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Religion in the Public Square PDF  | Print |  E-mail

The Most Rev. Katherine Jefferts Schori's address to the National Press Club
December 16, 2008

Well, is there anxiety in this town, especially as the machinery of government shifts gears? I’ll warrant that there will continue to be a lot of anxiety until the new administration settles in, at least several months from now. Who’s going to sit in which seat at the table? Who’s going to be – or feel – excluded? What last-minute actions will the outgoing administration make?

Perhaps the first role of religion in such times is to be a messenger, like one of those biblical angels, who starts out by saying, “fear not.” Don’t be afraid; this whole thing is a lot bigger than you are. Yes, change is coming, and it will drive some people crazy, and at the same time not go far enough for others. In more secular language, we might say, “don’t sweat the small stuff.” And more of it is small stuff than you might expect. At the same time, the religious voice will remind you that how you deal with the small stuff does not affect you alone – your actions may have consequences beyond your wildest imagining.

 

Last Updated ( Tuesday, January 27, 2009 )
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Wine, Windows & Song to Launch Diocesan Discovery Series PDF  | Print |  E-mail

discoveryadweb.jpgThe Diocesan Discovery Series will kick off on Saturday, October 18 with Wine, Windows & Song, the first event of the once-a-month, six-event series. The series has been organized by Communication Officer Laurie Wozniak.

"Whenever I attend a diocesan gathering," comments Laurie, "I hear people say we ought to get together more often. This series is an attempt to offer just that—opportunities for people from across the diocese to gather. Each event is designed to offer a different type of spiritually related experience as well as some food, fun and fellowship."

Last Updated ( Monday, August 18, 2008 )
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Spiritual Development PDF  | Print |  E-mail
There are many avenues you can take to deepen your individual spiritual knowledge and commitment. To aid you on your journey, we invite yo to explore the various resources listed to the left and read the reflections offered below.
Last Updated ( Tuesday, January 08, 2008 )
 
On Faith and Scripture PDF  | Print |  E-mail

The Rev’d. Deacon Polly Bowen, St. Matthias, East Aurora

The Hebrew word for faith is “aman,” and in its various forms it signifies the acceptance of something as trustworthy, firm, dependable. According to the writers of the Church Teaching Series, faith implies a deliberate and positive existential involvement; it precedes belief, which is an intellectual expression of faith. This echoes the Aquinian definition as “the act of the intellect when it assents to divine truth under the influence of the will moved by God through grace.”

But Aquinas is ponderous, and the writers of the Church Teaching Series can be challenging as well. So if you’ve bothered to read this far, let me say that in a simpler way: the difference between faith and belief is that faith is eternal, while beliefs are relative to our history and therefore bound to time and space.

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Thoughts on Stewardship PDF  | Print |  E-mail

Stacy Lampman, St. Andrew’s Burt

“We hold in trust something lent to us temporarily and we are accountable to Christ for everything. . .our life and time, our powers of body and mind and our material possessions” – Giving in Faith, 1988

Being a good steward of our time and talent and treasures is not a “simple” thing. It takes a conscious and intentional effort on our part.

 

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Is That all There Is? PDF  | Print |  E-mail
The Rev. Ralph Strohm, rector    St. Simon’s, Buffalo

During this summer of 2008, disagreements in our denomination (both the Anglican Communion and in the American part of it, the Episcopal Church) seem to mirror the cloud hanging over the stock market. All is not well! Maybe it’s the summer of our discontent.
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World Wide Communion PDF  | Print |  E-mail
The Episcopal Church and the Anglican communion have been a favored punching bag in the popular media for the past several years. We've not had the public nightmare of the Roman Catholic Church amidst revelations of widespread sexual abuse of children. Our scandal has been the turmoil from the election and consecration of Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire.
Last Updated ( Monday, June 30, 2008 )
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Science and Religion PDF  | Print |  E-mail

The Rev. Robert Arnold    Trinity Church, Fredonia

In an op-ed piece in the New York Times, columnist David Brooks highlighted the thoughts of many researchers in fields of modern science, and noted how new learning is influencing a new debate on religion and science.

We still have a plethora of scientists that gain much pleasure in putting down religion (Tom Wolfe, “Sorry, but Your Soul Just Died,” 1996).

 

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"My Church" PDF  | Print |  E-mail
One of the common questions asked whenever Christians get together is: What church are your from? such claims of "your church" and "my church" indicate the pride and ownership we all feel about our worshipping communities. It is a pride in the history and accomplishments of a congregation. It is ownership that comes from a shared identity and commitment.
Last Updated ( Tuesday, June 24, 2008 )
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Gratitude PDF  | Print |  E-mail

The Very Rev. Canon Barbara Price, Rector   St. Peter's, Eggertsville 

This week's mail brought one of the most extraordinary letters I have ever received. It was a gratitude list from someone who had experienced a recent traumatic event and resultant injury.

Last Updated ( Tuesday, June 17, 2008 )
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Joyful Christians PDF  | Print |  E-mail

The Very Rev. N. DeLiza Spangler     St. Paul's Cathedral, Buffalo

A friend, who is both an Episcopalian and a musician, recently visited here in Buffalo. After attending both the 11:15 Eucharist and the Sunday Evensong [at St. Paul's Cathedral], she said, "Beauty is so important, so central to worship - at least for me."  In that statement, she spoke worlds about being an Episcopalian.

Last Updated ( Monday, June 02, 2008 )
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Teach us to Pray

A group of parishioners at St. Luke's, Jamestown studied different methods of prayer and then made a series of presentations to the congregation on what they had learned. 

Read their online booklet Lord, Teach us to Pray.

Listen to podcasts of the presentations. 

Other Resources

A Catechism of Creation: An Episcopal Understanding

Through Christ all things were made. "A Catechism of Creation" helps us think about what that means. Prepared for study in congregations by the Committee on Science, Technology and Faith, it is written in Q&A format, like the Catechism found on pages 843-862 of The Book of Common Prayer.



Come & Grow

Theological Education for All

Episcopal Church Visitors' Center

Enrichment

Explore Faith

Ministry in Daily Life  

Spirituality & Health

 


The Episcopal Church and Visual Arts - An online exposition of art to enhance your spiritual journey.

Forward Day by Day  - A daily inspirational reading to consider on your journey of faith.

Presiding Bishop’s Message - Reflections penned by the Most Rev. Frank Griswold, Primate of the Episcopal Church USA
From the pen of the Most Rev. Frank T. Griswold, Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church USA.

The Daily Office - Words of prayer and worship for every day of the year based on the calendar of the Episcopal Church.

The Book of Common Prayer - The standard worship book of the Episcopal Church.

A Little Bible Handbook - An easy guide to some of the Bibles most interesting and meaningful passages and suggests ways you might pursue personal Bible study.

Chapter & Verse Bookstore
- Located at Trinity Episcopal Church, 371 Delaware Avenue in buffalo, this progressive Christian Bookstore stocks Bibles, Prayerbooks and a wide variety of progressive Christian literature by authors such as Marcus Borg and others. Open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. till 4 p.m. Phone: 716-852-6515. Phone orders accepted.