Canterbury@ULM is going!

Camp Hardtner  *   February 17-19, 2017

ULM BBQ Ad ;-)

The Archdeacon Awarded for Excellence!

Our Archdeacon recognized for excellence! (Like we didn't know!?!) ;-)

Read all about it here.

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!

Save the Date!

It's That Time Again!

Back to school - back to church!

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.

 

Hardtner's 75th! Save the Date

Civic Academy: Tax Fairness

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!

God is Love

From my friend and artist Enedina Vasquez. "God is love." 1 John 4:7-21

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. 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!

¡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!

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!

Bishop Jake on Gospel Memories

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!

Prayers of thanks to God and for those parishioners with water in their homes or at work!

Weather Cancellation!

Tonight's Lenten Eucharist at Supper at St. Thomas' has been cancelled because of the weather. Stay dry and pray for those in areas of local flooding!

Lent 2016

From Bishop Curry: The 2016 Lenten Message...

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!

 

A prayer for the Feast of the Holy Name