Week of October 30, 2022

Last Saturday, at the 239th annual convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania, our bishop encouraged all parishes in the diocese to celebrate what God is doing among them. Bishop Gutiérrez said that, regardless of whether we see 5 or 50 people at something we’re doing, we should give thanks for it. As we turn towards the final two weeks of our 2023 advancement campaign at Good Shepherd, I hope we might celebrate what is happening among us.

Celebration is, in short, giving thanks. We Christians should be a Eucharistic people, the word “Eucharist” coming from the Greek word for “giving thanks.” A theological vision of advancing ministry at Good Shepherd must be based on thanksgiving. Our initial starting assumption is that God has blessed us tremendously, and our response is to give back generously to God. How could we do otherwise upon being in awe of God’s gifts to us?

I am enthusiastic about inviting you to give generously towards God’s kingdom by making a pledge in 2023 towards ministry at Good Shepherd, because I believe we have been blessed enormously by God. I do not think we should underestimate what the Church of the Good Shepherd is already doing for the sake of Christ and the world. It is significant. Do not underestimate what your gift can do for this parish and for the Gospel.

I would like to share one example of how your faithfulness and trust in God, as well as your financial support, are making an impact within the Church. This past week, we welcomed nine guests to our retreat house from across the nation and Canada to participate in our very first program retreat: “The Church Musician as Preacher: Expanding Skills in Hymn-Playing and Liturgical Improvisation.” The presenters were Matthew Glandorf, our Organist & Choirmaster, and Robert McCormick, Organist & Choirmaster at Saint Mark’s Church, Locust Street.

Seven participants stayed in our retreat house, while two were commuters. In addition to spending time at the organ with Matthew and Robert, retreatants participated in the round of daily prayer in the parish. We sang Evensong each day and Compline one night. Don and Gail McCown provided incredible hospitality and meals, and we were blessed by other helping hands who served and readied the house for arrival. The retreatants were overwhelmed by the hospitality they received, and they repeatedly said what a difference this retreat had made in their own professional careers. Each night the dining room of the retreat house was abuzz with conversation. New friendships were formed. As I’ve already mentioned, we should never underestimate the power of what we are doing in this new ministry.

There will be more moments like this to come, but I ask you to join me in celebrating a remarkable accomplishment for a parish that even just a few years ago was wondering whether it had a future. The answer is yes, God has always had a future for the Church of the Good Shepherd, and God has a marvelous future in store for us. No amount of conflict and challenges from our past can disturb that future. The future is waiting for us. God has prepared it. God is making something new from the old.

The retreat house is only one reason that I can confidently ask you to join me in making a pledge to Good Shepherd in 2023. I have already asked you to consider joining me in making a tithe, which is giving 10% of one’s household income back to God. Tithing is not easy, and it looks different based on one’s own situation. But I can in good conscience ask you to consider a tithe in good faith because I believe it’s crucial for the health of our souls. Tithing is a spiritual practice, even though we may very well want to keep talk of money separate from talk of God. Tithing is the goal that the Episcopal Church has set for us based on traditional Jewish and Christian understandings of giving to God’s kingdom. And yet, some of us may need to work towards a tithe. A runner can’t expect to run a marathon without practice! If you are unsure about how to establish a standard of giving for yourself, I encourage you to read this helpful article by an Episcopal priest with suggestions for working towards a tithe over several years. It includes a table for calculating percentages of one’s household income as one works towards a tithe. As with any spiritual practice, there is grace in giving oneself time to move towards a goal.

I believe that with your own financial contributions, as well as your gifts of time and of the heart, God will work wonders in this place. We are in the midst of a countercultural season. We are usually told to acquire as much as we can because we should be fearful about our future; the message is that we should be fearful about not having enough to live and survive. If we’re not fearful, we’re not being practical. In contrast, stewardship and giving to God’s kingdom asks us to be a people of abundance, trusting that there is always enough, and that God is ready to pave our future for us, apart from the world’s anxiety. We are beginning to see the first hints of God’s glorious future for this parish. Just when we believe there’s not enough, we should never underestimate God’s power to do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Thanks be to God!

Yours in Christ,
Father Kyle

Week of October 23, 2022

Two of the lovely banners that hang on Lancaster and Montrose Avenues (designed by one of our own regular attendees, Shushi Yoshinaga) have this invitation: “Come, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” In this year’s advancement campaign, we have been emphasizing the distinctive witness of the Church of the Good Shepherd within the local community and wider Church. There are many distinguishing characteristics of Good Shepherd, but one that stands out is its beauty—the beauty of the church building that God has given us, the beauty of worship and music, the beauty of its people, and, I would add, the beauty of the healing it offers. Beauty itself is indeed a source of healing. It sometimes seems that the world around us has become mechanical, cold, even sterile. But when you walk into the Church of the Good Shepherd, you will undoubtedly encounter beauty.

As parishioner Barry Levis will tell you (and will describe in more detail in the November 6th adult formation class), Anglo-Catholic parishes were historically established in gritty, slum areas of industrial England. The buildings and worship were meant to bring the beauty of Jesus’s good news into dark, oppressive contexts. This is not so much the geographical context of Good Shepherd, but dare I say that if we inhabit a culture decreasingly interested in beauty, we, by valuing the beauty of holiness, are living faithfully into our Anglo-Catholic identity?

During the 2023 advancement campaign, we have emphasized the need for us to rely less heavily on our parish investments. In the last quarterly statement, they were reported at below $400,000, the result of a volatile market at the present time. Drawing from the investments at a ten percent rate each year is not sustainable. We know that, which is why we have unfolded a five-year plan to reduce investment draws.

And at the same time, drawing at a ten percent rate at the current time while we build and plan for a reduction in such draws is not, in my estimation, irresponsible. It is investing in what makes Good Shepherd a powerfully distinctive witness to Jesus’s Gospel. We would not be the same parish without such glorious music and worship or without the ministries we are building and growing with God’s help. Recall that even in spite of our financial hardship, you, God’s faithful people in this parish, have committed to expanding ministry, to investing money and labor in opening a new retreat house.

In an unstable economy, with a small congregation and numerous challenges, it would have been easiest to hold still until we reduced endowment draws. But anyone involved in ministry knows that Gospel work never stands still. I admire and commend your commitment to supporting the life-changing ministry that is characteristic of this little corner of God’s kingdom.

In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus says, “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven” (5:16). This is no incentive to brag. It is an encouragement to break out of insular molds that come so easily to us and to share God’s gifts with the entire world. Beauty, in and of itself, in worship and music and in the interior glory of a building like Good Shepherd’s, could very well remain insular. But the ministry that is being shaped by God with your participation is breaking outside the church walls to touch the world. Our church doors are open to all.

Here are a few examples. In keeping with the Anglo-Catholic commitment to social justice, our Social Concerns committee has been prayerfully discerning how this parish can play some small part in responding as Christians to the social injustice of our own day. Namely, this new committee, under the leadership of John Williams, has been praying about how to respond to the ever-increasing problem of gun violence in American society. This Sunday after Sung Mass, please stay for food, fellowship, and a presentation by the Social Concerns Committee.

Additionally, one of our parishioners, Jennifer Dee, who is Vice Chair of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), is coordinating, along with parishioner Don McCown, a series of online classes to help families manage stress and maintain emotional and physical well-being in stressful times. The final meeting will take place in our new retreat house. Learn more here.

We now have a new contemplative prayer and mindfulness group guided by Don McCown that meets in the retreat house every Wednesday at 7 p.m., with a light dinner included. This is a wonderful opportunity to meditate on ancient and sacred words in the contemplative tradition and to rest in silence, God’s first language.

I believe that the ministry to which a parish is called by God is discerned by looking at the gifts of the people in a particular community. God has given this parish incredible gifts in areas of healing, mental health care, and formation. And our new retreat house ministry is beginning to draw on these gifts for the benefit of the wider community.

The recent past of this parish has left a number of wounds, especially a drastically reduced endowment, financial challenges, and much deferred maintenance, among others. These are not small problems, and yet, our mindset is being shaped as one of abundance, not scarcity. It seems that a way for us to heal from our past wounds is to be a source of healing to others. I’m convinced that God is helping us do this. Thank you for your part in this healing process, which we are beginning to see as we become a place of warm, inviting hospitality to others who stay in our retreat house and are fed by the ministries based there.

During this advancement campaign, as we prayerfully reflect on how we are called to financially support ministry at Good Shepherd, know that your gifts of time, talent, and treasure are being used as part of God’s healing of the world, even if in small part. Your gift, no matter how small it may seem, is essential to ensuring that Good Shepherd can be around for the future to share the gift of beauty and healing with all.

Yours in Christ,
Father Kyle

Week of October 16, 2022

At our last vestry meeting, I asked for the vestry’s support in designating Dr. Ellen Charry as our theologian in residence, and they enthusiastically approved. Ellen should be no stranger to many of you. She is active in many aspects of our parish life, from lectoring at services, assisting with cleanup days and retreat house work, teaching adult formation classes, and at the moment, chairing our 2023 Advancement Campaign. Dr. Charry is also a formidable theologian, having published and lectured widely. She has also been involved in theological formation within the Episcopal Church at the national level, most notably in chairing the panel on same-sex relationships in the life of the Church from 2008 to 2010 as part of the theology committee of the Episcopal Church’s House of Bishops. In 2017, she retired from twenty years’ service on the faculty of Princeton Theological Seminary.

It goes without saying that Ellen is a gift to this parish. She takes her place among so many other gifts in the parish, including others who contribute greatly to theological formation. She has taught as part of our Pilgrims in Christ formation class, has led several adult formation sessions, and will be leading others to come. It is a great resource to have access to her theological wisdom. Her probing mind helps keep us honest as Christians, and she has helpfully pushed us to confront the hideous legacy of anti-Judaism within the Church.

What does a theologian in residence do? Well, many things! First, in her role at Good Shepherd, Dr. Charry will continue to be a teacher of the Christian faith. She will do what she has already been doing. She will be a wonderful resource for those with questions about the Christian heritage, and she will be a sounding board for theological questions, bringing a veritable treasure trove of knowledge to engage with us as we journey to greater theological depth.

Dr. Charry will being offering a four-week class on Biblical interpretation in the spring (stay tuned for more details), and because the Bible is of particular interest to her, she will continue teaching about the Bible here at Good Shepherd. We live in an age of increasing Biblical illiteracy, and I hope you will take advantage of Dr. Charry’s knowledge in this regard.

Finally, Dr. Charry will consult with me on occasion to suggest ways in which the parish might speak with a theological voice to pressing issues of the day. In her words, Dr. Charry will help us interpret the Christian heritage to the culture, and the culture to the heritage. (Dr. Charry is already serving on our parish’s Social Concerns Committee, which is discerning how to respond to the problem of gun violence in our nation.) I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn and seek guidance from an experienced theologian as this parish connects the Gospel we proclaim and the community and world in which we live.

As rector, I will, of course, continue teaching regularly in the parish, since the role of parish priest should always be one of teacher. But it’s a blessing to me not to teach in a vacuum! I’m grateful to Dr. Charry, as well as to other scholars among us like Dr. Barry Levis and Dr. Donald McCown who constantly enrich the formation of Christian disciples here at Good Shepherd. Dr. Charry is among many notable and generous teachers in our parish, but in her role as theologian in residence, she will endeavor to help this parish think and live more deeply on a theological level.

Should you like to consult Dr. Charry as a resource on theological matters, you can reach her by email. You can learn more about her experience and expertise here.

This Sunday, I will miss being with all of you at Mass, since I will be away preaching at my former field education parish from seminary days (in northern Virginia), which is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary as a parish. Thank you to Father Gordon Reid for filling in as guest celebrant while I’m away.

Yours in Christ,
Father Kyle

Week of October 9, 2022

One of the gifts of the English Reformation was the reclamation of the Daily Office, the daily recitation of prayers at fixed times during the day. Historically, the Offices were limited to the monasteries, where communal prayer occurred eight times a day. But when the English Church separated from the Church in Rome, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556) ingeniously adapted the historic offices into a twofold form that could be easily prayed by the common people, in any parish church or cathedral. In Cranmer’s version, the first Book of Common Prayer (1549) bequeathed to us Morning Prayer (Matins) and Evening Prayer (Evensong). In practice, these Offices mainly persisted in the English cathedrals, but in many Anglo-Catholic parishes, such as Good Shepherd, it has been a common practice to pray the Daily Office. Interestingly, with the recent COVID-19 pandemic, many parishes (unable to gather for the Eucharist at times) found themselves reclaiming the Daily Office, which can be led by lay persons. At Good Shepherd, Morning and Evening Prayer are prayed Monday through Friday at 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. respectively. Morning Prayer is prayed at 9 a.m. on Saturdays.

The Daily Office, along with the Mass, is at the heart of our parish’s “rule.” A rule of life is a way of giving banks to the river of our prayer life. I will not say any more about what a rule is because this Sunday after Sung Mass you will have the opportunity to attend Dr. Donald McCown’s adult formation presentation entitled “What Is a Rule of Life?” Please stay after Mass for this first of our monthly adult formation classes on Sundays. A light lunch will be provided. I hope this presentation and conversation will inspire you to develop your own rule of life and consider what our own parish’s rule is. How can it deepen your own prayer life?

Then, having listened to Dr. McCown’s wisdom and partaken of some lunch, stay for Choral Evensong and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament at 3 p.m. (Please note the time change from previous years.) Evensong is one of the great riches of the Anglican tradition. Very few parish churches sing Evensong on a regular basis, so these frequent services at Good Shepherd are a treasure. To help you appreciate the gift of Evensong, I’d like to share here what our own Organist and Choirmaster, Matthew Glandorf, wrote some years ago about Evensong.

EVENSONG: CRANMER'S REVOLUTIONARY IDEA OF PRAYING THE DAILY OFFICE FOR
THE PEOPLE. — Matthew Glandorf
O Lord, support us all the day long, until the shadows lengthen and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then in thy mercy grant us a safe lodging, and a holy rest, and peace at the last. Amen.

In Cardinal Newman's great evening prayer for a peaceful night, we find encapsulated in poetry what Anglicans all over the world have been experiencing for about 450 years: the powerful experience of Choral Evensong. In a cathedral or parish church around twilight, the light of candles begins to overtake the natural light from outside, the organ plays in a vested choir. A bow toward the altar, a brief silence, and the responses begin: "O Lord, open thou our lips, and our mouth shall shew forth thy praise." This is followed by the appointed psalm of the day, usually set to what is uniquely known as "Anglican chant," a harmonized system of ten or twenty notes, in which the Psalms of David are recited. Two readings from scripture, to which the response is Mary's canticle the "Magnificat," in which we learn of God's plan for the rich and powerful, and redemption of the humble, meek and the hungry. The "Nunc Dimittis" draws us into the Temple when the aged Simeon holds the Christ child in his arms and exclaims that he can now depart in peace. This is concluded, as the original Prayer Book says "In Quires and Places where they sing, here followeth the Anthem" - a rubric that gives musicians ample leeway to sing music specifically designed to offer what one might consider a "musical sermon." The perfect symmetry of responses, psalms, canticles, the reading of scripture have guided the Anglican Communion into the morning (with Matins) and into the night (with Evensong) since its very beginnings with the first Book of Common Prayer in 1549. Archbishop Thomas Cranmer did what Martin Luther initiated in Germany, namely to make the monastic offices available in the vernacular in the morning and the evening. It could be prayed with elaborate music, as in the cathedrals, or sung or recited simply in the village parish church, or even, recited quietly at home.

A NEW AWAKENING
It is interesting to note that despite the sweeping reforms of Vatican II, with its emphasis on lay participation, modern language, etc., in those places where Evensong is still sung with any regularity, most often it is done in its version from the Prayer Book of 1662 . This may seem at first somewhat counterintuitive. However, some of the greatest music written in English was composed specifically for Evensong, thus the settings of the Responses the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis (known as the Evening Service) use the language of the sixteenth and seventeenth century. Much ink has been spilled over the past forty years or so about declining church attendance and how to "reach out to the young" in a way that speaks to them, etc. Especially in England, the decline is church attendance and the increasing secularization of modern society has been profound. And yet, many cathedrals and more than a handful of parish churches have seen a marked increase in attendance at Evensong. What may seem puzzling at the outset can be explained by what this service has to offer: it is a form of worship that speaks through poetry and music. For the unchurched, those who are on the edges of the faith, and those who are simply looking for spiritual grounding, find a quiet space where nothing is asked of them, and they can enter through the "side door" as it were. Therefore, listening becomes "active participation" similarly to the act of standing in front of a beautiful painting and being given a revelation through the eye and imagination and vision of the artist.

—————

I hope you will join us for part of our parish’s rule as we sing Choral Evensong this Sunday, followed by the great devotional service of Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, which is a time to rest, adore, and praise the living God in the most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar. Come, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

Yours in Christ,
Father Kyle

Week of October 2, 2022

On Saturday, right before our block party and retreat house opening, a parishioner said to me, “You know, I’m always surprised at how things just come together at the last minute around here.” I had to agree with her. I’m sincerely grateful to all who assisted with last Saturday’s joyous event. As wonderful as it was to welcome new faces into the retreat house for tours, it was meet and right for us as a parish to celebrate a year of hard work in preparation to open our new retreat house ministry.

Perhaps the parishioner’s observation that things just come together at the last minute—by surprise it seems—is applicable to the many ways in which God surprises us with his grace. And this parishioner’s comment is a vivid testimony to the power of St. Paul’s theology of the Body of Christ. As much as it seems like things are just falling into place almost by happenstance, it is, instead, a remarkable meshing of many gifts from God being used in service of ministry.

The visioning, planning, and execution of the Rosemont Community Retreat House could only have happened in this time and place with the many people of various gifts that God has brought together in this parish. Over time, our vision for this ministry has shifted and morphed to lead us to the present. It will continue to shift and morph, I’m sure. But the realization of this ministry as it currently is has only been possible through the generosity of so many people, too many to thank individually.

While I learned much in previous years of parish ministry before arriving at Good Shepherd, what I have learned most acutely in this parish is the importance of faithfulness (showing up), paying close attention to the gifts of the people around you, and the necessity of taking risks in the pursuit of gospel ministry. Although I have said it many times before, it bears repeating: Christian discipleship that is oriented towards God’s abundance will always necessitate risk-taking.

As we speak, the parish Finance Committee is drafting the 2023 budget. In doing so, the committee is mindful of being more than just good stewards of what God has entrusted to our care. The committee, as well as the vestry, knows that there is no point in living in Christ if one is not living fully, courageously, and generously. To do so on a practical level at Good Shepherd means that our budget cannot remain static as we seek to advance ministry to live into God’s vision for us. It means that investing in staff, vital programs, and ministries is essential to living faithfully into our identity as an Anglo-Catholic parish that prizes the beauty of holiness and service in the Name of our Lord.

Our new parish video sums it up precisely: we are beginning to realize God’s vision for us. We are beginning to see it, hear it, taste, it smell it, and touch it. It is a new creation, rising from the ashes of the old. Please pray for continued guidance as this parish revives and holds true to the gospel of Christ, and I ask you to prayerfully consider how you are being called, with both time and talent, to support God’s vision here at Good Shepherd. I am grateful for your presence here. You can safely assume that you have been brought here by God because your gifts are needed in this place. So, how will you use them?

Yours in Christ,
Father Kyle

Week of September 25, 2022

Saturday is the big day! On September 24, we will officially bless and open the Rosemont Community Retreat House. The day begins at 10 a.m., and around 10:15 a.m., we will have an official blessing of the newly-renovated house. Please plan to be with us as we pray for God’s blessing on the house as well as our newest ministry at Good Shepherd.

The day will continue with our community block party, including tours of the retreat house (and church), live jazz from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. by The Jazz Sanctuary, food, and games for children. There will be an opportunity to purchase apparel branded with the name of our new retreat house. You will also have a chance to learn more about Hosts for Hospitals, with whom we’ll be partnering in order to provide lodging for families seeking medical care in the Philadelphia area.

It goes without saying that our new retreat house ministry will demand much from our small parish, but I’m proud of the parish leadership, who have committed themselves to supporting this new venture even as we seek to grow as a parish and become more financially sustainable. The decision to invest in a new ministry in a time of pandemic and in the midst of a volatile economy demonstrates that the Church of the Good Shepherd is living out of an appreciation for God’s abundance.

But in order to enable this new ministry to flourish and minister in the name of Christ, we need your help. Our first guests will be the board of the Association of Anglican Musicians, the official organization for musicians serving the Episcopal Church. The AAM board arrives on October 9. Our first program retreat begins on Monday, October 24. And we hope to soon welcome families from Hosts for Hospitals. We will need assistance doing laundry, providing meals for families, and welcoming guests. Consider this your invitation to heed the advice of St. Benedict of Nursia (480 - 547), who taught those in his Benedictine Order to welcome others as Christ himself. Will you help us? Perhaps you can spare a few hours one evening to wash bedsheets or linens, or maybe you can make a casserole that can be frozen and served later to a family staying with us as they seek treatment in a local hospital. We welcome your help. We will need it!

Please email me if you are interested in helping. And I hope you will join us on September 24 as we officially open our doors to the local community and beyond!

Yours in Christ
Father Kyle

Week of September 18, 2022

From an early age, I remember being in church and, at the offertory, watching my parents put their weekly tithe envelope in the collection plate. How far things have come since then! Most people now give electronically, in addition to placing some money in the plate on a weekly basis. I am grateful for the example set by my parents. I knew from as far back as I can remember that there was something important about setting aside money to give back to God.

Every week at Mass, when the offering of money is brought to the altar, I say (although it’s inaudible to the congregation), “All things come of thee, O Lord, and of thine own have we given thee” (1 Chronicles 29:14). Everything circles back to God. But I dare say that most people would rephrase the familiar line from Scripture this way: “Of what we own, O Lord, we give to thee,” or “We give what is ours to thee, O Lord.” We might not want to admit it, but we are usually led to believe that we own what we have. Our money is ours. Our house is ours (if we’ve paid off the mortgage). Our land is ours. Our success and talents are ours. But this is false. All of it, from the dollar bills in our pockets to the money in our Roth IRAs, belongs to God.

Admittedly, this is not comfortable for us to realize, which is why talking about pledging, stewardship, and money in church is not popular. But talk about it we must. I am writing these words in advance of Sunday’s kickoff of our 2023 pledge campaign, which we are now calling an advancement campaign (more on that Sunday!). And although the members of our Discipleship Committee, being chaired by Dr. Ellen Charry, are leading this campaign with gusto and creativity, as your parish priest, I believe it’s my duty to speak about the spiritual practice of pledging and giving.

The primary reason to make a pledge commitment is not practical but spiritual: giving is good for our souls. Just as it’s good for our souls to receive the Sacrament of Christ’s Body and Blood frequently, engage in good works of charity, and regularly confess our sins and receive God’s forgiveness, it is spiritually beneficial for us to give. It reminds us that all we erroneously think is ours actually belongs to God. But there’s more to this. Giving is a spiritual practice precisely when it feels sacrificial, which means not giving what is left over in our budget but doing it the other way around, which is giving first to God (making that a priority), and then figuring out how to work everything else out.

Of course, this is far from practical. We may think it’s foolish to give so liberally when we have bills to pay, mouths to feed, and retirement accounts to cultivate. There’s no question that those practical aspects of life are important, but I want to suggest that by prioritizing our gifts to God and his Church, we are shaped in a profoundly different way. The truth is that we are taught by our culture that we should usually be anxious about money. So, if we don’t look after ourselves and loved ones first, then we will be in trouble down the road. But I’m inviting you into a spiritual practice where we take a chance on God’s abundance and give to God first. And I suspect that, if we do, everything will be just fine. I’m not advocating reckless spending, but I am saying that in my own personal experience, whether it’s giving of my time that often seems in short supply or my money, I’ve never felt abandoned by God when I’ve decided to be generous. Indeed, when we are uninhibited in our generosity, we will find that, all along, we have always had enough.

On Sunday, you will hear more about why pledging is the best way to give to God’s ministry at Good Shepherd. Pledged giving can also be done in conjunction with a bit of plate giving each Sunday. But a spiritual reason for pledging is that we are forced to commit to a gift before a new fiscal year begins, rather than giving what we feel we can give at any particular moment. You can pledge online, although you may wish to wait until you have heard Sunday’s advancement presentation. A trifold brochure laying out our five-year plan and vision, a letter, and a pledge card will be mailed out in the next week or so. Even if you choose to pledge online, please plan to bring your completed pledge card to Mass on Sunday, November 13, Commitment Sunday, as a visible sign of your gift to God.

How much each of us is being called to give back to God is a matter of personal prayer and discernment. The classical Biblical standard of giving is the tithe, which is ten percent of one’s income. It’s not quite so straightforward, though. Is a tithe on income before taxes or after? Does a tithe include all forms of one’s charitable giving? These are personal questions for each of us to answer prayerfully. But the 67th General Convention of the Episcopal Church passed a resolution affirming the tithe as the “minimum standard” of giving.

As your priest, I cannot ask you to give without giving myself. As I have said before, I challenge myself to increase my pledge each year, and I have made my pledge this year. I invite you to consider joining me in making a tithe, knowing that all of our own personal circumstances are different. You may have a mortgage to pay (I do not), as well as children to care for (I do not). A tithe will look different for each of our households, and that is between each of us and God.

In addition to being a spiritual practice, giving helps support the work that we carry out at Good Shepherd in the name of Christ. I hope many of you will stay for a light lunch and advancement campaign presentation on Sunday after the Sung Mass. If you come to the 8 a.m. Low Mass, please come back after the 10:30 a.m. Mass! You will learn just how much money it takes to support ministry at Good Shepherd and why we need your help. You will also hear about our five-year plan for fiscal sustainability so that we can rely less heavily on our meager investments.

I hope you agree with me that God is doing incredible things among us at Good Shepherd. To realize our growing vision, we need to return what is God’s back to him so that it can be used in support of the gospel. Will you join me in tithing to support God’s mission this year at Good Shepherd? Thank you for your gracious support of this parish!

Yours in Christ,
Father Kyle

Week of September 11, 2022

It is difficult to be a Christian and not tell stories. Scripture itself is a large story containing many, many stories. Some of them are in consonance, others in dissonance. In the first few days of the newly-formed Church, Pentecostal fire prompted not explications of doctrine or systematic theology but stories. Whether it was Peter or Paul or Stephen, when Jesus’s disciples were forced to justify themselves, they told stories. They recounted all God’s saving deeds for his people. Every time we gather for Mass, the Eucharistic Prayer retells our story, placed in the grand story of salvation. Bread and wine on the altar must be brought into the context of the great story of salvation in Christ in order to become Christ’s Body and Blood. Stories are compelling. Stories capture the imagination. Stories are not confined to a strict mold but employ the imagination. Stories are personal, real, and concrete. But the Christian story, as captivating and dramatic as it may be, is no work of fiction. It is true. And when we tell our own stories, we find the truth of the gospel in them as well. That is what Christian discipleship is all about.

Our story at the Church of the Good Shepherd is a long one, dating back to 1869. It has seen ups and downs. But the constant thread through our local story is the story of salvation centered around the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And yet, large stories have smaller stories within them, and those stories have beginnings and endings. A significant beginning happened two years ago when you and I began our journey together as people and priest. Stories take a while to coalesce in the imagination, but when they do, they need to be told.

After two years of our shared story together, it is clear that the Holy Spirit is moving powerfully, if unpredictably at times, among us. Some of you have been a part of Good Shepherd’s story going back many years. Others have been a part of it for longer than two years. And some of you may have joined the story within the past few months or weeks. Welcome to this story.

As we begin a new program year this Sunday and look ahead to the kickoff of our 2023 Advancement Campaign, it seems crucial to tell our story. Where are we right now? Where have we been in recent years? Where are we going? Why is our story a Christian story? Where is Jesus in it?

On the Day of Pentecost, you may recall that a videographer was present to capture our parish story in video form. Telling a story—especially a story brimming with the sacramental tradition of the Church—involves all the senses. To understand Good Shepherd’s story, it’s crucial to hear and see it (imagine the smells, taste, and touch in your mind!). Thanks to this video project, we can now proudly display one glimpse into our evolving story. Watch our new parish video here. I’m thrilled to share this with you. Please share it with others!

As the video says clearly, there is a new creation among us at Good Shepherd. I can hardly imagine anything more compelling than this core precept of the gospel: in Christ, anything old can be made new, anything broken can be repaired, anything tired can be revived, anything sinful can be forgiven, and any darkness can turn into light. This is our story at Good Shepherd. You are a part of this story. But we can’t stop at that. It is our task as disciples of Jesus to go into the world and tell our story as part of that wondrous story that captured the hearts, imaginations, and souls of the earliest Christians after Jesus was raised from the dead. Will you join me in sharing this story? There’s no time like the present.

Yours in Christ,
Father Kyle

Week of September 3, 2022

In my years as a parish priest, I have been asked from time to time what membership is in the Episcopal Church. The answer is complicated in some respects, but the bottom line is simple. According to the canons of the Episcopal Church, “[a]ll persons who have received the Sacrament of Holy Baptism with water in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, whether in this Church or in another Christian Church, and whose Baptisms have been duly recorded in this Church, are members thereof” (Canon 17.1.a).

Although Baptism is the basis of membership in the Episcopal Church, there is also an expectation stated within our Church canons “that all adult members of this Church, after appropriate instruction, will have made a mature public affirmation of their faith and commitment to the responsibilities of their Baptism and will have been confirmed or received by the laying on of hands by a Bishop of this Church or by a Bishop of a Church in full communion with this Church” (Canon 17.1.c). Some of us were confirmed in other traditions and then received into the Episcopal Church by a bishop. Others were never confirmed. Whatever the case, intentional adult formation gives baptized adults an opportunity to fully embrace and claim the promises of baptism that were made on their behalf, often at a very young age.

I have already written about our Pilgrims in Christ formation process. If you are seeking a way to publicly affirm the faith into which you were baptized, I hope you will consider participating in Pilgrims. Or if you have already been confirmed but desire official reception into the Episcopal Church by a bishop, Pilgrims will prepare you for that as well. It is true that Pilgrims is a major commitment. That commitment is not intended to be inflexible, but instead, a way of claiming the rigors of Christian discipleship. The first part of Pilgrims consists of six classes, most of which focus on an Episcopal/Anglican understanding of Christianity. These first classes are introductory. If you find that a nine-month commitment is too much for your schedule, you may wish to participate only in the first six classes as a way of orienting yourself to the Episcopal Church, especially if you are seeking to be received into the Episcopal Church. Indeed the structure of Pilgrims is intended for people to periodically assess whether they intend to commit to going deeper in the process. Stopping after six weeks bears no shame. However, I assure you that you won’t regret committing to nine months! There is much to cover in Pilgrims, and six weeks is only a drop in the bucket.

But for some of you, preparing for Confirmation or Reception into the Episcopal Church may be a moot point. You may have come to Good Shepherd from another parish in the Episcopal Church or even another non-Episcopal congregation, having already been confirmed or received. If so, you may wish to make Good Shepherd your parish home. And this involves more than simply attending Mass regularly. There is a formal process for claiming membership in this parish.

Early in each new year, I begin compiling an official parochial report, which is submitted to the national Episcopal Church and includes statistics on membership and other aspects of parish life. To be counted as an “active baptized member” at Good Shepherd, your name must be enrolled in our parish register, either 1) by baptism, 2) by letter of transfer from another parish, 3) upon request (if a letter can’t be found), or 4) by Confirmation or Reception by a bishop. Additionally, to vote in parish elections, where we elect vestry members and conduct official parish business, you must officially be a member (which ensures that you are not voting or participating in parish elections in another place!).

So, as dry as all this sounds, parish membership is important. It officially marks you as a contributing member of this particular corner of the Church. As we begin a new program year, so that we can maintain accurate parish records and so that you can claim your place in this particular parish, please do let me know if you wish to be (officially) a member of the Church of the Good Shepherd. If you are interested in Pilgrims in Christ in order to be baptized or affirm the faith made on your behalf in baptism, please contact me.

Membership is by no means a definition of Christian discipleship, but at some level, it assumes commitment and an intentional marking of that commitment. I pray that all of our commitments to Christ, while perhaps starting with official membership, may blossom beyond that into something deeper. Indeed, this Sunday’s Gospel reading notes the rigors of Christian discipleship, where daily, through choices, intentions, and actions, we take up our cross and follow Jesus.

Yours in Christ,
Father Kyle

Week of August 28, 2022

Good Shepherd is not a Sunday-only church. What I mean is that, while the foundation of our corporate life together is worship of God on the first day of the week, the buildings on our campus are not dark the other six days. There are many activities happening beyond Sunday. This is healthy, and it signals vibrancy within our congregation. It also means that as you search for ways to deepen your life in Christ, you have many opportunities at Good Shepherd. It’s true that many of these opportunities do happen on Sunday, but not all of them. And this coming program year, as our new retreat house opens, there will be even more classes and events on our parish calendar.

Speaking of which, you can now find the parish events calendar on our website. I encourage you to review these events in conjunction with your own personal calendar and to mark them down. As we move forward with the work God has called us to do, our strengthened bonds of fellowship will enable us to be better conveyors of the Gospel. And so, I hope you will choose to partake of much of what is scheduled for the coming year.

Note, too, the change to adult formation this year. In additional to the weekly Pilgrims in Christ formation classes (it’s not too late to sign up!—contact me if you’re interested), we will offer monthly classes following the 10:30 a.m. Sung Mass on Sundays. Learn more about topics on our website. Presenters include our own parishioner-scholars Ellen Charry, Barry Levis, and Donald McCown, as well as Matthew Glandorf our Organist & Choirmaster and guest presenter Sarah Coakley, a systematic theologian and priest who will be with us in early December.

On Sunday, September 11, children’s formation will resume on the second floor of the retreat house. The usual time will remain the same this year: 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. However, this year, we are adding a separate class for older children and using a new Episcopal curriculum, Weaving God’s Promises, that explores the Bible in more depth, as well as the liturgy and traditions of the Episcopal Church. I’m grateful to Sarah Austen, Margaret Helminska, and Gail McCown, who assist with our children’s formation classes.

Our Main Line Early Music concert series is back for a rich season of concerts. Please note the time change to 3 p.m. We are also moving services of Choral Evensong and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament to 3 p.m. as well. I hope you may come to church in the morning, have a bite to eat for lunch, and then stay for Evensong or a concert.

There will be additional events and formation offerings connected with our new retreat house. Stay tuned for further information, but you will note on the parish events calendar various day retreats and Quiet Days. I should add that many of these events would be excellent opportunities to which you could invite a friend.

God has a vision for this parish, and we are beginning to realize it. This coming program year, we will experience more of this grand vision on the ground. Every day, I give thanks for the countless ways in which God has blessed us at Good Shepherd. I invite you to be a part of this exciting program year ahead!

Yours in Christ,
Father Kyle

Week of August 21, 2022

This week, the church and campus were alive with the sound of children’s voices as we held our second annual children’s summer camp. Children’s camp is one of my favorite weeks of the year. It stretches me outside of my normal routine, and I am forced to speak about God and Jesus without hiding behind obtuse theological language. I am encouraged to move out of my head and into my heart and to connect with the hearts of young people on their individual journeys of faith.

We began each day with Morning Prayer in the church at 9 a.m., which is our usual custom at Good Shepherd. I admit to initially wondering whether this would work with children from ages five through eleven, but it did. Some children enjoyed getting the Angelus bell started. Others read lessons. And no one rushed the pause at the asterisk in the middle of the psalm verses, which is frequently difficult for adults! In full disclosure, we did slightly simplify the Office, with one reading and canticle, but otherwise, it was more or less straight up Morning Prayer from the prayer book. I think it is important for children to encounter our normal “adult” liturgy from an early age. Children are so much more sophisticated than we often give them credit for.

Our theme this week was “Saints and Holy Helpers.” Each day, we heard stories of different saints from all over the world and from across the centuries of the Church. Particularly compelling were the stories of St. Augustine of Hippo (known affectionately among the children as “Hippo”) and St. Paul. As one child put it, those stories teach us that with God’s help, we always have a chance to move from “bad” to “good.” God uses the most unlikely candidates to advance his message of good news. And what good news that is to all of us, sinners and fragile human beings.

I always love the art projects that Gail McCown does with the children. Most of this week’s projects were tied to saints. Children made “islands” fit for more than just “one man,” for as John Donne said, “no man is an island entire of itself.” We saw images of Julian of Norwich’s cat. Sarah Austen led songs each day and helped with musical games. Heidi Kolberg assisted the children with projects and guided campers as they made cookies on one day. All our service projects this week were intended to support our parish’s new ministry, the Rosemont Community Retreat House. Children helped (partially) assemble a new bed on the third floor. They made cookie dough to freeze for future guests in the house. They compiled guestbooks for the rooms. Children also painted crosses to adorn the rooms in the new retreat house. They decorated coasters and placemats, too.

On Thursday, there was much sidewalk chalk art, including some heartwarming messages to people who routinely stop in the church to pray. This week, I felt a palpable energy on campus. Not only were our doors open, as they are daily, but the children’s presence and their artistic messages on the sidewalk to the local community made me feel a stronger connection between church and neighborhood. Take note of this artwork on Sunday when you come to Mass (unless it rains!).

I am grateful to all who helped with camp, and especially to the parents who entrusted their children to our care for this week. Good Shepherd is far richer for the presence of children among us. They serve at the altar and read lessons for Mass. All ages are integrated into the worship of God, as well as in service to the local community, which was evidenced this past week. May God send us more children to grow and be nourished in the faith here, and may we always be open to the wisdom that even the very youngest can share with us, helping us to know Jesus in new ways.

Yours in Christ,
Father Kyle

Week of August 14, 2022

“All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ. . .” These are the opening words of chapter 53 of The Rule of St. Benedict, authored by St. Benedict of Nursia (480 - 547) sometime in the sixth century. Although monasticism predates St. Benedict, it was Benedict who created a rule of life for his monastic community that lives on to this day. When we think of classic monasticism, we usually think of Benedict. Many of the well-known Episcopal and Anglican monastic communities describe themselves as Benedictine.

In chapter 53 of his Rule, Benedict discusses how monks are to welcome guests at the monastery. The chapter is worth reading in its entirety, but two sentences are especially striking: “All humility should be shown in addressing a guest on arrival or departure. By a bow of the head or by a complete prostration of the body, Christ is adored because he is indeed welcomed in them” [The Rule of St. Benedict, ed. Timothy Fry (New York: Vintage, 1998), 51]. The mark of many modern monastic houses is hospitality. While some monasteries are known for producing cheese, agricultural products, wine, or even Chartreuse!, many are oriented towards welcoming guests.

And this is precisely the impetus for our new retreat house at Good Shepherd: the Rosemont Community Retreat House. We are not, of course, a monastery, but there is a somewhat Benedictine rhythm to our worship. It is quasi-monastic. Our retreat house will not (at least at first!) be known for producing garden vegetables or cheese or beer. We will be known for welcoming guests. And if we heed the words of Benedict’s Rule, we will welcome each guest as Christ himself.

This, however, should not be solely a monastic or retreat house posture. Every Christian is called to welcome and treat others as Christ himself. Indeed, such welcome is scriptural. Benedict himself quotes our Lord’s words from Matthew 25:35: “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”

In welcoming guests through our retreat house, we will not only be heeding Jesus’s commandment; we will be offering charity and hospitality to those in need, whether spiritual or material. All of us have needs and are poor in some sense. But those of us on the welcoming end of the retreat house will also be changed in the process, I pray. There is a sacrificial component to entrusting one’s rooms or space to a stranger. Trust must be involved. It is not always comfortable. And yet, it is spiritually nourishing for us to open our space and our hearts to strangers.

It is also my prayer that this parish will come to embrace the retreat house as a collective ministry, for this house cannot be run only by me, the staff, and the vestry. It is our shared ministry. Ways in which you can help will become more evident over time, but right now, there are things you can do.

1. You can volunteer to stay after Mass on a Sunday, or come on a weekday at your convenience, to move furniture, tidy up rooms, decorate, and organize. We need your help. Let me know if you can.

2. You can spread the word to others whom you think would benefit from a retreat here. Retreats are available for individuals and groups, and we will host many day retreats on Saturdays. Learn more here.

3. You can donate or purchase furniture items. We especially need comfortable sitting chairs, desks, lamps (table and floor), and a chest freezer for food storage.

4. You can help us fundraise so that we do not draw from our meager investments to support this new ministry. One of the easiest ways to fundraise is to establish a Facebook fundraiser to benefit a non-profit, in this case, the Church of the Good Shepherd. Choose “The Church of the Good Shepherd, Bryn Mawr” in the fundraising section of your Facebook page, set up a fundraiser, and let people know that they will be supporting the Rosemont Community Retreat House. (I recently did this and raised $1,300.) Consider doing this on your birthday. The church will automatically be mailed a check at the end of the fundraiser.

5. You can sidestep a fundraiser and donate yourself. It’s easy. Click here and choose the “retreats” dropdown option.

6. You can volunteer to welcome families, as Christ himself, from Hosts for Hospitals when they begin lodging here. You can also prepare meals and drop them off for families or stock them in our future chest freezer.

7. You can offer to help with the laundry after guests depart or restock the kitchens from time to time.

8. And last, but not least, you can commit to joining in our regular public rhythm of prayer, whether by coming to Morning or Evening Prayer on weekdays, or to Low Masses on Wednesday and Friday mornings at 8 a.m., as well as on all Major Holy Days. This rhythm of prayer will be the heart and bedrock of our retreat house, and it takes a community to make it happen.

These are only some of the many ways you can help. Please let me know if you would like to participate in this ministry in some way. Financial and practical help is important, but I hope you might consider ways of helping that allow you to interact with our guests themselves so that you can truly welcome each one of them as Christ himself, in the person, in the flesh. This personal relationship is the very heart of mission and outreach.

Finally, do stay tuned for more information on day retreats throughout the year. The first one will be a women’s day retreat hosted by Chris Wittrock, our Parish Administrator, on September 17. Register here. This retreat house is very much a community retreat house. In the fall, we are planning to host a series of conversations and educational offerings geared towards parents and children/youth around mental health and well-being. There will be more like this. Perhaps you have ideas, too.

It is my prayer that this retreat house will welcome all as Christ himself. That is the mark of true Christian hospitality. As a former sign in front of the church on Lancaster Avenue read, “Our Minds and Our Hearts Are Open.” Now, it’s time to put that statement into practice. Will you join us?

Yours in Christ,
Father Kyle

Week of August 7, 2022

One of the great joys of being a parish priest is leading Christian formation. I have always loved teaching, and for me, the priestly vocation is the perfect marriage of the art of teaching and the content of Christian faith. This is the time of year in which I begin to get excited about a new program year and its possibilities for Christian formation.

There are numerous opportunities at Good Shepherd to explore the Christian faith. Over the past program year, we discovered that the period of time immediately before Sung Mass is not the most ideal for adult formation. Attendance was inconsistent, and many people who might attend adult formation are frequently occupied with liturgical duties before Mass. Therefore, we will be moving to monthly adult formation offerings after Sung Mass, with a light lunch provided. Stay tuned for more information on those topics. Children’s formation will continue at the usual time before Sung Mass (9:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.).

But our most in-depth adult formation offering at Good Shepherd is Pilgrims in Christ. Each week of the program year, I find myself looking forward to Pilgrims. Many of you have probably heard that we have a Pilgrims in Christ class but are perhaps wondering what it is. Pilgrims meets weekly (with occasional exceptions) from mid-September to early June, on Thursday evenings from 7 to 8:30 p.m. It is intended for any who desire to go deeper in their faith journeys. Some participants are preparing for Holy Baptism, Confirmation, or Reception into the Episcopal Church (if they’ve previously been confirmed). Others have been long-time members of the Episcopal Church and simply wish to reaffirm their baptismal vows. And some are not looking to “do” anything; they are only interested in the pilgrim journey of faith.

I hesitate to call Pilgrims a “class.” As I’ve said, it’s really a journey of faith. It’s a process. The only qualification for participation is a willingness to be changed by the power of the Holy Spirit. That’s it. Pilgrims stands out from other adult formation offerings in this parish because it’s a long-term and comprehensive exploration of Christian doctrine, practice, and belief. Pilgrims takes as its structural model the ancient catechumenate, which prepared adults for the sacrament of Baptism. It is in four parts. The first part is “Inquiry,” a gentle toe dip into the Christian life, the practices and history of this parish, and Anglicanism in general. The second part is "The Catechumenate.” in part two, we take a deep dive into Scripture and the historical doctrines of our faith, somewhat akin to a whirlwind course in systematic theology. The third part takes the participant from head to heart and is called “Enlightenment.” Part three happens during Lent, and we explore spirituality through the lens of the Gospel readings from Year A of the Sunday Mass lectionary cycle. We also prepare for Easter. The final part, and arguably the most important but most often neglected, is “Mystagogia.” In the mystagogia section, we discern how God is calling us to live as witnesses to the Gospel in the world. If you are interested in seeing last year’s “syllabus,” you can find that here.

Pilgrims is a large time commitment, but I think it’s worth it. If the Episcopal Church is new to you, I encourage you to consider making time for Pilgrims. I always say that to understand the ethos of Anglicanism, you have to swim for a while in its waters. Anglicanism is a way of life, a spiritual practice you might say. Unlike our Sunday formation “buffet offerings” on a variety of topics, Pilgrims takes the participants systematically through the Christian faith. And Pilgrims looks at the Christian faith through an Anglican lens. If you are hesitant about making a commitment to Pilgrims, you can always begin and try out the “Inquiry” phase. If it doesn’t work, you can discontinue. There’s no harm and shame in giving it a try for a bit to see if the schedule works and then deciding that it doesn’t. Pilgrims is offered every year.

A final benefit of participating in Pilgrims is that you become a part of a new community of people. Pilgrims, indeed, builds community. It’s difficult to spend nine months with the same group of people and not feel connected to them in some new way.

The first Pilgrims class will be on Thursday, September 15 in Canterbury House. Whether you’ve been a member of the Episcopal Church your entire life or are relatively new, and especially if you want to mark a new entrance into this communion of God’s Church, I invite you to prayerfully consider being a Pilgrim in Christ this year. I don’t think you’ll regret it. Please reach out to me with any questions.

Yours in Christ,
Father Kyle

Week of July 31, 2022

Right now, bishops from across the Anglican Communion are gathering in Canterbury, England, at the Lambeth Conference. This conference, which usually meets every ten years, is named after Lambeth Palace, the official London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury. Invited to this conference are all bishops within the Anglican Communion, summoned at the invitation of the Most Rev. Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury. The idea of an Anglican Communion dates back to 1867 and is relatively recent if you recall that the Act of Supremacy, when the English monarch was declared head of the English Church, dates to 1534. It was only after years of colonization, in which the English Church planted roots across the world, that it became necessary to speak of an Anglican Communion. In order to maintain some sense of visible unity within this Communion, four instruments of communion have evolved within Anglicanism: the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lambeth Conference, the Primates' Meeting (including archbishops, presiding bishops, moderators, and chief pastors of the forty-one provinces), and the Anglican Consultative Council. Note that the Archbishop of Canterbury's status is primus inter pares, "first among equals." He is first and foremost the Bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. His position is a visible witness to wider unity. However, the Archbishop of Canterbury has no authority over dioceses other than his own. When I was in seminary, Archbishop Welby visited for the dedication of the new seminary chapel, and the first thing he said in the pulpit was that he was present at the invitation of the Bishop of Virginia, acknowledging that a bishop can only preside or function in another bishop's diocese with his or her permission,.

The Anglican Communion is comprised of forty-six different churches (forty-one member churches or provinces) and five national or local churches, known as extra provincials, and it spans 165 different countries. Unlike the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion is not governed by its own hierarchy. The nature of communion within Anglicanism is regional, very much akin to the earliest days of the Church. Anglican doctrine is generous, circumscribed by certain bounds and classically delineated by the three-legged stool: Scripture, tradition, and reason. Doctrine is less about subscribing to systematic intellectual statements and more about a way of life that strives to conform to the Biblical witness, the universal Church's historic teaching (especially as stated in the creeds), and individual conscience guided by prayer.

I believe firmly that Anglicanism is a gift to worldwide Christianity. If Anglicanism remains true to her guiding principle of maintaining unity within diversity, the Anglican Communion can show other communions what it looks like to remain in fellowship with one another in spite of difference. In this regard, schism is inherently un-Anglican because it implicitly or explicitly states that differences cannot be tolerated and that Christians cannot exist in loving fellowship if they do not agree on everything. It is a profound irony that many of the schismatic churches that have broken off from fellowship in the Anglican Communion continue to use the title "Anglican," as the impetus for schism is, as I have said, deeply un-Anglican. It is also helpful to note that many "Anglican" churches in the United States are not members of the Anglican Communion.

The bishops gathering at Lambeth in these two weeks will discuss many things. But they will not—indeed, cannot—promulgate official doctrine because that is not the purpose of the conference. The conference is essentially an exercise in witnessing to unity within difference: how do diverse Christians walk the Way of Christ together? This is at the heart of the Gospel and is most vividly expressed in the apostle Paul's doctrine of the Body of Christ. No member of the body can dispense with another. The smallest toe is just as important as the brain. This witness to unity, even when painful and distressing differences surfaces, is badly needed within the worldwide Church.

You may be aware that Episcopal bishops and Canadian bishops were distressed in the past week to find that among a draft of the "Lambeth calls" was a proposed "reaffirmation of Lambeth I.10 that upholds marriage as between a man and a woman and requires deeper work to uphold the dignity and witness of LGBTQ Anglicans." It is no secret that human sexuality has been the source of much tension within the Anglican Communion in the past twenty years. And yet, the fact that the Communion can hold together regional churches that disagree on the definition of marriage is a bold testimony to Anglicanism's value of unity within difference.

My sense is that the recent distress over the proposed language in the draft call (which has since been altered) was because it was asking for affirmation of something that is not universally accepted within Anglicanism. To reaffirm Lambeth 1.10 would be hypocritical and dishonest for most Episcopal bishops. And as I have already said, Lambeth Conferences do not make doctrine. So, the revised Lambeth says the following: "Many Provinces continue to affirm that same gender marriage is not permissible. Lambeth Resolution I.10 (1998) states that the 'legitimizing or blessing of same sex unions' cannot be advised. Other Provinces have blessed and welcomed same sex union/marriage after careful theological reflection and a process of reception. As Bishops we remain committed to listening and walking together to the maximum possible degree, despite our deep disagreement on these issues."

Clearly, the bishops at Lambeth need our prayers as they engage in challenging conversations around sensitive topics that reflect a range of officially sanctioned practices within the wider Communion. This week at Good Shepherd, we have been praying for the bishops. Our own bishop has written a recent update from Lambeth. While dredging up a Lambeth resolution from 1998 has been offensive to many LGBTQ persons of faith, it is clear that the concerns of more liberal bishops within the Anglican Communion were heard. That is a good and encouraging sign because it means that people are listening to one another.

This also means that the principle of unity within diversity is working, on some level. The problem with unity within diversity is that it is messy. Many do not like this. But the reality is that messiness doesn't have to be a problem. Messiness is at the heart of the Gospel. It's there in the paradoxes of the creeds and parables of Jesus. It's in the ordinary complexities of life. Perhaps Anglicanism, at its very best, can witness to this in some small way, especially to other Christian communions that do not tolerate difference well or that eject those who differ from a "party line."

If any of you have been distressed by the happenings this week at Lambeth, know that you are part of a diocese and parish that are committed not just to affirming the dignity of every human being, but to putting that affirmation into practice. I think our parish authentically exemplifies unity within difference. It's healthy, in my opinion, that we don't all think alike. But what unites us is our love of Christ and the Gospel. When we come to the Communion rail at Mass, the only thing that matters at that moment is that Jesus is being offered to us in bread and wine. This is the opposite of schism. This is what it means to be a member of the Body of Christ.

Yours in Christ,
Father Kyle