tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294291622011-12-19T08:16:00.635-08:00Reflections of an Episcopal priestChipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.comBlogger671100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-57840596443955580542011-12-19T08:14:00.000-08:002011-12-19T08:16:00.642-08:00

A sermon preached at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Delray Beach, Florida 4 Advent – Year B – December 17/18, 2011 2 Samuel 7:1 – 11,16;  Luke 1:26 – 38 Preacher:  The Reverend  Canon William H. Stokes, Rector The Cloak of Mary “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”  Luke 1:28             Three years ago, just days before Thanksgiving, the 13 year-old daughter of one of

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-71006275130615000672011-12-05T06:44:00.001-08:002011-12-05T06:52:24.346-08:00

A sermon preached at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Delray Beach, Florida St. Paul’s Episcopal Church – Delray Beach, Florida 2 Advent – Year B (RCL) – December 3 – 4, 2011 Isaiah 40: 1- 11; Ps. 85: 1 – 2, 8 – 13; Mark 1:1 – 8 Preacher:  The Rev. Canon William H. Stokes, Rector “Extry, extry, read all about it…”  “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-37149625241703204642011-11-20T14:33:00.001-08:002011-11-20T15:51:03.594-08:00

A sermon preached at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Delray Beach, Florida Last Sunday after Pentecost – Christ the King – Proper 29 -  November 19/20, Ephesians 1:15 – 23; Psalm 100; Matthew 25:31 – 46 Preacher:  The Rev. Canon William H. Stokes, Rector Occupy Thanksgiving! Come, you that are blessed by my Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world…

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-25174183717257133012011-10-17T06:47:00.000-07:002011-10-17T07:00:02.220-07:00

A sermon preached at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Delray Beach. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church – Delray Beach, Florida 18 Pentecost – Proper 24 – Year A – October 15/16, 2011 1 Thessalonians 1:1- 10; Ps. 96:1-10; Matthew 22:15 – 22 Preacher:  The Reverend Canon William H. Stokes, Rector Then he said to them, "Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-30657897518174923732011-09-11T16:11:00.000-07:002011-09-15T04:34:30.689-07:00

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Delray Beach, Florida 19 Pentecost – Proper 13 – September 10/11, 2011 Solemn Observance of the 10th Anniversary of September 11, 2001 Romans 14:1 – 12; Ps. 103; Matthew 18:21 – 35 Preacher:  The Reverend Canon William H. Stokes, Rector What language shall we use?     Then Peter came and said to him, "Lord, if another member of the church sins against

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-76236325614747892692011-09-05T07:09:00.000-07:002011-09-05T10:23:02.138-07:00

(A sermon preached at St. Paul's Episcopal Church) St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Delray Beach, Florida12 Pentecost  - Proper 18 -  September 3-4, 2011Romans 13:8 – 14; Ps. 119: 33 – 40; Matthew 18: 15 – 20Preacher:  The Reverend Canon William H. Stokes, Rector            The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You    shall not steal; You shall not covet"; and any

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-16563686259520715782011-07-17T09:23:00.000-07:002011-07-17T09:23:30.743-07:00

A sermon preached at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Delray Beach. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Delray Beach, Florida5 Pentecost - Proper 11 - -Year A - July 17, 2011Genesis 28: 10 - 19a; Matthew 13:24-30,36-43Preacher: The Rev. Canon William H. Stokes, Rector The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-53602300251008167922011-07-14T04:04:00.000-07:002011-07-14T04:10:58.544-07:00

The Death of Maratécrivant pour le bonheur du peuple What was Marat thinking as he sat in his tubbefore rudely interruptedby Charlotte Corday?Was his mind fixed on The Revolution -  Liberté, Egalité, FraternitéJacobins and Montagnards    and headless roi c’est l’etat  no more when virgin Caen sisterwalked demurely through his door? Did his thoughts drift to alpine days and boyhood dreams in

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-23997130558407595362011-07-12T05:38:00.000-07:002011-07-12T05:38:43.138-07:00

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St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Delray Beach, Florida7 Easter - Year A (RCL) - June 4/5, 20011Acts 1:6- 14; Ps. 68; John 17: 1 -11Preacher: The Reverend Canon William H. Stokes, Rector Does heaven have gravity? While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them.  They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven?”   Acts 1:

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-69338973233564861392011-06-02T06:45:00.000-07:002011-06-02T06:45:18.169-07:00

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Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-59606647794366646832011-05-19T03:27:00.000-07:002011-05-19T03:27:40.836-07:00

Of Creation, Silent Spring and Jesus as the Gate!<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes;

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St. Paul’s Episcopal Church - Delray Beach, Florida3 Lent - Year A - February 23/24, 2008Exodus 17:1-7; Ps. 95; Romans 5:1-11; John 5:4 - 42Preacher: The Reverend William H. Stokes, Rector           I was “channel surfing” at home not that long ago and came across a documentary about Mae West.1 There are few more recognizable figures, or more caricatured ones in American pop culture than Mae

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-26468236366031022042011-04-18T07:33:00.000-07:002011-04-18T07:33:25.650-07:00

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Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-43198918659455684732011-04-07T20:29:00.000-07:002011-04-07T20:37:39.237-07:00

We arose on Sunday morning at our usual time of 6:30 AM; had breakfast at 7:30 and were on the road by 8:30 heading toward Alexandrapolis and beyond toward the border of Greece and Turkey.  There were no more sites for us to see in Greece, and so the Greek portion of our adventure was essentially finished.   The drive to the border took about 2 ½ hours and we were to meet our Turkish coach on the

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-23793110099439968072011-04-04T14:03:00.000-07:002011-04-04T14:09:54.645-07:00

The Lion of Amphipolis It was about a three hour drive from Thessaloniki to Philippi. Throughout the journey we were traveling along a modern highway that runs parallel to the ancient Via Egnatia, and there are points where the original stones of that ancient road can be seen.   About half way, we stopped in Amphipolis to stretch our legs and view the beautiful Amphipolis Lion that was crafted

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-82896801431957741852011-04-02T13:05:00.000-07:002011-04-02T13:05:16.113-07:00

Steps on which Paul is reported to have preached After a good night’s sleep and an early breakfast, we departed Kalambaka for Verea (Berea), where Paul stayed for a few days after he was chased out of Thessaloniki by an angry mob (Acts 17).  Verea is a modern city.  A monument to Paul is in the city center and contains modern mosaics portraying Paul speaking to Jews of the City who, Acts

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-3497479434992703002011-04-01T21:20:00.000-07:002011-04-01T21:20:19.023-07:00

Our hotel in Delphi was in the quaint town and a block away from the Corinthian Sea and many took advantage of the setting and walked along the lovely promenade.  At dinner we celebrated the 22nd wedding anniversary of St. Paul's members Carol and Andy Hays. The next morning, it was up and out for the three hour drive to Kalambaka and the high monasteries of Meteora.  The drive was along

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-50102264885395877132011-03-31T13:55:00.000-07:002011-04-01T10:42:27.023-07:00

We enjoyed two full days in Athens.  On Monday, there were no planned activities; we simply checked into our hotel and caught up with ourselves after a long day of travel.   Many of the group took walks around the area of the hotel which is centrally located in downtown Athens, not far from the Parliament Building (the former Palace). On Tuesday, we were up early and met our guide, Sophia (which

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-67814231424941545682011-03-28T11:18:00.000-07:002011-03-28T11:23:24.000-07:00

The Parliament Building Well it took about a year, but the St. Paul's pilgrimage to Greece and Turkey is a reality.  This trip was originally scheduled for last April, but the Icelandic volcano a year ago forced us to reschedule.  Now, however, 18 intrepid folk, mostly from St. Paul's, but also two from Nevada, two from Virginia, 1 from North Carolina and one from Georgia have arrived in

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-46249959649758040382011-03-13T04:48:00.000-07:002011-03-13T04:48:29.813-07:00

I originally developed the following Litany and Prayer from the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church in response to Hurricane Katrina. I have adapted it for use in the wake of the earthquakes and Tsunami in Japan. Please feel free to use them if you desire. Litany in Response to a Natural Disaster Holy God, Creator of heaven and earth, Have mercy upon us. Holy and Mighty,

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-26549148911939011392011-01-22T11:57:00.000-08:002011-01-22T12:05:14.781-08:00

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Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-46565824628522447512010-11-25T05:57:00.000-08:002010-11-29T11:33:23.113-08:00

Exterior of Notre Dame de Lorette in Roudouallec.  We interred some of Susan's mother's ashes beneath the hollow tree in the churchyard The hollow tree. On Thursday, we drove back up to Roudouallec to inter a small portion of Susan’s mother’s cremated remains beneath a very special hollow tree in the churchyard.   Local lore states that the tree is 1,000 years old.  One can sit in the

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-4983854085489558692010-11-24T08:02:00.000-08:002010-11-25T04:32:37.039-08:00

We left for Brittany by train on Tuesday morning (November 2).   It was about 4 hours from Paris to Quimper, where would be staying until Saturday.   Again, we were grateful for the opportunity to enjoy  scenic countryside by train.  We were met at the Quimper station by Rene Bourhis.  A warm  and endearing man, Rene and his lovely wife Jacqueline were incredibly gracious to us during our time in

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-90032175168578173032010-11-18T20:12:00.000-08:002010-11-19T04:43:51.231-08:00

I must confess that I left Grasmere with some feelings of regret.  I loved it there.  It lived up to my every expectation despite the rain which soaked us during our walk on Wednesday and kept us pretty much indoors on Thursday and Friday.  Still, this did not detract from the beauty and allure of the Lake District for me.   The rain only enhanced the coziness of our little cottage - Poet’s

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-62420657533375496472010-10-30T14:02:00.000-07:002010-11-01T23:50:35.037-07:00

It was noon by the time we got into our rental car in Liverpool.   The drive to The Lake District was supposed to take about an hour and a half or maybe two but it took me an hour and half to figure out how to get out of Liverpool.  Still, we made it and the drive was pretty straightforward. Once we got away from the Liverpool, the countryside became increasingly pretty with leaves showing their

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-40000203759412060502010-10-29T09:25:00.000-07:002010-10-29T09:25:19.571-07:00

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Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-50316717125280090552010-10-20T01:54:00.000-07:002010-10-20T01:54:06.673-07:00

We arrived in Dublin yesterday after an extraordinary week in Drumconrath, an hour north of here.   I will write about our Ireland adventure here, and try to pick up the rest of the Ways in the Wilderness adventure at another time. Drumconrath is close the the town of Ardee where Susan's grandfather. Francis Martin, had been born before he immigrated to the United States as a teenager.   We had

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-63820976322936518612010-10-12T21:38:00.000-07:002010-10-19T23:38:50.318-07:00

On Saturday evening, after our full day in Cairo, we headed to a Coptic Retreat Center in the Nile Delta region called Anafora.  It is not far from the location of Skete which was one of the more prominent monasteries of the Desert Fathers.   Anafora is only about 11 years old and was founded by Coptic Bishop Thomas to be a place of hospitality and welcome for all.  Anafora is a little bit

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-56525883737336983962010-10-12T15:34:00.000-07:002010-10-12T20:51:48.797-07:00

We woke up early and headed for the Taba Border which would take us into Egypt.   We met Moussa, our Egyptian Guide, who would be with us until left Egypt for Jordan ten days later   Friday was basically a travel day.  It was a 7 hour coach ride across the Sinai to Cairo.  Saturday, we visited the Pyramids of Giza, a papyrus factory and the Coptic Christian community in Old Cairo which

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-84932200693722043502010-10-12T14:54:00.000-07:002010-10-12T14:56:37.223-07:00

We drove out to to the Judean Desert to an area called the Wadi Kelt overlook where we heard a lecture about the "Monks of the Judean Wilderness." We visited the monastery of St. Gerasimos, a fifth century figure who founded a monastery just east of the Jordan near Jericho. Traditionally it is held that the monastery honors a site where the Holy Family stopped when they fled from Herod

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-29732988832521764912010-10-12T10:33:00.000-07:002010-10-12T10:33:20.916-07:00

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A quick post from our hotel room off the Gulf of Aqabah. I am writing on my I-phone as we decided not to bring our laptop into the desert. We arrived here yesterday coming straight from our overnight under the stars in the Sinai Desert - our guide called it "the billion star hotel!" It was an incredible experience following many others including a five mile camel ride up Gubel Mesa -

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-43480802765002271542010-09-22T15:57:00.000-07:002010-09-22T15:59:17.495-07:00

The facade of Notre Dame One of the beautiful wood carvings in Notre Dame, but notice the dust! We left Florida on Friday, September 18, a day later than we were supposed to (see previous entry) and headed for New York where, on Saturday, I was officiating at the blessing of a marriage for our nephew.   All went well and we enjoyed seeing many family members whom we had not seen in years.

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-4547887756760027132010-09-22T14:57:00.000-07:002010-09-22T15:04:44.898-07:00

Toward the end of our last trip to Yellowstone, which took place on Saturday, September 11, we decided to read Evening Prayer and a chapter from Thomas Keating at a picnic table by Otter Creek, which was a lovely setting (see picture).  It was a beautiful day.  A large raven kept coming near to us and "hacking" as if he (or she) was trying to cough something up.   In hindsight, Susan feels it

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-44943839607242330682010-09-20T08:10:00.000-07:002010-09-20T08:15:25.841-07:00

As I write, Susan and I are on an Air France jet heading for Paris en route to Tel Aviv. We will be met in Tel Aviv by the driver from St. George’s College who will take us to the College in Jerusalem where we will begin our course Ways in the Wilderness on September 22. The flight seemed a good time to share some additional thought and reflections on our Wyoming experience. Exactly a week

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-87773915776790322582010-09-13T04:58:00.000-07:002010-09-13T05:24:09.796-07:00

It's 6:00 AM and we are preparing to leave our quarters at Thomas the Apostle Retreat Center and head to the airport for the long trek home. We have a 5 hour layover in Denver. We are taking advantage of this and let Heather Daniell, who lives in the Denver area and who had been our Administrative Assistant at St. Paul's a couple of years ago, know we would be stuck at the airport for some

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-68732910635984055092010-09-08T07:50:00.000-07:002010-09-08T09:08:57.271-07:00

Susan and I arrived safely at the Thomas the Apostle Retreat Center in Cody, Wyoming on Labor Day, Monday, September 6 after a long, but uneventful travel day. During our travel we spoke several times of what a wonderful Kick-off/Send-off Sunday it had been at St. Paul's. A huge thank you to all who volunteered and made it a great day!We flew from West Palm Beach to Dallas, from Dallas to Denver

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-38526480203793788032010-08-02T09:24:00.000-07:002010-08-02T09:47:12.412-07:00

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Delray Beach, Florida 10 Pentecost - Proper 13 - Year C (RCL) - July 31/August 1, 2010 Hosea 11:1-11; Ps. 107:1-9, 43; Luke 12:13 - 21 Preacher: The Reverend Canon William H. Stokes, Preacher Carpe Diem - Is that Luke’s meaning? Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions…” Luke 12:

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-15955501292402776092010-07-19T09:04:00.000-07:002010-07-20T03:52:21.399-07:00

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Delray Beach, Florida8 Pentecost - Proper 11 - Year C (RCL), July 18, 2010Amos 8:1 - 12; Ps. 52 or 15; Luke 10:38-42Preacher: The Reverend Canon William H. Stokes, RectorMary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her…Luke 10:42As you may have heard, the Vatican issued revisions to internal laws making it easier to discipline sex-abuser priests.

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-10123457033534121422010-01-13T07:23:00.000-08:002010-01-13T07:36:11.917-08:00

I originally developed the following Litany and Prayer from the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church in response to Hurricane Katrina. I have adapted it for use in the wake of the earthquake in Haiti. Please feel free to use them if you desire. Litany in Response to a Natural Disaster Holy God, Creator of heaven and earth, Have mercy upon us. Holy and Mighty, redeemer of the world,

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-46902722950267029122009-11-25T12:03:00.000-08:002009-11-26T03:24:51.230-08:00

(Sermon preached at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Delray Beach the weekend of November 22, 2009)Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice. Pilate asked him, “What is truth?” John 18:37-38I don’t know if you have been following the news, but Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury was in Rome for several days beginning this past Thursday and ending yesterday. This has been covered by

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-28719666534294905702009-07-17T07:18:00.000-07:002009-07-21T14:34:59.546-07:00

“…the heartbeat of our Episcopal Church will forever be ‘mission, mission, mission.’” This statement of “Priorities” appeared in the published budget presented to the 76th General Convention in Anaheim by the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance. There can be no doubt that mission is a central priority of the Episcopal Church. 62% of our budget is expended on program and

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-92183099767029767122009-07-12T12:27:00.001-07:002009-07-12T12:27:54.440-07:00

A lot of my time this week was spent serving as a member of Committee #12 – Evangelism. Although I have now served for more than 8 years as a member of the Anti-Racism Committee of the Executive Council of The Episcopal Church, this is the first time I have served on a legislative committee at General Convention. The Antiracism Committee meets several times during the years between General

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-50273583123578906832009-07-12T09:11:00.000-07:002009-07-12T09:44:20.969-07:00

The Archbishop of Canterbury addressed various groups at General Convention in different venues and ways during his time with s. This included a private session with representatives of the GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender) community of the church, which I heard from someone who was a part of that conversation, was moving for all involved. The article that I am linking below from

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In previous General Conventions, each Bishop and Deputy to General Convention, and each Episcopal Church Women Delegate to their Triennial (which means at the same time as General Convention in a different part of the Convention Center) was assigned to table for common worship and Bible Study in the Worship Hall. The Worship Hall is vast, and able to hold up to about 5,000 worshippers at one time

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-80265345715227803152009-07-11T07:58:00.000-07:002009-07-11T08:42:49.540-07:00

Resolution B033 continues to spark passionate debateBy Melodie Woerman, July 10, 2009[Episcopal News Service -- Anaheim, California] A second one-hour meeting of the House of Deputies as a Committee of the Whole on July 10 saw deputies speak with passion and commitment about the impact of B033, a resolution adopted by the 2006 General Convention. It calls for restraint in electing as bishops

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-55162577770394657172009-07-10T07:06:00.000-07:002009-07-10T07:10:26.087-07:00

This year’s General Convention is attempting to create opportunities for Deputies and others to engage in dialogue that is deep and fosters real listening. This may seem puzzling to those unfamiliar with General Convention. After all, I can hear some asking, weren’t they listening to one another before. The answer is, yes and no.The fundamental task of General Convention is legislative.

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-60667369489282973492009-07-09T06:58:00.000-07:002009-07-09T07:00:29.182-07:00

(Please note that I made a correction to the number of Deputies attending on yesterday’s post. There are about 820 - not 1,500. With the alternates, the number rises to over 1,000. I also corrected the date.)On Tuesday, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and President of the House of Deputies Bonnie Anderson, greeted the General Convention. In her opening address, the Presiding

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General Convention in Anaheim – Tuesday, July 7, 2009 – Off and Running!The alarm went off at 6:00 AM. I had to be at the first meeting of the Legislative Committee on Evangelism by 8:00 AM. We are staying at the Hilton which is the closest hotel to the Convention Center. This was a nice change. Last convention we were blocks away; in 2003, about a mile.The forces started to gather yesterday and

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-83792333416834813782007-09-03T08:23:00.000-07:002007-09-03T08:30:25.762-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, I discovered a man asleep on an outdoor bench by the parking lot of St. Paul’s. He was sweaty, dirty, unshaven and unkempt. I decided he was homeless and was pretty sure that he was waiting for me. Well, not waiting for me exactly, but waiting for “the pastor.”I touched his shoulder. He stirred.“Can I help you?” I asked.“I need a bus ticket. I have $65.00 and I’m trying to

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-90782444037629135552007-08-23T15:16:00.000-07:002007-08-23T15:28:33.748-07:00

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church - Delray Beach, Florida12 Pentecost - Proper 15 - Year C - August 18/19, 2007Jeremiah 23:23-29; Ps. 82; Hebrews 12: 1-7 (8-10) 11-14; Luke 12:49-56Preacher: The Reverend William H. Stokes, Rector Over the years I have been a real fan of CNN’s Chief International correspondent Christiane Amanpour. Beginning at 9:00 PM on Tuesday of this week, CNN will air a

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-64591131412075450622007-08-23T14:23:00.000-07:002010-01-18T04:06:41.843-08:00

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Delray Beach, Florida11 Pentecost - Proper 14 - Year C - August 11/12, 2007Genesis 15: 1-6; Ps. 33; Hebrews 11:1-3, (4-7), 8-16; Luke 12:32-40Preacher: The Reverend William H. Stokes, RectorNow faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen... Hebrews 11:1If you go into a Borders Book Store or a Barnes and Noble, you will, no doubt see,

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-87951604430581826552007-05-31T09:11:00.000-07:002007-08-23T14:18:42.823-07:00

Responses Offered by the Executive Board andClergy and Lay Deputations to General Conventionof the Diocese of Southeast Floridato Questions contained in A Short Study Guideto Aid the Episcopal Church in Responding to the Draft Anglican Covenantas Prepared by the Covenant Design GroupThe following responses are made in reference to the Draft Anglican Covenant which can be found at http://

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St. Paul’s Episcopal Church - Delray Beach, Florida6 Easter - Year C - May 12/13, 2007 (Mother’s Day)Acts 14:8-18; Ps. 67; Revelation 21:22-22:5; John 14:23-29Preacher: The Rev. William H. Stokes, Rector Today, Mother’s Day, and also the 6th Sunday of Easter, I would like us to consider our use of language...I would like us to acknowledge that our use of language strongly influences

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-17924679962335641712007-04-24T05:07:00.000-07:002007-04-25T07:12:45.432-07:00

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church - Delray Beach, Florida3 Easter - Year C - April 21/22, 2007Acts 9:1019a; Ps. 33:1-11; Revelation 5:6-14; John 21:1-14Preacher: The Reverend William H. Stokes, RectorI am sure we are all still reeling from the horror of the shootings at Virginia Tech this past week.... We are dealing with our raw emotions and grief, with our profound sadness and our seething anger.....

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-40895490092232989122007-03-25T14:32:00.000-07:002007-04-04T17:00:10.317-07:00

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church - Delray Beach5 Lent - Year C - March 24/25, 2007Isaiah 43:16-21; Ps. 126; Philippians 3:8-14; Luke 20:0-19Preacher: The Reverend William H. Stokes, RectorI regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-42540770608702504852007-03-13T13:12:00.000-07:002007-03-26T03:51:04.975-07:00

Responding faithfully to the Primates’ Communiquéfollowing their meeting in Dar es Salaamby The Reverend William H. Stokes (This paper was written in reponse to the Dar es Salaam Communique and prior to the meeting of the House of Bishops in Navasota, Texas.)The Communiqué issued by the Primates of the Anglican Communion at the conclusion of their meeting in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania February 15-19

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Statement from the Reverend William H. Stokesupon Mark Beckwith being elected as 10th Bishop of NewarkSt. Paul’s Episcopal Church - Delray Beach, Florida, September 23, 2006 – The Church is blessed today by the results of the election in Newark. Congratulations to Mark Beckwith. We became friends during the nominating process. I am confident he will be an extraordinary Bishop of Newark. I am

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-1152484767161226462006-07-09T15:38:00.000-07:002006-07-10T03:49:44.563-07:00

Day 4 - June 27 2006 - Sea of Galilee, Capernaum and Caesarea PhilippiThere were lots of breakfast choices, fish, cheeses, salads, fruit, yogurt, pancakes, eggs. I have been sticking to grain cereals and fruit - pretty much American fare. Others have been more daring. We were on the bus by 8:30 (the group has been great about being in place on time). It was about a 20 minute bus ride to a dock

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-1152300021673186682006-07-07T12:19:00.000-07:002006-07-08T04:42:06.976-07:00

Day 3 - June 26 - The Pilgrimage begins in earnest - Caesarea Maritime to NazarethThis morning to go swimming. I went out at 6:15 AM. It was a pretty good hike from the hotel down to the beach itself, but worth it. The sand was soft and fine. The water was a lovely turquoise, not too dissimilar from South Florida. There was a fair amount of surf. I caught a couple of waves, and renewed my

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-1152299803669037922006-07-07T12:14:00.000-07:002006-07-07T12:16:43.673-07:00

Susan and I led 28 adults on pilgirmage to the Holy Land from June 24 - July 3. Although I did not keep journal entries as we went, I spent most of the flight home journaling each day's events and though I would share that. Below is the entry for Day 1 and Day 2. Days 1 and 2 - June 24/25 - Flight to Tel Aviv and ArrivalWe arrived in Tel Aviv after leaving Miami and having a three hour layover

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-1152297786147300972006-07-07T11:40:00.000-07:002006-07-07T12:09:47.863-07:00

The month of June has been a whirlwind for Susan and for me. On June 11 we left for Columbus where I served as Clergy Deputy from Southeast Florida. General Convention ended on June 21 and we returned home, basically to do laundry and pack. On Saturday, June 24 we departed for the Holy Land leading 28 adults on pilgrimage. We returned on July 3. As I was in Miami waiting to go through Passport

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-1150687241153560012006-06-18T19:56:00.000-07:002006-06-18T20:22:21.420-07:00

The day began with a celebration of the Eucharist in the large Convention worship space. We might have guessed this was not going to be an ordinary day when we found that the liturgy was a Rite I service but the music up-beat "Sunday jazz!" "The wind blows where it will. You do not know where it comes from or where it is going" Scripture says. God's Spirit blows where it will, like a jazz rift.

Chipbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880584816330235719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429162.post-1150120714636632562006-06-12T06:58:00.000-07:002006-09-02T22:01:48.576-07:00

Welcome to my blog site. Here I will offer thoughts and reflections as an Episcopal priest trying to live faithfully in a world that is exciting and very challenging. It is my hope that these reflections will range across a broad range of experiences from the ordinary and everyday where most of us live our lives, to the the national and global issues and events which impact us all. I do not

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