Reflections
These reflections are originally published in the weekly newsletter, the Net.
All reflections written by Fr. Bill Garrison and Fr. Hart Roussel will be archived here.
Scroll to the bottom of the page to read previous entries.
In the Boat With Jesus
“Were you afraid? Do you have no faith?” These are the words of Jesus as he sleeps while the torrent rages around the boat.
Do you ever feel like that? Life is a mess and getting worse and where is Jesus? Is he sleeping? You could use a little help. It’s feeling lonely and scary. Let’s think about that this coming Sunday.
The Logos
In the gospel for this coming Sunday, we encounter "Word". This is a translation from the Greek word "Logos" and doesn't even come close to expressing what the writer meant to say. A better understanding would be "the revelation of God in the world." I like to say that God tore the fabric of...
Where Do You Find God?
This week the gospel tells us about John the Baptizer. He was out in the wilderness, dressed in a camel hair coat, eating bugs, and preaching a baptism of forgiveness. Scholars call him the last Old Testament prophet. They say tons of people were going out to him to be baptized. His baptism was...
And Now We Wait
Christ is coming. He will tear the fabric of reality and join us as a baby. We remember that at the end of his life he changed everything. Because of Him, we will no longer be judged by our works. Instead, He has closed the gap between us and God and guaranteed our eternal life. Instead of a long...
When Did We See You Lord?
`Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?' And the king will answer them,...
The God We Believe In
In this week's gospel lesson, three people are given incredible wealth to manage while their master is gone. Two invest and earn their master interest. The third hides what he has been given and it remains exactly as it was when the master returns. God, of course, is represented by the master and...
Don’t Wander Off
The gospel lesson this week is about a wedding once more. This time ten young bridesmaids are waiting to greet the bridegroom. It starts getting late, midnight in fact, and five of the girls don't have enough oil. So off they scurry to attempt to buy more and while they are gone the bridegroom...
Enormously Happy
This Sunday we will be celebrating All Saints Day. And yes I am aware the actual date is November 1, but most churches celebrate it on the first Sunday after the first. I imagine we do that because it's difficult in modern times to get to church on another day. In any event, the gospel for Sunday...
Stewardship Message from Ken Duran, Treasurer
Dear St. Andrew’s Family, As our annual stewardship campaign gets underway, you have been hearing about the theme, Rooted in Abundance, and its reminder to us that we are inspired to give because so much has been given to us. This is not transactional – we do not give in proportion to how we feel...
Stewardship Message from Melissa Rigler, Senior Warden
Dear St. Andrew's Family St. Andrew’s has deep roots. Shortly, we’ll be celebrating our 100th anniversary. Life was quite a bit different 100 years ago. As is our community, how we spend our time, and how we communicate. The words of Jesus Christ remain constant. The messages behind the parables...
Stewardship Message from Fr. Bill Garrison, Interim Rector
Dear St. Andrew’s Family, The most important words to say in Church are “thank you.” Say it often, and mean it, and today I say it to you. Thank you for the many gifts that you share with our community. You have heard the familiar expression “can’t see the forest for the trees” before. We most...