Singing Along the Journey

Book of Common Prayer

I Will, with God’s Help…an Advent Baptism

Friday the 13th.  The 13th day of Advent.  And the 4th anniversary of my baptism into the community of the Calvary Baptist Church and what appears to be a totally new direction in life (or is just an awareness of a direction that was always there, but unseen?). There will be a lot of the prophet Isaiah in my life today, so it seems fitting that the reading on our advent calendar should also come from the words of that prophet: Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?…
Read More

We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves…

It is the rare moment for me when I am uncertain about sharing my thoughts (those who know me well know that I live to have an opinion about things).  But I have struggled over these last twenty-four hours about whether or not to write what follows.  At first, I started to add it only to my private journal.  And then I decided to write it where at least a few stout souls might see it.  I do not intend what follows as a political commentary; for me, it is a simple answer to a question of faith that I was asked yesterday.  I only write these words because over…
Read More

What I’ve learned so far…

August term is almost over...today most of my classmates are in a workshop about Intercultural something (another requirement of the Episcopal Church for those training to be priests) and I am devoting the day to memorizing the Qal Perfect verbal endings for a quiz on Monday.  Since seminary is, after all, supposed to be about the act of exploring one's own self and growing in one's faith through study, I thought I would take a moment this Friday morning to summarize what this Baptist has learned about Anglican worship from these last few weeks of living in an Episcopal world. Lesson No. 1:  I've really lived a very ecumenical life,…
Read More

I Will, with God’s Help…an Advent Baptism

Friday the 13th.  The 13th day of Advent.  And the 4th anniversary of my baptism into the community of the Calvary Baptist Church and what appears to be a totally new direction in life (or is just an awareness of a direction that was always there, but unseen?). There will be a lot of the prophet Isaiah in my life today, so it seems fitting that the reading on our advent calendar should also come from the words of that prophet: Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?…
Read More

We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves…

It is the rare moment for me when I am uncertain about sharing my thoughts (those who know me well know that I live to have an opinion about things).  But I have struggled over these last twenty-four hours about whether or not to write what follows.  At first, I started to add it only to my private journal.  And then I decided to write it where at least a few stout souls might see it.  I do not intend what follows as a political commentary; for me, it is a simple answer to a question of faith that I was asked yesterday.  I only write these words because over…
Read More

What I’ve learned so far…

August term is almost over...today most of my classmates are in a workshop about Intercultural something (another requirement of the Episcopal Church for those training to be priests) and I am devoting the day to memorizing the Qal Perfect verbal endings for a quiz on Monday.  Since seminary is, after all, supposed to be about the act of exploring one's own self and growing in one's faith through study, I thought I would take a moment this Friday morning to summarize what this Baptist has learned about Anglican worship from these last few weeks of living in an Episcopal world. Lesson No. 1:  I've really lived a very ecumenical life,…
Read More

I Will, with God’s Help…an Advent Baptism

Friday the 13th.  The 13th day of Advent.  And the 4th anniversary of my baptism into the community of the Calvary Baptist Church and what appears to be a totally new direction in life (or is just an awareness of a direction that was always there, but unseen?). There will be a lot of the prophet Isaiah in my life today, so it seems fitting that the reading on our advent calendar should also come from the words of that prophet: Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?…
Read More

We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves…

It is the rare moment for me when I am uncertain about sharing my thoughts (those who know me well know that I live to have an opinion about things).  But I have struggled over these last twenty-four hours about whether or not to write what follows.  At first, I started to add it only to my private journal.  And then I decided to write it where at least a few stout souls might see it.  I do not intend what follows as a political commentary; for me, it is a simple answer to a question of faith that I was asked yesterday.  I only write these words because over…
Read More

What I’ve learned so far…

August term is almost over...today most of my classmates are in a workshop about Intercultural something (another requirement of the Episcopal Church for those training to be priests) and I am devoting the day to memorizing the Qal Perfect verbal endings for a quiz on Monday.  Since seminary is, after all, supposed to be about the act of exploring one's own self and growing in one's faith through study, I thought I would take a moment this Friday morning to summarize what this Baptist has learned about Anglican worship from these last few weeks of living in an Episcopal world. Lesson No. 1:  I've really lived a very ecumenical life,…
Read More