Hello – It was such a joy to return from vacation yesterday and walk into the new Hardin Courtyard. When I left, we were still working on the soil and irrigation. Now there are plants, trees, benches and a beautiful rock, all chosen and set with great beauty and practical design. The last big missing…

Hello – I leave on vacation after services this Sunday. The Rev. Jim Ward will be ably covering worship services and pastoral care for the rest of the month. The Vestry and a strong team of volunteers will be keeping many things going in my absence. Here are just a few of the areas where…

Hello – Last week I wrote to you with a recommendation for your summer reading to feed your soul. The book is called A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, and despite the awkward title, it is both accessible and powerful. It’s a series of fifteen reflections on fifteen short psalms and how each can…

Hello – From time to time I learn of a book that strikes me as perfect for us at St. Paul’s. I read one such book this Lent. It’s a simple book with a complicated title. It’s called “A Long Obedience in the Same Direction” and it’s by Eugene Peterson. He takes 15 short psalms,…

Hello – This week I offer one look forward and two very brief looks back. First, this Saturday, from 9am to 11am in Duncan Hall, we will be having what I am sure will be a rich conversation about how we have found Jesus in the face of those we serve. Jesus teaches that as…

Back to St. Paul’s This Sunday Hello – Last Sunday, for the Offertory Anthem, about 16 singers, blended together from the choirs of Nativity and St. Paul’s, surrounded the gathered congregation at Nativity, and sang a beautiful and haunting “Alleluia.” It was a fitting conclusion to a season of generosity, patience and hospitality. Thank you…

Hello – As of today, Thursday, we are still on track to have the first day we can use the campus be Sunday, June 4th, which is the feast of Pentecost. If that’s when we return, here’s what that means: • On Pentecost, which is on June 4th, we hope to be back at St.…

Hello – We are three weeks into the project of creating the Hardin Courtyard. It is already even more beautiful than I had imagined. I write to tell you what we know at this point about the completion of the project. We believe that we are two weeks away from being able to use the…