Sermon given at the ordination of the Rev. Claire Brown to the priesthood, Sept. 8, 2018 Rev. Allyn Maxfield-Steele, Co-Executive Director Highlander Research & Education Center INTRO This passage is part of John’s last recorded appearance of the resurrected Jesus to the disciples. It is among the last breaths of John’s Gospel, which the author wrote “so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life
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The Right Rev. Brian Cole has appointed the Venerable Chris Harpster as Archdeacon of the Episcopal Church in East Tennessee. The Venerable Harpster will continue in his duties at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Kingsport and at East Tennessee State University (ETSU) with this new appointment. Bishop Cole said, “Chris’ new role as Archdeacon will focus on providing administrative oversight and support of deacons in the Diocese. The classical definition of anArchdeacon is a senior clergy person who provides some kind of administrative or leadership
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The Ordination of Jason Clark and Josh Weaver to the Order of Deacons St. Paul’s Chattanooga | Acts 6:2-7 | Luke 22:24-27 “Is there a need for deacons in the Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee?” That very question was posed to me in a meeting last week. The person who asked the question was a man who had come to see me, to inquire about beginning a process of discernment, to discover, with a listening community, whether he was being called to
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15th Sunday after Pentecost 2018 – Christ Church Rugby Song of Solomon 2:8-13 | Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 “Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.” Amen. The man in the back of the room is very upset. He doesn’t think anyone believes the Bible anymore. He keeps asking you about the little black book with the gold cross on the front. As he says these words, he continually sketches with his fingers in the air an image of a
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Bishop Cole today announced the Rev. Michelle Warriner Bolt as his Canon to the Ordinary. Bolt will begin her new work on September 1. The Rev. Canon Michael Spear-Jones has briefly served as Interim Canon, following the departure of the Rev. Canon Pat Grace this past June. Bolt will oversee Transition Ministry, Congregational Development, serve as […]
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By Sister Hannah, CSM Even though the Community of St. Mary has been around for 153 years, a lot of people are still not aware of our existence. We are the oldest Episcopal monastic community for women in America, but there are those who try to convince us that there are no such persons as Episcopal nuns! And yet, here I am, a Sister of St. Mary in the Southern Province with our convent in Sewanee, Tennessee. There is also
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By The Rev. RJ Powell and Ms. Wiatta Thomas Among the daily deluge of rapid changes in our world that put many of us on edge, there has been increasing chatter throughout the Episcopal Church generally wondering how well we are engaging the world in the midst of these changes and how well we, as a Church, are living into the baptismal identity to which the Spirit has called us in Jesus Christ. “Will you strive for justice and peace among
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