“Perhaps you aren’t fully sure what the word abide means. To abide is to bear patiently, to endure without yielding, and to accept without objection.”

The presence of Christ among us lifts us up as we serve as the hands, voice and feet of God in the world. As one theologian put it, as our lives are changed, we help change the lives of others.

On this holy day of Resurrection, my prayer for each of us is that as we breathe deeply, down into our own bodies, we become more aware of the ways God is trying to start something new in our lives because that will lead to greater meaning, purpose, and belonging. Happy Easter!

Even though things are not as they seem, God is with you—with all of us. May your Holy Week be blessed with such insights.

I appreciated the question he challenged his congregation with, and will leave it for you to ponder: “What might it mean that God has brought us together?”

Saying yes to God is the most joyful thing we can possibly do. Even when it is scary, and painful, and hard.

Our very own Jim Stiven reflects on his recent experience of officiating at an interfaith funeral.

Mother Dawn teaches us how to engage with the self-examination we are called to in Lent to love more like Jesus loves.

This morning, I'd like to move us from our hands to our hearts, because the phrase that stood out for me in this week’s reading is “the meditation of my heart.” … As we take up the phrase, “the meditation of my heart,” we slide that up next to one of our primary practices during the season of Lent, which is to acknowledge our sins, and do our best to repent. Here, at St. Andrew’s, we do that each Sunday during Lent with the Litany of Penitence. Essentially, that litany (which simply means long prayer) helps remind us of the many ways our focus on God gets lost.

there was a two-burner gas camp stove where water was boiling, and a small table already set for communion. On one side of the chalice and paten was a case of water bottles for migrants who needed them. On the other side there was an insulated water dispenser filled with hot water from the camp stove. The spigot was poking slightly through the fence so migrants on the other side could make the ramen. The noodles would provide a bit of sustenance to those who had traveled many perilous miles in search of asylum.

Mother Brenda reflects: “A couple of weeks ago, I was sharing a story with a parishioner about some amazing coincidences, or what we might call “Divine interventions.” As I finished my story, she nodded her head, and said, “Hmm. It’s good that we can’t explain some things.”

Sermon for Candlemas, February 4th, 2024

“The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”

These are some of the most famous words from the prolific author Frederick Buechner. An author I commend to you!

Let me repeat those words so we can sit with it for a moment: “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness AND the world’s deep hunger meet.”

Today, in the gospel lesson, we hear the story of Simeon and Anna.

We might imagine that these two people found a sense of deep gladness while dutifully following God's word.

Our listening to God’s call is evident the ways we have modified our campus so that it’s a community hub, rather than just some enclosed private space for the exclusive use of members only. Rather there’s a pathway out to the street, which has served as an invitation to our neighbors. On any given day, you’ll see someone walking the labyrinth, running their dogs, or playing with their kids on the playground. In fact, there are a number of nannies who visit with the children in their care every day.

…these supportive friendships among parishioners are important. They are essential to all of us becoming incorporated fully into the Body of Christ.  This is what will make the social fabric of Saint Andrew's even stronger. We have superb clergy and staff, to be sure. But this is a challenge for our growth as lay members of this church. And as with anything else in life, the more you put in, the more you will get out.

Guest preacher Ms. Rachel Ambasing reflects on transformation as a part of Christian life.

Mother Brenda reflects on the ways God works through the circumstances of our lives.

I’ve always considered St. Andrew’s a place of belonging. Once you belong (which is immediately), you always belong—if that’s what you want. For instance, I remain good friends with parishioners who’ve moved away or left for other reasons. Belonging transcends time and space.

So, it was lovely to see this Christmas letter from a longtime parishioner, Marydoris Powers, who moved away many years ago. But she hasn’t lost her connection to our community. It’s a letter of love and belonging, and an inspiration as well as an example of aging gracefully. It’s a glimpse of God’s light shining on us all. I hope you enjoy it! You can read the letter here.

Mother Dawn reflects on who the magi are to us today.

As we have been preparing for this annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus, a memory of two men I had the privilege of sitting with on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2013 floods my mind. They were people who weren’t supposed to know each other. One was Israeli and one was Palestinian. But because they each had decided to choose light and love, instead of isolation and anger, they joined an organization called “Circle of Friends”.