August 4
Friends,
This past Sunday was spectacular! Many of you witnessed, with me, the movement of the Spirit as we praised God, gave thanks, and saw Adriel, Serenity, and Onesimo baptized into God’s holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. Baptisms are always special for me as I recall my own baptism, my own children’s baptisms, and the baptisms I have been blessed to witness as a deacon and priest. Yet this one will hold a particular place for me. For, you see, this was the first time I ever administered the Sacrament of Baptism, or any Sacrament, in any language other than English. Never before, had I used any language other than English for these holy acts. And it felt so good and right!
I mean, I know I am not getting it all right. I mispronounce vowels. I get flustered and scrambled. I, by no means, mean to say that I am doing it perfectly. But that isn’t the point, it’s about doing it. Not only did we see the Spirit move in the waters of baptism, but we heard Her speak in the cacophony and chaos of our collective voices. Aren’t we glad God hears our voices in beautiful harmony, even if we cannot yet. So let us continue to try.
One last thought. I was blessed to be able to go to a reception hosted by the Montano family. As I sat down with my pasole and fajitas, the gaggle of kids in the family sat with me. I learned that they were 8, 11, and 12. They asked me many questions about our parish. I told them about the playground and normal Sunday plans. They were sad because they live in Abq and didn’t come to St James except for baptisms. I asked how many baptisms they had been to at St James. They then told me that each of them had been baptized at St James over the years. And each had been baptized by a different rector over those years. And in that moment I felt a wave of gratitude for the Sunday School opportunity I had just been given to be with OUR kids. I got to sit and eat with OUR kids. I got to wonder and be vulnerable with OUR kids. And I got to stand in the long line of faithful folk, laity, deacons, priests, and bishops, who have responded with Love to the barriers others establish to the full and open community of God.
So thank you for last Sunday’s baptisms and for all that came before too!
Mac+
This past Sunday was spectacular! Many of you witnessed, with me, the movement of the Spirit as we praised God, gave thanks, and saw Adriel, Serenity, and Onesimo baptized into God’s holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. Baptisms are always special for me as I recall my own baptism, my own children’s baptisms, and the baptisms I have been blessed to witness as a deacon and priest. Yet this one will hold a particular place for me. For, you see, this was the first time I ever administered the Sacrament of Baptism, or any Sacrament, in any language other than English. Never before, had I used any language other than English for these holy acts. And it felt so good and right!
I mean, I know I am not getting it all right. I mispronounce vowels. I get flustered and scrambled. I, by no means, mean to say that I am doing it perfectly. But that isn’t the point, it’s about doing it. Not only did we see the Spirit move in the waters of baptism, but we heard Her speak in the cacophony and chaos of our collective voices. Aren’t we glad God hears our voices in beautiful harmony, even if we cannot yet. So let us continue to try.
One last thought. I was blessed to be able to go to a reception hosted by the Montano family. As I sat down with my pasole and fajitas, the gaggle of kids in the family sat with me. I learned that they were 8, 11, and 12. They asked me many questions about our parish. I told them about the playground and normal Sunday plans. They were sad because they live in Abq and didn’t come to St James except for baptisms. I asked how many baptisms they had been to at St James. They then told me that each of them had been baptized at St James over the years. And each had been baptized by a different rector over those years. And in that moment I felt a wave of gratitude for the Sunday School opportunity I had just been given to be with OUR kids. I got to sit and eat with OUR kids. I got to wonder and be vulnerable with OUR kids. And I got to stand in the long line of faithful folk, laity, deacons, priests, and bishops, who have responded with Love to the barriers others establish to the full and open community of God.
So thank you for last Sunday’s baptisms and for all that came before too!
Mac+
July 29
Friends,
I have two wonderful announcements.
First off, another sign of resurrection! The Office hours are shifting adding more regularity and consistency. As you know, we had to shutter our offices, and then create ways to keep folks distanced while in the office. This led to odd and irregular schedules that were required to abide the protocols we had for our safety and your safety. As we have progressed through the pandemic, we have continued to make small changes as we could and we have reached yet another of those places.
Beginning August 1: St James Office will be open 10am-2pm Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Gwen will be there to welcome and assist you in any way she can. I will retain my current OPEN office hours from noon-2 on Monday, and of course you can email, call, or text to make an appointment any time Sunday through Thursday. Other staff will be adjusting their schedules to be in the office some during those times. As Thursdays are so busy with our Food Pantry, our staff will be working from home or shut-in in the office doing the administrative work that must be done and is terribly difficult to do as meetings and visitors happen. As always, I am always available on my phone for any pastoral emergency. I do keep Friday as my Sabbath and Saturday as our family day. Please join me in rejoicing as we continue to find Resurrection in our midst.
Secondly, I have received a letter from our dear Bishop Hunn. He has assigned the Rev Deacon Jerome Williams to be our new deacon. Deacon Jerome was ordained in our cathedral in June, at one of the ordinations I attended that month, and is in the process of becoming a priest. Similar to where Rev Jill was a little more than a year ago. And to remind you, the Episcopal Church follows the ancient tradition of sequential ordination; that is every priest was first and is always a deacon, and every bishop was first and is always a deacon and priest. So Deacon Jerome comes to us ordained and, like us all, still learning. He will serve at our altar on Sundays and other feasts and observances. He will proclaim the Gospel and aid in our continued formation. Jerome and his family live In Ohkay Owingeh and will commute up to us as he continues his professional work as well. Deacon Jerome’s first Sunday with us will be August 7th. Please join me in welcoming Deacon Jerome and his family to St James, Taos.
Mac+
I have two wonderful announcements.
First off, another sign of resurrection! The Office hours are shifting adding more regularity and consistency. As you know, we had to shutter our offices, and then create ways to keep folks distanced while in the office. This led to odd and irregular schedules that were required to abide the protocols we had for our safety and your safety. As we have progressed through the pandemic, we have continued to make small changes as we could and we have reached yet another of those places.
Beginning August 1: St James Office will be open 10am-2pm Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Gwen will be there to welcome and assist you in any way she can. I will retain my current OPEN office hours from noon-2 on Monday, and of course you can email, call, or text to make an appointment any time Sunday through Thursday. Other staff will be adjusting their schedules to be in the office some during those times. As Thursdays are so busy with our Food Pantry, our staff will be working from home or shut-in in the office doing the administrative work that must be done and is terribly difficult to do as meetings and visitors happen. As always, I am always available on my phone for any pastoral emergency. I do keep Friday as my Sabbath and Saturday as our family day. Please join me in rejoicing as we continue to find Resurrection in our midst.
Secondly, I have received a letter from our dear Bishop Hunn. He has assigned the Rev Deacon Jerome Williams to be our new deacon. Deacon Jerome was ordained in our cathedral in June, at one of the ordinations I attended that month, and is in the process of becoming a priest. Similar to where Rev Jill was a little more than a year ago. And to remind you, the Episcopal Church follows the ancient tradition of sequential ordination; that is every priest was first and is always a deacon, and every bishop was first and is always a deacon and priest. So Deacon Jerome comes to us ordained and, like us all, still learning. He will serve at our altar on Sundays and other feasts and observances. He will proclaim the Gospel and aid in our continued formation. Jerome and his family live In Ohkay Owingeh and will commute up to us as he continues his professional work as well. Deacon Jerome’s first Sunday with us will be August 7th. Please join me in welcoming Deacon Jerome and his family to St James, Taos.
Mac+
June 23
Friends,
I will be away the majority of next week as I accept an invitation to attend a conference of Episcopal priests, bishops, and theologians on the matter of Race and Reconciliation. This is my first conference I will attend in person since before the global pandemic. I was invited after some of the work that St James is doing in regards to our community outreach, worship styles, location and history, became more known after some of the other conferences I attended virtually, our social media presence, and our own bishop nominating me to receive this invitation. I do not know what all I will be engaging in, and I know only one other priest who will be there. So, this will be a great space of learning and connection and I am excited. I will be leaving immediately following the Sunday services to catch a flight to Philadelphia, please pray for my safe travels and ease of flights. I will return next Thursday to be back in the office and at Sunday services. As excited about this opportunity as I am, it does come at a bit of a difficult time, in so far as, each year typically in mid July, we travel back to Tennessee to vacation in my family home on Watts Bar Lake on the mighty Tennessee River and to be with that side of our family. This year is no different, in fact we are also celebrating my brother’s belated 50th and my 40th birthdays while we are back. But that means that again, immediately following the services on Sunday July 3rd, I will be departing for points east traveling with Virgil to meet up with Aloyse and the boys as they fly down from NYC, (where the boys have been at their maternal side of the family’s farm, and where Aloyse has been able to return to her offices in NYC for the first time since January of ’20) at our family lake house and mountain farm for a couple weeks. I will then drive back and be back in the office on Thursday July 21st. That is a lot of time away, and something, because of the pandemic, that we have not really experienced. But it is time for us to continue that process of resurrection out of this global pandemic. It is time for us to go to conferences and meet friends, it is time to be able to travel to rest and recuperate. I will miss you all so very much, and I look forward to the stories I will have to share when we return. While I am away, our beloved Fr. Mike will be available for pastoral care and will lead our worship. Again, I must tell you all how grateful I am for Fr. Mike and our relationship. Thank you all for this time away to learn, rest, rejuvenate, and prepare for resurrection.
In the Light of Christ,
Mac+
I will be away the majority of next week as I accept an invitation to attend a conference of Episcopal priests, bishops, and theologians on the matter of Race and Reconciliation. This is my first conference I will attend in person since before the global pandemic. I was invited after some of the work that St James is doing in regards to our community outreach, worship styles, location and history, became more known after some of the other conferences I attended virtually, our social media presence, and our own bishop nominating me to receive this invitation. I do not know what all I will be engaging in, and I know only one other priest who will be there. So, this will be a great space of learning and connection and I am excited. I will be leaving immediately following the Sunday services to catch a flight to Philadelphia, please pray for my safe travels and ease of flights. I will return next Thursday to be back in the office and at Sunday services. As excited about this opportunity as I am, it does come at a bit of a difficult time, in so far as, each year typically in mid July, we travel back to Tennessee to vacation in my family home on Watts Bar Lake on the mighty Tennessee River and to be with that side of our family. This year is no different, in fact we are also celebrating my brother’s belated 50th and my 40th birthdays while we are back. But that means that again, immediately following the services on Sunday July 3rd, I will be departing for points east traveling with Virgil to meet up with Aloyse and the boys as they fly down from NYC, (where the boys have been at their maternal side of the family’s farm, and where Aloyse has been able to return to her offices in NYC for the first time since January of ’20) at our family lake house and mountain farm for a couple weeks. I will then drive back and be back in the office on Thursday July 21st. That is a lot of time away, and something, because of the pandemic, that we have not really experienced. But it is time for us to continue that process of resurrection out of this global pandemic. It is time for us to go to conferences and meet friends, it is time to be able to travel to rest and recuperate. I will miss you all so very much, and I look forward to the stories I will have to share when we return. While I am away, our beloved Fr. Mike will be available for pastoral care and will lead our worship. Again, I must tell you all how grateful I am for Fr. Mike and our relationship. Thank you all for this time away to learn, rest, rejuvenate, and prepare for resurrection.
In the Light of Christ,
Mac+
June 16
Friends,
This past Wednesday, I celebrated the anniversary of my ordination to the diaconate. It has been a joy going to our diocesan ordinations these past weeks, and upcoming days. The Episcopal Church practices the tradition of sequential ordination. That is, every bishop was a priest and every priest was a deacon. Or another way to say it, every priest is also a deacon and every bishop is also a priest and a deacon. And so your priest is also a deacon, as that is the ordination I celebrate on June 15.
During an ordination liturgy, the ordinance takes vows for each order of ministry. The bishop asks the ordinance multiple questions as they vow to this new ordered life. Below is the diaconal vow that I hold as the imperative I operate from.
Bishop: Will you look for Christ in all others, being ready to help and serve those in need?
Answer: I will
Let us strive to serve all of God’s folk the way deacons have vowed to do.
Mac: In the Light of Christ,
Mac+
This past Wednesday, I celebrated the anniversary of my ordination to the diaconate. It has been a joy going to our diocesan ordinations these past weeks, and upcoming days. The Episcopal Church practices the tradition of sequential ordination. That is, every bishop was a priest and every priest was a deacon. Or another way to say it, every priest is also a deacon and every bishop is also a priest and a deacon. And so your priest is also a deacon, as that is the ordination I celebrate on June 15.
During an ordination liturgy, the ordinance takes vows for each order of ministry. The bishop asks the ordinance multiple questions as they vow to this new ordered life. Below is the diaconal vow that I hold as the imperative I operate from.
Bishop: Will you look for Christ in all others, being ready to help and serve those in need?
Answer: I will
Let us strive to serve all of God’s folk the way deacons have vowed to do.
Mac: In the Light of Christ,
Mac+