. Dave
In the year 595, Pope Gregory sent a delegation from Rome to England. Very little is known about this delegation except that a monk named Augustine was a part of the group. (He later became a saint) The earliest record of this event was written 140 years later by (St.) Bede. Christianity had been brought to the British Isles centuries earlier but when Augustine arrived (according to Bede) he found the people had been greatly influenced by the Saxons and were pagans – for lack of a better term. Although this history is murky at best, what is clear is that Christianity took hold and the world has never been the same.
The Church of England, in my opinion, did not denominate from anything. Augustine brought the faith tradition of Christ Jesus from Rome and the English made it theirs. The Church of England was established wherever the crown went. This is why Anglicanism is worldwide – from South Africa to New Zealand, to Canada and Hong Kong… and the American colonies.
On Monday this week, I was in an interfaith meeting (all five houses of prayer on the island) about an upcoming joint-outreach project in February. If we were to ask our neighbors-in-need to discern who is of what denomination, they would have no idea – Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian – or even if one was Jewish or Christian. I don’t think they could tell or frankly would be that interested. Why? Because they are in need.
For those that attended the Interfaith Thanksgiving Service, you heard the trumpets. They were hired musicians from off-island. Could they tell who in the choir was of what particular denomination, or Jewish, I don’t think they could tell, or frankly would even care. And why would they – music is the goal and it was beautiful.
At our pet blessing event with All Angels and Temple Beth Israel, the rabbi and I were pleased with the turnout and especially with those for whom we did not recognize, which means they were not associated with either congregation. We achieved our goal of reaching beyond our own walls to bless those who call Longboat Key their home (either for a day, a month, a season or year-round).
On Tuesday, I visited a patient in the ICU at Sarasota Memorial. Sometimes when I am there, I will get stopped for prayer by patients or staff. Once in a great while I will get asked by a stranger what denomination I am with. I have yet to be turned away when I say The Episcopal Church. Last week, I had lunch with the pastor from St. Armands Lutheran. He and I talked about the phenomenon of getting stopped at the hospital by strangers; he’s never been turned away either.
We recently sent much needed funds to our ministry partners – Turning Points, Mothers Helping Mothers and Habitat for Humanity. Although the checks are printed with All Angels by the Sea Episcopal Church, the help that is provided is certainly non-denominational. I think that was the goal of Gregory the Great. He famously wrote that the Church is a hospital for all who need spiritual healing.
The Episcopal Church is not a denomination, we are a faith tradition. That tradition came to us from Rome which came from Jerusalem which came from a small town named Bethlehem from the birth of a Jewish child from Jewish parents. Our tradition is to love God and love our neighbors; and, as we are showing on this island, love for God and one another is not denominational, it is straight from God’s love for us.
- Rev. Dave
600 Miles
November 30, 2023
Are you familiar with the term hypermiling? It describes people who like to exceed the miles-per-gallon as estimated by the EPA on their vehicles. Mild hypermilers accelerate slowly, keep the a/c running low, and like to coast to a stop. Extreme hypermilers modify their vehicles to get even better gas mileage. As an example, Dad sent me a story about a Prius owner who modified the tail end of the car into the shape of a tear drop to maximize fuel mileage. Dad was an extreme hypermiler. He converted two gas-powered trucks to fully electric engines.
I thought of Dad on Tuesday when I was able to get 600 miles out of one tank of gas in my Camry hybrid. It read 616 when I pulled into the Mobil station on Longboat. I had considered driving the 17 miles home; but, as dad would say, if your car is going to run out of gas, it’ll do it on a bridge. My drive home has two major bridges.
I called my brother because I knew he’d appreciate my 600-mile feat. We reminisced about the time when stretched the gas limit on our family’s Toyota Corona. It had an unreliable gas gauge so Dad told us to get fuel at 300 miles; but, for whatever reason, Tom decided one summer afternoon to keep going well past the limit. After a very exciting day, we ran out of gas a block and a half away from the gas station. I had to get out and push (he was at the wheel, smiling, I think). When we got home, Tom told Dad that he ran out of gas. Instead of getting mad, Dad (the scientist) was intrigued. He asked, “How many gallons did you put in?” He had always said that a 14-gallon tank is not the full picture because, in his estimation, the car has about a quarter gallon of fuel in the lines and the carburetor. Once Tom told him the fill-up amount, Dad smiled, knowing he was right in his assumption.
You might wonder what the spiritual side of all of this is. It’s not about the wise bridesmaids who brought extra oil for their lamps (although I did have a spare fuel can in the trunk). The real reason why I am writing about this has to do with the Jewish Holiday of Hanukah and our shared tradition of hope and peace. The eight-day celebration, starting December 7th this year and running through the 15th, commemorates when Judah the Maccabee and his followers in 164 BC marched into Jerusalem, took back the Temple from the pagan army that occupied it, and cleansed it making it suitable for worship again. There are many miracles in that event. The one most remembered of Hanukah has to do with the oil. They had a small amount but it lasted for eight days – long enough to restore the Temple.
Compared to the Maccabean journey to Jerusalem, my 600-mile journey is trivial; but, metaphorically speaking, it symbolizes hope beyond expectation. Toyota engineers believed the highest mpg of my hybrid is 40. I averaged 43.7 – based on hope and expectation (Dad told me several times I’d be able to do it) and some mild hypermiling.
Things look horribly dire in Palestine and Israel right now. Still, according to our shared tradition, it is during the darkest time that the light shines. Because of the faith and the hope that we have been given, we believe there will be peace. It will be a very long journey to get there. Some would say that the entire region is engineered for conflict. As people of faith, we are the hypermilers of peace. We believe that even with a little hope, like the oil that never seemed to run out with Judah the Maccabee, peace will be restored in the Holy Land.
- Rev. Dave
I thought of Dad on Tuesday when I was able to get 600 miles out of one tank of gas in my Camry hybrid. It read 616 when I pulled into the Mobil station on Longboat. I had considered driving the 17 miles home; but, as dad would say, if your car is going to run out of gas, it’ll do it on a bridge. My drive home has two major bridges.
I called my brother because I knew he’d appreciate my 600-mile feat. We reminisced about the time when stretched the gas limit on our family’s Toyota Corona. It had an unreliable gas gauge so Dad told us to get fuel at 300 miles; but, for whatever reason, Tom decided one summer afternoon to keep going well past the limit. After a very exciting day, we ran out of gas a block and a half away from the gas station. I had to get out and push (he was at the wheel, smiling, I think). When we got home, Tom told Dad that he ran out of gas. Instead of getting mad, Dad (the scientist) was intrigued. He asked, “How many gallons did you put in?” He had always said that a 14-gallon tank is not the full picture because, in his estimation, the car has about a quarter gallon of fuel in the lines and the carburetor. Once Tom told him the fill-up amount, Dad smiled, knowing he was right in his assumption.
You might wonder what the spiritual side of all of this is. It’s not about the wise bridesmaids who brought extra oil for their lamps (although I did have a spare fuel can in the trunk). The real reason why I am writing about this has to do with the Jewish Holiday of Hanukah and our shared tradition of hope and peace. The eight-day celebration, starting December 7th this year and running through the 15th, commemorates when Judah the Maccabee and his followers in 164 BC marched into Jerusalem, took back the Temple from the pagan army that occupied it, and cleansed it making it suitable for worship again. There are many miracles in that event. The one most remembered of Hanukah has to do with the oil. They had a small amount but it lasted for eight days – long enough to restore the Temple.
Compared to the Maccabean journey to Jerusalem, my 600-mile journey is trivial; but, metaphorically speaking, it symbolizes hope beyond expectation. Toyota engineers believed the highest mpg of my hybrid is 40. I averaged 43.7 – based on hope and expectation (Dad told me several times I’d be able to do it) and some mild hypermiling.
Things look horribly dire in Palestine and Israel right now. Still, according to our shared tradition, it is during the darkest time that the light shines. Because of the faith and the hope that we have been given, we believe there will be peace. It will be a very long journey to get there. Some would say that the entire region is engineered for conflict. As people of faith, we are the hypermilers of peace. We believe that even with a little hope, like the oil that never seemed to run out with Judah the Maccabee, peace will be restored in the Holy Land.
- Rev. Dave
In Advance
November 22, 2023
All Angels was, once again, an integral part of the Longboat Key Interfaith Thanksgiving Service. We had a very good showing of participants – both in the congregation and in the choir. Our Music Director, David Stasney also participated and conducted one of the pieces (the best one in my opinion). It was a wonderful and joyful thanksgiving service in which Christ Church Presbyterian did a great job of hosting.
The preacher this year was Rabbi Stephen Sniderman from Temple Beth Israel. The service was not recorded or live-streamed so one had to be present to hear his message. … unless you are a regular reader of these Reflections. His message is what I am reflecting on today.
Built into every Jewish prayer – from the morning, to the noonday, to the afternoon and evening; and especially on the Sabbath – are the words of thanksgiving to God. We thank God when we wake up because we are alive. Once we get out of bed, we thank God because we are able to. And, if we are unable to get out of bed, we give thanks on behalf of those who are; because we are all connected. We give thanks whether we feel thankful, or not. If we are not feeling particularly thankful, we still give thanks on behalf of those who are thankful. And, if we are feeling thankful, we give thanks on behalf of those who are not; because we are all connected. We give thanks if we have been healed. If we have not been healed, we give thanks on behalf of those who have.
Giving thanks to God is a major feature that all of our religious traditions call us to do. Our traditions tell us to give thanks in the past tense – thank you God for what you have done; to give thanks in the a present tense – thank you God for what you are doing now (for instance, when we get out of bed, it’s a present tense thank you); and we all give thanks to God in the future tense. This future tense thanks is something that we, in modern America, do from time to time in our daily lives. For example, if your family member is at the store, you can text them and ask them to bring home a gallon of milk. The text usually ends with, “Thank you.” Although they have not yet done anything, we thank them anyway. It’s a thanks-in-advance thank you. And then, when your family member brings home a gallon of milk, you thank them in the present tense, “Thank you for bringing this to me. I appreciate it.”
In the Christian and Jewish tradition, we give thanks in advance to God for a number of things. We give thanks for protection and wisdom and love. Even if we don’t feel particularly wise, we give thanks, in the present tense, for those who receive wisdom today, and for ourselves who will one day be given wisdom.
For this Thanksgiving weekend, the rabbi and I invite you to dig deep into your spiritual and religious heritage and give thanks – in the past tense, in the present, and for thanks in advance. If you do not have a religious or spiritual heritage in which to dig from, this is a perfect holiday to start a new tradition for yourself (based, of course, on the most ancient religious tradition in the world). Offer thanks when you wake up for being alive. When you get out of bed, offer thanks for the ability to get out of bed. And, if you can’t get up, know that someone is offering thanks on your behalf. We are all connected.
I give thanks in the past tense for those who, 43 years ago, started the Interfaith Thanksgiving service, which continues to show that we are connected. I give thanks for you, for All Angels, and for the honor and privilege it is to be your priest and pastor. I give thanks for the time off to be with my family, to rejoice and give thanks, and, I give thanks in advance for all the blessings that God has in store for us. And, if you do not feel particularly thankful right now, just know that someone is offering thanks on your behalf, in the past, now, and in the future; because, we are all connected.
- Rev. Dave
The preacher this year was Rabbi Stephen Sniderman from Temple Beth Israel. The service was not recorded or live-streamed so one had to be present to hear his message. … unless you are a regular reader of these Reflections. His message is what I am reflecting on today.
Built into every Jewish prayer – from the morning, to the noonday, to the afternoon and evening; and especially on the Sabbath – are the words of thanksgiving to God. We thank God when we wake up because we are alive. Once we get out of bed, we thank God because we are able to. And, if we are unable to get out of bed, we give thanks on behalf of those who are; because we are all connected. We give thanks whether we feel thankful, or not. If we are not feeling particularly thankful, we still give thanks on behalf of those who are thankful. And, if we are feeling thankful, we give thanks on behalf of those who are not; because we are all connected. We give thanks if we have been healed. If we have not been healed, we give thanks on behalf of those who have.
Giving thanks to God is a major feature that all of our religious traditions call us to do. Our traditions tell us to give thanks in the past tense – thank you God for what you have done; to give thanks in the a present tense – thank you God for what you are doing now (for instance, when we get out of bed, it’s a present tense thank you); and we all give thanks to God in the future tense. This future tense thanks is something that we, in modern America, do from time to time in our daily lives. For example, if your family member is at the store, you can text them and ask them to bring home a gallon of milk. The text usually ends with, “Thank you.” Although they have not yet done anything, we thank them anyway. It’s a thanks-in-advance thank you. And then, when your family member brings home a gallon of milk, you thank them in the present tense, “Thank you for bringing this to me. I appreciate it.”
In the Christian and Jewish tradition, we give thanks in advance to God for a number of things. We give thanks for protection and wisdom and love. Even if we don’t feel particularly wise, we give thanks, in the present tense, for those who receive wisdom today, and for ourselves who will one day be given wisdom.
For this Thanksgiving weekend, the rabbi and I invite you to dig deep into your spiritual and religious heritage and give thanks – in the past tense, in the present, and for thanks in advance. If you do not have a religious or spiritual heritage in which to dig from, this is a perfect holiday to start a new tradition for yourself (based, of course, on the most ancient religious tradition in the world). Offer thanks when you wake up for being alive. When you get out of bed, offer thanks for the ability to get out of bed. And, if you can’t get up, know that someone is offering thanks on your behalf. We are all connected.
I give thanks in the past tense for those who, 43 years ago, started the Interfaith Thanksgiving service, which continues to show that we are connected. I give thanks for you, for All Angels, and for the honor and privilege it is to be your priest and pastor. I give thanks for the time off to be with my family, to rejoice and give thanks, and, I give thanks in advance for all the blessings that God has in store for us. And, if you do not feel particularly thankful right now, just know that someone is offering thanks on your behalf, in the past, now, and in the future; because, we are all connected.
- Rev. Dave
Oil for the Lamp
November 16, 2023
At our Men’s Discussion group this past Tuesday, one of our participants made a comment that really stuck with me about Sunday’s Gospel lesson – the parable of the five wise bridesmaids who brought extra oil for their lamps (and about the five foolish who did not). Jesus’ parabolic teaching tells him, in our day and time, that going to church is a wise thing to do because it fills up our oil lamps for the week. This oil is what keeps us going, on a weekly basis, through the chaotic world we are living in. The Sunday oil provides light for us during the week and, for others, our light becomes a beacon of hope and direction. This oil is vital; without it, the world would plunge even further into darkness and confusion and despair.
He opined further that the foolish are the ones who do not enter into prayer, or give praises and thanksgivings to God, and who do not lift up their concerns to God on a weekly basis. The people who do not do that are like the foolish bridesmaids and enter into the week without enough oil. In turn, they do not have light in the time of darkness; nor are they seen by others.
Based on his summation of the Gospel, this question came up: Who sells oil in the middle of the night?! I have read two vastly different answers to this question. One answer is that in the first century everyone knew where the oil dealer lived. If you needed oil in the middle of the night, you could go pound on his door until he answered. Jesus told a parable about someone who pounded on their friend’s door in the middle of the night because he needed bread for some guests who had just arrived. Jesus said the neighbor gave the man some bread, not out of their friendship, but out of the man’s persistence. In other words, back in those days, you’d know who the dairy farmer is, who the tailor is, who the butcher is, and, if you are feeling persistent, you could knock on their door until they answered. The second answer is simple: the foolish bridesmaids would be out of luck. Period.
Using the second example – out of luck – so it is with those who are tossed around by the cares and worries of the world and who do not have enough oil to make it through the week. They can’t go back in time and attend a church service. In other words, they’re out of luck.
But are they?
God is always more willing to listen than we are to talk. If the foolish, who have not cast their cares and anxieties on to God, suddenly see that their lamp running out of oil, God is less than a prayer away. There is no need to pound on God’s door to wake the Lord in the middle of the night. God listens and responds without sleeping. God’s holy angels are on guard and posted all through the night and the day. It is us humans who need sleep; God does not. Secondly, the Lord does some of his best work at night. (There’s a sermon coming up about this so stay tuned) And apparently, All Angels does good work at night too. We post our worship services online Sunday morning. However, our views double or triple throughout the week. Lastly, some congregants forward the message to people who need oil for their lamp; and All Angels provides it; no door-pounding necessary.
- Rev. Dave
He opined further that the foolish are the ones who do not enter into prayer, or give praises and thanksgivings to God, and who do not lift up their concerns to God on a weekly basis. The people who do not do that are like the foolish bridesmaids and enter into the week without enough oil. In turn, they do not have light in the time of darkness; nor are they seen by others.
Based on his summation of the Gospel, this question came up: Who sells oil in the middle of the night?! I have read two vastly different answers to this question. One answer is that in the first century everyone knew where the oil dealer lived. If you needed oil in the middle of the night, you could go pound on his door until he answered. Jesus told a parable about someone who pounded on their friend’s door in the middle of the night because he needed bread for some guests who had just arrived. Jesus said the neighbor gave the man some bread, not out of their friendship, but out of the man’s persistence. In other words, back in those days, you’d know who the dairy farmer is, who the tailor is, who the butcher is, and, if you are feeling persistent, you could knock on their door until they answered. The second answer is simple: the foolish bridesmaids would be out of luck. Period.
Using the second example – out of luck – so it is with those who are tossed around by the cares and worries of the world and who do not have enough oil to make it through the week. They can’t go back in time and attend a church service. In other words, they’re out of luck.
But are they?
God is always more willing to listen than we are to talk. If the foolish, who have not cast their cares and anxieties on to God, suddenly see that their lamp running out of oil, God is less than a prayer away. There is no need to pound on God’s door to wake the Lord in the middle of the night. God listens and responds without sleeping. God’s holy angels are on guard and posted all through the night and the day. It is us humans who need sleep; God does not. Secondly, the Lord does some of his best work at night. (There’s a sermon coming up about this so stay tuned) And apparently, All Angels does good work at night too. We post our worship services online Sunday morning. However, our views double or triple throughout the week. Lastly, some congregants forward the message to people who need oil for their lamp; and All Angels provides it; no door-pounding necessary.
- Rev. Dave
The Camel and the Gnat
November 9, 2023
Jesus said some very comforting words. Here is my favorite: Do not let your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me, in my Father’s House there are many dwelling places. I go there to prepare a place for you and I will come and get you and bring you there so that where I am you will be also. (John 14:1-3) How about this one: Come to me, all you who are struggling and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Learn from me. Take my yoke, it is easy, and my burden is light. (Mt 11:28-30) Or, another favorite: I am the good shepherd; the one who lays down his life for the sheep. (Jn 10:11)
Jesus also said some difficult words that are hard to understand. We heard some of them this past Sunday. In particular, Jesus said, “Call no one your father because you have one Father in Heaven, call no one your teacher because you have one Teacher and you are all students, call no one your instructor because you have one Instructor the Messiah.” (Mt 23:8-10)
I am writing to you about part about not calling your father, father, because you have one in Heaven. This is good news for people who had an absent father, or an abusive or neglectful father. Jesus’ words are comforting because he is reminding us of our One True Father, in Heaven – the one who carries our burdens and lays down his life for us. But what about people like me who had a great dad. Or how about those with good, honest, decent fathers who did the best they could. Or, how about those who are called to be fathers on earth. What does it say to us? I can tell you for me personally, it does not feel like good news.
I have done some extensive research into this topic. It seems as if no theologian, who wants to be published, has taken a stab at it. (Maybe I should take that as a hint) Nevertheless this is what I have discovered. Commandment #5 – honor your father and your mother. Used eight times in the Bible, Jesus certainly knew this commandment. Jesus knew the concept of parents, fathers, and adopted fathers. According to Luke’s Gospel, Jesus was submissive to Joseph and Mary (and then “he grew in wisdom and power”). Lastly, saints Peter, Paul and John referred to the people they wrote to in their letters as “children”. This indicates their respective communities understood them to be parents, or specifically, fathers. Incidentally, “children” was not a subordinate or belittling title; instead it was a term of endearment and intimacy; like a parent with a child.
To make some sense of this, let’s look at the camel and the gnat. Following the call no one your father line, Jesus said that the religious leaders of the day, “Strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.” (23:24) Bugs and flies were common back then (as today in Florida) and they would occasionally land in someone’s wine. Using a cloth, like a coffee filter, they would strain out the bugs so that they could drink it. The gnat, or no-see-um as we call them around here, are tiny; by comparison, camels are huge. In other words, the religious leaders in his day worried about tiny things but let the really big things go by.
Jesus didn’t literally mean that they swallow a camel. He was using a rhetorical device with the gnat and the camel. It was an exaggeration to prove a point. This author believes he used the same rhetorical device when talking about fathers (as well as teachers and instructors). In his day, there was a particular quasi-religious attention paid to one’s earthly father as well as for teachers and instructors. It’s more than saying “they can do no wrong” or “father knows best”. It’s that they – fathers and teachers – could do horrible things, and be horrible people leading many down the wrong paths. Jesus stood up to that system. He also stood up to the religious leaders of the day that worry about really small things but neglect the much larger matters of religious life which he himself calls justice, peace, and faith. Using the rhetorical device – call no one father – he is inviting us to look to God our Father, God our Teacher and Instructor, who is the Good Shepherd, who will lay down his life for the sheep, who will build you a residence in heaven, who will come and take you to that place, who will take all our anxieties, our fears, our anger, our grief, remorse, and even our sins upon him and will give us a burden that is easy and light. That’s the One who we are to look to. God our Father is also the one we try to emulate with those people who call us mother, father, teacher, or instructor. The good news is that when we do our best to emulate our Good Shepherd, we are also honoring our fathers and mothers on earth – both those who were good parents and also those who struggle at it.
- Rev. Dave
Jesus also said some difficult words that are hard to understand. We heard some of them this past Sunday. In particular, Jesus said, “Call no one your father because you have one Father in Heaven, call no one your teacher because you have one Teacher and you are all students, call no one your instructor because you have one Instructor the Messiah.” (Mt 23:8-10)
I am writing to you about part about not calling your father, father, because you have one in Heaven. This is good news for people who had an absent father, or an abusive or neglectful father. Jesus’ words are comforting because he is reminding us of our One True Father, in Heaven – the one who carries our burdens and lays down his life for us. But what about people like me who had a great dad. Or how about those with good, honest, decent fathers who did the best they could. Or, how about those who are called to be fathers on earth. What does it say to us? I can tell you for me personally, it does not feel like good news.
I have done some extensive research into this topic. It seems as if no theologian, who wants to be published, has taken a stab at it. (Maybe I should take that as a hint) Nevertheless this is what I have discovered. Commandment #5 – honor your father and your mother. Used eight times in the Bible, Jesus certainly knew this commandment. Jesus knew the concept of parents, fathers, and adopted fathers. According to Luke’s Gospel, Jesus was submissive to Joseph and Mary (and then “he grew in wisdom and power”). Lastly, saints Peter, Paul and John referred to the people they wrote to in their letters as “children”. This indicates their respective communities understood them to be parents, or specifically, fathers. Incidentally, “children” was not a subordinate or belittling title; instead it was a term of endearment and intimacy; like a parent with a child.
To make some sense of this, let’s look at the camel and the gnat. Following the call no one your father line, Jesus said that the religious leaders of the day, “Strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.” (23:24) Bugs and flies were common back then (as today in Florida) and they would occasionally land in someone’s wine. Using a cloth, like a coffee filter, they would strain out the bugs so that they could drink it. The gnat, or no-see-um as we call them around here, are tiny; by comparison, camels are huge. In other words, the religious leaders in his day worried about tiny things but let the really big things go by.
Jesus didn’t literally mean that they swallow a camel. He was using a rhetorical device with the gnat and the camel. It was an exaggeration to prove a point. This author believes he used the same rhetorical device when talking about fathers (as well as teachers and instructors). In his day, there was a particular quasi-religious attention paid to one’s earthly father as well as for teachers and instructors. It’s more than saying “they can do no wrong” or “father knows best”. It’s that they – fathers and teachers – could do horrible things, and be horrible people leading many down the wrong paths. Jesus stood up to that system. He also stood up to the religious leaders of the day that worry about really small things but neglect the much larger matters of religious life which he himself calls justice, peace, and faith. Using the rhetorical device – call no one father – he is inviting us to look to God our Father, God our Teacher and Instructor, who is the Good Shepherd, who will lay down his life for the sheep, who will build you a residence in heaven, who will come and take you to that place, who will take all our anxieties, our fears, our anger, our grief, remorse, and even our sins upon him and will give us a burden that is easy and light. That’s the One who we are to look to. God our Father is also the one we try to emulate with those people who call us mother, father, teacher, or instructor. The good news is that when we do our best to emulate our Good Shepherd, we are also honoring our fathers and mothers on earth – both those who were good parents and also those who struggle at it.
- Rev. Dave
To Laugh
November 2, 2023
One of the columnists I follow, John Podhoretz, wrote a wonderful piece about his son’s bar mitzvah. The bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah which means son/daughter commandments is traditionally done on the twelfth or thirteenth birthday. It is required that ten adults attend. Some, at All Angels, have been the one of the ten adults, which is an honor to do so.
I am writing to you about John’s column because it holds some precious wisdom, and permission, for all of us. The bar mitzvah celebration occurred on October 28th at the Sutton Place Synagogue in New York City – twenty-one days after the Hamas attack. John’s sister could not attend the bar mitzvah because she is a communication specialist assisting the government of Israel. Her 38-year-old son has been called up into the reserves and his wife, who is eight and half months pregnant, has to worry daily about getting from her house to the bomb shelter with a two-year old, a one-year old, and, all the while, about to give birth. John wrote, “We are here today to celebrate. But how can we celebrate? How can my family celebrate?”
“We can celebrate because we are commanded to celebrate,” he wrote. John’s own bar mitzvah occurred during the Vietnam War, his father’s occurred during World War II, his grandfather’s bar mitzvah occurred during the era of pogrom. The glory and burden of the Jewish people is to celebrate even in the midst of horror and tragedy.
His son was supposed to be named Shai. Jewish tradition is for the parents to name the child but not announce it before the bris (circumcision). A day after their son was born, they both felt as if their son should be named Isaac. So, with divine providence, it became his name. In the Bible, Isaac was the first person to be named by God prior to his birth. God told Abraham and Sarah that they will have a child and they are to name him Isaac. Funny thing about the name, it means “laughter”. The announcement of her impending pregnancy made Sarah laugh; a lot. In fact, we’re all still laughing about God making a 75-year old pregnant. So there it is, celebrating and laughing, despite the inconceivability of it, was the conceiving of a son; and his name, Laughter
I have written to you before about the Big Book of Jewish Jokes that I was given by my aunt – my dad’s sister – and uncle who is Jewish. Laughter is one of the gifts that the Jewish people have given the world. Historically speaking, they are also on the receiving end some of the worst treatment that humans can give to each other. Yet, they have humor and are commanded to celebrate.
Laughter and celebration is a part the tree that Christianity has been grafted onto. In the New Testament, we are commanded to “Rejoice; and again, I say rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4) We are told to give thanks in all circumstances and in all places. (1 Thes. 5:18) We are to present ourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God and not to be conformed to the negative patterns of this world but be transformed by the renewing of our minds. (Romans 12:1-2)
There are plenty of reasons to celebrate. Number one reason: it is a command from God. We are to give thanks and to celebrate. Humor, laughter, and celebration is contagious. Once it is started, it is hard to stop (nor should we). Christianity would not have spread if all we did was walk around sad, telling others they should be sad (because just look at the news!), and have a miserable disposition. Instead, we are to rejoice, to give thanks, and to celebrate in all times, places and circumstances. This disposition is what makes us different from the world and keeps us from conforming to the rhetoric and sadness (and fear) of our time. There is, and always will be, something to be sad and fearful of. At the same time, there is always something to celebrate and to laugh with joy about.
- Rev. Dave
I am writing to you about John’s column because it holds some precious wisdom, and permission, for all of us. The bar mitzvah celebration occurred on October 28th at the Sutton Place Synagogue in New York City – twenty-one days after the Hamas attack. John’s sister could not attend the bar mitzvah because she is a communication specialist assisting the government of Israel. Her 38-year-old son has been called up into the reserves and his wife, who is eight and half months pregnant, has to worry daily about getting from her house to the bomb shelter with a two-year old, a one-year old, and, all the while, about to give birth. John wrote, “We are here today to celebrate. But how can we celebrate? How can my family celebrate?”
“We can celebrate because we are commanded to celebrate,” he wrote. John’s own bar mitzvah occurred during the Vietnam War, his father’s occurred during World War II, his grandfather’s bar mitzvah occurred during the era of pogrom. The glory and burden of the Jewish people is to celebrate even in the midst of horror and tragedy.
His son was supposed to be named Shai. Jewish tradition is for the parents to name the child but not announce it before the bris (circumcision). A day after their son was born, they both felt as if their son should be named Isaac. So, with divine providence, it became his name. In the Bible, Isaac was the first person to be named by God prior to his birth. God told Abraham and Sarah that they will have a child and they are to name him Isaac. Funny thing about the name, it means “laughter”. The announcement of her impending pregnancy made Sarah laugh; a lot. In fact, we’re all still laughing about God making a 75-year old pregnant. So there it is, celebrating and laughing, despite the inconceivability of it, was the conceiving of a son; and his name, Laughter
I have written to you before about the Big Book of Jewish Jokes that I was given by my aunt – my dad’s sister – and uncle who is Jewish. Laughter is one of the gifts that the Jewish people have given the world. Historically speaking, they are also on the receiving end some of the worst treatment that humans can give to each other. Yet, they have humor and are commanded to celebrate.
Laughter and celebration is a part the tree that Christianity has been grafted onto. In the New Testament, we are commanded to “Rejoice; and again, I say rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4) We are told to give thanks in all circumstances and in all places. (1 Thes. 5:18) We are to present ourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God and not to be conformed to the negative patterns of this world but be transformed by the renewing of our minds. (Romans 12:1-2)
There are plenty of reasons to celebrate. Number one reason: it is a command from God. We are to give thanks and to celebrate. Humor, laughter, and celebration is contagious. Once it is started, it is hard to stop (nor should we). Christianity would not have spread if all we did was walk around sad, telling others they should be sad (because just look at the news!), and have a miserable disposition. Instead, we are to rejoice, to give thanks, and to celebrate in all times, places and circumstances. This disposition is what makes us different from the world and keeps us from conforming to the rhetoric and sadness (and fear) of our time. There is, and always will be, something to be sad and fearful of. At the same time, there is always something to celebrate and to laugh with joy about.
- Rev. Dave
In Absentia
October 26, 2023
All Angels and Temple Beth Israel had a pet blessing event last Sunday. No one really knew how it was going to go, or if anyone would show up. At one point in the planning process, the Rabbi told me this: if we have two pets show up, I’ll call it a success. We had way more than two. There were five dogs lined up before we started at 2 pm. The dogs kept coming for the next ninety minutes.
I have been asked what is the most memorable pet this year. Clemmie (BJ and Dave Bishop’s active and loving Black and Tan Jack Russell terrier) usually takes the cake. She is the consummate ambassador for pet blessings – welcoming every dog and person to the event. This year, however, the most memorable was a bearded dragon. More dragon than beard, it is a lizard-like creature that hardly fit into the medium sized Amazon box its owner carried it in. With a wide head and little white spikes that ran down its prominent jaw line, it looked like it had a white beard. When I touched the creature, its skin felt scaly and surprisingly rough; unlike that of a regular lizard or snake or frog. It too received a blessing. However, as the creature was carried up to our table, I leaned over and said to the Rabbi: If this thing starts talking about an apple, we’re all in trouble (see Genesis 3:1-7).
We blessed many cats but they were all absent. Pictured here is Fan Oleson’s cat, Claudia, who is at her home near D.C. Nevertheless, Claudia received a blessing. At one point, the Rabbi asked one of his parishioners, “Did you bring your pet or is it in absentia?” The owner pulled out her phone and showed us a photo of Smokey – a longhaired black cat. She received a Jewish blessing: May you be all the cat that you can be, may you always have a safe and warm house with plenty of food, and may you be a blessing to those who love you. We all responded with an enthusiastic amen. The owner received a certificate of the event (as did all the pet owners, including the bearded dragon).
The term “in absentia” is a legal term used commonly for sentencing a defendant who is not present at the trial. I prefer the spiritual sense of the word – passing on a sentence of blessing to the person, or creature, who is not present. Most of the folks on our prayer list are in absentia – they are known and loved by a member of All Angels but not present in person at the service. Most folks on the list are dealing with a lifetime condition. We pray for them, in absentia, for continued health, healing and peace. For instance, Jean Rushton is on our Hospice prayer list. We pray for her to have peace and a holy passing and for the comfort of the Holy Spirit to be with her family and all who love her.
Back to the pet blessing, I will probably never meet Smokey in person. She received a blessing in absentia; and frankly, so did I. In absentia prayers are both for the one praying and the person (or creature) who is the intended recipient of the prayer. I am convinced that as we pray for those on our prayer list, we too are blessed and loved; in absentia or in person, we are blessed and loved.
- Rev. Dave
I have been asked what is the most memorable pet this year. Clemmie (BJ and Dave Bishop’s active and loving Black and Tan Jack Russell terrier) usually takes the cake. She is the consummate ambassador for pet blessings – welcoming every dog and person to the event. This year, however, the most memorable was a bearded dragon. More dragon than beard, it is a lizard-like creature that hardly fit into the medium sized Amazon box its owner carried it in. With a wide head and little white spikes that ran down its prominent jaw line, it looked like it had a white beard. When I touched the creature, its skin felt scaly and surprisingly rough; unlike that of a regular lizard or snake or frog. It too received a blessing. However, as the creature was carried up to our table, I leaned over and said to the Rabbi: If this thing starts talking about an apple, we’re all in trouble (see Genesis 3:1-7).
We blessed many cats but they were all absent. Pictured here is Fan Oleson’s cat, Claudia, who is at her home near D.C. Nevertheless, Claudia received a blessing. At one point, the Rabbi asked one of his parishioners, “Did you bring your pet or is it in absentia?” The owner pulled out her phone and showed us a photo of Smokey – a longhaired black cat. She received a Jewish blessing: May you be all the cat that you can be, may you always have a safe and warm house with plenty of food, and may you be a blessing to those who love you. We all responded with an enthusiastic amen. The owner received a certificate of the event (as did all the pet owners, including the bearded dragon).
The term “in absentia” is a legal term used commonly for sentencing a defendant who is not present at the trial. I prefer the spiritual sense of the word – passing on a sentence of blessing to the person, or creature, who is not present. Most of the folks on our prayer list are in absentia – they are known and loved by a member of All Angels but not present in person at the service. Most folks on the list are dealing with a lifetime condition. We pray for them, in absentia, for continued health, healing and peace. For instance, Jean Rushton is on our Hospice prayer list. We pray for her to have peace and a holy passing and for the comfort of the Holy Spirit to be with her family and all who love her.
Back to the pet blessing, I will probably never meet Smokey in person. She received a blessing in absentia; and frankly, so did I. In absentia prayers are both for the one praying and the person (or creature) who is the intended recipient of the prayer. I am convinced that as we pray for those on our prayer list, we too are blessed and loved; in absentia or in person, we are blessed and loved.
- Rev. Dave
Pen Pal
October 19, 2023
Shortly after I was ordained, I had a parishioner who, on the exterior, looked like everything was great. One day after church, she asked if I could say a prayer for her. I was happy to but instead of praying right there (in front of everyone) she insisted on making an appointment. In our meeting, she told me she felt completely disconnected from God; was facing dire news with the people she loves the most; and that prayer had never really ever been her thing. Being new in ministry I didn’t know what to do but I had the feeling this was not the time to recite a healing prayer out of the prayer book. I blurted out, “How about this: why don’t you write down what you want me to pray for and I’ll read it to God.” She lit up and told me she had a good experience with a pen pal growing up. She left my office excited about a comfortable way to communicate with God.
The following Sunday morning, I was lined up in procession with the usual pre-service butterflies flying around in my stomach. As the choir was singing, and as the cross started to process forward, I felt something pressing in on the palm of my hand. The parishioner had snuck up behind me was trying to pass me an envelope. It was addressed to God and My Savior. I stuffed it into my robe and processed into the church. After services were over, I placed it under the keyboard in my office and went home.
After a hectic Monday, I was getting ready to head home when I saw the envelope sticking out from under the keyboard. Feeling a little sheepish for not remembering it until then, I took it and walked into the church. The setting winter sun illuminated the quiet sanctuary in vesper light. Every breath I took seemed to interrupt the holy silence that was enveloping me. Not knowing what to do, I walked up the stairs to the high altar and went straight back to the tabernacle – where we believe the real presence of Christ is in the blessed bread and wine (the most holy place in the church). I opened the tabernacle and saw the holy elements waiting inside. I took out the letter and said, “Jesus, I have a letter for you. With your permission, I’m going to open it and read it to you.” The silence gave me courage so I opened it and read it word for deeply-honest word.
On Tuesday morning, I read the most amazing email. The pen pal parishioner told me that late Monday afternoon, just after the sun had set, things started to change for her family. That night she had the most amazing dream of dancing hand in hand with Jesus. He showed her how he had been with her along every step of her life, especially the past year when she felt disconnected from him. She thanked me for reading her Pen Pal letter because God listened, God spoke, and God helped.
Every week for the next few months she wrote a letter to God. They were full of joy and gratitude with some occasional petitions for people at her work and in the community. She finally wrote, “This is my last letter to you. From now on I’ll be speaking to you directly.” She then asked the Lord to bless her faithful priest (which God has over and over and over again).
I believe that God “heard” her prayer while she was writing it. She was expressing the intention of her heart to God and her Savior in a way that she felt most comfortable. And, as a good pen pal, God wrote back.
- Rev. Dave
The following Sunday morning, I was lined up in procession with the usual pre-service butterflies flying around in my stomach. As the choir was singing, and as the cross started to process forward, I felt something pressing in on the palm of my hand. The parishioner had snuck up behind me was trying to pass me an envelope. It was addressed to God and My Savior. I stuffed it into my robe and processed into the church. After services were over, I placed it under the keyboard in my office and went home.
After a hectic Monday, I was getting ready to head home when I saw the envelope sticking out from under the keyboard. Feeling a little sheepish for not remembering it until then, I took it and walked into the church. The setting winter sun illuminated the quiet sanctuary in vesper light. Every breath I took seemed to interrupt the holy silence that was enveloping me. Not knowing what to do, I walked up the stairs to the high altar and went straight back to the tabernacle – where we believe the real presence of Christ is in the blessed bread and wine (the most holy place in the church). I opened the tabernacle and saw the holy elements waiting inside. I took out the letter and said, “Jesus, I have a letter for you. With your permission, I’m going to open it and read it to you.” The silence gave me courage so I opened it and read it word for deeply-honest word.
On Tuesday morning, I read the most amazing email. The pen pal parishioner told me that late Monday afternoon, just after the sun had set, things started to change for her family. That night she had the most amazing dream of dancing hand in hand with Jesus. He showed her how he had been with her along every step of her life, especially the past year when she felt disconnected from him. She thanked me for reading her Pen Pal letter because God listened, God spoke, and God helped.
Every week for the next few months she wrote a letter to God. They were full of joy and gratitude with some occasional petitions for people at her work and in the community. She finally wrote, “This is my last letter to you. From now on I’ll be speaking to you directly.” She then asked the Lord to bless her faithful priest (which God has over and over and over again).
I believe that God “heard” her prayer while she was writing it. She was expressing the intention of her heart to God and her Savior in a way that she felt most comfortable. And, as a good pen pal, God wrote back.
- Rev. Dave
The Most Important Conversation Today
October 12, 2023
In our weekly Podcast, A Bridge Between Alex and Dave, Fr. Alex Andujar and I have been discussing prayer. We started the series by talking about an electronic church reader board displaying this phrase: Prayer is the most important conversation you will have today. Using our good Anglican-questioning tradition, Alex and I asked, “Is prayer really the most important conversation?” Here is what we found.
Prayer is a conversation. Church prayer – often called corporate prayer – has a particular format which doesn’t appear conversational on the surface but it is. The conversation is this: we hear a reading from Scripture and we then pray. We hear another scripture reading and we pray again. Back and forth goes the conversation, based on an ancient Jewish prayer format, which, in its essence, is a conversation with God. We hear about how God has acted in the past (Scripture), we then tell God what is happening in our lives, we give thanks for all that God has done, and then we ask that God pay attention to some aspect in our personal lives, in our community, nation and world.
I pray when I fall asleep, I pray when I get up, and I pray during the day. Most prayers at night I fall asleep before they are finished. It reminds me of when Ethan was four years old. He was telling us about something that he had watched on television but he was so sleepy, he fell asleep cuddled on my lap before he could finish his story. That’s what happens with me. I imagine God is just as pleased as I was with our sleepy child that the last thing he wanted before falling asleep was to talk to us. When I wake up, I pray for protection and guidance for the day and especially for those who are ill or recovering from surgery. During the day, my conversation with God has to do with all the things that happen on a typical day of ministry. At night, I thank God for the day and then… sleep. It is said that Pope Gregory the Great would make this his last prayer of the day: Lord, your Church is in trouble, I’m going to sleep.
For me, I think the most important conversations I have during the day are with Christi and our kids. I have important conversations with staff, volunteers, church leaders and those seeking a sense of God in their life. And, for a particular person, who sought me out in the produce section of Publix because her friend was in surgery and needed prayers right then, I imagine that was the most important conversation (or at least in the top three) that she had all day. If I could reply to the reader board at that church, I would ask which prayer, which conversation with God, was the most important.
I am writing this to you on the 6th day (Thursday, October 12) of the war between Israel and Hamas. Each day brings worse news than the day before. I shudder to think what will happen between now and Sunday. The world feels a little out of control right now. What I have control over is prayer. The service for this Sunday will involve prayer for all those in Israel and in Gaza, for those in Kosovo and Serbia, for those in Ukraine, North Sudan and all places that are experiencing war and unrest. St. Peter, in his open letter to the Church, wrote that we need to cast all our anxieties on God because God cares for us. Jesus implored us to pray for our enemies. St. Paul wrote that we must pray for those who wish to do us harm. All of them have said emphatically, and by their lives they have shown us, that we must pray and pray continually.
The most important conversation you have today may very well be one with God about the people that live in the Holy Land. For those on both sides of the border and especially for the lives of children and caregivers, we pray for peace, for justice and for restraint.
- Rev. Dave
Prayer is a conversation. Church prayer – often called corporate prayer – has a particular format which doesn’t appear conversational on the surface but it is. The conversation is this: we hear a reading from Scripture and we then pray. We hear another scripture reading and we pray again. Back and forth goes the conversation, based on an ancient Jewish prayer format, which, in its essence, is a conversation with God. We hear about how God has acted in the past (Scripture), we then tell God what is happening in our lives, we give thanks for all that God has done, and then we ask that God pay attention to some aspect in our personal lives, in our community, nation and world.
I pray when I fall asleep, I pray when I get up, and I pray during the day. Most prayers at night I fall asleep before they are finished. It reminds me of when Ethan was four years old. He was telling us about something that he had watched on television but he was so sleepy, he fell asleep cuddled on my lap before he could finish his story. That’s what happens with me. I imagine God is just as pleased as I was with our sleepy child that the last thing he wanted before falling asleep was to talk to us. When I wake up, I pray for protection and guidance for the day and especially for those who are ill or recovering from surgery. During the day, my conversation with God has to do with all the things that happen on a typical day of ministry. At night, I thank God for the day and then… sleep. It is said that Pope Gregory the Great would make this his last prayer of the day: Lord, your Church is in trouble, I’m going to sleep.
For me, I think the most important conversations I have during the day are with Christi and our kids. I have important conversations with staff, volunteers, church leaders and those seeking a sense of God in their life. And, for a particular person, who sought me out in the produce section of Publix because her friend was in surgery and needed prayers right then, I imagine that was the most important conversation (or at least in the top three) that she had all day. If I could reply to the reader board at that church, I would ask which prayer, which conversation with God, was the most important.
I am writing this to you on the 6th day (Thursday, October 12) of the war between Israel and Hamas. Each day brings worse news than the day before. I shudder to think what will happen between now and Sunday. The world feels a little out of control right now. What I have control over is prayer. The service for this Sunday will involve prayer for all those in Israel and in Gaza, for those in Kosovo and Serbia, for those in Ukraine, North Sudan and all places that are experiencing war and unrest. St. Peter, in his open letter to the Church, wrote that we need to cast all our anxieties on God because God cares for us. Jesus implored us to pray for our enemies. St. Paul wrote that we must pray for those who wish to do us harm. All of them have said emphatically, and by their lives they have shown us, that we must pray and pray continually.
The most important conversation you have today may very well be one with God about the people that live in the Holy Land. For those on both sides of the border and especially for the lives of children and caregivers, we pray for peace, for justice and for restraint.
- Rev. Dave
The Gradual God
October 5, 2023
Have you ever prayed something like this: God, give me patience and give it to me right now! Or, its companion prayer: God, give me wisdom and give me wisdom right now! Life teaches us that patience and wisdom come gradually. When we observe patience and wisdom growing in others, it seems to creep along at a glacial pace. For ourselves, we may not even see that we are gaining in patience or wisdom because it is so gradual that we lose the sense of contrast from when we were less patient or not as wise. In contrast to our on-demand, fast-paced, and increasingly impatient society, God, and God’s Kingdom, and God’s promises, and the wisdom and patience from God, comes gradually.
We are in the middle of our Sunday lectionary series about the Book of Exodus. One parishioner shared with me that he is not really identifying with the stories in Exodus. I appreciate that feedback. I never really had a connection with the book until just before seminary when I read chapter 23. In it, I recognized how God acts gradually and what we are supposed to do in the meantime. We won’t read chapter 23 this year. We will read from chapter 20 – the giving of the Ten Commandments – and then we skip to chapter 32 where the Israelites made a golden calf and decided to worship it. Those are fast-acting stories with immediacy and fear. God, however, through most of our lives, does not act like that but rather in a gradual sense.
Here is a snippet of the wisdom of Chapter 23.
Don’t spread rumors. Don’t plot with evil people. Don’t act as a lying witness. When your enemy’s donkey has wandered off, you should bring it back to them. When you see a donkey that belongs to someone who hates you and it’s trapped (and you are naturally inclined not to help set it free) you must set it free and return it to them.
The wisdom is that God cares for the lowly donkey and (this is the hard part) God even cares about your enemies. If you find a lost or trapped donkey, help it and return it because God cares for all of creation. The chapter ends with God’s promise to drive out the people that live in the Promised Land. But, this driving out won’t happen in one day, or in one year; it will be gradual.
I won’t drive them out before you in a single year so the land won’t be abandoned and the wild animals won’t multiply around you. I’ll drive them out before you little by little, until your numbers grow and you eventually possess the land.
God says I’ll do it gradually. In the meantime, don’t gossip or spread rumors and help the donkey even if it belongs to your enemy because the God of gradualness will take care of the rest.
Exodus shows us that it took 40 years to enter the promised land. 40 years! That’s two generations. Imagine how much patience that took. The children born in the wilderness are the ones that will be parents and grandparents in the Promised Land. That generation only heard about crossing the sea on dry land, about the water coming out of a rock in the desert, and Moses coming down the mountain with the Ten Commandments. Imagine the wisdom and patience that was gained and passed on to the next generation about the promises of God and how to treat one’s neighbor. I wonder if this exodus of people, over a period of two generations, was so gradual that no one really knew it was happening until someone decided to write a chronicle of their leader, Moses.
If you are feeling impatient with our society or with yourself, chapter 23 of Exodus reminds us that God works gradually – both in us and around us. God will bring us to where we are supposed to be but it will happen so gradually that we may not even notice it happening. The wisdom of the Gradual God is that when you return a lost donkey, you may find the owner is no longer an enemy but will gradually become a friend.
- Rev. Dave
We are in the middle of our Sunday lectionary series about the Book of Exodus. One parishioner shared with me that he is not really identifying with the stories in Exodus. I appreciate that feedback. I never really had a connection with the book until just before seminary when I read chapter 23. In it, I recognized how God acts gradually and what we are supposed to do in the meantime. We won’t read chapter 23 this year. We will read from chapter 20 – the giving of the Ten Commandments – and then we skip to chapter 32 where the Israelites made a golden calf and decided to worship it. Those are fast-acting stories with immediacy and fear. God, however, through most of our lives, does not act like that but rather in a gradual sense.
Here is a snippet of the wisdom of Chapter 23.
Don’t spread rumors. Don’t plot with evil people. Don’t act as a lying witness. When your enemy’s donkey has wandered off, you should bring it back to them. When you see a donkey that belongs to someone who hates you and it’s trapped (and you are naturally inclined not to help set it free) you must set it free and return it to them.
The wisdom is that God cares for the lowly donkey and (this is the hard part) God even cares about your enemies. If you find a lost or trapped donkey, help it and return it because God cares for all of creation. The chapter ends with God’s promise to drive out the people that live in the Promised Land. But, this driving out won’t happen in one day, or in one year; it will be gradual.
I won’t drive them out before you in a single year so the land won’t be abandoned and the wild animals won’t multiply around you. I’ll drive them out before you little by little, until your numbers grow and you eventually possess the land.
God says I’ll do it gradually. In the meantime, don’t gossip or spread rumors and help the donkey even if it belongs to your enemy because the God of gradualness will take care of the rest.
Exodus shows us that it took 40 years to enter the promised land. 40 years! That’s two generations. Imagine how much patience that took. The children born in the wilderness are the ones that will be parents and grandparents in the Promised Land. That generation only heard about crossing the sea on dry land, about the water coming out of a rock in the desert, and Moses coming down the mountain with the Ten Commandments. Imagine the wisdom and patience that was gained and passed on to the next generation about the promises of God and how to treat one’s neighbor. I wonder if this exodus of people, over a period of two generations, was so gradual that no one really knew it was happening until someone decided to write a chronicle of their leader, Moses.
If you are feeling impatient with our society or with yourself, chapter 23 of Exodus reminds us that God works gradually – both in us and around us. God will bring us to where we are supposed to be but it will happen so gradually that we may not even notice it happening. The wisdom of the Gradual God is that when you return a lost donkey, you may find the owner is no longer an enemy but will gradually become a friend.
- Rev. Dave
Has, Is and Will
September 28, 2023
When Christi and I studied Russian, our tutor had us repeat a Russian phrase every time we met. Here’s the phrase: povtulenia mot ucheniya, which means “repetition is the mother of learning.” Repetition is also the key to sales and management, according to Zig Ziglar, with this quote: Repetition is the mother of learning, the father of action and the architect of accomplishment.
I have been repeating something to you – the aorist tense in Greek. I think it is starting to sink in because some of you have repeated it back to me. For instance, I recently quoted this prayer from our Prayer Book: God, who is always more willing to listen than we to speak. Someone said, “Is “listen” considered to be an aorist tense because God has listened, is listening and will listen?” That makes me very happy. Yes, that is the essence of the aorist tense – something that has happened in the past is happening today and will happen in the future. In other words: As it was, is now, and forever will be.
That being said, there is an aorist tense from last week’s Gospel that I wanted to share with you. The Gospel lesson was a parable (a teaching story that conveys a moral) from Jesus about a vineyard owner who hired workers at 9 am for the usual daily wage. He then hired workers at noon, at 3 pm and then at 5 pm. At sunset, the vineyard owner paid the people hired at 5 pm first. He paid them the usual daily wage. Upon hearing it, the 9 am workers were excited – thinking they’d get paid more than the daily wage. But, when it was their turn to be paid, they were paid exactly what they had agreed to.
You might ask, where’s the aorist tense? Here is the passage; I underlined the aorist tense:
At about five o’clock the vineyard owner went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, “Why are you standing here idle all day?” They said to him, “Because no one has hired us.” (Mt 20:6-7)
Here it is in literal English: Because no one has hired us, is hiring us, will hire us. In other words, they were the un-hire-able.
The parables of Jesus have more than one aspect, or moral-to-the-story. The reason why we have kept them around is that they have spoken to us, are speaking to us, and will speak to us in the future. Because of the aorist tense found in “hired”, Matthew, the Gospel writer, is inviting us into a deeper look at God through this parable. In particular, I think Matthew is asking us these questions:
What does this say about God, about God’s compassion, and about how God sees equality? This aorist tense makes me wonder what is unhirable about me? When have I been The Unhirable. When has God given me the same amount as others who perform much better, have worked longer, or are more able, than me. Since God has done this for me, how am I to treat the unhirable?
- Rev. Dave
I have been repeating something to you – the aorist tense in Greek. I think it is starting to sink in because some of you have repeated it back to me. For instance, I recently quoted this prayer from our Prayer Book: God, who is always more willing to listen than we to speak. Someone said, “Is “listen” considered to be an aorist tense because God has listened, is listening and will listen?” That makes me very happy. Yes, that is the essence of the aorist tense – something that has happened in the past is happening today and will happen in the future. In other words: As it was, is now, and forever will be.
That being said, there is an aorist tense from last week’s Gospel that I wanted to share with you. The Gospel lesson was a parable (a teaching story that conveys a moral) from Jesus about a vineyard owner who hired workers at 9 am for the usual daily wage. He then hired workers at noon, at 3 pm and then at 5 pm. At sunset, the vineyard owner paid the people hired at 5 pm first. He paid them the usual daily wage. Upon hearing it, the 9 am workers were excited – thinking they’d get paid more than the daily wage. But, when it was their turn to be paid, they were paid exactly what they had agreed to.
You might ask, where’s the aorist tense? Here is the passage; I underlined the aorist tense:
At about five o’clock the vineyard owner went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, “Why are you standing here idle all day?” They said to him, “Because no one has hired us.” (Mt 20:6-7)
Here it is in literal English: Because no one has hired us, is hiring us, will hire us. In other words, they were the un-hire-able.
The parables of Jesus have more than one aspect, or moral-to-the-story. The reason why we have kept them around is that they have spoken to us, are speaking to us, and will speak to us in the future. Because of the aorist tense found in “hired”, Matthew, the Gospel writer, is inviting us into a deeper look at God through this parable. In particular, I think Matthew is asking us these questions:
- What does it say about God, The Vineyard Owner, who hires the unhirable at 5 pm and pays them the usual daily wage.
- What does this say about God’s compassion?
- How does God view equality?
- What does hiring the unhirables say about others; about you and me?
What does this say about God, about God’s compassion, and about how God sees equality? This aorist tense makes me wonder what is unhirable about me? When have I been The Unhirable. When has God given me the same amount as others who perform much better, have worked longer, or are more able, than me. Since God has done this for me, how am I to treat the unhirable?
- Rev. Dave
Handed Down From the Past
September 21, 2023
My aunt Janet (my dad’s oldest sister) is the family historian; and thank God for her work. My great grandfather Darrow (the father of my dad’s mother) had a well-researched family tree which was verified by professional genealogists. On the Marshall side, my great grandfather contributed to the family history by penciling a family tree on the back of a department store shopping bag. Thankfully both histories were kept! Thanks to Janet’s work, I can tell my boys that we are related to an original British colonist; a couple who supported the Underground Railroad; the famous jurist, Clarence Darrow; and a paratrooper killed on D-Day.
She shared a story with me about Henrie Darrow, born 1575 in Woburn, Bedfordshire, England, to a farming family. When he was 13 years old, Queen Elizabeth summoned all able-bodied men from 16 to 60 years old to fight the 150 ship Spanish Armada that planned to sail up the Thames River to conquer London. Henrie was too young to go, but his father did and was deployed to Tilbury, a port near London. Because of Sir Francis Drake, with his 34 ships, and a storm that sank 60 Spanish ships (which the Queen believed was God’s hand to keep England safe and independent), the armada limped back to Spain defeated and marked one of the most important turning points in English (and Protestant) history. This impacted Henrie. His father returned home with the life-changing experience of meeting men from all over the countryside. Perhaps as a result, Henrie’s grandson, Sgt. George Darrow (1639-1704) was deployed to the British colony in New London, CT. His grandson, Jedediah (1721-1826), at 55 years old, became a “turn coat” and fought in the Revolutionary War and received a pension for his service.
I’d like to think that Henrie was influenced by his father’s experience and that motivated the Darrow’s away from agriculture to a life of adventure which included sailing to the New World and eventually securing independence from the Crown; and it motivated a woman to keep running a saw mill against societal convention; and a family who ran a station on the Underground Railroad; and a lawyer whose work as defense counsel in many criminal trials earned him a place in American legal history; and circling back around, it motivated a 19-year old who gave his life in France to keep England free. And, let us not forget my grandmother Beulah Darrow-Marshall who gave birth to five amazing children – a physicist, a biology teacher turned entrepreneur, a registered nurse (and historian), a librarian, and an accountant who continue to make an impact in the lives of others. I have never thought to be thankful for the Spanish Armada that attempted to seize England, but, thanks to the family history handed down to me, I am.
The Bible is a collection of stories about success and failure and redemption. It was written down while the Israelites were in captivity after losing their land to the Assyrians and Babylonians. If not for that one moment in history, would we have the story of creation, of Exodus, and the psalms?
My aunt concluded her story with this question: do you need a large grave marker to be remembered? Do you have to be like Andrew Carnegie and underwrite free public libraries in every city to create a legacy? The simple answer is no. You have an opportunity to leave your mark by writing an obituary today. Writing your own guarantees that precise message you want to leave to future generations. Nowadays, electronic systems hold onto your obituary so that it will be available in the future. I’d love to have the obituary of Henrie and of his mother and father; but instead, my aunt took the painstaking job to recreate our family history.
Taking advice from my aunt, when you write your own story, make it a good human tale. Tell us who you love and what influenced the choices you made. Tell us about the most outrageous thing you ever encountered. I can guarantee you that in the distant future there will be a relative who will be fascinated with genealogy and will find and cherish your story.
- Rev. Dave
She shared a story with me about Henrie Darrow, born 1575 in Woburn, Bedfordshire, England, to a farming family. When he was 13 years old, Queen Elizabeth summoned all able-bodied men from 16 to 60 years old to fight the 150 ship Spanish Armada that planned to sail up the Thames River to conquer London. Henrie was too young to go, but his father did and was deployed to Tilbury, a port near London. Because of Sir Francis Drake, with his 34 ships, and a storm that sank 60 Spanish ships (which the Queen believed was God’s hand to keep England safe and independent), the armada limped back to Spain defeated and marked one of the most important turning points in English (and Protestant) history. This impacted Henrie. His father returned home with the life-changing experience of meeting men from all over the countryside. Perhaps as a result, Henrie’s grandson, Sgt. George Darrow (1639-1704) was deployed to the British colony in New London, CT. His grandson, Jedediah (1721-1826), at 55 years old, became a “turn coat” and fought in the Revolutionary War and received a pension for his service.
I’d like to think that Henrie was influenced by his father’s experience and that motivated the Darrow’s away from agriculture to a life of adventure which included sailing to the New World and eventually securing independence from the Crown; and it motivated a woman to keep running a saw mill against societal convention; and a family who ran a station on the Underground Railroad; and a lawyer whose work as defense counsel in many criminal trials earned him a place in American legal history; and circling back around, it motivated a 19-year old who gave his life in France to keep England free. And, let us not forget my grandmother Beulah Darrow-Marshall who gave birth to five amazing children – a physicist, a biology teacher turned entrepreneur, a registered nurse (and historian), a librarian, and an accountant who continue to make an impact in the lives of others. I have never thought to be thankful for the Spanish Armada that attempted to seize England, but, thanks to the family history handed down to me, I am.
The Bible is a collection of stories about success and failure and redemption. It was written down while the Israelites were in captivity after losing their land to the Assyrians and Babylonians. If not for that one moment in history, would we have the story of creation, of Exodus, and the psalms?
My aunt concluded her story with this question: do you need a large grave marker to be remembered? Do you have to be like Andrew Carnegie and underwrite free public libraries in every city to create a legacy? The simple answer is no. You have an opportunity to leave your mark by writing an obituary today. Writing your own guarantees that precise message you want to leave to future generations. Nowadays, electronic systems hold onto your obituary so that it will be available in the future. I’d love to have the obituary of Henrie and of his mother and father; but instead, my aunt took the painstaking job to recreate our family history.
Taking advice from my aunt, when you write your own story, make it a good human tale. Tell us who you love and what influenced the choices you made. Tell us about the most outrageous thing you ever encountered. I can guarantee you that in the distant future there will be a relative who will be fascinated with genealogy and will find and cherish your story.
- Rev. Dave