Deliver them, O Lord...

For the next few weeks, we will be offering prayers and Masses for the people and communities devastated by the recent hurricane.

In particular, I will be offering prayers for the Very Rev. David DuPlantier, and the people of Christ Church Cathedral, in New Orleans. Fr. David began his ministry in this diocese and our prayers are with him and his family...

Thou, O Lord, that stillest the raging of the sea, hear, hear us, and save us, that we perish not...

If you are interested in helping in the disaster relief, you can donate funds through Episcopal Relief and Development, located here.

Rest eternal grant him, O Lord...

Brother Roger of Taize

We morn the horrific death this week of one of the shining lights of the Christian Faith, Brother Roger. Read about him here. And about the facts surrounding his death, here.

Almighty God, with whom do live the spirits of those who depart hence in the Lord, and with whom the souls of the faithful, after they are delivered from the burden of the flesh, are in joy and felicity; We give thee hearty thanks for the good examples of all those thy servants, who, having finished their course in faith, do now rest from their labours. And we beseech thee, that we, with all those who are departed in the true faith of thy holy Name, may have our perfect consummation and bliss, both in body and soul, in thy eternal and everlasting glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

An answer to prayer...

the Rt. Rev. John W. Howe of Central Florida

Recently, my prayers for the church have been the central focus of my time spent in the daily office. More specifically, I have been praying for peace among the factions within the church who seem to genuinely enjoy waging war on one another.

I have also been praying for the leadership of the church, hoping our Bishops might show a little more charity to one another rather than tossing press releases and email encyclicals like hand grenades.

I thought most of this was in vain, with the seeming entrenchment on each side. But God still speaks and moves mightily in our day and age.

Over the week end, Bishop + John of Central Florida did a brave and noble thing, admitting an error and seeking forgiveness. Thank you, Bishop + John! You are in my prayers....read the posting from the diocesan website here. And although I'd rather not link to David Virtue's website for all its ranting and at times base language, he has published Bishop + John's full letter here.

An interesting article...

I've been leafing through the August 2005 issue of Harper's this week, and there is a great article by Bill McKibben titled, "How a Christian Nation Gets Jesus Wrong."

Whatever your political flavor, you'll find this interesting. Especially the comments about mainline denominations being entrenched in the issues of the day and forgetting mission. You can read a fragment of the story here. But I think you'll have to buy the magazine to read the entire story (or visit a library.)