As we sang the hymn, “I Sing a Song of the Saints of God” on All Saints Sunday recently, I thought about the real, personal sacrifices by saints of our church, be they “doctor, queen, or shepherdess on the green,” to call themselves Christians. Close to home, think...
Palmer is so honored for David Ashley White’s contributions to our beautiful music and for serving as our Composer in Residence. David was recently honored by Bishop C. Andrew Doyle with the proclamation below. Saturday, October 26, 2019 Whereas David Ashley White has inspired countless...
As a teenager growing up in the Methodist Church of Schulenburg, Texas during the late 1960s, my mother nervously approached my grandfather and asked if she could go to the High School homecoming dance with her friend Robert. “You know he is Catholic don’t you?” he asked. My...
This year MissionPalooza brought together 100 youth from around the Episcopal Diocese of Texas to serve the greater Houston area in its continued Harvey rebuild efforts. Palmer was represented by five youths and two adults, including myself, as we worked at rebuilding houses throughout the...
Among the crowds at this year's Pride Houston Festival, a man read our "God Thinks You're Fabulous" shirts as he was walking past, pointed our direction, and said "You guys are true Christians." His words affirmed to me that what we do matters and that there need to be more Christians showing...
“Ramadan Mubarak!” or, “Happy Ramadan!” was the greeting that rang out Sunday evening, May 19, at the ILM Academy in West Houston as some twenty teenagers—Christian, Jewish and Muslim—worked, jostled, joked, and generally enjoyed getting to know each other...
Between April 26 – 28, I spent my weekend in prison… with the Jubilee Prison Ministry. I admit that coming off the heels of the tragic, sudden passing of Stuart and Angela Kensinger, who were good friends and professional colleagues as co-founders of Jerusalem Peacebuilders, I had...
At Easter during the Gethsemane Vigil there is an opportunity to sign-up to keep “watch” for one hour as Jesus’ disciples were asked to do while Jesus prayed in the garden. This has become a very important practice as part of my Easter discipline because I feel this is...
What is the Council? In the words of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas (our diocese) website, Diocesan Council is the annual business meeting of the Diocese held every February. Who are the voting members of Council? All canonically resident clergy in good standing are voting members of Council...
For me, the sacred space we create by offering the Ashes is the "special moment." The rules of social interaction are suspended. Strangers put down their car windows or face us Ashers on the sidewalk and invite us into their intimate space. They bow their heads and allow us to call them by name...
