The following overview of the duties of the rector comes from my years of experience as a rector and my observations from working with congregations.
George Herbert: A Rookie Anglican Guide to the Priest and Poet
George Herbert, perhaps the greatest devotional poet in the English language, was also a faithful pastor to a small country church. When I was a student, Herbert helped lead the way of my pilgrimage to Christ. As an adult disciple and priest, I have continually refreshed my spirit by dipping back into Herbert’s prose and…
(An) Anglican(‘s) Opinion: Priests are not Sacramental Specialists
This post is a part of Rookie Anglican, a blog dedicated to Making Anglicanism Accessible. “The more things change, the more things stay the same.” ~ Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr T.F. Torrance’s astute observation applies as much to the Church today as it did to ancient Israel: “the tendency to make the sacrificial priesthood independent of the…
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers…
I’m here again…in not-so-sunny Florida for another session with this group. This time, it will be only a day for me. I have a commitment that has crowded by schedule. But I am re-posting my article from last year about the “Band of Brothers” I have met with for 30 years! In just a few…
A Year of First Blessings
So, you now know the origin of this blog title: First Blessing. It is also traditional that first blessings are too special to be restricted to one day; the new priest gives first blessings for an entire year. So, I have set my heart and hand to writing these public reflections of the life of…
We Can’t Do it
In the 17th century, pastor and poet George Herbert wrote the book The Country Parson, one of the first manuals for pastors written in English. He starts his book by acknowledging that he feels inadequate: the way to please [God], is to feed my Flock diligently and faithfully, since our Savior has made that the…
The Rector: A Rookie Anglican Guide
Over the years, I have experienced numerous periods of growth and development as the Rector and Senior Pastor of Christ Church. I have made mistakes along the way; I’ve also had some blessed moments. Many of both. And, fortunately, for all but a few years, I have had a great relationship with our vestry. We have developed a…
What Do I Call You?
“What do I call you?” the bank teller asked as we conducted a routine financial transaction—a question prompted by the collar I was wearing. “I am an Anglican priest. Sometimes we are called Father and sometimes simply by first name. Whichever you please is fine.” A Title is an Identity with Jesus Christ What I…
Herding Cats
Comedians often use humor as social commentary. A joke can slip through our defenses, expose our hidden hypocrisy, question our cherished beliefs, scrutinize our preconceived notions, and all this while making us laugh at ourselves. Such jokes are nearer parables than we often realize. They are humorous precisely because we recognize some grain of truth…
Pastoral Prayer
A priest is to pray frequently. Sometimes it is as a designated or honorary pray-er, as at a church dinner. “Father N., will you bless the food, please?” Anyone could do this, of course, but it often falls to the priest. While it is a token moment, it is also an important one. This serves as…
