News and Updates

This week, John the Baptist stands before us -- bold, loud, and energetic. He asks us to check our spiritual and ethical compass, check the direction of our lives. He implores us to make sure we know where we're headed. He assures us that a directional shift or even a...

Several years ago, we took one of our daughters on safari in Africa. During our journeys our guide told me the story of the Acacia trees. He shared that while visiting his sister and brother-in-law, a botanist, amid a great drought near Kenya’s Great Rift Valley, he...

“Thou that has given so much to me, give one thing more — a grateful heart.” The Anglican poet George Herbert, who four hundred years ago, captured with those prayerful words one of life’s deepest truths: that of all gifts the greatest is gratitude. Thanksgiving week...

The context of this week’s gospel text is thought to be something like this: Mark’s community has experienced some set-backs, and those challenges were bringing into question their future. The central question for them was: “How does this journey we’re on end up?” In...

In Scott Peck’s book, “In Search of Stones,” published twenty-five years ago, he writes of reflections of a man growing older, looking back at his life, and applying insights from his journeys through the British Isles to his venture toward the Kingdom of God. The...

One of the great gifts of being your Interim Rector is that I get to hear so many of the wonderful stories which make up Bethesda-by-the-Sea. Not long ago, a seasoned parishioner told me the story that some years back a tour group gathered at the base of the front...

We are pleased to announce that the Revs. Susan and Jeff Beebe will be assisting priests during the interim. In addition to the wonderful additions of Carol Barron and Elizabeth Geitz, the Beebes will be assisting with worship, funerals, weddings, teaching and...

I’m pleased to share the news that Laura Schlett has accepted our invitation to be the part-time Stewardship Coordinator during the interim year. Laura will begin her work on November 1, and will work with the Stewardship/Development Committee, with the associate and...

In this week’s gospel text, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus stumbles out of anonymity and stands front and center — not only in front of Jesus a long time ago, but in front of thousands of churches who are reading about his encounter with the rabbi from Nazareth. They...