News and Updates
New Beginnings
The nice thing about travel, some say, is in the homecoming. Many of us enjoyed trips this summer, even if they were merely short-day travels to a swimming pool, to grandparents’ houses, or to the beach. If you’ve been away some during the past several months, welcome...
Christianity and Everyday Life
The relationship between the Christian faith and the working world has often been uneasy, especially between Jesus’ ethics and the business community. In many ways the church has contributed to the split between our Sunday life and what we do all week. Its focus tends...
Dogs and Church
An Updated Guideline for Bringing Dogs to Bethesda-by-the-Sea Among our beloved community are our pets. One of the highlights of the year is the Blessing of the Animals — this year on Sunday, October 2 at 9:00 a.m. We value all of our furry friends; they are in so...
On Prayer and Healing at Bethesda
Historians tell of a legend about the pool at Bethesda. According to this legend, an angel of the Lord occasionally went down into the pool and stirred up the water. Whoever stepped into the pool first, after the waters were blessed, would be healed. It even made it...
On Stock-Taking and Note-Posting
Summer, particularly summer out of doors in new surroundings, can help us move toward a spiritual balance, seeing God's presence in unexpected places. Of God's presence, Wordsworth wrote: "Whose dwelling is the light of setting suns, and the round ocean and living...
Bethesda’s New Rector The Rev. Tim Schenck
It is with great joy and excitement that we announce the calling of the Rev. Tim Schenck as the next Rector of Bethesda-by-the-Sea. Tim will begin his ministry in November, with his first expected Sunday service on November 20th. Calling Tim to lead Bethesda was the...
Heading Into the Fall
I want to sketch out here what I see to be Bethesda-by-the-Sea’s direction in the immediate future. First, the interim period is nearly over. In the very near future, the Search Committee will have finished their outstanding work and the Vestry will announce who the...
The Practice of Gratefulness
This summer I have found myself intentionally practicing gratitude. Both in Palm Beach and away in several climes I gave thanks for the people and mission of Bethesda-by-the-Sea, for the beauty of the coast, for the generosity of those who make life-changing...
Establishing a Wide Beach Front
Iona is a small island off Scotland’s west coast where St. Columba built his religious community in the 6th century. Standing at the back of the island, you look south and west across the rough and windy Irish Sea. It is a route followed by Columba, when driven by...