Confession is such a spiritually important and often over looked and misunderstood sacrament of the Church. And while I’d agree that most of the traditional seven sacraments are misunderstood and often overlooked it has been my experience as a priest that the Sacrament of Confession tops such a list. A…
Poetry
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Desires of the Heart
What do I desire? I desire freedom, the kind that encourages unconditional love and self-expression. I desire intimacy and by that I don’t exclusively mean sex. For me intimacy, begins with small shared experiences between people – a touch, a whisper, an embrace, a kiss, a caress, a breath, a…
LGBTQ+
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Transgender Day of Remembrance 2014
Introduction Given at the Transgender Day of Remembrance 2014 St. Martin’s Episcopal Church Fayetteville Arkansas By Bishop Brian Ernest Brown I Wonder Did You Know You Were Making History By Stephanie Mott In honor of those who have walked openly in the light and in memory of those who have…
LGBTQ+
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Litany of Thanks for Diversity, Empowerment, and Reconciliation
This is a litany I composed for the opening prayer at a workshop on Gender Identities and Our Faith Communities sponsored by PFLAG and held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Fayetteville, AR November 8, 2014. What a dynamic, courageous, and passionate group of folks. I was very honored and…
Independent Sacramental Movement
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Validity, Legitimacy, & Education
Recently I had the occasion to dialogue with a young priest in the ISM (Independent Sacramental Movement) on Facebook. While he wasn’t necessarily young in age, he hadn’t been ordained long. The conversation started with some folks talking about the need for better training for clergy in the ISM, or…
LGBTQ+
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Coming Out
“Coming Out” is a loaded phrase. It’s wrapped in innuendo, cultural baggage, and no small amount of expectation, but now that I have your attention… In some ways, what I’m about to say has been a long time coming. In other ways, it feels anticlimactic, because most of you already…
Musings
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Harvest Home
Autumn is falling on the Ozark Mountains, the leaves are changing and the air is crisp in the mornings and cool in the evenings. The last of the harvest season is upon us. The pumpkin patches are full and soon the Great Pumpkin will arise from the Pumpkin Patch, or…
Poetry
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Inevitable
Like a sunset, some things are inevitable. And too like a sunset, the inevitable may just be as welcomed. Darkness is near and it will be time to rest. It is inevitable.
Poetry
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Masts at Dawn
Masts at Dawn By Robert Penn Warren Past second cock-crow yacht masts in the harbor go slowly white. No light in the east yet, but the stars show a certain fatigue. They withdraw into a new distance, have discovered our unworthiness. It is long since The owl, in the dark…