The great variety of hymn texts and tunes we have available to us today bring a great variety of insight and expression to our worship. From the time before the birth of Christ up until the contemporary moment, women and men have written hymn texts expressing their insights and stories of their contemporary faith.
Read MoreOn Wednesday, we saw before our very eyes what many thought impossible, the storming of our U.S. Capitol by an angry mob, called to action by President Trump. It was quite an irony that this dark event happened on the Feast of the Epiphany, when we celebrate the arrival of the wise men in Bethlehem who followed a star from a distant land to find the Christchild, laying their gifts before him.
Read MoreChristmas draweth nigh! And as one of the catalogs that came to me in the mail announced on its cover, “If there was ever a year that needed Christmas, it's 2020.” This has been a year like no other. There has been so much suffering, turmoil and dis-ease, so this year we welcome Christmas with a very particular joy, a joy that comes into the darkness and gladens our hearts with the light of Christ.
Read More“I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church,
to the observance of a holy Lent,
by self-examination and repentance;
by prayer, fasting, and self-denial;
and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.” (BCP, 265)
Read MoreThe Rt. Rev. Susan Goff has directed that all churches in the Diocese of Virginia cease all outdoor gatherings immediately, so we will not be having our outdoor Sunday service for the foreseeable future.
Read MoreIn each generation throughout history God has raised up poets and musicians who have given us hymns reflective of our time and place. From the many wonderful treasures in our hymnal to our very own Saint George’s Hymn that was created just a few years ago by contemporary poet, Susan Palo Cherwien. Hymnody throughout the ages helps us sing our whole faith.
Read MoreAdvent is upon us. And, if I may make a confession among friends, it is my favorite season of the church year.
Read MoreThis Sunday is the Last After Pentecost: Christ the King. Christ the King Sunday crowns the church year and fills us with wonder, love and praise for our Lord who reigns in glory, and yet became “one of the least of these” for our sake.
Read MoreAs human beings, we are singing, musical beings. At the most basic level our hearts beat and our lungs breath in simple rhythm, and at the most advanced our brains facilitate a musical interaction between our body, one another, and the universe at levels we are only starting to comprehend. Even though we all do not love music equally or respond to it in an equal manner, music provides us with something of great value that lives deep within us.
Read MoreWhat a week it has been in the life of our nation.
I must admit that I'm writing this to you on Wednesday, without knowing who has been elected president. Perhaps that is best, as it forces me to write from liminal space a word of hope.
Read MoreThis Sunday is All Saints Day when we are reminded of our connection with faithful people who have died who are now in the communion of saints, faithful people in the future, and our connection with saints both past and future as we live in the here and now. This is a connection we share across time and space.
Read MoreThe common compositional form of Theme and Variations develops a melody, through the use of several smaller compositions which develop the them in different ways, yet they still fit together as a whole. Such is our life together. The full spectrum of our collective life at Saint George’s is very much a Theme and Variations and our theme is most definitely Love. Let me “play” some snippets of a few of these variations for you.
Read MoreIt was a great blessing to be able to have an outdoor, in-person service last Sunday at 10:30 on our front lawn. We had about 30 people who had signed up in advance and it was so great to be with everyone, masked and distanced. We will continue to have these services during October, weather permitting.
Read MoreOne of my personal heroes no longer walks among us. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has died. Formidable and kind, she was a legal giant and a saint among us. May she Rest in Peace.
Of course, with her death our country faces another divisive moment, and yet I pray we all take the time to reflect on her life and on our own. Hers was a life grounded in purposeful work, civility, and a commitment to fight for the common good.
Read MoreThis past Tuesday, during my early morning walk, I was thinking about how strange it felt not to see the usual level of traffic on the first day of school. Toward the end of my walk, however, I started seeing groups of parents and children walking in the neighborhood. And just as I finished, I noticed a group of parents and children gathering at the front door of the elementary school across from our house. They were taking “first day of school” pictures.
Read MoreThis past Tuesday, during my early morning walk, I was thinking about how strange it felt not to see the usual level of traffic on the first day of school. Toward the end of my walk, however, I started seeing groups of parents and children walking in the neighborhood. And just as I finished, I noticed a group of parents and children gathering at the front door of the elementary school across from our house. They were taking “first day of school” pictures.
Read MoreThese are exciting times at Saint Georges! For even when we can’t be together physically, we continue our work in our community without missing a beat. And in typical Saint George’s fashion, this summer is anything but slow.
Read Morehope you are doing well. Things are very challenging in so many ways these days and all of us need ways to stay focused on the abundant life that God calls us too.
Read MoreWe are delighted to welcome the addition of three choir desks to our Song School (music room), courtesy of Jonathan Yuhas and his Eagle Scout project.
Read MoreMany thanks to everyone who participated in the visioning sessions last week-end. A total of 91 people were part of the experience. There were also many who attended the vestry meeting on Wednesday night to hear the recommendations for developing our children youth ministry. Our consultants from Ministry Architects were very impressed with the vitality and level of engagement of our congregation. Please click here for the full report.
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