Getting to the unshakeable

A postcard for the 11th Sunday after Pentecost 08/21/22

Altar flowers at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Greensboro, Alabama, August 21, 2022.

Foundations are important.

It has been a busy couple of weeks. But in all the busyness I was reminded that there are some basic, unshakeable things.

On August 14, I got to witness the confirmation and reception of Canaan and Meagan at the Episcopal Church of the Messiah in Heflin. It was a wonderful day of celebration with Bishop Glenda Curry. In conversation before the service, Bishop Curry commented that what we were doing was simply recognizing and lifting up the work of the Holy Spirit that is already at work.

August 14, 2022, Canaan, Bishop Curry, Meagan, and I following worship.

Unshakeable—noticed or not—the Holy Spirit is at work in our lives and our world.

This past Friday I was part of two funerals, both of people who were blessed with long lives filled with love and marked by faith. On more than one occasion I have had a non-Episcopalian comment on how well Episcopalians do funerals. And I think it is because in our funerals we are reminding ourselves of our foundations.

Unshakeable—Whoever has faith in in Jesus Christ shall have life, even though they die.

And then on Sunday, I was blessed to preach at St. Paul’s in Greensboro about the powerful work of God that shakes us to get is to the unshakeable. Following the service we had a wonderful lunch with great food, conversation, and laughter.

Unshakeable—we need the gathered people of God.