The First Reading for this Feast of All Saints features a rare moment of dialogue between two flesh-and-blood humans in St. John’s Apocalypse: Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?” I said to him, “Sir, you are the one that knows.” ThenRead More »
Midweek Reflections
Welcome to our blog here at St. Stephen’s. Here you’ll find midweek reflections from diverse voices, as well as occasional musings. Our hope is that this provides one more way for us to connect during these challenging times, along with Sunday worship and our weekly Zoom check-in.
The Back Pew
Anglicans love the back pew. I suppose an interesting social history might be written on the subject putting forward all sorts of reasons that the front pews remain empty while the back pews are always occupied.
Seeing the Back of God
Exodus 33:12-23 Moses is one of my favourite Old Testament characters. I even named my car after him: Moses Mazda! From his rescue as an infant from the banks of the Nile to his growing up as the adopted son of Pharaoh’s daughter, from his exile in Egypt as a wanted man to his settlementRead More »
Giving Thanks
If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is Thank You, it will be enough. –Meister Eckhart When we celebrate Harvest Thanksgiving this upcoming Sunday, we will read from Luke 17:11-19, where Jesus heals the ten lepers. What catches my attention are not the nine lepers who go merrily on their way,Read More »
St. Michael and All Angels
We don’t seem to think about angels all that much anymore. Maybe it’s because our culture doesn’t connect with the classical image of fluffy, harp-strumming cherubs. More likely, it’s because the very notion of Divine Messengers is just plain weird: sentient beings other than homo sapiens is the stuff of science fiction and fantasy. AndRead More »
“The last will be first, and the first will be last.”
The parable of the labourers and the vineyard, which we will hear this coming Sunday, suddenly seems to be very relevant during this time of “coronatide.” All our lives have been turned upside down to some extent, especially our work lives. There are many who have lost their jobs, or have been laid off notRead More »
Throughout your Generations…
The readings for this Sunday are available here. Believe it or not, it’s already September. September 2, 2020, to be precise. It’s also the Wednesday after the Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost, according to the steady tick of the church calendar. I for one don’t want to know how many weeks it’s been since we allRead More »
All Desires Known…
The readings for Sunday are available here. “For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.” My spiritual journey over the last few years has involved a concerted effort to learn what it means to simply be myself in a ministryRead More »
Members of One Another
Coming back from vacation is strange this time. Truth is, I’ve never been much good at taking time off – I didn’t even do it at all for the first couple of years at St. Stephen’s. But even more than normal, coming back feels awkward. Being on holiday always makes me miss my community, andRead More »
Love one another, as I have loved you
Sounds simple enough. Jesus certainly gave enough examples for his disciples to follow. In fact, he spent his lifetime teaching the disciples how to love. Surely by now, we can figure out what this kind of love means.
Hope, anyone?
The readings for Sunday are available here. Hope is a powerful thing. It has the potential to change lives, offer direction in life, keep us mentally healthy, and inspire us “to move mountains.”
Jesus – our Mother Hen
The readings for Sunday are available here. Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to you! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood together under her wings, and you were not willing!
