08
Dec 2017
Easter Tuesday 2014 My dear brother rectors, Alleluia! Christ is Risen! What a joy we shared as his priests this Easter Day when we were able to proclaim those words again. I so look forward to hearing about your Holy Week Services when I see most of you over the next month. I am writing to ask each of you personally to do two things for me and for our diocese as the Midwest Annual Gathering (May 16-17) approaches. First, commit this time to your regular and intensive prayers. And, second,......
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08
Dec 2017
A couple of weeks ago I had a health scare. I don’t want to bother you with all the intimate details, so suffice it to say that in my line of work, too much knowledge is a dangerous thing. I know the statistics and the fact that it was much more likely to be nothing than something. But I also have seen the worst of the worst and know that “something” was a possibility. At first, I was able to keep a cool head and for the most part ignore that nagging......
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08
Dec 2017
Epiphanies. We have all had them. Some small, some large. Some life changing, perhaps some life threatening. Those sudden moments of enlightenment. When something dark and mysterious suddenly becomes clear. You realize what you were created for. Who you should marry (hopefully she had the same epiphany). How something works. Why the government is so screwed up. What was hidden from you is now made known. An epiphany is a revealing, an unveiling, a shining in upon something. A light where darkness had once been. An epiphany is not an epiphany if......
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08
Dec 2017
Dan Cornelius and Karen Cassiday will be departing on February 8 for a ten day trip to Guatemala as part of a medical missions team–joining physicians, nurses, physician’s assistants, dentists and optometrists to provide medical and mental health care for the poor. (Karen is the first clinical psychologist and Dan the first massage therapist to join the team.) Dan recently provided this list of specific prayer requests for them as they depart: “Thank you” prayers to God for all of those who have already help us financially and also with prayer for this journey. To have a safe......
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08
Dec 2017
Behold, I bring you good news of great joy. –Luke 2.10 To know and be known is the lot of man called by God –Hippolytus Beloved brothers and sisters of the Upper Midwest Diocese: Happy Advent and—almost—Merry Christmas! As I write you my first Christmas Letter as your bishop, my heart is full of joy! How much Jesus has done in our midst in this last year–a new diocese, a consecration service of remarkable beauty and power, and several new churches planted in this the earliest phase of our much desired Revival......
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08
Dec 2017
October 10, 2013 Feast of Paulinus, First Bishop of York (644 AD) Dearest Brothers and Sisters of the Upper Midwest Diocese: What a remarkable gift of joy we were given as a diocese over the Consecration Weekend. Many of you did so much for this event, and I am grateful. I realize, of course, that not everyone was free to attend this event. You were missed! I want to encourage you to listen to the teachings of my Friday Vision Cast and Friday Vision Cast Notes, watch some of the video of the Consecration, and......
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08
Dec 2017
Father Eirik inspired my husband and me to get active and try to implement the Daily Office into our lives. Then we saw the array of ribbons that laced Fr. Eirik’s Book of Common Prayer and thought about creating our own so that we could get organized and efficiently flip back and forth between the lectionary and the various prayers and elements of the Daily Office. Unfortunately this seemed like a lot of work. We checked into it and were dismayed at the thought of spending over $100 to get the special two volume prayer book set that had......
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08
Dec 2017
Dear Wisconsin Deanery: My family currently attends St. Michaels and we have been asked to help organize the Wisconsin Deanery cheese platters for the reception at the Consecration Service on Saturday, September 28 at Church of the Resurrection in Wheaton, Illinois. They are expecting approximately 1,000 to 1,400 people at the Consecration Service and will be having a reception following the service. Each Deanery (Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois and Greenhouse) will be providing food as our contribution to the reception and Wisconsin is providing cheese and crackers. We need volunteers to help during the reception......
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08
Dec 2017
Twelve teens from 7th through 10 grades traveled to Silver Maple Ranch near Galena, IL for a retreat centered on the theme of “Who Am I in Christ?” Experiential activities designed to promote self-reflection; discovery, teamwork and community were planned around discussions led by Luke Campbell. Friday night began with a mile long hike in the dark to a large bonfire. Luke had the youth identify the dark parts of their lives that prevent them from fully experiencing Christ’s presence. The youth then burned their lists of personal darkness in the bonfire,......
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08
Dec 2017
Today I sit and watch God’s steady rain fall. Covering every blade of grass and leaf and tree. With grace and love, completely. A steady stream of love falling from the sky. Remarkably peaceful are the tears that He cries. I hear the sound of his voice rolling among the clouds. I think how steady Is his love that has fallen into me throughout my life. Nurturing and feeding my soul like the steady rain outside. There with me in every season were the tears that he cried. Whether in sorrow or......
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