Christmas Eve is rough on preachers; at least for this one. The atmosphere for a truly great sermon is all there: scenery, families, music, lighting, Scripture, attendance, joy, and a holy hope in every heart and on every face. But my Christmas Eve sermons (33 and counting) are never equal to this setting. They always seem weak and…
Epiphany and Epiphanytide: A Rookie Anglican Guide
Christians celebrate the feast day of Epiphany on January 6, the day after the twelfth and final day of Christmas. Many also know this holiday as “Three Kings’ Day,” although the three “kings” were actually magi—astrologers from eastern countries such as Persia. While Western churches celebrate this event as “Epiphany,” our Eastern brothers know it…
Nine Lessons and Carols: A Rookie Anglican Guide
The Anglican tradition has inherited many ancient pieces of liturgy. Therefore, it may be surprising to learn that the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols (traditionally held on or near Christmas Eve) is a relatively recent invention. It celebrated a century of the practice in 2018. Born from the profound grief and turmoil of the…
What NOT to Get Your Rector (Or Their Spouse) for Christmas!
I have been having fun writing about some gift ideas for Rectors and their Spouses. I served as a Rector for over 30 years and spend a lot of time now with Rectors and their families. I know that many laypeople want to get the Rector and their Spouse a gift for Christmas to show…
Here’s Why You Should Celebrate an Epiphany Festival
Anglicans often speak of the tradition of the 12 Days of Christmas, emphasizing that the holiday is not merely one day but an extended season. The season spans from December 25 (or the evening of December 24) through January 5 and includes several nativity-oriented feast days, as well as separate saints’ days. Many families and…
What Your Rector’s Spouse Wants For Christmas
Earlier, I wrote a post about What Your Rector Wants For Christmas. I love Rectors and have the good fortune to spend time with, teach, coach, and encourage lots of Rectors around the Anglican Church in North America. But I don’t just love Rectors. I also love their families! The role of a Rector is…
The 12 Days of Christmas: A Rookie Anglican Guide to Christmastide
Sure, you’ve heard the song, but did you know that the “12 days of Christmas” actually start on Christmas Day (Dec. 25) and go until the day before Epiphany (Jan. 5)? So, December 25 is the first day of Christmas. December 26 is the second day. And so on, until the twelfth day of Christmas…
Let John Chrysostom Preach His Nativity Sermon on Christmas Sunday
Several years ago, I served as the Assistant Rector at a large Anglican Church. This meant, of course, that I had the wonderful opportunity of preaching cultural holiday weekends when attendance would be predictably low … i.e. Memorial Day Weekend, Labor Day Weekend, etc. One of the key weekends that I always got to preach…
The Liturgical Home: What is Advent?
The following is an excerpt from The Liturgical Home: Advent by Ashley Wallace. What is Advent? All of Scripture is a sacred love story, the love of God the Father for His people. It is a story filled with expectation, longing, and fulfillment. From the beginning, God has lovingly walked with us, called to us, and…
The Incarnation: What is it? Why does it matter?
During the Christmas season, I keep returning to the doctrine of the incarnation. St. John writes in the opening verses of his gospel: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” John 1:1, 14 The Doctrine of the…
What Is The Christ Candle?
Each December, we ask for gifts to our TRUE NORTH campaign. Help us point to Jesus through the riches of the Anglican tradition. This year, every gift up to $12,000 will be matched, for a total of $24,000! Our matching fund is put up by David Roseberry at Leaderworks, who both contributes to Anglican Compass and writes on…
Giving Even When You Receive
Last week, I talked about how to encourage generosity at the end of the year by making growing generosity a part of your teaching ministry, and teachers need to be creative. We’ve talked about getting creative by making a Christmas Wish List for your church. It’s a way to engage the people directly with the…
