The past week, I had the misfortune of reading an article written by a man who currently attends the Episcopal Church. The headline read, “______ takes it to the Episcopalians.” Normally, I wouldn’t bite. Normally, I’d just click ‘skip’ and continue on with my day; but for some reason or another, I was intrigued by the notion that ______ was ‘taking it’ to me and my friends. So I read.
And I became angry.
In his words, the Episcopal Church was full of pagans and people who had left the teaching of Jesus Christ. He wrote about his journey into the church, his love of liturgy—both of which he is proud-ish. Yet, as I continued to read his experiences, I thought to myself, “Other people are reading this…I hope they don’t think this is everyone’s process and summation of the Episcopal Church.”
I was quickly answered.
After nearly every online article written on the internet, there is a space below dedicated to readers wishing to leave comments. If I thought the article was ugly, the comments made my heart hurt. People were saying terrible things—untrue and unfounded, ugly and off-the-wall—and I couldn’t help but ask myself, “Where the hell did these people hear about the Episcopal Church?” It seems that, despite PB Michael Curry’s fantastic sermon on love—most of the world still doesn’t know who we are.
After reading that article and its accompanying comments, I made a decision: Everywhere I go and every new person I meet will know the truth of the Episcopal Church and of Christianity, at large. I talked to my barber, the pizza hut guy, and a random woman standing in line, and the bug guy at our church. It isn’t that I haven’t been doing this all along, I just went a little stronger than normal. I don’t want people to fill in the blanks when they don’t understand our beloved church; nor do I want them to do the same with Christianity. We’re not pagans, we’re not falling away from Christ, and we certainly aren’t deserving of the nonsense these people were writing. But we are guilty of something, its being guilty of hiding ourselves away.
It is time for us to step into the light, to let the world see us for who we really are, rather than seeing us as just one label among many that has been misconstrued and demonized. I said it last week and I’ll say it again: It’s time for us to reclaim the name of Christ and proclaim His love for the world. We do this for many reasons, but now among them is to educate those around us about love, and about responding with love rather than anger. Talk to a stranger about your church, about Jesus and about love, today. It starts now.
Faithfully,
Fr. Sean+
May 30, 2018
I stood in front of the grill judging the consistency of charred goods this past Sunday, much like many of you. As the summer sun beamed warm rays over my winter skin, I took a deep breath and an equally deep draught of a refreshing beverage, enjoying the company of old friends—and some new ones—standing near me. Then the inevitable, yet not unexpected question of, “Wait a minute…you’re a REAL priest?”, came from one of the new folks I’d just met. Laughingly, one of my dearest friends (who is not the sum of the title “atheist”, but for this story, that’s his designation) chuckled quietly, awaiting the response. “Yes, I am. I am a priest in the Episcopal Church. We love Jesus, coffee, naps, and a beer or two on the weekends.” The new person, who shall be called Jane from heretofore, then made the same comment that many folks in her generation have locked away in their presupposition safe, “But, you’re drinking. And you went to a brewery with us. And you don’t LOOK like a priest.” At this point, our mutual friend starting laughing openly and said, “He’s really a priest. And I’m an atheist. Add that to the list.”
Baffled, Jane began listing her experiences in the church as a youth, citing that she’d never met, and I quote, “A pastor (I thought to correct her, but is she wrong?) being a ‘real’ person.” She went on to lament her experiences in her childhood denomination, noting the many rules and regulations set forth that would keep her from going back to church.
After a while, the conversation changed to something inane and the day went on, but her remarks stuck with me. More and more these days, I’m aware of the deep hurt inflicted by pastors, ministers, and Christians in general, on our young people. It seems as though that some of our counterparts in the Body of Christ explain God much like a boogeyman who will come get them if they say a foul word or commit an offense.
I can’t speak all the folks in the world who’ve experienced this type of negative theology, but the conversation with Jane helped (at least that’s what she told me) her understand that there are faith people out there who just want to love their neighbor and love God to the best of their abilities. Do you have friends like Jane? Do you know people who have a misconception of Christianity as it should be, rather than that which was taught as a ghost story?
Church has become a five-letter word in a four-letter-using-world. People have forgotten that it exists and there's no room for it in conversation. People are shying away from our community because they don’t know that they won’t be judged; and that they’re safe being who they are within these hallowed walls. Now more than ever, our task is to reclaim and then proclaim the name of Jesus Christ for the good of the world. It’s time to take the trepidation out of the equation when speaking to our friends—old and new—in everyday conversations.
Notice that I didn’t bring up the fact that I was a priest to Jane, she found that out because someone asked me how church was that morning (again, my atheist friend). But once she did, I didn’t say, “Oh, yeah, I am but I don’t talk about stuff like that when I’m not at church.” Instead, I engaged gently and answered questions without uttering—or screaming—HAVE YOU BEEN SAVED BY JESUS!? It really is a simple thing, to speak about faith in a way that is natural to you. We don’t have to know every word in the Bible. You don’t need to go to seminary. All we need to do is allow the Spirit to be present in every conversation so that those who might be seeking a deeper or different understanding will hear the comforting words and good news of Jesus Christ. And then maybe we’ll start seeing some new faces among us. Also, not EVERY conversation needs to be centered on Jesus Christ—our relationships are based on knowing quite a few things about one another. But don’t forget that your faith is the chief component of your being; loving God comes first, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a refreshing drink in the sun and talk about your faith at the same time. Let’s reclaim the name that saved us, proclaim the faith that sustains us, and exclaim the love—in a real and genuine way—that we receive from being part of God’s community.
Faithfully,
Fr. Sean+
May 23, 2018
Words have the power to change the world for the better or for the worse. Last week, I watched a man stand with dignity, courage and integrity in the midst of a hallowed space filled with people unaccustomed to passionately delivered rhetoric concerning Jesus Christ. Yet, Bishop Michael Curry knew he was called there to deliver a message to the world—not just a royal couple—and he did so without flinching from the culture immediately surrounding him. He could have recited sermons’ past wedding platitudes, given brief instruction on how difficult marriage can be sometimes, and then sat down. But he didn’t.
He spoke Love, with a capital L, and the world is still reeling from the shockwave.
How desperate is this world for a message of Love? Bishop Michael didn’t say anything new to us, per se, about the life-giving and liberating passion of Jesus Christ—we hear that good news every Sunday in some form or another from our preachers, teachers, and friends asking about our lives. Lest we forget, however, we get to experience that community based Love everySunday; most other people in the world view church as something ‘other’ than that which we know to be true. When the Most Rev. Michael spoke to them—the people without Church communities—I have to wonder if those are the first words of Love uttered to broken hearts and longing ears in quite some time. Given the tweets, articles, television interviews and attention his sermon received, I have to pause and thank God for a bigger stage upon which to stand. I also am grateful for the opportunity to expound on that same grace-filled and loving message that perhaps changes hearts and lives more than I (or we) ever knew possible.
When spoken passionately and proclaimed boldly, words can change this world for the better. But there’s another side to that coin: We have to speak them. While unspoken Love lies idle awaiting its turn to be uttered and received, the words of doubt and shame loudly invade the landscape of barren and loveless discourse between neighbors. These negative sentiments plant themselves in the broken hearts of the unloved, the undesirable, and the unwilling. Those seeds of destruction then fester and grow strong roots and stalks, casting shade over an already darkening world.
We have to remember our roles in tending to the lost and lonely, the left behind and longing. Passionate deliverance from desperation and despondency can only occur when we proclaim boldly and Love willingly. How will your words change the world? How can we all do more to create a culture of Love in our immediate spheres of influence? How can we help to breathe Love, speak Love, and carry Love into a suffocating, breathless, and seemingly deaf world? It begins in our everyday speech with one another and with the world around us. We have to remember our baptism and our charge to “respect the dignity of every human being,” while “proclaiming by WORD and deed.” Tell a stranger about the Church, today. Tell them that there’s a place where they’ll be accepted, involved and Loved without judgement. And then, make sure you tell yourself the same thing. I’ll start it for us: I love you. I’m proud to be in community with you. I’m thankful for you. And most importantly, I thank God for putting you in my life. Now, go; be the hands and feet of Jesus. Go, be Love.
Faithfully,
Fr. Sean+
May 16, 2018
Summertime is upon us. The four days of Spring graciously bestowed upon us by Oklahoma weather have come and gone and now we all look toward summer trips, shade dwelling, sun bathing and—for some—vacations. It’s interesting how the school year affects our liturgical year, and our church attendance for that matter. I don’t know what to expect concerning attendance this summer, but I’m not naïve to the amount of travel and ‘other’ things that will inevitably take some of you away more than usual.
But before we get swept up in summertime, I wanted to share with you some joy of Spring.
Spring is a time of life, of rebirth for the world. After a cold, hard Winter, saplings bud and flowers bloom; the rain comes and nourishes the hard soil, bringing life and vitality back to it. Sure, we have to go out into our gardens and till, dig, replant, and water but for the most part, our job is made easier by the changing of the season. As long as the earth is prepared for summer during spring, the hot days will yield more than just a suntan, they’ll produce fruit from the labors of spring.
The Church is much the same way, these days. Resurrection has fought a long, hard, and cold Winter for the last few years. But you’ve maintained a Spring mentality—always cleaning, improving, planting, and never giving up. Now we’re walking into a new Spring. We have more people attending every week, more ministries growing and thriving, new children among us, returning friends from long ago. All of this is wonderful and indicative of what Spring brings: life. But we still have to work for it. We still have to plant the seeds, till the ground, and pour water on our foundation to keep it thriving.
Vacations are fantastic—I encourage you all to take as much time as you can and go see other places!! But remember that your church relies upon you to practice good stewardship and maintain the course. Very seldom do I speak of giving in the church; but occasionally it’s necessary to gently remind ourselves that the Church relies upon each of us to continue the ministries that we so dearly love.
If you are going away, or plan to take some extended time in another state—we’ll be here when you return, with arms wide open. All I ask is that you remember your pledge to this place and that you know how important it is that we keep practicing good stewardship, year-round. If you’re curious about ACH (it’s an automatic bank draft, done weekly or monthly) please reach out. If you’d like to know where you stand currently, we’ll be sending out statements of giving very soon. We are not sending out these statements to guilt anyone!!! It’s simply a way in which to track your giving alongside your pledge.
I appreciate all of you, dearly. I have grown to love this place and the people in it; Nicole and I are home. If you do go, know that the rest of us will keep the lights on for you while you’re gone; but don’t forget that your help helps us to do that. We’ve done the work of Spring, let’s continue that pledge through Summer, so that Fall isn’t a fall at all…just another season within which we grow into a stronger and more beautiful community.
Faithfully,
Fr. Sean+
May 2, 2018
Hey there!
I wanted to let you all know about something pretty exciting, coming to a church near you (this church, just in case you were wondering).
This summer, we’re going to have an all-ages vacation bible school. July 23rd-July 27th is the tentative date, pending participation and availability of the most people. Here’s what it’s going to entail:
*Five nights from 6:30-9:00, Monday through Friday
*A special theme throughout the week
*Breakout groups
*A little bit of crafting
*An end-week presentation from each group
*Revisiting some of the old stories, as well as some you may not know so well
*Food!
I’m going to begin a list for people to sign-up. If we have quite a bit of interest in this week, we’ll move forward with those dates; keep in mind that we’re going to have the week at some point in July regardless of how many folks sign up…it’s going to be fun!
So, before the summer gets away from you, take a look at your calendar. I really hope most, if not all, of you can come!!!!
Faithfully,
Fr. Sean+
April 25, 2018
Welcome to wherever you are…
Life is funny. One moment exhilarates a person to the fullest, providing a sense of euphoria that is almost palpable, while the next can leave that same person breathless from shock, pain, or any other number of negative emotions. There’s little that compares to the contrast between life’s ‘up’s and down’s’; these events serve as rites of passage into adulthood and the recurring dues to remain within.
But that’s life, right?
Of course, none of us want to experience heart-ache; the sheer volume of daily decisions, responsibilities and extracurricular activities in which we engage manage to stretch us enough, as is. However, these other and additional moments of rotating emotion lend an edge to our character that hones us into sharper human beings—if we let them—or they can have the opposite and undesired effect of breaking us into nothing. Sometimes God provides grace enough to strengthen us, which allows us to stand on our own. And sometimes we’re not strong enough on our own to get up off of the ground after a traumatic experience.
But we're never alone.
That’s where this community comes in and serves its true purpose: to support, connect, uplift, and love its members in every season. If you ask folks in younger generations about church, most will tell you that it’s a construct of centuries’ past that is antiquated and in need of revision; I don’t necessarily disagree. We’ve done ourselves a disservice with the way in which we have interacted at various points in our history. People of color had to go to their own church; women had no place in leadership; disabled Christians couldn’t become clergy; socio-economic status became the metric of importance within these communities; and so on it went. But lately I’ve been noticing a trend in Christianity—at least the faith that flows within this place. The outside world doesn’t observe it, because they have been turned off by years’ past. But given the opportunity, those same skeptics would undoubtedly change their minds if they stepped within our midst.
Why?
Because most people seem to ‘get it’, here.
We’re not here to tout our successes to other churches, and we certainly don’t compete to ‘try and keep up with the Jones’. Rather, this place has been, and continues to be, a stronghold of defense for the hurting, the poor, the lame, the sick, the joyous, the young, the old, the vibrant and the depressed.
I want others to see your light when it shines brightly. And I want you to borrow that light from your neighbor in the dark night's of the soul. With a little perseverance and a great degree of grace, I believe that we can change the minds of those who will take the torch and continue to bring light into the world, echoing the traditions, love, and words of comfort that float like whispers in and around our hallowed space. But it will take patience. It will take time. And most importantly, it will take flexibility by those currently in leadership positions. You all know how much I love to hate the saying, “That’s how we’ve always done it,” when it’s repeated without thought. The old ways don’t all need to go away; but room needs to be made for the new ways, and the new people, to flourish. How can we include rather than volun-tell people what to do? How can we be appropriate ministers to the hurting within our midst without pressing the play button on that vaulted answering machine of clichés and platitudes?
There are those within this community who need the rest of us to tend to them. They won’t ask, but they shouldn’t have to, either. Whether it’s during the peace or at coffee hour, during the night music or the work-day, take a moment to dive deeper into relationship with one another. We’re not autonomous faith-filled people—we’re in this, together. The deeper we fall into relationship with one another dictates the depth of our despair. If we can continue to love without question and let the little things go, we’re going to continue to thrive. And that vitality will seep out into the very ground upon which others walk, providing support and encouragement for them to follow their feet home to Jesus Christ.
Keep up the good faith. Keep up the good work. Keep up and do more of the good love.
Faithfully,
Fr. Sean+
April 18, 2018
Resurrectionists,
I hope this day finds you in good spirits, wherever you are. This week, I’d like to give you full-disclosure on what’s happening with our floors. I also want to thank each and every one of you whom gave your insight and your donations to see this project through!!!
Where we are:
The floors throughout the building, as of today, have all been ground down and patched (as needed). Beginning tomorrow, the overlay process will begin. This is a process by which the floors receive a layer that acts as a canvas upon which the stain and seal will be applied, allowing for solid color and protectivity to be administered. The overlay will take the rest of the week. Beginning Saturday, the texture will be applied on top of the overlay. The texture is much like you’d see on any wall in your home—wavy lines or patterns—and allows for the floor to have a dimensional look rather than simply being a ‘flat’ surface. If you have questions about that, take a closer look at the existing floor in the South hallway; it has been finished with the above process.
Beginning next week, the stain and seal and final touches will be administered. This is a four-day process that—barring catastrophe or unforeseen hinderances—will be finished upThursday evening. After that, the following week will be spent applying cove-base (the rubber gray borders on the bottom of the walls) and final cleanup. The ECW conference leaders are aware of our situation and none of the above will have a negative impact upon that vital and wonderful event (it happens on the 27-28 if you haven’t registered).
You’ll notice that the parish hall and classrooms are filled with various items from the kitchen and flower rooms; this is temporary and will be amended as soon as the floors are finished. As we move toward this coming Sunday, please know that we cannot walk in:
*The North part of the building past the double doors
*The Choir room
*Sacristy
*Individual bathrooms
Walking in these areas will damage the overlay and it will have to be reapplied. When you arrive on Sunday, please use the main entrance or the South entrances to the building.
Where we’ve been and why it’s taking longer:
When the floors were installed over thirty years ago, the contractors used an over-abundance of mastic (the adhesive to which the tile sticks). As such, the amount of grinding needed to remove that adhesive has been greater than anticipated. I want you to know that these contractors have been working well into the night on multiple occasions (some as late as 1am) to keep the work continuing. Something that you may not know is that they’ve had to do the majority of this by hand—the corners and crevices have needed extra attention, thereby taking even longer.
The next issue has been the state of the North hallway. As many of you are aware, there was a sizeable difference in level on one particular part of the flooring. When the company removed the tile, they discovered that much of the existing concrete in that particular area, as well as the concrete on the adjacent wall, needed to be replaced. This process moved our finish time even further away.
Where we will be:
Thankfully, we chose a good company to replace our floors. Next Friday, our floors throughout the entire building will be walkable (not this coming Friday, but a week from—Friday April 27th). I have heard from many of you regarding the finished product in the South hallway and the general consensus is positive…actually, I’ve not heard from anyone who isn’t pleased with the new floors!
My hope and intention with giving you all this information is to answer any questions that you may have currently. I know this has been a longer process than anticipated, but thankfully the people of this church have shown their patience in many areas, and this has been no different. I appreciate your willingness to be flexible at this time concerning the ministries each of you conduct within the church and the displacement you’ve experienced, recently. Once finished, I am confident that we’ll all be pleased with ECOTR’s new floors—the waiting, as Tom petty once wrote, is the hardest part. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to continue speaking with me; I’m happy to have the chance to talk to any of you at any time.
Faithfully
Fr. Sean+
April 11, 2018
What would you do?
What would you do if you had the chance to impact every life around you with just one phrase? I think about the way in which we speak to one another, often; our walking conversations serve as singular opportunities throughout the day to enhance, encourage or enliven people around us. The person at the convenience store, the guy next to you in line at Starbucks, even the fast food folks that hand you your food—all of these are of God, and all are deserving of a kind word or gesture.
People ask me all the time what we’re doing here, how it is that we’re growing so quickly. My answer is always the same: We love people, love each other, and we love Jesus. The main difference in what I see here—and from what I’ve heard—is that there’s a palpable joy emanating from the faithful people who are part of this community. That’s the key. We must keep our joy, as we have so much about which to be joy-filled. From floors to doors, new babies to fiftieth wedding anniversaries, work-days and open-mic nights, Cursillo, ECW retreats, softball teams and Altar guilds…there’s so much happening in this hallowed arena. And all of that joy makes this community what it is: Faithful.
What phrase would you use to describe your Church? What three to seven words encompass the place wherein you spend time, talent, and treasure on a weekly basis? And most importantly, does that phrase speak to the soul of others who may be looking for somewhere to belong? I have to believe that there are more people out there in need of a kind word or a joyful phrase which serves to point them toward Jesus Christ. Think on how you explain your Church, this week. Reflect on whether or not you’re inviting people to join us, or simply missing opportunities. I believe in one God, Jesus Christ his son, and the Holy Spirit. And through them, I believe we can grow their kingdom, right here in our little corner of the city. There’s power in words and I know that you all are passionate about your community; share those words with everyone around you and I promise you’ll become the change you want to see in the world.
Have a blessed week.
Faithfully
Fr. Sean+
April 4, 2018
First, I’d like to thank all of you for the dedication you showed in making last week’s services truly memorable. The Altar Guild, the photo team, lay readers, acolytes, Dion, the music team, the choir, the hospitality people, ushers, greeters, visitors, kid-watchers, attenders, and anyone else of whom I may have missed. I would also like to give special recognition to one of our most unsung valuable people…Chad Yarbrough. His work last week on bulletins and various other tasks, coupled with his ability to deal with a crazy rector, made for a memorable experience.
Seriously, thank you all so very much.
We had 267 people at all services last week—140 people attended at the Easter service! ONE HUNDRED FORTY! If anyone was wondering whether or not we’re getting the word out, that curiosity can be laid to rest. We’re doing good things here, and the months have been wonderful.
So what now? The week has past, the services are over. But it’s STILL Easter! We have a complete season of Easter to attend, filled with more good news and worship, joyful moments and numerous activities at the church. Let’s not lose the momentum from the Holy Spirit’s lent fervor!
Coming up, we have a work-day, an open-mic night, a financial seminar, an ECW weekend, a Cursillo weekend, a golf tournament, and so much more. I’m so excited about our future, here, but I’m just as excited about our present. We are Easter people, all the time, and the resurrection is happening at Resurrection. Much love to you all, and I’ll see you very soon.
Faithfully
Fr. Sean+
March 28, 2018
Holy Week is upon us…
In what can arguably be considered as the most important part of our liturgical year, Holy Week enacts multiple services to emphasize the trajectory of Christ’s entry into Jerusalem which eventually leads to his death and resurrection. But not everyone knows what each service means, or more importantly, why we do them. I hope that I can clear up some of the confusion or, in the least, allow for better understanding of why we do what we do during Holy Week.
Holy Monday: Clergy renewal of vows.
This service is a stand alone liturgy, separated from the rest of Holy Week, meant to revitalize and urge clergy to remember their vows. I’ve taken part in this service the last three years and, each time, I have left feeling rekindled and aware of the task set before me to care for, lead, instruct, learn from, and most importantly, love my congregation. It is truly beautiful to begin Holy Week in this way.
Tenebrae:
Tenebrae literally means “Darkness”. Originally designed to entwine Matins and Lauds into the three days’ service of the Triduum (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and HolySaturday), which is the longest liturgical service of the year. It begins Thursday and ends at the coming of the light during the Great Easter Vigil. Tenebrae is introduced into this liturgy to serve as a not-so-gentle reminder that Jesus’ suffering and death leads to his departure from the world in human form—for a time. The service begins with psalms and antiphons, proceeds with Holy Scripture, and ends with Canticles and a silent departure from the Nave. During the service, candles are extinguished at specific times to reflect the departure of Christ’s light from the world, leaving it in utter darkness. At the end of the service, a loud sound is replicated to memorialize the sound of the earthquake that occurred immediately following Christ’s death. The people leave the Nave in the darkness, contemplating the loss of the Messiah…
Triduum: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday (Great Easter Vigil).
Maundy Thursday serves as an entrance into the final moments of Christ: His act of washing the disciples’ feet, his last meal with them, and the stripping of the table to signify that it was, indeed, the Last Supper. At the end of this service, The Altar of Repose is set in a separate place, created to house the body and blood of Christ much like that of a tomb. The altar is scrubbed and the people leave without dismissal, as the service has not concluded.
Good Friday:
The solemn collects and prayers utilized during this service serve as lamentations and grieving for the loss of Jesus Christ from the world. He is, in effect, in the tomb during this service—not yet resurrected.
Holy Saturday (The Great Easter Vigil):
Considered by many to be the principle and most beautiful liturgy of the Church, this service begins before sundown on Holy Saturday. Starting with a procession in which the Paschal Candle is lit and brought back in to the Sanctuary, the beginning of this service signifies the return of Christ and the immanent Resurrection of his body—effectively proclaiming his journey back into the world after defeating death. The first half of this service is spent utilizing candle light, so to remind ourselves that Christ’s light is almost returned to us. Halfway through the service, the lights go up and the altar candles are lit—Christ has Risen! The rest of the service serves as the original Easter—the joyful exclamation that Christ has been lifted up and is the champion we have been awaiting.
Easter:
This is a second act of the preceding service—the ‘in case you missed it’. I love all of these moments and, together, they paint a picture of Christ’s journey from life, to imprisonment, to death, to resurrection.
I hope this has helped a little, but mostly I hope that you will join me this week for all of these holy moments. Until then, have a blessed day and remember that Christ is on the move, as you are reading this, preparing to save the world from itself and continually bringing his light to shine upon us, forever.
Faithfully
Fr. Sean+