Luke 23:34  Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing. Summary:  Jesus did not die to satisfy God’s anger, but to reveal a love that refuses to abandon us, even in our worst moments. Dear Friends in Christ, Why did Jesus have to die on the cross? It is one of the most important questions we can ask, and one that has been answered in many ways over the centuries. Some have been taught that Jesus died because God needed to be satisfied or appeased. But when

Luke 23:42–43 “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” Summary: You don’t have to be ready for Holy Week because God meets you exactly where you are. Dear Friends, Holy Week begins tomorrow, and I want to say something clearly. You don’t have to be ready. Most people come into this week feeling behind. Life has been full. Prayer has been inconsistent. Maybe you gave up chocolate for Lent and

John 13:1 Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. Summary: Holy Week invites us to walk closely with Jesus and witness how deeply God loves the world. Dear St. Augustine Family, Next week is the holiest week of our year. I hope you will join us for worship, prayer, and reflection as we walk with Jesus through each step of Ho

Psalm 139:5 You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Summary: When life feels uncertain or heavy, I return to a simple prayer that reminds me I am surrounded by Christ on every side. Dear Brothers and Sisters, I am a day early in my pastor letter because today is St. Patrick’s Day, and I have found myself returning again and again to a prayer that has carried Christians for centuries. It is often called St. Patrick’s Breastplate, and a portion of it has b

Matthew 5:39 But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also. Summary: After a difficult community meeting, I have been reflecting on Jesus’ call to practice courageous nonviolent resistance rooted in love. Dear Beloved Community, This past week my mind has returned again and again to our community meeting. Many of you know it was intense. The words spoken in that room carried anger and fear. I have spent the day

Isaiah 55:6 Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near. Summary: Lent is a sacred season to quiet the noise of life so we can seek God and experience God’s presence more deeply. Dear Church Family, There was a season in my life when I was between jobs and asking God for direction about what would come next. I expected clarity about my future. Instead, the guidance I received was unexpected. I sensed a strong invitation to step away from striving and

Revelation 21:5 See, I am making all things new. Summary: Ash Wednesday invites us to begin Lent grounded in honesty about our humanity and hope in God’s renewing love. Dear Beloved, Last week we finished our study of Revelation, and I am left with a deep sense of hope. The final vision of scripture is not destruction or escape. It is renewal. God draws near. Creation is restored. Love has the last word. That hope is exactly what we carry into Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday be

Revelation 21:3–4 See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away. Summary: After finishing our study of Revelation, I am left not with fear, but with a deep and steady hope rooted in God’s nearness and healing love Dear Friends, Last week we finished ou

Psalm 19:1   The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Summary: Faith and science are not rivals but partners that help us live with curiosity, humility, and hope. Dear Community, One of the questions I hear often, sometimes spoken aloud and sometimes held quietly, is whether faith and science can truly coexist. Many people have been taught that they must choose one or the other. I want to say clearly that I do not believe faith and

Isaiah 46:4 Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.   Summary: Faith does not fade with age; it deepens, stretches, and becomes a quiet strength shaped by love and endurance. Dear Faithful Community, We live in a culture that often treats aging as something to resist, hide, or apologize for. Wrinkles are erased. Slowness is dismissed. Dependence is feared. Yet S

Micah 6:8 He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Summary: When the world feels unstable and overwhelming, God calls us not to panic or withdraw, but to live faithfully, lovingly, and courageously right where we are. Friends in Christ, The world is in turmoil. We feel it in the news, in our conversations, and in the quiet ache that settles in our bodies when we r

John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. Summary: The light of Christ is not fragile or distant but alive among us, growing stronger every time we choose love, compassion, and faithfulness in ordinary moments. Beloved, This liturgical season keeps drawing us back to light. Not the kind that dazzles or blinds, but the kind that steadies us. The kind that helps us see one another more clearly. The light of Christ does not hover above the

Matthew 2:11 On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Summary: The gifts of the Magi show us that generosity flows naturally from recognizing where God’s light has already been revealed in our lives. Dear Beloved Friends, The story of the Magi is often told as a tale about exotic travelers and precious gifts. But at its

Revelation 21:5 See, I am making all things new. Summary:  As we end one sacred cycle and step into another, we remember that the Church’s year teaches us to live by God’s time—where every ending becomes a doorway into new hope. Dear Beloved in Christ, Last Sunday marked the quiet ending of something precious—the final day of our liturgical year. It’s easy to miss it. There are no fireworks, no countdown, no parade. Yet in the rhythm of the Church, this ending is deeply mean

2 Corinthians 9:7  –  “Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” Giving from the Heart Summary:  True stewardship is not about the size of our gift but the depth of our love, offered freely and courageously from the heart. Dear Friends, When we talk about stewardship, it’s easy to think first about numbers—budgets, pledges, or the practical needs of keeping the church running. But at its heart, s

John 1:14   And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.   Who Is Jesus? God in Our Midst   Summary:  Jesus is more than a teacher or prophet; Christians believe he is God because in him we see God’s love, presence, and power made flesh. Dear Friends, One of the deepest questions of faith is:  Who is Jesus?  Some see him as a wise teacher, others as a healer, still others as a revolutio

Genesis 28:16  Surely the Lord is in this place—and I did not know it!” The Sacred Ordinary  Summary:  God meets us not only in grand revelations but also in the quiet, everyday moments where love, kindness, and beauty dwell. Dear Beloved, So often we imagine God’s presence arriving with fanfare—burning bushes, parting seas, tongues of fire. But most of life is lived not in dramatic miracles, but in the rhythm of ordinary days. If we limit our vision to the spectacular, we ri

Romans 8:19–21   For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God… that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. Creation Care as a Witness to God’s Love   Summary:  Creation care is a living form of showing God’s love for the world not only through words but through the way we cherish and protect all that God has made. Beloved in Christ, In this Season of

Deacon’s Corner   Keeping Creation Healthy: Three Easy Things We Can Do   We know that plastic pollution is a problem, not just for the...

Psalm 24:1  “The Earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world and those who live in it.”   The Earth is the Lord’s Summary: Creation is God’s gift, entrusted to our care, and true stewardship means honoring the Earth as sacred by living gently, sustainably, and lovingly with all that God has made. Beloved in Christ, Psalm 24 begins with the declaration,  “The Earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world and those who live in it.”  These words remind us that cr