There is a running saying in our house. Whenever we hear or see rain, Crystal immediately shouts out “I love the rain.” She says it for two reasons... first because it’s her “thing to say” (most everyone has a saying, don’t they?), and second because she actually does love the rain. She appreciates the good gift it is from God, how it refreshes the earth, how it cleanses everything, and how it rinses the dirt off her car. Zechariah 10:1 says, “Ask the Lord for rain in the spr

It’s hard to believe that we have not gathered together in person for seven weeks. With several more weeks of physical separation to continue, how things “used to be” becomes more and more of a distant memory. It’s clear this is different… different than anything we have experienced before. Things will be different as we move forward and eventually gather together again. You will be different. I will be different. How we worship, when we worship, how we interact with one anot

As the heart longs for the water springs, So longs my soul for thee, O God. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace. May the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, keep you safe and make you strong, this night and always. Amen. Fr. Brian+

Living on the Sewanee “Mountain” (it’s really a plateau) for three years changed my attitude towards silence. On the mountain, the silence is noticeable and loud, especially at night. In the still quiet, one can hear wildlife rustling from 100 yards away or more, or the noise of a late-night gathering of students from across the campus, or the deafening chirping of crickets. It’s quite startling when first experienced. Yet after a few weeks, we didn’t notice it anymore, until

I had a Zoom meeting recently with seminary friends. We’ve been checking in with each other on a regular basis, offering counsel to one another. It’s been a place to safely blow off steam with no judgement, of grace and understanding. One friend who is the rector of a church in the northeast informed us that her bishop had just shut down all gatherings of people in any number… no worship teams, no one (even priests) allowed on the church property, everything must be done from

In my early 20’s, before I got married, my dad and I went to Six Flags over Texas. My parents were living in Arlington at the time, and I had free passes. I told my dad that if we went, we had to ride the good rides. I didn’t want to waste my passes and us just walk around the park. He agreed. We started with the simple rides. Nothing too terrifying… no loops or big drops, no tunnels or high speeds. Just the basics. But after a while, I talked him into riding the big one (at

When our daughter was just 4 years old, we noticed that she began snoring. This was no ordinary snoring. It was an earth-shattering, house-crumbling snoring… a snoring that could be heard three doors down from our duplex in Sewnaee. Keep in mind, she comes from a long line of snorers… me, both my parents, and my grandfather. The fact that she inherited this “tradition” was no surprise. What did surprise us was periodically, during particularly heavy snoring sessions, she woul

If you’ve been out and about lately, whether walking your neighborhood or driving around just to have a change of venue, you might have noticed the sidewalks, bike lanes, and walking trails have exploded with people. The slowdown of the workday has driven many out of their homes for fresh air on a regular basis. Even more fascinating is observing the interaction going on (usually safely) between neighbors and strangers. I’ve heard from multiple people over the last few weeks

Have you been outside lately? The last 4 days have been glorious… cool breeze, warm sun, clear skies, bright green grass, blooming flowers. God’s creation in nature is always breathtaking, and God has been showing off since Easter! There’s a freshness in our little part of the world right now, a freshness that seems counter to our current reality. This freshness is a Holy, God-breathed gift. It should remind us that no matter the situation, God surpasses all understanding and

Monday Thursday? Growing up, the Thursday of Holy Week confused me. What confused me was not the liturgy. It made sense to me. The last supper, the washing of the feet, the stripping of the altar… all of this needed to be done in order to do observe Good Friday. What confused me was the name. I never understood why one Thursday a year we added Monday. Of course, that’s not the name, and as I grew older, I started to pronounce it correctly… Maundy Thursday. Most understand the