St. John the Divine Anglican Church

There is a hymn published in 1876 by Dr. Robert Lowry, a prominent Baptist preacher who was born in Philadelphia. It is not in our hymnal, so I had never heard it until it was performed by the Jars of Clay, on the album Redemption Songs, released in 2005. The album featured many songs that the artists had sung in their Baptist or Methodist churches as youths, and they put

Today, the fourth Sunday in Lent is known by some as Laetare Sunday, which in Latin means Rejoice. The word comes from the traditional mass introit, “Rejoice, O Jerusalem: and come together all you that love her: rejoice with joy, you that have been in sorrow: that you may exult, and be filled from the breasts of your consolation.” It is also known as Mothering Sunday in the UK, not

“God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.” St. Paul wrote his two letters to the Corinthian Church to gently guide them into the truth of the Gospel. From his other writings to them we can discern that they were a bit unruly. They

I read an article today about an Academic Paper written by a professor at the University of Cumbria in England. It is a rather alarming paper about climate change, global warming, and basically the collapse of society as we know it. It is sending some of its readers into therapy. Others plan to move to the country to get closer to the land in order to survive. This professor thinks

Luke 22:24 A dispute also arose among the disciples, which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. 25 And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. 26 But not so with you; rather let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. 27 For which is

There is a saying I have heard more than a few times. “I don’t get mad. I get even.” Have you heard that one? In this crazy society where every kind of nonsense plays out in the broadcast media and on social media, the craving for revenge is just another news day. And for some really weird reason people want to become victims so bad that they will arrange it

Luke 6:17-26 The Gospel we heard today begins on a level place, sometimes called the Plain. Earlier in this chapter, we heard that Jesus had gone to a mountain to pray, and had called his disciples, whom he also designated his Apostles. As would become the norm, a large crowd gathered around Jesus. He taught them, and he healed them. In fact so many were trying to touch him that