A few years ago, while I was serving in Houston, a couple of particularly conspicuous guests joined us one Sunday for worship. I may have been the only one in the room who didn’t know them. There was a buzz. Glances shot back and forth across the room.

Last Sunday was a wonderful and joy-filled gathering for our Annual All-Parish Picnic! It was a celebration of our life together as a diverse and multi-cultural parish family, and it was a beautiful occasion of thanks and appreciation for the ministry of Padre Beto. We sent him forth with love and blessing. My heart is overflowing with gratitude for all that we are as the people of St. Michael’s, and full of hope in looking toward God’s future together.

On Sunday, July 7, we celebrated the baptism of baby Anders. Many have shared that it was a deeply meaningful and moving experience. And I share those feelings. As I said then, baptism “is pure gift for this child of God: nothing professed or proclaimed or accomplished to earn it. It is the beginning of a life nested in God’s love, marked as Christ’s own for ever, beloved by a community of deep commitment and care.”

Rest is vital to physical, emotional, and spiritual wellness. Teachings on sabbath and rest appear in many ancient myths and teachings, including those of the Hebrew Scriptures. In Genesis, God sets the very example for all of creation: create>care>commune>celebrate>REST. The command to observe sabbath, which comes as #4 of the Big Ten (Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.), is not just for the group or person receiving the command directly. It is for anyone and everything in the earth – all who labor, including the animals, and even the land itself.

Since this coming Sunday is Trinity Sunday, it seems to me a good time to lean into a point of some confusion regarding the Nicene Creed. You may have noticed that when we say together the words of the Nicene Creed during liturgy, most often in the 9:00 service, there is one phrase that is usually not written in the bulletin (but occasionally makes an inadvertent appearance). You may also have noticed that occasionally one or two voices will steam forward to say the three unwritten words, even when it is not spoken by most others. Always makes me chuckle.
But what is happening?

For several years, JT Quanbeck, through his graphic design business Quanbeck/Creative, has been a valued member and key part of our administrative team at St. Michael’s: coordinating IT support, designing weekly and special worship bulletins, managing the website, and much more. During the pandemic, JT was integral to upgrading our livestream system from the church, leading the ministry ever since, and ensuring that digital communications run smoothly to keep us connected with one another.

Dear Friends,
We have been praying through some difficult things together. Many of our beloveds in the parish and in our
circles of connection, and many of us ourselves, are experiencing illness and difficulty in our bodies, in our
mental health, and even in our relationships. Today I want to say a few things about pastoral care.

Happy Easter! We’ve only just begun to celebrate. You might know that Easter is the pinnacle celebration of the church year. At the Easter Vigil, we ended the fast of Lent and welcomed Easter light and life with great rejoicing. Now, amidst the Great 50 Days of the Easter season, spanning from Easter Day to Pentecost, we are invited to embrace the transformative power of resurrection in our hearts, through our lives, and for the whole world.