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!
 

Annual Meeting

St. Thomas' will have its Annual Meeting tomorrow, January 17, 2016 following the 10:00 Eucharist. Please join us!

early episcopal epiphany party

Tomorrow, the folks of St. Thomas' and St. Alban's Episcopal Church will gather at St. Alban's McLean Hall from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. for our early episcopal epiphany party! Bring an hors d'oeuvre to share.

Following the party - we can join them for - Iglesia San Alban Episcopal, Misión Latino / Hispana - La Santa Eucaristía, 5:00 p.m. ¡Todos son Bienvenidos! 

We will all celebrate the Epiphany on Wednesday, January 6, 2016 with Holy Eucharist at 5:30 p.m., as will St. Alban's at their church. Hope to see you at some or all!

A prayer for the Feast of the Holy Name

Statewide Assembly

Together Louisiana is pleased to announce that both candidates for Louisiana governor, State Representative John Bel Edwards and U. S. Senator David Vitter, have confirmed their attendance for the Together Louisiana Statewide Assembly this Friday, November 13th, 2pm at Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church 9700 Scenic Highway in Baton Rouge.

More than 400 people have registered to attend the assembly, representing 150 religious congregations and civic organizations from 32 different cities and towns across Louisiana (listed below).

Attendees are asked to arrive at 1:30pm for registration and seating.

Those wishing to attend who have not yet registered may register at laassembly.eventbrite.com.

Communities represented to date at Statewide Assembly, November 13th

Alexandria
Baker
Baton Rouge
Covington
Denham Springs
Dubberly
Geismar
Grambling
Gramercy
Greenwell Springs
Gretna
Hammond
Harvey
Jackson
Jena
Kenner
Lafayette
Lake Charles
Lake Providence
Metairie
Monroe
Napoleonville
New Orleans
New Roads
Norwood
Plaquemine
Prairieville
Saint Francisville
Shreveport
Tangipahoa
White Castle
Zachary
 

Thanksgiving Eve Eucharist

Wheels for Logan

 

Friends & Supporters of Canterbury@ULM:

One of the young men who began attending Canterbury this fall lives in a wheelchair. His name is Logan and he does not have a denominational affiliation. Some of our Canterbury kids who hang out with students from other campus ministries got to be friends with Logan because he is a believer who just doesn't have a denominational identity and isn't sure he wants one! So they invited him to Canterbury and he comes most of the time.

Logan's current wheelchair is a mess. Logan is a pretty big guy and the wheelchair is old and decrepit. Logan is also a COMM major and my advisee, so I see him with some regularity and I have often watched him rolling down a hallway and worried that his chair was going to collapse right out from under him! 

So... a bunch of kids with whom he hangs out, including our Canterbury kids and some kids from other campus ministries, have decided to replace Logan's wheelchair--and it's a surprise! The cost of the chair is $3000 and we figure we only need 300 people at $10 a head to do the deed--and even most students can afford $10.

But we'd also like to give you an opportunity to get involved! So... this Sunday  I'll be at St. Thomas' and if you'd like to help, just hand me a $10 bill and say, "Wheels for Logan." (Or whatever, I'll know what it's for!) Or, if you prefer, write a check to St. Thomas' and put "Wheels for Logan" in the memo line and I'll get Henry to write a check. 

BTW, Logan's family really can't afford to just buy him a new chair.