I hope and pray that you are well. This Sunday, in adult Sunday school I will deviate a little from the church history class I have been teaching and do my best to offer a summary of General Convention. The class will begin at 9:15 AM. For those interested, please come.

The most important part of General Convention this year was the election of a new presiding bishop. Bishop Sean Rowe was elected on the first ballot. Please join me in saying a prayer for him.

I hope and pray that you are well. I am looking forward to tomorrow night and Bluegrass on the Point! Come bring a picnic, dance, listen and play.

This week the 81st General Convention of the Episcopal Church begins. Over the next two weeks as a church some of our very best and worst tendencies will be on display. At our best, we will gather in worship and prayer. People with big hearts will discuss how we can be the church in a rapidly changing world. At our worst, the biases and politics of that world will play out. General Convention is, after all, attended by humans, not saints, and humans do human things. 

Vacation Bible School is coming up soon! So is Bluegrass on the Point. Martineers and the next SnoBall Sunday are right around the corner. On top of all this I am delighted to say that even with folks traveling and enjoying summer, worship on Sundays has been going strong. I am excited for this summer, and I hope you are too.

What are your summer traditions? What are your summer favorites? For me, summer is a low country boil on the beach or in my backyard, although I grew up calling it Frogmore stew.

For me it's a fish fry, bluegill or bass, caught on a pond as the sun sets and the fireflies start to light up the world.

I hope and pray this e-Messenger finds you well. I found myself reflecting a lot about last Sunday. Denise and I had family coming into town, so Saturday was for us, a cleaning day. You all know the deal! After a birthday dinner with friends, we settled in for the night. The next day was a whirlwind. A smaller than usual 8 AM service, and a larger than usual 10:30 AM service that included young Ben's baptism. It was amazing!

Trinity Sunday is one of my favorite Sundays of the year. We have a trinitarian faith in that we believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – Three in one, one in three. The Trinity is a topic that has filled thousands of pages. It is a topic that has tarnished the positive reputation of some truly gifted preachers. It is, alas, after all of this time, one of the great mysteries of our faith.

Last night I had the privilege of seeing the famous synchronous fireflies at Congaree National Park. For me, it was special to simply spend time with family and friends, while also marveling at nature. The funny thing to me is that there are no pictures of the event. To take a picture with my phone would have ruined the display, as the light would have disrupted the pattern.

Going to see the fireflies is a commitment to be present and experience something, to commit that sight to your mind, and then to commit it to your memory. I highly recommend it!

In 1967 the last piece of our great window (the window in the back of the church) was installed. This window is unique for several reasons. The first is the use of 23-karat gold leaf that shines over the point in the evening sun. That was unique at the time in that Henry Lee Willet (the primary artist) combined techniques with his son and daughter to invent a new style of hand-blown stained glass. The style now named the "Willet Sculpted Gold Window" was invented to look beautiful both in daylight and at night. What is intriguing to me about the style is that it combined the traditional hand-blown glass that the Willet family was known for, with techniques taught to the parents by the kids – one generation learning from another.

Caitlyn and I have just started recording a new season of podcasts. Look for the first one to be released tomorrow!

We plan to invite some fun guests, but mostly this summer we want to explore themes of friendship and community, specifically in the face of what experts have described as a growing loneliness epidemic.

This morning, with a cup of coffee in my hand, I find myself thinking about the young people of our church, and praying for each of them as they prepare for the weeks ahead. For our youngest families, who are finishing up preschool and preparing for the next steps, please know you are in my prayers. Something new is right around the corner! As a parent, I know the anxiety that comes with something new. I also know the fun that lies ahead.

Alleluia, Christ is risen!

I hope and pray you are well! Soon, perhaps as early as this Sunday evening, you may find yourself receiving a call from a member of our Youth Group. They will be calling to sell you a "stock" investment in our youth. For a minimum of $10, you can buy stock in our kids as they raise funds and prepare for their upcoming spiritual pilgrimage to Ecuador.

Alleluia, Christ is risen!

I hope all of you are well and that the joy of Easter is still fresh in your hearts. This Sunday will be special in the life of our church! Music will be led by our children and youth as St. Martin's hosts the annual Treble Festival. The Treble Festival is a wonderful sacred music tradition, and it is an honor for St. Martin's to host these talented musicians and choirs from all over the Carolinas! They have worked hard and have been diligent in their practice. Come help us celebrate them. It's going to be lots of fun.

Alleluia, Christ is risen!

I look forward to continuing to celebrate the festival time of Easter with you all. Easter Day should always be followed by a period of celebration in which we reflect on God's grace and the gifts of God given to each of us.

I am grateful for everyone who participated in our Holy Week and Easter services. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I am also grateful for the leaders of this church who helped us navigate this busy time. From Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday, more than 1,000 people came through our doors and worshiped with us. It takes a team to minister to this many people. Thank you!

I am looking forward to participating in the next few days with you all: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil, and Easter Sunday. These are the most important days of our Church year. Walking through Holy Week and Easter with you all is such a blessing. If you have never participated in a Holy Week service, I encourage you to come. Each service is a unique experience that expresses both our faith and love.

This Sunday is Palm Sunday, a day of mixed emotions, and quite frankly mixed messages. The service starts with a parade, the waving of palms, and a joyful march into the church. Then, as we enter into the church, there is a transition that takes place from a joyous parade into a funeral procession. We the people of God, who shout "Hosanna!" transform from laughter and happiness into an angry mob that shouts "crucify him!" as we play our part in the Passion of Christ.

There is a rhythm to church life that comes out this time of year. My parents are both Episcopalian, so this rhythm is something I, like some of you, have known all my life. Church on Sunday, Sunday school, and Wednesday night church soup/church suppers, become part of a routine of faith, family, and friendship. I am grateful for this routine.

I hope and pray that you are well. I am writing this from a hotel coffee shop in Houston. Our church has once again gathered with churches from across the country for the annual Episcopal Parish Network Conference, or EPN. EPN is a unique conference in that a huge piece of it focuses on money—how to raise it, how to spend it, how to talk about it, and how to ask for it.

Not many people have a 5-story tall monument that reminds them of their fears. I do. It's a cell phone tower. It stands in the back of Trinity Episcopal Church in Waterloo, IA. In my heart it stands as a testament to my inexperience as a priest, the grip of corporate anxiety, and a reminder of the short-sighted thinking that often goes along with a fear of money.

Lent is in full swing. Traditionally, Lent is a time in which we both give things up and take things on. In terms of giving up, the church asks for us to fast from things that pull us away from our relationships with God and neighbor. In terms of taking things on, the church invites us to take on practices that draw us into a better relationship with God and neighbor. Give up that which pushes us away, take on that which draws us near.

I usually write my e-messengers from home on Thursday mornings. Denise has gone to work, and the kids have gone to school. I have a cup of hot coffee beside me. As I look around at the remains of the breakfast that needs to be tidied, the bike on the trainer for Noah to ride after school, and Lydia's various track and field accessories, I find myself feeling overwhelmingly grateful. I also find myself thinking and reflecting on the things in my life that all too often distract me from what I know to be important.