Greetings, Diocese of Olympia. I’m here in what will become our chapel space in Diocesan House. It’s the old library here in the mansion and something that has been under construction. When I first imagined doing a Christmas video for you, I was hoping to have a nice tree set up nearby and looking all perfect in this space and yet here we are, under construction. Often we hear from our culture about how perfect Christmases can be. We get
Greetings, People of the Diocese of Olympia As a young person growing up in the American South, as a person only marginally involved in the Church, I thought Easter was about pastel colors, baby chicks, easter eggs, and an occasion for some to wear hats. But you and I know better. More than any other feast in the Church, Easter is about the power of God to overturn the negative, life-limiting things that can have dominion over us, over others,
Greetings, People of the Diocese of Olympia: The universe is made of stories, not of atoms. Muriel Rukeyser After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world. Philip Pullman We, you and I, are right at the beginning of listening again to the central story we’ve been given as the Christian folk—the story we hear during Holy Week as we await the coming of Easter. That story is made up of a number of
Greetings, people of the Diocese of Olympia. From John’s Gospel: “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies, it produces much fruit.” You may notice that the visual we’re using for Lent is a picture of the Northwest woods with a large, really a huge fallen tree across whatever might be seen as a path, a fallen tree already in the process of becoming new life. For me, Lent is
“For nonviolent response, it seems, does not come naturally to many of us, especially when we feel threatened and subject to the potential violence of others, something that some people feel all the time. And so today, as we remember Dr. King and all he stood for, I thought it best simply to read to you and to myself five of the basic characteristics of nonviolent resistance.” Bishop Skelton offers reflections as we remember The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King,
If you look up the word epiphany in Wikipedia, one of the entries you’ll find is author James Joyce’s use of the term. This is how he defined it in terms of what he was doing in his stories. An epiphany, he said, is, and I’m quoting here, …a sudden spiritual manifestation, whether from some object, some scene, some event, or some memorable phase of the mind, the manifestation of which is out of proportion to the significance of whatever
You’ve probably heard that some Christian churches in Jerusalem have officially canceled their typical Christmas celebrations. And you can perhaps understand why. In solidarity with the current suffering of children in Gaza in particular, their idea is that celebrating Christmas in the typical way seems somehow inappropriate this year. We’re not doing that here, of course, but here’s the thing to remember in the middle of our Christmas cheer, whatever form it may take for us: The story of the
Greetings, People of the Diocese of Olympia. I have an idea. During the season of Advent, the season of waiting and looking forward to the coming of Jesus born in an animal stall, how about we do something for people, to use Luke’s language, who are looking for room at the inn? Let me say more. The Refugee Resettlement Office of this Diocese, that resettles hundreds of refugees from all over the world each year, is in need of funds
Greetings, everyone. Praise God from whom all blessing flow Praise God all creatures here below Praise God above the heavenly host Praise God and Word and Holy Ghost. You probably recognize these words in some form as what we call “the Doxology,” that is, words of thanks and praise to God for everything. Thanks and praise to God is, of course, on my mind as I think about the Thanksgiving holiday. And in these times of ours, I can’t help
Merry Christmas, Diocese of Olympia, and all who may be watching. This annual celebration of the birth of Jesus is also an invitation, an invitation for us to open our hearts and allow Jesus to be born there as well. At the culmination of Advent, that period of waiting, watching, reflection, and anticipation, comes the Savior of the world and the Savior of our souls. As we gather together with those we love, families born and those chosen, we give
