Church of the Holy Comforter

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Kissing the Computer Goodbye

When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I want to do is get on my computer and see what’s happening. When I go to bed at night, the last thing I do is to look at my iPad and check my Facebook, email, and Google reader. Throughout the day, I am tied to my computer and my computer runs my life. At least, that’s how it’s been.

Saint Nicholas Was No Chump

When I was in seminary, the dean once remarked that, "Saint Nicholas was present at the Council of Nicaea, which means that it's entirely possible that Santa Claus wrote the Nicene Creed." As it turns out, the saint whom we associate with the jolly guy in the big red suit was actually an influential bishop in the early Church.

A New Old Liturgy

Many people have noticed that we have begun to use a different form of the liturgy during our choral Eucharist on Sunday mornings. For some of our members who grew up using the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, this liturgy is familiar, even though it uses modern language. For others, this liturgy feels brand new, and it is easy to get tongue-tied as we feel our way through it.

Bringing Clean Water to Peru

Over the last three years, our participation in Advent Conspiracy has allowed us to bring fresh, clean water to the people of Peru. This has been an immense blessing. By saving just a little bit on what we spend on Christmas, we have been able to save lives and make a better world.

Youth Mission Trip 2011

This past summer, our Youth Group took a trip to Johnstown, PA to help those in need. In what follows, our Youth Director Ethel Wesley reflects on the trip and what's in store for our youth in the future.

What's the difference between Episcopal and Catholic?

I cannot tell you how often I hear this question. It's understandable, considering that Philadelphia is overwhelmingly Roman Catholic, and considering that so much about our two traditions look so much the same.

Too busy for God?

We are busy people. Busy, busy, busy. So busy that it’s often difficult for us to catch our breath. In such a condition, how can we possibly find time for God?

Love is Hell

Rob Bell has known his share of controversy. Throughout his career as a pastor and teacher, he's stirred up the ire of some Christians who believe that his way of articulating the Christian faith is confused at best and heretical at worst.

The Anglican Covenant: A Choice Between Love and Fear

Covenant is an important word in the Bible, describing both God's relationship with us and our relationship with each other. The word is used throughout the Book of Genesis to describe what God is doing in the life of His people, trying to draw them together even in the midst of their confusion and unfaithfulness.

C.S. Lewis

Today is the feast day for C.S. Lewis, the great writer and apologist whose beloved children’s books, The Chronicles of Narnia, have moved the hearts and minds of generations of young people. Lewis is well known for dispelling the bizarre modern notion that one has to give up being a thinking person to be a Christian.

God and Politics

Most Americans are a little nervous about the intersection of government and faith. After all, we are a nation founded at least partially on the notion that the government should not establish a church, that people of all faiths or no faiths can live together without fear of being persecuted for their beliefs.

Welcoming Ourselves to Feel Better

One of the most troubling debates taking place in The Episcopal Church today is the debate over what is sometimes referred to as “open Communion,” the practice of regularly inviting and giving Holy Communion to people who have not yet been baptized.

And we're back...

It looks like the spam bots have been silenced, at least for now. Comments and email are back online. Thank you all for your patience.

Attack of the Killer Bots

It appears that in my recent absence, computer generated ads have popped up all over this site. As a consequencce, I'm turning off comments for now, at least until I can get it all sorted out. It will take hours of mindless clicking just to delete what is already here. My apologies to anyone who might have something legitimate to say. I can't for the life of me imagine why people do this.

How to Ask Someone to Come to Church

This sounds about right...

 

Facebook and the Flesh

There’s been a great deal of conversation in the media lately about the horrendous privacy policies of Facebook. Whether or not this is a worthy subject for so much consideration, it is true that more and more people are connecting through social networking sites, creating virtual versions of themselves through which to access the world.

Does beauty matter?

When it comes to God, beauty is not in the eye of the beholder. Or so says Saint Augustine, but we'll come back to him in a minute.

Before going any further into this, you need to watch the following video...

10 Books That Have Shaped My Worldview

I've always been a lover of books, though I read dreadfully slowly. But books have always been a source of grace for me, a place where my mind and my heart are expanded. So I thought I would share with all of you a few of the books that have most shaped me.

On being a priest

The call to priesthood is a call to serve at the altar.

The Book of Eli

This is the post-apocalyptic Christian thriller that we've been waiting for

Bishop of Haiti responds to the crisis there

Check out the video below that shows how the Episcopal Bishop of Haiti and his priests are responding to the earthquake. There is some genuinely saintly work being done by brave Christians in the midst of this tragedy.

 

On Change

"In the matter of reforming things, as distinct from deforming them, there is one plain and simple principle; a principle which will probably be called a paradox. There exists in such a case a certain institution or law; let us say for the sake of simplicity, a fence or gate erected across a road.

The False Gospel of Prosperity

Is it possible that Joel Osteen and T. D. Jakes caused the housing crisis that lead to last fall's economic collapse? Well, maybe they didn't cause it, but they very well may have contributed to it, according to this article by Hanna Rosin in the newest issue of The Atlantic.

Advent Conspiracy

This morning we formally kicked off the Advent Conspiracy campaign in church with the first of what will be five sermons about the campaign. More information about Advent Conspiracy at Holy Comforter can be found here.

Anglican streams

I've been thinking a bit lately about the different streams within Anglicanism, particularly in light of the Roman Church's new outreach to some traditional Anglo-Catholics.

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