Author: Episcopal Cafe

How can we strengthen the rural church?

At this time, 25% of the parishes in my diocese are without a priest, and 40% of the parishes in the diocese cannot afford a full-time priest.  Nearly all of the rural parishes of my diocese fall into both of these categories. Most of the rural parishes of TEC are in the same boat, and are on the verge of collapse.  Very soon we will be, for all intents and purposes, an urban church.  What do we do?  

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Combating the Fear in Living

What the mythologies of the world tell us is that mankind needs to believe in something. In ‘The Magic of Thinking Big”, David Schwartz writes: “Believe it can be done. When you believe something can be done, really believe, your mind will find the ways to do it. Believing a solution paves the way to solution.”   

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Electric Charging and Resurrection Hope

“As in our lives of faithful action, this part of who we are now affects what we do next. The identity we took on months or years ago can constrain us from detours, or cause us to react quicker, not just for our own sake, but especially for the good of others. We cannot drain ourselves dry, or we will have no energy to do God’s work of sharing the Gospel and loving our neighbors!”

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Stand up!

should we sit,head in our hands, rehearsing a concerned and compassionate shampoo, and hope for the best?  It is no longer enough. Not any more.

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Leaning into the “Community” Part of a CSA

“Some of these veggies are probably more familiar to the Hmong or African-American gardening interns, but learning to cook them is a small realignment of my attention towards my neighbors and their families. It is a reminder that what I like is not normative for being a Minnesotan or American, wringing that prized individualism right out of me in a patriotic way.”

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The Feast of St. Dominic

“I like to imagine that Dominic’s evangelism was not of the badgering sort, that he was not confrontational but curious. I like to imagine that he listened deeply to the Cather innkeeper, that he found places where there was a connection, maybe even an agreement about something, some common ground, perhaps in their commitment to a simple life, to authentically lived beliefs. I see Dominic as completely present and engaged, first listening and then passionately and articulately sharing his own story.”

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Bushy the Squirrel: A Parable

Once upon a time there was a squirrel named Bushy. He was a fine little squirrel, but as he grew older everyone began to notice a change in him. All he cared about was gathering nuts. Every day you could hear his voice ringing through the forest: “Gotta get more nuts! Gotta get more nuts!”

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Wearing the cross

Having finally wrapped my brain around the impossible goodness of our Lord, I decided I owed it to Him to wear a cross.

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