Bishop Brian is in Coventry, England, at the invitation of the Rev. Robert Childers, for the Community of the Cross of Nails International Members’ Gathering, “Growing Together in Hope.” They are joining 70-80 CCN members who are meeting at Coventry Cathedral Sept. 26 to Sept. 30. Childers, who has been appointed to the board of directors of the Community of the Cross of Nails, North America, had his first experience of Coventry Cathedral when, at 20-years-old, he traveled from a
Read MoreArchives for September 2018
We will find our people
Sermon Given at St. Alban’s, Hixson on the Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost 2018 Proverbs 31:1-31 | Mark 9:30-37 I recently made a trip to Arkansas, to a small town in the northeast corner of the state. I went with my eldest brother for a long overdue trip to see my father’s grave. Once we arrived at the old Methodist churchyard, we parked the car on the edge of the property and began walking to his grave. Though it had been years
Read MoreThe Rev. Claire Brown Ordination Sermon
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
Read MoreBishop Cole Appoints Chris Harpster Archdeacon
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
Read More‘Is there a need for deacons in the Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee?’
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
Read More‘Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away’
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
Read MoreThe Rev. Michelle Warriner Bolt Announced as Canon to the Ordinary
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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