Camp Hardtner * February 17-19, 2017
because we can do more together than we can apart to share God's love with the world
Thursday, December 29, 2016
Saturday, September 24, 2016
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Ways to help...
The News Star had a great article by Hope Young on how to help flood victims in south Louisiana - You can find it here.
You can also make financial donations to your local Episcopal Church, the Diocese of Western Louisiana or Episcopal Relief and Development (E.R.D.) - mark your donations with "Louisiana flood relief." Remember that E.R.D. provided the monies that helped us during our recent floods!
And, of course, pray, pray, pray! Reach out in love to those you know in that part of the state!
Wednesday, August 10, 2016
Monday, August 1, 2016
God's Politics
Today Northern & Central Louisiana Interfaith conducted a press
conference in solidarity with our sister organizations in Baton Rouge
and Dallas. I made the opening statement. Here's what I said:
Luke chapter 4 tells the story of
Jesus going to his hometown of Nazareth, where he goes to the synagogue as was
his custom. He is given a scroll, and he chooses to read these words:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed
me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the
captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to
proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.
After reading these words, Jesus hands back the scroll and
says to the people, Today this scripture
has been fulfilled in your hearing.
Those of you familiar with the Hebrew scripture know that
Jesus is quoting Isaiah, one of the great prophets of Israel, who is preaching
the Word of God to God’s people.
Those of you familiar with the Christian scripture know
that this event, recorded in Luke chapter 4, signals the beginning of Jesus’
public ministry on earth.
As this story illustrates, the call to stand with those who
are poor and oppressed links Jewish and Christian traditions.
Today, in this year of election politics, I propose that in
this passage, Jesus is laying out God’s platform and claiming it for himself.
He is saying, this is God’s
mission, and I am here to fulfill that mission. It is a political mission
in any age.
Today our economic system is creating inequality at the
fastest rate in recent history. The gap between the wealthiest in our society
and those huddled at the bottom has nearly tripled in the last 30 years. (Wealth Inequality in America by politizane; on YouTube;
based on research at Harvard)
Millions of Americans work, and work hard, often at 2 or
more jobs, and still barely make ends meet. They are one major car repair, or
one major medical bill, away from homelessness and the clutches of the
predatory lenders. (ALICE, a study by
United Way)
And the income gap is worse in Louisiana than in most of
the country. Many are forced into an alternative economy.
Alton Sterling was trying to feed his family selling CDs in
a parking lot.
To stand in solidarity with those who are poor and
oppressed, to seek to open the eyes of those who are blind to inequality and
injustice is unavoidably political. It requires us to leave the comfort and
familiarity of home and neighborhood, and join hands across lines of race,
religion, and socio-economic status that traditionally divide.
In the words of a praise song we sing in my religious
tradition, it requires us to get out of our stained glass boat and walk on the
water... without worrying about getting our feet wet or how, exactly, we’re
going to get to the other side.
We, the people of God, are called to do just that. And we
are called to do it as peacemakers, without falling captive to the fear and
violence that plagues our society. We must not be divided by the polarizing
forces in our politics and in our media.
And we must bring forth real solutions. One of those is to
move people out of unemployment and under-employment, out of minimum wage jobs,
into jobs that will support their families.
Northern & Central Louisiana Interfaith was one of the
founding forces of a workforce intermediary called NOVA – New Opportunities
Vision Achievement. NOVA helps people get the training they need, then matches
them with employers who offer living wage jobs with a career path and benefits.
More than 80% of those who enter NOVA’s program, finish it
and are placed in such jobs. NOVA graduates contribute approximately $8 million
annually to the Ouachita Parish economy.
NOVA has already expanded from Ouachita parish into the
Delta. We need comparable programs here in Shreveport, in Baton Rouge and
throughout Louisiana. We need to use dollars recovered from Industrial Tax
Exemptions by Gov. Edwards’ recent order to expand workforce development.
Today Interfaith, Together Baton Rouge and our sister
organization in Dallas stand in solidarity and invite people of good will to
work with us to free our State from the oppression of poverty, to free us all from
the prison of racial distrust and fear, and to bring about the year of the
Lord’s favor.
We refuse to be divided.
Friday, July 1, 2016
Monday, June 20, 2016
Sunday, June 19, 2016
Surf Shack V.B.S. Dates
The folks at the Episcopal Church's in Monroe and West Monroe - Grace Episcopal Church, St. Alban's, St.Patrick's, and St. Thomas' will work together again to host Vacation Bible School
Save the dates for our Surf Shack V.B.S. - July 17-21, 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. held at St. Alban's this year! Look for more information soon!
Save the dates for our Surf Shack V.B.S. - July 17-21, 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. held at St. Alban's this year! Look for more information soon!
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
St. Thomas' Fish Fry
They are biting again! Hungry Episcopalian and guests will be at least - not the fish!
St. Thomas' Fish Fry is ON AGAIN, this Saturday, May 21, 2016 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Hope we all turn out to show our support!
St. Thomas' Fish Fry is ON AGAIN, this Saturday, May 21, 2016 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Hope we all turn out to show our support!
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
St. Alban's Episcopal Church - Iglesia San Albán Episcopal
St. Alban's Episcopal Church - Iglesia San Albán Episcopal
The Holy Eucharist (Bilingual) - This Sunday, May 15, 2016 - The Day of Pentecost - 10:30 a.m. All are welcome!
La Santa Eucaristía (Bilingüe) - Este domingo, 15 mayo 2016 - El día de Pentecostés - 10:30 a.m. ¡Todos son Bienvenidos!
The Holy Eucharist (Bilingual) - This Sunday, May 15, 2016 - The Day of Pentecost - 10:30 a.m. All are welcome!
La Santa Eucaristía (Bilingüe) - Este domingo, 15 mayo 2016 - El día de Pentecostés - 10:30 a.m. ¡Todos son Bienvenidos!
Saturday, April 30, 2016
¡Todos son Bienvenidos!
Iglesia San Albán Episcopal - Misión Latino / Hispana
¡Si San Albán pudo ver un vecino y Cristo en el rostro de un extraño , nosotros también podemos!
La Santa Eucaristía – Domingo, 5:00 p.m.
¡Todos son Bienvenidos!
¡Todos son Bienvenidos!
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
St. Thomas' Fish Fry Cancelled!
NOTICE: Due to the weather forecast and unforeseen circumstances, St. Thomas' Annual Fish Fry scheduled for this Saturday, April 30, has been cancelled! Any ticket money will be gladly returned. The event may be rescheduled - so stay tuned! Thanks for understanding!
Thursday, April 21, 2016
Friday, March 11, 2016
Good News from St. Alban's
St. Alban's - Friday, March 11, 2016 Just completed a walking tour of the church with Sr. Warden and Rain-watchman, Edwin Adams - NO Water or leaks anywhere in the church! An absolute miracle as you can tell from the previous photos.
Access to the neighborhood is still restricted until further notice (and should be, till it's safe).
Stay tuned for more info about Sunday worship - if access is still limited - we will join the folks at St. Thomas' - don't worry - I know the priest!
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Weather Cancellation!
Monday, February 8, 2016
Sunday, January 31, 2016
The Archdeacon's Book!
Two of the sermons in this
book reference one of the many "treasures” strewn about my house,
specifically a little brown rock about the size of a meatball. It’s kind of
lumpy and hard and drab. It’s chipped and cracked. But it has a heart-shaped
hole in the side.
I have come to see this
little treasure as a symbol of the human-God relationship. We too are small,
lumpy, often hard-headed, stiff-necked, and wounded by the inevitable
challenges and suffering of human life. In comparison to God, more like a
little brown rock.
But we do have a God-shaped
hole in the side of our tiny, frightened, wounded and often hard human hearts.
Nothing can fill that hole except God. God put it there with great love and
tenderness to help us know whose we are.
And that's Incarnation and
that’s what makes it possible for us to love God and our neighbor as ourselves,
to care for others—even those we don’t like or who frighten us, to reach for
God and to find God, right here on earth, in each other and in creation and in
the very ordinariness of our lives.
I think you’ll find that
theme running in the background of many of these sermons.
Buy it here!
Friday, January 1, 2016
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