A Shepherd In The Field

And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan, and he was with the wild beasts, and the angels waited on him.   Mark 1:12–13 As Jesus stood at the edge of the wilderness, he saw an expanse of desolation—the wind, heat, obstacles, danger, and no definable path or exit. It would be natural for fear, anxiety, uncertainty, and despair to envelop every moment. He experienced everything we would, but Jesus was without sin.   Recall the instances when, before us, there is a bleak and barren expanse. We begin to doubt, lose hope, and feel isolated and lost. Many feel lost in the wilderness right now. 1 Corinthians reminds us that we may not understand God's plan, but we are led to have the mind of Christ. This is our hope as we enter the holy season of Lent. Jesus stepped forward with faith. Because he had unity with the Spirit, knowing God was with him with perfect love.   While the wilderness is dau...

  My Siblings in Christ, Since the beginning of this year, I have had 131 meetings with our churches, with you. I spend every waking hour and many sleepless nights thinking about how we can strengthen our churches, deepen our faith, and make your prayers a reality. At each visitation, I deeply listen to your dreams, fears, and challenges.  The number one question I am asked is:  How can we grow? Beginning this Advent, and continuing for the next three to four years, the diocesan offices will not launch new initiatives. Once again, all our financial, spiritual, and physical resources will be used to grow our churches, empower your ministries, connect churches, and build up the resources you need to meet the challenges ahead. (See the list of resources we have and are continuing to build for you:  https://www.diopa.org/help . ) I believe our parishes and their ministries are the direct connection between the world and the Gospel. The purpose of the diocese is to w...

  My Siblings in Christ, This has been a trying time for our country. The election results have left some joyous and others despondent and fearful. Our public discourse made the darkest parts of our human interactions painfully evident. The willingness, ease, and capacity to hurt people should unsettle our collective consciousness. Our light as a people seems somewhat diminished. There is a growing sense of bitterness and distrust—a gnawing despair in the realization that we do not know our neighbor or community. Yet we hope when all seems hopeless. That hope is not in institutions or governments. It stems from our true identity. While we rejoice when the values we hold dear as Christians align with those of our elected officials and despair when they do not, our identity rests in Christ. Through the ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have been adopted into a family that transcends earthly governments and politics. (John 1:12) Jesus taught us true humanity and ho...

 I am catching up on two days. All have been packed with visits and events. Each day, we start before sunrise and conclude late into the evening. For me, this is not tiring but invigorating.   Let’s start with the dedication of the Anglican Communion Forest in Central America located at El Maizal in El Salvador.  It was a two-hour drive from San Salvador, and we were warned it would be warm (minor understatement).  The drive was spectacular, and the people are beautiful.  I feel so at home in Latin America.  The faithful traveled from various parts of the diocese, and the service was an outdoor Eucharist filled with singing.  The warning about the heat was an understatement.  The humidity hovered around 88%, and well into the third hour, the “feels like” temperature read 106.  We traveled another hour and had lunch on the Pacific Ocean at a restaurant that leases on property owned by the Diocese of El Salvador. The view and the food were spec...