When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep” (John 21:15-17).

This is a very special Sunday at St. John’s. We celebrate our children who wish to receive their First Communion. “The Holy Eucharist is the sacrament commanded by Christ for the continual remembrance of his life, death, and resurrection, until his coming again… The benefits we receive are the forgiveness of our sins, the strengthening of our union with Christ and one another, and the foretaste of the heavenly banquet which is our nourishment in eternal life”
(Catechism of the BCP).

We also celebrate our Confirmands and those Received by the bishop. They have promised with all of us at St. John’s to:

Continue in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of the bread,
and in the Prayers.

To persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever they fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord.

To proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ.

To seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving their neighbor as themselves.

To strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity
of every human Being.

Bishop Provenzano has asked every congregation in the Diocese of Long Island to follow Jesus by loving the ones who need our love most. This follows Jesus’ call to, “Feed my sheep.” Through the ministries of the ECW, we provide food to the Helping Hands Food Pantry, cloths through our Thrift Shop, contributions to dozens of local charities from our Harvest Fair, free loads of laundry through Laundry Love, presents for the poor through Adopt of Family, Thanksgiving baskets to victims of domestic violence, and aid to families devastated by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico through our mission trip from June 2nd to June 9th. On Saturday May 10th, the ECW and Youth Group will hold “Zingo” to provide summer camp to underprivileged children in our area. The ECW provides the means, but the congregation of St. John’s and the community support these events with their time, talent, and treasure. I want to thank every member in our parish that gives to these events from the bottom of my heart. Loving Jesus Christ and feeding his sheep are at the heart of everything we do.

 Let us take a moment this Sunday to give thanks and praise to God. It is through God’s that we receive forgiveness of sins, the Holy Spirit to strength us on our journey, and a foretaste of the heavenly banquet.  “You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, so that my soul may praise you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever (Psalm 30:11-12).

In Christ’s love,

Fr. Duncan

For the first time in many years, a mysterious piece of correspondence has fallen into my hands: another letter from Screwtape, one of the archfiends in the lower-archy of hell, a letter meant to be delivered to his apprentice nephew, Wormwood, a recent graduate of Tempters College. Those who read this letter are advised to remember that it is from the devil's perspective and that the devil is a liar.

My dear Wormwood:

I frequently receive reports on the horrors of the Easter season from minor apprentices such as yourself. Those events make all of our domain shudder. Even our father below recoils at the merest recollection of that abominable occurrence that Christians call the resurrection. We who are most close to him keep our distance because he fulminates with such anger that we are quite likely to become mere morsels to be consumed. That is between you and me; it would not be prudent to repeat such information.

However, in spite of the circumstances of this Easter season—I cringe when I write that word—certain things can be brought to our advantage if you will pay close attention to what transpires. Hence, do not permit any temporary depression over the state of your patient begin to dominate your thoughts or your job will be in jeopardy, and you know how our father treats those who fail him. Now some suggestions on how to undermine the faith of your patient.

Remember that all extremes, except extreme devotion to the Enemy, are to be encouraged. Remember last Sunday when the pews were filled with people? I see that you do. Well, turn this to your advantage since it is quite unlikely this will take place two weeks in a row. We want to keep those who don't return away permanently, or at least to make any return a social occasion rather than a religious one. For this reason, gently insert into the mind of your patient that Mrs. Bloggs, she of the second seat, sixth pew, gospel side, was wearing exactly the same hat she wore last Easter. This will shift your patient's mind from attention to the service and nudge him into a thought such as chapeau fashions and what he will be having for Sunday dinner.

Make worldly concerns his end and church attendance a means to that end, and you have almost won him for our father below. Provided that the latest fashions, egg hunts, and meals matter more to him than prayers and sacraments and love, he is ours. I could show you a pretty group of specimens we have secured already.

Even for those who have made it back to their place of worship for a second week, all is not lost. You have a marvelous opportunity when the time for the gospel arrives. This one concerns a certain Thomas, a particular doubter who finally comes to believe in the Enemy only when he has ocular proof. It is an unfair advantage of the Enemy that He loves even when he is doubted, but we can turn that to our advantage. Sneak into your patient's mind that doubt is healthy, that if he had been a real man he would have demanded more substantial proof than he was offered. Suggest that what the Enemy is about is propaganda rather than an appalling truth. Remind him of the last great war—and all the ones that have followed—how we were all conditioned to beware of propaganda.

Press home that after fifty days the Enemy will abandon him, that He will not always be present to his conscious experience. Hence, should he cry out, in a moment of weakness, with Thomas, he will be conditioned to expect no response. If, somehow, your patient persists, speak to him about “moderation in all things,” the via media, a particular Episcopal perspective. If you can once get him to think that “religion is all very well up to a point,” you can feel quite happy about the destination of his soul. A moderated religion is as good for us as no religion at all—and more amusing.

Keep what I have written in mind and 'low Sunday' will sink even lower and your patient will turn his attention outward. And our father below will be well pleased. Your affectionate uncle, Screwtape

With all blessing, Fr. John+

Socrates and Plato believed that the most important kind of knowledge comes from a re-awakening of truth that is dormant within us. We celebrate the Eucharist by remembering the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The prayer of remembrance is called the Anamnesis. This Greek word for remembrance comes from one who has lost their amnesia. At the Eucharist, the priest says, “do this in remembrance of me.” We re-member the words of Jesus Christ at the last supper, but we connect with our soul in a past, present, and future event. Those who have lost their identity or purpose need to re-member what God has done for them and to know that they are unconditionally loved by God. I urge you to call your friends and family who have wandered from the church and invite them to re-member that “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16).

Palm Sunday and Easter are the core liturgical observances of the Christian year because we re-member what God has done, is doing, and will do for us. They are also the time when many people who have been away, come back to church. Please join us this week as we re-member the last days of Jesus’ life. Holy Week offers a series of services that reconnect our souls with the truth that God has given us in the person of Jesus Christ.

Maundy Thursday is a simple service in the tradition of the last supper. We will begin with a Seder meal at 6:00PM. This is the Jewish Tradition that Jesus practiced with his disciples. Please speak to Heather Kress and let her know that you will be joining us for this family friendly meal together. At 7:30PM, we move into the church. The Gospel from John is read and we wash each other’s feet as a sign of our servanthood and love of one another. The service ends with a dramatic stripping of the altar and we begin a prayer vigil through the night.

Good Friday is a somber reminder of the depth of God’s love for us. We pray at the foot of the cross with Mary and John. We pray in silence and ponder the incredible love of God in the act of Jesus death on the cross for our sins. Fr. John will preach from 12-3PM on the last seven words of Jesus Christ. At 7:00PM we will do the Stations of the Cross and at 7:30PM we will have a Good Friday service with music.

Easter Sunday is a celebration of Christ’s resurrection and the hope that Christ gives to each of us. All are welcome to share with us in his resurrection. At 7:30AM, we will light a fire in the Garden of Blessing and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The children will celebrate with the flowering of the cross and an Easter egg hunt at the 9:00AM service. There will also be a beautiful choral Eucharist at 11:00AM. We will proclaim the resurrection with the words, “Alleluia! Christ is risen. The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!”

These services help us to connect to the love of God and see ourselves as part of a community baptized into the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I urge you to come to as many Holy Week services as you are able, to invite guests, and to welcome everyone with open arms.

In Christ’s love,

Fr. Duncan

“Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume” (John 12:1-3).

Barbara Brown Taylor, calls this display by Mary "an act so lavish that it suggests another layer to her prophecy: there will be nothing prudent or economical about the death of this man, just as there has been nothing prudent or economical about his life. In him, the extravagance of God's love is made flesh. In him, the excessiveness of God's mercy is made manifest."

As we walk to the cross with Jesus this Lenten season, I ask you to ponder the sacrifice that God gave to us through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Many of us will get caught up in the busyness of the Easter season. Many of us have lots of things to do at church and home. Please take some time and meditate about Mary. Pray that you may know the unfathomable love and unbounded mercy that God has for you. The twelve disciples will continue to act like knuckleheads, missing the whole point of the walk to the cross because their own expectations close their minds to something new happening before their very eyes. “Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert (Isaiah 43:18-19). Again and again the prophet Isaiah speaks of the message of God. Again and again, the people can’t imagine that the path ahead may be anything, but the path behind us.

Mary has developed a deeper level of relationship with Jesus because she sits and listens to the words of her teacher. Listen to the words of the Gospel closely, but change your expectations slightly. The Holy Spirit will come to us and guide us. Put your faith and trust that God loves us enough to sacrifice his Son for our sins. Turn from your busy life and ponder the extravagance of Mary’s gift. Mary will need strength and courage for all that she will face in the coming weeks. She has seen firsthand the raising of her brother Lazarus. She anoints his feet because she knows deep in her heart that the path of life leads through his death.

We are asked in today’s collect to love what God commands and to desire what God promises. To do that we must turn again to God and listen to the Gospel. There can be no Easter without the cross and we cannot live in Christ unless we are willing to die to ourselves. But, oh the glory that awaits us if we believe in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We were baptized in water through the Holy Spirit and ate of the body and blood of our Lord. We are anointed in the Holy Spirit, given the peace that passes all understanding, and we will receive all God’s promises of abundant and eternal life. Let us open the life gate by confessing that Jesus is our Lord and Savior. Let us give glory to God for he has done great things!

In Christ’s love,

Fr. Duncan

Father, I’ve sinned — but O forgive!

I’ve heard enough, he said,

Rejoice my house, my son’s alive,

For whom I mourned as dead.

Now let the fatted calf be slain,

And spread the news around;

My son was dead, but lives again,

Was lost, but now is found.

’Tis thus the Lord his love reveals,

To call poor sinners home;

More than a father's love he feels,

And welcomes all that come (John Newton).

Today is the Fourth Sunday in Lent, Laetare Sunday, or as it has been more popularly called “Rejoice Sunday.”  In this season of Lent, we are all called to return to the unfathomable divine mercy and unbounded holy love. “Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart” (Psalm 32:11). I heard this morning on the radio that one of the keys to a long relationship with somebody is saying thank you on a regular basis. It is not so much the words we say as the deep feeling of appreciation that we have for the ones that we love. This feeling is difficult to understand or describe, but we can all experience it in our relationship to Jesus Christ. The story of the prodigal son describes a love so deep and unconditional that sins and suffering turn to gladness and rejoicing. Perhaps when we have a deep appreciation for what God has done for us, we can understand how to love one another. Listen to the words of the parable this morning and know that God loves you just as deeply as the prodigal son. God’s love of humanity was shown in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

So on the roller coaster that we call Lent, we should rejoice on this day. Whether we are on a mountaintop or in the valley of our lives, God’s love always strengthens us for what is ahead. When we return to God with all that we have, we receive an abundant life of grace and mercy and the peace that passes all understanding. In the season of lent we are asked to re-examine our lives and to confess our sins on our knees, but the key to this season is to then stand up and give praise to him, who loves us so deeply that we can barely fathom the affection that he has for us.

“I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen”
(Eph. 3:14-21).

In Christ’s love,

Rev. Duncan Burns

“Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.” When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings… Then the Lord said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.” (Exodus 3:1-6).

About a week ago at least 50 people were killed and 50 wounded, in a hate-filled terror attack targeting two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch. I am numb to the senseless killings that seem to be occurring with more frequency. I know that God hears our prayers, but we need to respond to God. The burning bush glows bright when we repent of those things in our lives that keep us from the purpose and will of God, when we turn aside. Lent is a time of preparation, when we teach our children and youth to draw closer to the one we love. It is by our example of worship, study, prayer, and outreach our children see that we are people of God. I can’t imagine what it is like to grow up in today’s fear filled world. I do know that there needs to be a counter balance to the hate in the world.

Eternal life begins today and never ends. Please use these next few weeks of Lent to draw closer to the one who loves you deeply. God calls us to be the place of radical hospitality where all people are welcome. While many churches in our neighborhood want to exclude people that don’t agree with their politics or exclude those who are different than themselves, we strive to be the place where all are welcome.  We can have difficult conversations because despite our differences, we can love all our neighbors. St. John’s can be a light in a dark world. We can be a place of peace, hope, and love in a world that is dangerous, fearful, and full of hate. Please pray that we might reach out to a hurting world with arms of love.

May we give shelter to the homeless, help to the immigrant, food to the hungry, cloths to the naked, and support the many wonderful charities in Huntington through our ECW. We have the power to transform the nightmare that the world can be into the blessing of the Kingdom of God. We are transformed through the grace of God and we become the transforming power in the world. Please have hope that God can fix this mess of immigration, shootings in the world, plane crashes, racism, and sexism. Somehow God will transform us into beautiful children of God that we were created to be. So if you have been hurting, frustrated, sick, or a little down, have faith that you can come to at St. John's and be welcomed and loved for who you are.

In Christ’s love,

Rev. Duncan Burns

It's Saint Patrick's Day—we all know what that means: parades. I hate parades, whether for Saint Patrick, Columbus, or Thanksgiving; I've participated in all of them; I marched as a cub scout, a boy scout, the chaplain of a day school, an officer in a local organization—more than a mile, uphill, both ways. Yet, I'm not really an old curmudgeon. As far as this particular day is concerned, I like corned beef, potatoes, carrots, (not so much the cabbage), Irish soda bread, tea biscuits and scones, the Three Tenors, songs with a nationalistic flavor and history. Just not parades.

However, I am a huge fan of Saint Patrick himself, or, at least, of the hymn attributed to him. It's #370 in The Hymnal 1982; it's in ink in my funeral service as the opening hymn; it's a celebration of the Trinity, of a binding to oneself the strong name of the “Three in One and One in Three”; it's a tour through the Creed; IT IS LONG. When I mentioned my funeral plans to my children, my son said to me, “Dad, we're not singing all those verses.” I responded, “If you omit any, I'll rise out of that casket and call you to account.”

What I did not know, however, until 1993, was that another translation of the Gaelic preceded the one in our hymnal. This earlier version is not set to music; rather, it is written as a caim, as an encircling prayer with which to begin one's day:

I arise today

Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,

Through belief in the threeness,

Through confession of the oneness

Of the Creator of Creation.

Nearly every morning since 26 October 1993 I have begun my day with these words. It's not merely a matter of flinging myself out of bed in a cheery manner, but, as Fr. David Adam points out in his book on this hymn, of arising in the power of God. Sometimes I remember the words as a matter of habit; sometimes I forget all too quickly what they mean; but most of the time, at the least for part of the day, I remember that the Trinity is the integral part of all that I do. In one very important sense, this opening verse combines with a metaphor supplied by John Donne and George Herbert in their poetry as I arise and “tune the instrument of my heart.” Do I then always remain in tune? I wish. I strike discordant notes all the time and when I do my life becomes chaotic, much like a third grader having his first go at a violin: a tempest of noise in a very small teapot. Nonetheless, this is the way for me to begin the day—in the presence of the Triune God who loves me, who died for me, who calls me to be one with him. In the remembrance of this awesome fact, I am renewed, restored, healed, forgiven.

So have a blessed, holy, happy Saint Patrick's Day; delight in the parade, the food, the music, the memories; but remember that the day is more than mere revelry, that it is anchored in the eternal love and presence of the One, Holy, and Living God revealed to us in his crucified and risen Son.

All blessings,

Fr. John+

“As the baptized, as the beloved of God, the challenge in my life is to learn to have deeper trust and confidence in the love of God. Lent is the wilderness space in time, set apart to teach me to trust God’s love once again and to hand myself over to be assumed and consumed by his love, for that is my only hope of redemption. Temper me, O God, with your love that I may learn to trust your love once again. Help my unbelief that I may believe and be healed by your love” (Bishop Allen Shin).

Lent is the time when we realize that the distractions of the world have kept us from God’s purpose in our lives. We need to put our full trust in God. If we want to be an authentic expression of Christ’s light, we need to pray, study, listen, and make God the center of our world again. For the first week of Lent please consider putting your full trust in God’s love. Please observe a Holy Lent and take a few quiet moments to re-examine your commitment to God’s purpose. God is very near to us and loves us dearly.

Each week we share the body and blood of our Lord on Sunday morning. These sacraments are an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace. Eternal life begins today and never ends. Please use these next few weeks of Lent to draw closer to the One who loves you deeply. The most significant preacher in a congregation is not the person in the fancy vestments in the pulpit, but the people in the congregation going out into the world. Apostles have been transformed by the bread of our Lord, to do the will of God, through the power of the Holy Spirit. The fact of the matter is that priests come and go, but the power of the Holy Spirit to transform the lives at St. John’s goes on from generation to generation. God loves us so deeply that Christ, God’s Son, suffered on a cross that we might be forgiven of our sins. We are asked to lead a new life, following the commandments, and walking in Holy ways. The Holy Eucharist is essential during Lent to bring us back to the place where God can do the most good with us. During the recessional hymn at the 10 am service there is an energy and spirit in the congregation that leads us to hospitality to our guests and sends us into the world with a mission to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ. Today we will sing, “How great thou art.” Please join your voice with the choir and sing praise to God.               

St. John’s is always about community. Please join us on Sunday mornings for a cup of coffee and a bite to eat after the service in the Great Hall. Hospitality is second nature to us at St. John’s and I ask all our parishioners to invite one of our newcomers to join you this Sunday after service. If you are looking for a great way to deepen your relationship with Christ, then please join Leslie Valentine for a Lenten Spirituality Group Retreat on Saturday March 23rd. Our Bible Study Group meets at 11:00am on Tuesdays. This week we begin, “The Path, A Journey Through the Bible.” This year’s Lenten program on Tuesday evenings will feature Dr. Nina Grief, Fr. Duncan, Rev. Eddie Alleyne, Deacon Jennifer Webster and Fr. John.  Join us for Stations of the Cross, Evening Prayer, a simple meal, and our program, “SIN: Glittering Vices & the Dark Side of the Soul.”

In Christ’s love,

Fr. Duncan

“O God who before the passion of your Son reveled his glory on the Holy Mount, that we may we be strengthened to bear his cross” (Last Sunday after the Epiphany Collect). “Christian discipleship consists of the discipline of self-denial and taking up the cross daily. It is refraining from the narcissistic self-indulgence and from feeding the superficial false ego to self-destruction. It is rather embracing my true self, the true image of God reflected in the depth of my soul. It’s a daily journey of self-discovery as a child of God and a daily walk toward a spiritual union with God” (Bishop Shin).

A bartender notices that every evening, without fail, one of his patrons orders three beers. After several weeks of noticing this pattern, the bartender asks the man why he always orders three beers. The man says, “I have two brothers who have moved away to different countries. We promised each other that we would always order an extra two beers whenever we drank as a way of keeping up the family bond.” Several weeks later, noticing that the man only ordered two beers, the bartender said, “Please accept my condolences on the death of one of your brothers. You know, the two beers and all…” The man replied, “You’ll be happy to hear that my two brothers are alive and well… It’s just that I, myself, have decided to give up my beer for Lent.”

All Christians are invited "to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God's holy Word" (BCP, p. 265). Somehow Lent has gone out of favor. Many Christians just don’t seem to understand why we do what we do in Lent. Do we need to go to service on Ash Wednesday? Will giving up chocolate or alcohol for a few weeks bring you closer to God? Will eating fish on Fridays help to draw you closer to Jesus Christ? Will getting off Twitter and Facebook bring on the Holy Spirit? I don’t have the answer for you, but I do know that many of us misunderstand the whole point of Lent. Lent is a time to strengthen your spiritual union with God. Through fasting, prayer, worship, scripture study, and acts of mercy, you make a conscious effort to draw closer to God. Jesus went into the desert for forty days to pray before beginning his ministry. The point is to refocus your attention on God so that the fire of God’s love in your heart may be strengthened for the ministry ahead. Please don’t cut back from three beers to two just because it’s Lent. Just find a way to do more of the things that bring you closer to God. Sometimes just going for a walk can be a time for union with God.

We offer many opportunities at St. John’s to rekindle that fire of God’s love at St. John’s. We offer Morning Prayer at 9:00 am M-F, bible study on Tuesdays at 11:00 am. On Tuesday nights we offer Stations of the Cross, Evening Prayer, Lenten Supper and a guest speaker. You may choose a Lenten Retreat with Leslie Valentine on Saturday March 23rd, serving in our Thrift Shop, serving meals to the homeless at HIHI, joining our choir to sing at Easter, and/or Holy Eucharist at 8:00 am and 10:00 am on Sundays. I invite you to the observance of a Holy Lent. Please take time from your busy schedule to draw nearer to the one that loves you so deeply.  He sent his only Son to reveal his glory on the Holy Mount and to die on a cross for our sins.

In Christ’s love,

Fr. Duncan

Do to others as you would have them do to you. (Luke 6:31)

In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus gives a passionate teaching to all who will listen. Most of us know this as the Sermon on the Mount, but today, Jesus is sitting on level ground teaching his disciples, all who have gathered to hear him speak, and those who are trying to touch him in order to get healed. In fact, Jesus is speaking to all people in all times. We all hear these words again and again. Some of us know them by heart. “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.” (Luke 6:20-24)

Some of this teaching is very difficult to understand, but one verse stands out to me as a summary of all the rest. Even my nursery school children know this verse from scripture. They know it as the “golden rule.” We are to love our neighbor as ourselves. While this is a simple rule to understand, Jesus turns the perspectives of world upside down in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus will cross boundaries, break religious rules, and cause people to be so uncomfortable that they will nail him to a cross to suffer and die. We must also push the boundaries of our own understanding, if we are ever to truly understand these radical teachings from Jesus.

Deacon Anthony has created a wonderful relationship with our sister parish, St Augustine’s so that we might see the world from a slightly different perspective and that we might enrich the lives of some good folks in Brooklyn. We have witnessed the lively, spiritual worship of St. Augustine and today we share our more traditional approach. Today, I am preaching at St. Augustine’s and Fr. Lawrence is preaching at St. John’s. It is an honor to have such an esteemed preacher in our midst this Sunday, and I ask and pray that his Word will fill your heart and bring you closer to the love of Jesus Christ.

Please give Deacon Anthony a warm welcome home at St. John’s. As you know, he has just finished the General Ordination Exam and is working on a Master of Divinity degree while working full-time as a VA lawyer and doing his internship at St. Augustine’s. Please pray for him as he prepares for ordination to the priesthood. We have been so blessed by the ministry of “Saint Anthony” these past few years and although we miss him greatly, we know that God is preparing him for a wonderful ministry as a priest.

Born in Indianapolis, IN, Father Lawrence received a B.A. from Wabash College in Biology and an M.A. in Molecular Biology from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. While working on his doctoral studies at Johns Hopkins, he answered the call to ministry. He received his M.Div. in 2003 from Bexley Hall Seminary of Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School in Rochester, New York, and was ordained to the priesthood in January 2004. He is the former Rector of St. Anne's Episcopal Church in North Carolina and is currently the Rector at St. Augustine’s in Brooklyn.  Father Lawrence and his wife, Sharita, are the proud parents of three children Caleb, Isaac and Miriam. Let us welcome him as we were welcomed at St. Augustine’s.

In Christ’s love,

Fr. Duncan