Cristosal Field Notes: Exile & Human Rights

As many of you know, Cristosal has been a part of our church’s story for many years. Grace has supported its mission, and I served for six years on its board. This is an organization that supported Vince and me as missioners in El Salvador, and one that I have watched...

(Re)Discovering Celtic Spirituality

Have you ever had one of those moments where many seemingly unrelated experiences, inclinations, and convictions have crystallized into one coherent thread?  Like puzzle pieces scattered across years of your life, which, without warning, come together into a...

A Fond Farewell

Close to 100 people gathered in the Newton room on Sunday for a high tea in honor of Bishop Alan and Donna Scarfe.  Bishop Alan was touched by the gift of a canvas with the Grace acrostic and an image of the church from the vestry, a scrapbook with photographs and...

A Benediction of Sorts

At a recent staff meeting, we pondered the potential impact of a new banner to sit where the “He is Risen” banner goes during Eastertide. This one would read “God is Fun”.  As people of my age can appreciate, I cannot now recall exactly what the context of...

Letters to Grace: What Might Paul say to us?

Over the next two weeks, it is a joy to write the “newsletter headliner”, which is the name for what in other circles might be called the Op-ed piece. Please think along the lines of the opening sentences to the apostle Paul’s letters.  His initial greetings...

A Disturbance of Deacons!

I was sitting in my first clergy conference with a group of Deacons gathering to meet with Bishop Megan, when someone walking in called us a Disturbance of Deacons! What???  I had never heard of such a term.  Just like a Flock of Sheep, or a Herd...