Once again we begin our walk through the great Three Days: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter. This year has seen many oft-postponed groups of pilgrims from Arizona (and elsewhere) visit the Holy Land, where they have walked in the steps of Jesus, along with countless other pilgrims for nearly two thousand years. I encourage …
The funeral of retired Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold was live-streamed on Saturday; I only was able to see a portion of the service, but what I experienced, and the commentary I heard from friends about his selection of scripture, hymns, music, and poetry was just so beautiful and theologically sound. Here was the proclamation …
Last fall, I was privileged to attend an online private screening of The Philadelphia Eleven, a new documentary about the first women-ordained priests in the Episcopal Church. Those eleven women were ordained on July 29, 1974, at the Church of the Advocate in Philadelphia, two years before the Episcopal Church officially permitted the ordination of …
Most of you are aware that I formed a friendship with a Kenyan bishop, John Oringa, at the Lambeth Conference last summer. In our conversations, he indicated that his clergy in this missionary diocese are often not paid due to lack of funds, and having put out the call to the Diocese of Arizona, many …
“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” All over our diocese today, we are saying and hearing those words. Remember. You are dust. You shall return to dust. There is also a lot of dust blowing in the strong winds. Dust getting everywhere–blowing into homes, and cars, and ears, and eyes. …
I was honored to be invited by Representative Oscar de los Santos to give the invocation at the beginning of today’s legislative session of the Arizona House of Representatives. Please join me in praying for our legislators and their staff. Here are the words I prayed: God, grant your grace to this session of the …
As I write this week’s Epistle, Tyre Nichols is being laid to rest in Memphis. I don’t know that I have more relevant words to share on his death than those of Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and Bishop Phoebe Roaf of West Tennessee. Presiding Bishop Curry’s statement is here, and Bishop Roaf’s is here. I …
January 17th is the Feast Day of St. Antony of Egypt, one of the fourth-century Desert Fathers and Mothers whose wisdom was collected and has been passed down to our own day in various translations. I first encountered them in Thomas Merton’s translation, The Wisdom of the Desert, and I turn back to it periodically, …
Written by George Hartz The City of Scottsdale has had a sister city relationship since December 2013 with Uasin Gishu County in western Kenya. My wife Donna and I have had the privilege and joy of visiting Kenya eight times in support of this relationship. During those visits, we have also gotten to know, and …
It has already been a fascinating experience serving on the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music for the Episcopal Church. One key piece of what I am working on is the continued development of the www.episcopalcommonprayer.org website, per a resolution at the last General Convention. The site currently has a great list of liturgical resources, …
On Monday, Trinity Cathedral is hosting the Arizona Faith Network’s “Interfaith Winter Night” of prayer, song, and reflection. I am honored we are hosting this event, and to be welcoming siblings from many faiths to gather. The Episcopal Church has a history of cordial relationships with leaders of other faith traditions, and of working together …
I love Advent in the Episcopal Church–the anticipation, the introspection, the hymns, the combination of preparing for the birth of a child in Bethlehem and preparing for the second coming of Christ. I find Advent brings with it a sense of new beginnings and second chances. My old sins, my old ways have another chance …