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Paul, or Saul as he was known until he became a Christian, was a Roman citizen, born at Tarsus, in present-day Turkey. He was brought up as an orthodox Jew, studying in Jerusalem for a time under Gamaliel, the most famous rabbi of the day. Describing himself, he said, “I am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin” (Romans 11:1)

We don’t think as often as we should about the Old Testament. These ancient Hebrew Scriptures offer a striking interpretation of humanity, who we are and how we relate to the Divine. More importantly, they demonstrate how the Divine relates to us, explained through the story of the Jewish people. I recently preached on Psalm 132. Not all of the Psalms are locked to a particular time and place, but this one is. It’s written to honor King David after his return of the Ark of the Covenant to Israel. The original story is found in 2 Samuel 6-7, and it bears some relevance to our own time. The Ark had been constructed by Moses, and it was seen as the place where God’s glory dwelt…

Ambrose was the son of a Roman governor in Gaul, and in 373 he himself was governor in Upper Italy. Though brought up in a Christian family, Ambrose had not been baptized. He became involved in the election of a Bishop of Milan only as mediator between the battling factions of Arians and orthodox Christians. The election was important, because the victorious party would control the powerful see of Milan.

FEAR NOT: Embracing the Call To Love. An election message from Bishop LaBelle.

Our Diocesan Convention is being held this weekend, October 25 and 26. By the time you read this, it may be in the past, but I thought I would write a bit about conventions in any case. The history of conventions, gatherings of clergy, bishops and lay people to debate issues relevant to the life of the church, begins after the American Revolution. The Episcopal Church in the United States needed to find a way to govern itself after having its ties with the Anglican Church broken by the Revolutionary War. Efforts at organization began in Maryland in 1780 with small gatherings of people that led to the formal establishment of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Maryland.

In the Rule for the Order of the Holy Cross, James Huntington wrote: “Holiness is the brightness of divine love, and love is never idle; it must accomplish great things.” Commitment to active ministry rooted in the spiritual life was the guiding principle for the founder of the first permanent Episcopal monastic community for men in the United States.

We’re heading into fall which means, among other things, our stewardship campaign is approaching. This year, some serious discussions will be needed. Lorraine Wilson, our excellent treasurer, has done some analysis of the parish finances. I’ll begin with the good news and thanks! Most of our parishioners complete their pledges every year. This makes for a good budgeting process, and it helps us know what we can expect in income.

Robert Grosseteste, one of the outstanding English bishops of the thirteenth century, rose to preeminence in the Church from humble beginnings in Suffolk. He distinguished himself as a scholar in all branches of study — law, languages, sciences and theology. He was appointed Master of the Oxford School, and first teacher of theology to the Franciscans, when they established a house in Oxford.

I serve on the North American board of the Community of the Cross of Nails, an international group committed to reconciliation. It was founded after Nazi German bombers largely destroyed the city center of Coventry, leading Provost Richard Howard to call for forgiveness instead of anger. This led eventually to a reconciliation between English and German people after the war. The resulting CCN is an important ministry and a significant one for Christians. It’s particularly critical in our current age with its division and polarization. Recently, the Rev. John Witcombe, Dean of Coventry’s Cathedral in England and head of CCN’s worldwide ministry, visited Ukraine. He went to be a witness to the realities on the ground there, and to see how the Gospel is relevant to a very violent situation.