It has been a good two years since I last wrote a post for this blog. Originally, it had served as a place for me to not only share what I was thinking, learning, and experiencing–it was also a place for me to post the sermons that I had been preaching at Trinity in Bethlehem (my home parish) and at the Cathedral in Bethlehem (where I served an internship with the Latin Community).

In August of 2022 my orders were received in The Episcopal Church and I accepted a call to serve at St. Thomas in Morgantown. To my surprise, a few people told me that they preferred a more “laid back” preaching style, and so during the time that I was there, I did not write out my sermons. It was, oddly enough, a return to the many years when I had preached as a Roman Catholic deacon and priest. I almost never wrote my sermons in those days. The fascinating thing is that it takes as much preparation–whether the sermon is written or not. But writing the sermon does allow it to be shared with a wider audience. It also provides a handy resource to look back on when those particular texts re-appear in three years. Thus, it allows the preacher to reflect on where she or he is now, contrasted with three years earlier. So, there is a part of me that is sad that I do not have a record of the sermons which I preached during the first two years of my ministry as an Episcopal priest.

I am at a time of transition now. I accepted a call to serve at two parishes in the Southern Piedmont of Virginia. In the end, it was not a good fit, and for numerous reasons it did not work. Those things do happen in the Church world too. And so, I am now discerning and actively seeking a new call.

There have been some unexpected blessings in the past few months. For one thing, I wound up having time to rest and to recover from the stress of challenging ministry over the past few years. It took some time to “decompress,” but at the end of the first month, I felt much better. It also has given me time to think, to pray, and to dream about what the remaining years of ministry could be for me. For that, I am truly grateful.

The greatest single blessing in my life these past few years has been my membership in the Community of Francis and Clare. The encouragement, affirmation, hope and love which I have received from my Franciscan siblings has truly been transformative. They have held me in prayer at difficult moments, and have shared with me the joy of their lives and their own vocation to “rebuild the Church.” I am grateful for each and every one of them.