The Arrow's Path

As someone who has always had a love/hate relationship with Ecumenism, I really loved Fr. Dwight Longnecker's article on Ecumenism today . For whatever reason, I always work hard at forging relationships with Christians of different stripes, particularly when I was still in ordained ministry. I became President of the local Ministerial Association as a matter of fact. Some of the most meaningful relationships I had as an ordained person were not with clergy from my own denomination but with pastors of other denominations. When I was newly ordained, a local Ukrainian Orthodox priest took me under his wing and shared some of his wisdom with me. I have never forgotten that. I also thought very highly of the Lutheran pastors in the local ministerial association when I was in South Dakota, both ELCA and (cue the minor musical chord) Missouri Synod. And, of course, I thought highly of the Catholic clergy in South Dakota, which is probably why I took the conversion path that I did. I al...

The Collect for Pentecost Sunday: Almighty and everlasting God, you have given to us your servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of your divine Majesty to worship the Unity: Keep us steadfast in this faith and worship, and bring us at last to see you in your one and eternal glory, O Father; who with the Son and the Holy Spirit live and reign, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. My parish have a slate of interesting things coming this Sunday on Pentecost. We are reading the gospel is several languages, which is usually a pretty neat liturgical effect. Granted, it is sort of a gimmick, but kind of fun. I think we have at least 10 languages getting represented. I suppose that is a perk of being near a major university, lots of linguistically gifted people. Also, perhaps more exciting than that is the fact that we have 4 baptisms. A man and his son as well as an ecumenical baptism of two little girls who are from ...