by Fr. David Madsen You’ve heard the phrase “the dog days of summer”, those heavy, hot weeks of July and August when even the dogs seem to give up and flop onto the nearest patch of shade. But the name actually comes from Sirius, the bright “dog star” in Canis Major, rising with the sun and signaling the most sweltering stretch of the season. Why do I love these dog days? Yes, the desert heat can be fierce, but many of you know this is when I slip out early in the morning or later in the evening to work on sermons and articles. The desert, what Scripture often calls the wilderness, has always been a place of rest, prayer, and clarity. Jesus sought it out when He needed quiet, and He encouraged His followers to do the same. I suppose I’m guilty of following His lead. Most Mondays, and many Saturdays, I find a quiet desert spot, or sometimes the mountains, to look at Sunday’s message. Out there, the words open up. The silence helps. It’s become my oasis, my year-round rhythm, not just a summer habit. Naomi can testify to that. As July and August unfold and summer leans toward autumn’s gold, I wish you rest, renewal, and maybe a quiet oasis of your own. Father Dave
Hello Members and Friends, We all hit potholes in life — the kind that drop us suddenly into emptiness with no clear way out. I went there, and I know many of you have too. In those moments, our plans can feel dead in the water. Rearranging the future seems as impossible as trying to tune in a television stuck on static. Everything feels suspended, uncertain, out of reach. As a leader in the church and the community, I carry a responsibility to walk beside people in those hard places. Some struggles pass quickly, but others stay. Over the years I’ve walked with folks — mostly older, but some younger — through their final months, weeks, and days. In those seasons, worldviews shift. Plans dissolve. The future they imagined simply falls away. My role is to be present: to bring the love of family and friends when they’re near, and to be the friend when no one else is left. Some want to hear about hope beyond this life; some don’t. Either way, the ministry is the same — to walk besides, offering comfort, to stay. Many of you have faced life-changing potholes that weren’t life-ending but still left you shaken. In those moments, it’s easy to feel lost. But there is a way forward, even if it takes time. And I believe it’s our shared calling — mine as a pastor, yours as neighbors and friends — to show up for one another. Presence is often the greatest gift we can offer. Sometimes the only one. This isn’t a message of gloom. It’s a message of honesty — and hope. Hope for better days when they come and hope for courage and companionship when they don’t. When life leaves us water bound — or even shipwrecked — the way ahead can vanish. Plans fall apart, and we’re left holding whatever pieces still float. I invite you to hear Waterbound as a companion for those moments when you feel cut off or overwhelmed. Listen: Waterbound” – Dirk Powell & The Transatlantic Musicians (Transatlantic Sessions) Father Dave+
Following its meeting June 14-17 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, The Episcopal Church’s Executive Council shared the following letter to the church. Read prior council letters to the church here . The Executive Council met in San Juan, Puerto Rico, June 14-17, for a retreat and a business meeting. The Episcopal Diocese of Puerto Rico and its bishop, Rafael Morales, a member of Executive Council, were gracious and generous hosts. They gifted us not only with glorious music for our worship service but also gave us a tour of their diocesan center and a detailed overview of their many creative ministries, followed by a fiesta in the courtyard of the cathedral. Puerto Rico is the perfect place to talk about the place in our church and in our nation for those deemed by too many as not worthy of full and complete participation. Europeans “discovered” the island of Puerto Rico on Nov. 19, 1493, when Christopher Columbus landed there, the result being an enslaved and exploited population. After the Spanish-American War in 1898, Puerto Rico was ceded to the United States, where it became a commonwealth in 1952, granting its residents U.S. citizenship but limiting their political representation—which may be one reason way too many U.S. citizens still do not understand that Puerto Rico is a part of the United States. This limited political representation situation has not changed in 74 years, even though both statehood and independence are possible options. The racism and the legacy of white supremacy so deeply rooted in the U.S. ensure that this situation most likely won’t change any time soon. Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe’s sermon reminded those gathered that worship is not confined to a particular place, but it is anywhere we gather with the spirit of God in our midst. This meeting was part retreat and part business session, as members learned more about the state of the church, heard about strategic planning, asked questions, and offered feedback and, yes, some pushback. The tone of the meeting was at once serious and yet cordial, with pointed and challenging questions raised. The council seems to have found its footing, with growing confidence in its role as a board of directors and a firmer grasp of what information members need and desire—and a willingness to ask for it. Monday’s focus was much about money and looking ahead 15 years. Couched in the declining numbers of Episcopalians churchwide and the concentration of most of our pledge-and-plate funding in the hands of those 60 and older, the opportunity to be addressed now by Executive Council and the church is how to plan thoughtfully for a changing financial picture. The financial realities and the plans for addressing them are folded into three overarching areas of focus: (1) Christianity Worth Proclaiming (2) A Church Built to Last (3) Capacity Where It’s Needed. After the presentation, members broke into small groups to listen to one another, pray, and discuss responses. Some of the most positive responses were related to the first area of focus—that our work is Christ-centered. There also was general enthusiasm about looking for ways in which The Episcopal Church Center can be a centralized resource for dioceses, including increased resources related to Title IV. At the end of the day there was the continued focus on mission enabled by thoughtful use of money—and a recognition that there is a role some churchwide missioners play in supporting ethnic communities. Leadership and staff clearly heard the ongoing concern among council members about the fate of ethnic ministries, fed in part by staff transitions, but also by the current political climate in our country, with ethnic populations being among those most frequently targeted by the current administration. Another vulnerable part of our population was talked about in the Pride worship service on Tuesday. In his sermon, the Rev. Cameron Partridge, chaplain, talked about the Two-Spirit, transgender, and nonbinary people whose very existence is being openly threatened. He praised a powerful retreat in March supported by the Gender Justice Office at the Church Center, particularly by Aaron Scott, who heads up that office. He said it was life-affirming, generating hope and strength for the more than 50 people attending, most of whom were young adults. The highlight of the business meeting on Wednesday was the report by Larry Hitt, chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Governance and Operations, on the status of the new location for The Archives of The Episcopal Church—ground has been broken, renovation and new construction has begun, and they are anticipating a ribbon-cutting in a few months. After years of changed plans and delays, this fulfillment of a long-deferred dream was met with enthusiastic, happy applause by council members. Underlying much of the conversation across the three days was, as always, those key baptismal covenant promises—to seek and serve Christ in all persons and to respect the dignity of every human being. Because that is what we are supposed to be as a church—life-affirming, generating hope and strength for us all, no exceptions.
by Fr. David Madsen You’ve heard the phrase “the dog days of summer”, those heavy, hot weeks of July and August when even the dogs seem to give up and flop onto the nearest patch of shade. But the name actually comes from Sirius, the bright “dog star” in Canis Major, rising with the sun and signaling the most sweltering stretch of the season. Why do I love these dog days? Yes, the desert heat can be fierce, but many of you know this is when I slip out early in the morning or later in the evening to work on sermons and articles. The desert, what Scripture often calls the wilderness, has always been a place of rest, prayer, and clarity. Jesus sought it out when He needed quiet, and He encouraged His followers to do the same. I suppose I’m guilty of following His lead. Most Mondays, and many Saturdays, I find a quiet desert spot, or sometimes the mountains, to look at Sunday’s message. Out there, the words open up. The silence helps. It’s become my oasis, my year-round rhythm, not just a summer habit. Naomi can testify to that. As July and August unfold and summer leans toward autumn’s gold, I wish you rest, renewal, and maybe a quiet oasis of your own. Father Dave
Hello Members and Friends, We all hit potholes in life — the kind that drop us suddenly into emptiness with no clear way out. I went there, and I know many of you have too. In those moments, our plans can feel dead in the water. Rearranging the future seems as impossible as trying to tune in a television stuck on static. Everything feels suspended, uncertain, out of reach. As a leader in the church and the community, I carry a responsibility to walk beside people in those hard places. Some struggles pass quickly, but others stay. Over the years I’ve walked with folks — mostly older, but some younger — through their final months, weeks, and days. In those seasons, worldviews shift. Plans dissolve. The future they imagined simply falls away. My role is to be present: to bring the love of family and friends when they’re near, and to be the friend when no one else is left. Some want to hear about hope beyond this life; some don’t. Either way, the ministry is the same — to walk besides, offering comfort, to stay. Many of you have faced life-changing potholes that weren’t life-ending but still left you shaken. In those moments, it’s easy to feel lost. But there is a way forward, even if it takes time. And I believe it’s our shared calling — mine as a pastor, yours as neighbors and friends — to show up for one another. Presence is often the greatest gift we can offer. Sometimes the only one. This isn’t a message of gloom. It’s a message of honesty — and hope. Hope for better days when they come and hope for courage and companionship when they don’t. When life leaves us water bound — or even shipwrecked — the way ahead can vanish. Plans fall apart, and we’re left holding whatever pieces still float. I invite you to hear Waterbound as a companion for those moments when you feel cut off or overwhelmed. Listen: Waterbound” – Dirk Powell & The Transatlantic Musicians (Transatlantic Sessions) Father Dave+
Following its meeting June 14-17 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, The Episcopal Church’s Executive Council shared the following letter to the church. Read prior council letters to the church here . The Executive Council met in San Juan, Puerto Rico, June 14-17, for a retreat and a business meeting. The Episcopal Diocese of Puerto Rico and its bishop, Rafael Morales, a member of Executive Council, were gracious and generous hosts. They gifted us not only with glorious music for our worship service but also gave us a tour of their diocesan center and a detailed overview of their many creative ministries, followed by a fiesta in the courtyard of the cathedral. Puerto Rico is the perfect place to talk about the place in our church and in our nation for those deemed by too many as not worthy of full and complete participation. Europeans “discovered” the island of Puerto Rico on Nov. 19, 1493, when Christopher Columbus landed there, the result being an enslaved and exploited population. After the Spanish-American War in 1898, Puerto Rico was ceded to the United States, where it became a commonwealth in 1952, granting its residents U.S. citizenship but limiting their political representation—which may be one reason way too many U.S. citizens still do not understand that Puerto Rico is a part of the United States. This limited political representation situation has not changed in 74 years, even though both statehood and independence are possible options. The racism and the legacy of white supremacy so deeply rooted in the U.S. ensure that this situation most likely won’t change any time soon. Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe’s sermon reminded those gathered that worship is not confined to a particular place, but it is anywhere we gather with the spirit of God in our midst. This meeting was part retreat and part business session, as members learned more about the state of the church, heard about strategic planning, asked questions, and offered feedback and, yes, some pushback. The tone of the meeting was at once serious and yet cordial, with pointed and challenging questions raised. The council seems to have found its footing, with growing confidence in its role as a board of directors and a firmer grasp of what information members need and desire—and a willingness to ask for it. Monday’s focus was much about money and looking ahead 15 years. Couched in the declining numbers of Episcopalians churchwide and the concentration of most of our pledge-and-plate funding in the hands of those 60 and older, the opportunity to be addressed now by Executive Council and the church is how to plan thoughtfully for a changing financial picture. The financial realities and the plans for addressing them are folded into three overarching areas of focus: (1) Christianity Worth Proclaiming (2) A Church Built to Last (3) Capacity Where It’s Needed. After the presentation, members broke into small groups to listen to one another, pray, and discuss responses. Some of the most positive responses were related to the first area of focus—that our work is Christ-centered. There also was general enthusiasm about looking for ways in which The Episcopal Church Center can be a centralized resource for dioceses, including increased resources related to Title IV. At the end of the day there was the continued focus on mission enabled by thoughtful use of money—and a recognition that there is a role some churchwide missioners play in supporting ethnic communities. Leadership and staff clearly heard the ongoing concern among council members about the fate of ethnic ministries, fed in part by staff transitions, but also by the current political climate in our country, with ethnic populations being among those most frequently targeted by the current administration. Another vulnerable part of our population was talked about in the Pride worship service on Tuesday. In his sermon, the Rev. Cameron Partridge, chaplain, talked about the Two-Spirit, transgender, and nonbinary people whose very existence is being openly threatened. He praised a powerful retreat in March supported by the Gender Justice Office at the Church Center, particularly by Aaron Scott, who heads up that office. He said it was life-affirming, generating hope and strength for the more than 50 people attending, most of whom were young adults. The highlight of the business meeting on Wednesday was the report by Larry Hitt, chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Governance and Operations, on the status of the new location for The Archives of The Episcopal Church—ground has been broken, renovation and new construction has begun, and they are anticipating a ribbon-cutting in a few months. After years of changed plans and delays, this fulfillment of a long-deferred dream was met with enthusiastic, happy applause by council members. Underlying much of the conversation across the three days was, as always, those key baptismal covenant promises—to seek and serve Christ in all persons and to respect the dignity of every human being. Because that is what we are supposed to be as a church—life-affirming, generating hope and strength for us all, no exceptions.
