Scott’s Blog

Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. – Luke 24:50-51 The year I graduated from University a fellow student, Heather Whitestone, won Miss America. Many of us who had little or [...]

In seminary we were shown a video of an Eastern Orthodox liturgy. It included St. John Chysostom’s Easter Homily, which, we were told, is read every year as part of the Easter liturgy. I love the exuberant invitation of Chrysostom’s sermon and like to use it on Easter as the invitation to the Lord’s Supper. [...]

The Advent season draws our thoughts to the miracle of the Incarnation, “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14) – or as the Message colorfully paraphrases it “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood”.  Our salvation was not wrought by Jesus swooping down from Heaven in a single [...]

Every year around Halloween I hear brothers and sisters raising concerns about Christians participating in Halloween events.  Generally they point to the pagan origins of Samhain and the “unscriptural” feast of All Saints Day as an invention of the Roman Catholic Church and therefore unwarranted.  This year like several before our congregation had a Halloween [...]

Two poems by Herbert: Christmas (I) After all pleasures as I rid one day, My horse and I, both tired, body and mind, With full cry of affections, quite astray; I took up the next inn I could find. There when I came, whom found I but my dear, My dearest Lord, expecting till the [...]

The Collect for the Second Sunday in Advent BLESSED Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast, the [...]

Here’s Herbert’s poem for Easter. It was originally printed vertically on the pages, formatted like this so that it formed to sets of wins. The set of wings on the left was printed on one page (to be read first) and the other set on the facing page: I had to make it an image [...]

Touchstone’s Blog posted Herbert’s poem on the crucifixion today.

They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?”… Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread. Jesus’ work [...]

Pentecost Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit Jesus promised us, His disciples, that He would send “another.” At Pentecost, the church was strengthened for her [...]