The Last Table in Egypt

Despite the title of this post, this is not some hyperbolic Yelp post for my favorite Egyptian restaurant in Lexington. "OMG! You have to try the falafel!!" No. Not quite. This post is about Maundy Thursday, or Holy Thursday, or Thursday in Holy Week, or whatever you call today. In the round of our Church … Continue reading The Last Table in Egypt →

The Temple of Your People

This year has been full of sadness as we have watched fires injure and destroy some of the most beautiful houses of worship in the world. The fire at Notre Dame de Paris is particularly on my mind since the fire brought down so much of it during Holy Week. As I watched the flames, … Continue reading The Temple of Your People →

Holy Week at St. A’s

St. A's will again be offering a variety of services to commemorate Holy Week on UK's campus. All are welcome and invited to participate in our services. Here is our schedule: I hope that no matter where you end up for your Holy Week, you find a community with which to share these commemorations of … Continue reading Holy Week at St. A’s →

Spring Art Show

Back in the autumn, I got a letter out of the blue from an elementary school art teacher. I'd never heard of her; I had no previous relationship with the school. The letter was an invitation to support Ashland Elementary's art program. I looked down the list of ways to support them and I was … Continue reading Spring Art Show →

A Kentucky Calling

A few years ago, I had a friend who was standing for election as bishop to a place that would not be in my top ten places to live. We had been talking about the election for a while one day when I blurted out, "Why do you want to be bishop there?" The answer floored … Continue reading A Kentucky Calling →

Entering the Word

Tonight at sundown the Jewish holiday of Purim, or Lots, begins. There are several fun rituals associated with Purim, read more here, but the one that I'm interested in today is the ritual obligation to read the book of Esther. This obligation is not, however, a dry reading by oneself in a quiet room, rather … Continue reading Entering the Word →

Making Space

Last Sunday, while the students and I were enjoying our Shrove Sunday breakfast for dinner extravaganza, we also talked about "giving something up for Lent," and how unsatisfying it can be. We talked it around for a while, and it seems that many of us grew up being told to give something up with no … Continue reading Making Space →

It all feels broken. Keep Struggling.

The world feels broken. There's no denying it. Our body politic feels broken. Our religious institutions feel broken. The climate is broken. I'm tired for sure. A lot of folks are tired. So I'm not actually going to write too much today. What I will say, is that if you're tired and need rest, you're … Continue reading It all feels broken. Keep Struggling. →

If You Look At The Stars

One of the best parts of my work at the University of Kentucky is the chance to talk to students, faculty, and staff about all kinds of things, but especially about their spiritual lives and over the last two weeks, I've heard a lot about folks prayer life. Since we've been talking about it, let's … Continue reading If You Look At The Stars →

Have a laugh

More than once, I've been accused of being a touch serious when it comes to religion. And it's true! Religious types can be a bit stodgy sometimes, but we have a great example in Jesus. He went to weddings and dinner parties, and hung out with folks who knew how to have a good time. … Continue reading Have a laugh →