September 8, 2022 A Reflection from Fr. Dan Burner

September 1, 2022 A Reflection from Pastor Emilie Finn

August 25, 2022  A Reflection from Nanette Towsley, Director of Communications

Capturing Our Legacy, One Picture at a Time

Hard to believe that in a relatively short span of time, technology has blessed us with “communication devices” so that we can talk to people around the globe and take high quality photos and videos you would expect of a professional photographer. It’s like Star Trek and Outer Limits have become our expected norm.

A great way for future generations to know what we have done here at All Saints’ is by taking pictures, videos, recording livestream services. It’s also a great way to remind people of what is coming up on the calendar, by using photos from the recent past. Makes for a more interesting eblast. Didn’t Jesus say somewhere, “Truly I tell you, pictures are worth a thousand words.”

While wonderful written accounts of our history make for a great look back at the community of All Saints’ over time, photos give an instantaneous, unblemished, realistic view. You can feel the energy of the space. You can hear the beauty of our worship and choir. You can see the gatherings of people. The smiles are genuine. You can experience our faith at work. You can be touched by the Holy Spirit in our midst. Whatever we can do to highlight the traditions, joy, memories, and faith—the better.

For years, I’ve been the main “capturer” of our community culture. I’ve been blessed with the help from a variety of friends in the pews on occasion, some still here, some moved away. With our new method of producing a livestream service at 10am, I need your hands and feet (just like Jesus does) to accomplish our mission of capturing our legacy. I am locked in the A/V center in the priest sacristy during the 10am service (I need interested people to chat with who may want to also help with this...more on that later).

To chronicle our daily/weekly life at All Saints’, I need your help to snap photos with your phone, or camera, or even videos to keep our history alive for us now to enjoy and for those to come to see what we are doing to build the kingdom of God on earth.

Everyone is invited to participate. No commitment needed. No schedule is required. Do it once, or do it a hundred times. If something touches you, take a quick pic with your phone and send to me via email or text. Need to know how to do that? I can show you, it is simple. Just no flash in services. That’s the only rule.

Involved in a ministry at All Saints’? Take pictures of your events and activities and share the love of your ministries through photos. Even random selfies of you and church friends can tell the story. Just say “cheese.”

I’ll use a quote from Robert Frank, a contemporary Swiss photographer and documentary film maker, “There is one thing the photograph must contain, the humanity of the moment.” And I’ll add to that, or plants, and flowers, or church buildings, or animals or birds, or . . .

Want to be involved? AGAIN, no commitment required. Just email your photos to ntowsley@allsaintsoncentral.org or text them to 602.430.0286.

Want to learn about our new livestream team? You’ve got my number and my address. It’s super fun. Yes, it takes some practice, knowledge of our church service, and a minimal commitment. But we’re recording our “now” for those who can’t physically be here today and for those through the fullness of time.

August 18, 2022 A Reflection from Fr. David Sheetz

Publisher's Note: When Fr. David asked me what he should reflect upon, I suggested he tell us about himself since he is fairly new to All Saints' and folks would like to get to know him. So here is his introduction.

I was born in Detroit, Michigan and lived there through my undergraduate schooling at Wayne State University. I began my involvement with church music at the age of 14 as an organist and at the age of 16 as a music director (organist/choir director). I began in a small mission Episcopal church and ended as music director of the Roman Catholic Basilica Church of Old St. Mary’s in Greek Town.

I attended graduate school at Stanford University earning an MA in historical musicology and completing course work for a PhD.  In the San Francisco Bay Area, I served a number of Episcopal churches in various capacities in their music programs.

After leaving Stanford University, I started an 18-year career in consumer banking, based in San Francisco, ending as a Senior Vice President and lead of the Retail Administration Group. It was during this time that I joined the congregation of Grace Cathedral wanting to get experience in the church as a lay/non-staff person. I served as a lay reader, Eucharistic minister, sub-deacon, officiant and preacher at evening prayer and Sunday Evensong, leader of the lay catechist team for the (year-long) adult formation program. I served as a member of the Congregation Counsel and as its president (equivalent to the Senior Warden). I also served as a member of the Cathedral’s Board of Directors.

It was during this time that I perceived my call to ordained ministry. The Cathedral was my sponsoring parish for the process. I attended the Church Divinity School of the Pacific (CDSP), Berkeley, California. My “middler” year was spent as the exchange student at Ripon College, Cuddesdon, Oxford University.

I spent several years as a hospital chaplain. First at San Francisco General at the beginning of the AIDS crisis, then at Stanford University and Packard Children’s hospitals.

While interviewing for jobs as a deacon/priest, I took a temporary job with an intellectual property law firm which lead to another secular career ending as Director of Technology.

After retiring from secular work, I began volunteering for Filoli, an historical house and garden, a member of the National Trust for Historical Preservation. I had previously been a member for many years. There I successively headed the Art, Hospitality, and Special Events Committees also serving on the Friends Board of Directors. I also volunteered for a local professional ballet company, Menlowe Ballet, and served on its Board.

Until “retiring” from all local associations in July 2019, I had served several Episcopal parishes as either Assisting Priest or Associate Music Director, or both.

Once located in the Phoenix area, I began a search for a local parish. I discovered All Saints’ and became a member shortly thereafter.

My interests outside the church continue to be ballet, opera and photography (landscape, wildlife, and dance).

August 4, 2022 A Reflection from Fr. Dan Burner

Some of you may have wondered about the source of the benediction that I often use. It is not one that is customarily used from our 1978 Book of Common Prayer, but it is from another BCP from many years ago.

The Book of Common prayer is a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion. Edward VI of England published the first BCP in 1549 as a result of the

English Reformation which resulted in the break from the Roman Church. Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, (who was later burned at the stake by Queen Mary as a heretic) revised the book in 1552. It was not used during Mary ‘s reign because she restored Roman Catholic worship. After her death Elizabeth I reinstituted its use and in 1604, James I made revisions. After more upheaval, a version was published in 1662. This edition remains the official prayer book of the Church of England. Attempts to update the book have never been approved, because it requires the full approval of Parliament. In 1923, an attempt was made to revise the book and a proposed book was placed in consideration, but it was not approved.

The benediction that I use comes in large part with some revisions from this proposed volume. It appears in the liturgy for confirmation or as it is labeled in the book,

AN ALTERNATIVE

ORDER OF CONFIRMATION,

OR LAYING ON OF HANDS, UPON THOSE, THAT ARE

BAPTIZED, AND COME TO YEARS OF DISCRETION.

It is the benediction and reads:  

GO forth into the world in peace; be of good courage; hold fast that which is good; render to no man evil for evil; strengthen the fainthearted; support the weak; help the afflicted; honour all men; love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit. And the Blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be upon you, and remain with you for ever.

The updated version I use, that I first heard invoked by +Marc Andrus, Bishop of California, reads:

Go forth into the world in peace;

be of good courage;

hold fast that which is good;

render to no one evil for evil;

strengthen the fainthearted;

support the weak;

help the afflicted.

Be patient with everyone,

    but make no peace with oppression.

Love and serve the Lord,

    rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit.

And the Blessing of God Almighty,

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

be upon you, and remain with you always. Amen.

This version removes gender and adds the idea that oppression is not to be tolerated. I find this language hopeful and hope you do too!

July 28, 2022 A Reflection from Deacon Patrice Taylor

If Game of Thrones took place in the desert Southwest, the tagline would be “Summer is coming.” You know, that sense of impending doom? It is our hard season. Our survival test, fraying us both physically and psychologically. As a deacon, I also see summer as our season of greatest disparity between those who have and those who don’t. Lucian and I were blessed to be able to take two trips somewhere cooler this summer and many of us plan time away, whether a drive to a relative’s house in San Diego or a grand cruise down the Danube.

But what about the people who can’t? Working people sometimes can’t take time off for more than a couple of days at a time. People who are ill or elderly, homebound or disabled. They may lack the money and physical capacity to travel. What about the young couple you know where both people are working fulltime and can’t mesh their vacations? What about my very pregnant daughter-in-law who will be here the whole summer between work and getting ready for a baby? What about your landscaper, housekeeper, Uber driver, Starbucks barista, preschool teacher, grocery store clerk? A whole bunch of people see vacations as an economic luxury they can’t afford as rents and gas prices climb Mount Everest.

And what about the homeless. Last year the first heat related death in Maricopa County was on April 11^th and the last was November 23^rd. 336 people died in between. That is more than a 70% increase since 2019, before the pandemic. Even indoor heat related deaths increased in 2021, for the first time since 2018, as more people got behind on their electricity bills. 135 of those deaths were because people had no indoor air conditioning at all. Imagine that.

I say all this to remind us to be kind. Jesus told us that to whom much is given, much will be expected. If you have a lifestyle that allowed you some heat relief this summer, enjoy! And send Nanette photos to share with us. But be mindful of every person you pass, reaching out in compassion when you suspect that they haven’t had the rest and refreshment that your circumstances have allowed you. And help when you can. The following organizations especially need your help this summer:

The Salvation Army Herberger Family Services Center,

https://herberger.salvationarmy.org/herberger_family_services

St Mary’s Food Bank,

https://www.firstfoodbank.org/

Central Arizona Shelter Services,

https://www.cassaz.org/

The Arizona Faith Network 2022 Cooling Center Initiative, https://www.arizonafaithnetwork.org/cooling-centers

July 21, 2022 A Reflection from Fr. Dan Burner

In year C of the Lectionary, we are given the opportunity to hear what we call the Lord’s Prayer in its biblical context as part of our Sunday readings. We recite this prayer often, actually in every liturgy that we offer to God. It is an important part of our Christian heritage. I still remember my father’s pride when, as a young boy, I showed him I could recite it from memory.

Different denominations use different versions mainly the Lukan or the Matthean. Other versions have been written including the lines written in the New Zealand Prayer Book. Meanwhile congregations have their favorite. This favoritism is sometimes even found between different service times at a single parish.

I personally prefer the King James Version that uses “which” as the pronoun for God. Neither of the versions in Luke or Matthew have a pronoun and yet we have come to use “who” because it was a modernization of the KJV “which.” My personal theology tells me that God is not a person, but rather a being. I believe “which” portrays this fact. More recently I have begun to think of God as Holy Mystery, but I struggle to pronounce that fact in prayer. (Age and repetition have had their impact on me.)

Meanwhile, I don’t believe Jesus was intending that we repeat the exact same words every time we pray, but rather was giving us a formula for prayer in general. In effect he was saying, begin by glorifying God, follow that with a petition that our daily needs be met. And ask for forgiveness for the ways we have separated ourselves from God’s love and the affection of others in our world. The Doxology (For thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory for ever.) was added after the authors of Luke and Matthew to the end of the prayer. We say the doxology in the Eucharist and morning and evening prayer, but not in Compline.

In effect then, the reason we say the Lord’s Prayer, in whatever version, is to acknowledge the gift Jesus gave us in his instructions for our practice of prayer. It might be instructive for all of us to indulge in different versions of the prayer in order to illuminate the prayer life of each of us.

July 14, 2022  A Reflection from Pastor Emilie Finn

Dear People of God,

We have reached a part of summer that I really enjoy. Now is my opportunity, with the end of the academic year, and my return from vacation, to take a breath, reflect on the past year, and prepare myself for the year to come. This past year has been an amazing year of ministry for me, and I wanted to share with you some of the highlights of the work I do that you may not always see:

In collaboration with amazing colleagues at All Saints’ Episcopal Day School, this year I have been able to create a Lower School and 5^th grade religion curriculum based on the two great commandments of Christianity: Love of God, and love of neighbor. As they develop as learners from Pre-Kindergarten through 5^th Grade, All Saints’ religion students learn to apply the academic rigor they learn in other subjects to their thinking about life’s biggest questions, and the results of that thinking on the part of our students has been an amazing privilege to witness.

This year, I got to watch a second grade class discuss the nature of God and Jesus for the entirety of a 40-minute class period, just because they wanted to! I got to listen as fifth graders presented deeply insightful readings of Old Testament stories to their classmates. I got to lead first graders through a workbook on what it means to be part of a community, and share creation stories from different religious and cultural traditions with third graders.

I got to explore the Gospel of Mark with seventh grade confirmation students from both the church and the school, and watch fourth graders decide which virtues they most want to cultivate in their own characters. And as always, I got to tell pre-kindergarten and kindergarteners the story about God that never ends.

As I have journeyed through this year with them, our children and youth have consistently reminded me that while the world may be full of change and uncertainty, and even violence, the principles we as Christians have based our lives on remain the same. We are called to love God, to love our neighbors as ourselves, and to live our lives in the faith that, in God, the deepest, strongest, and purest love imaginable is at the foundation of the universe itself.

Now more than ever, as we take time to reflect, before we move into a new academic and program year in a stressful and uncertain time, I believe it is important for us to find new and creative ways to continue to teach our young people—and ourselves—the unchanging and unchangeable principles of faith, hope, love, and service that remain at the heart of the Gospel.

It truly takes a village to teach children what it means to love God and our neighbors, and I am blessed to be part of such a village here at All Saints’. Thank you for all you do to support this ministry. You are having an impact on the world, both now, and in the future, that is impossible to measure, and that is vital to the health of our community, nation, and world.

July 7, 2022  A Reflection from Lucian Taylor

In 1933, American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr composed a prayer so popular, it was adopted by Alcoholics Anonymous. The prayer says: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”

I don’t know about you, but for me, accepting things I cannot change is way more difficult than trying to change the things I can. Overcoming fear or procrastination is a breeze compared to accepting something I think is supremely wrong or unjust, even if there’s nothing I can do about it. And that shows me I still have a long way to go to be like Jesus.

Jesus voluntarily allowed himself to be found guilty of crimes He didn’t commit, to be sentenced to die for our sins, and to endure the most excruciating death possible as His enemies taunted and abused him. When I think how much silent suffering Jesus accepted and endured for me, compared to how loud I get when someone cuts me off in traffic, or accuses me unjustly, or takes what is mine, I kind of want to disappear.

The contrast is downright embarrassing. Yet I still have the urge to cry out, “It’s not fair!” Sometimes the only way God can get me to accept being judged unfairly is for the Holy Spirit to gently remind me that if I were being judged fairly, I would be found guilty a few hundred times per day. Oops. Yikes. Thank you for your grace to me, Lord.

The Gospels exhort us to fiercely advocate for justice, especially for the oppressed, the poor, the widow, the alien in our midst, and anyone else who has been treated unjustly. But strangely, the Gospels don’t tell us to advocate for ourselves. Instead, they tell us to extend God’s grace to others: turn the other cheek, love our enemies, and pray for those who persecute us. Again, Yikes! Who can do that perfectly? No one, of course.

This leaves us in a very uncomfortable position: we are called to do what we cannot do. How does that work? It doesn’t, if we’re trying to do it on our own. It only works if we humble ourselves, admit we need God’s help, ask God for help, and then trust that God, who loves us, will help us do what we can’t do on our own. The funny thing is, when we acknowledge our need of God’s help, God gives us the ability to endure hardships as we take on difficult challenges. Turning to God reminds us that we have an all-powerful partner who will never leave us or forsake us.

This life is not meant to be lived alone. It is meant to be a shared journey. We can choose where to walk, but wherever that is, God promises to walk with us, giving us wisdom, courage, patience, love, and endurance for each step along the way.

To truly accept what we cannot change, we have to trust in God’s wisdom, rather than in our own. This can be hard to do, but each time we let go and allow God to guide us, we become more aware of this wonderful truth: God doesn’t expect us to run the whole universe, or even two-thirds of it. God simply calls us to rest in Him, to walk with Him, and to receive His love as we journey together. 



June 30, 2022  A Reflection from Fr. Dan Burner

We are living though a period of rapid and dramatic change. Some of this change we may welcome, some of it not. And with all these vagaries come the impact on individuals. Depending on who and where you are, a particular impact may bring great joy or possibly devastating pain and ruin. The temptation is that when things go our way, we don’t always think about the people who are on the other side of the change. Some might say this is the way it should be, right? I won, they lost! And in our current world, it sometimes feels like winning is everything. Because, if we are not winners, we are losers.

I remember a comment my mother would often make as we would drive around Phoenix doing routine errands or just going somewhere. She would see someone who by all appearances was having a rough time based on casual observation and would say, “There but for the grace of God go I.” I remember as a child that I did enjoy winning games and earning good grades, but never thought much about the people who because of my winning, lost. My mother’s comment however helped me to think about how fortunate I was and over time to be aware that other people were less fortunate.

Good fortune can be a fickle thing. Based on where and when and how it occurs. We might be the fortunate one, or not. Thinking in these terms helped me to be aware of others who might for whatever reason be less fortunate at any particular time. As time passed, I began to notice that I felt grateful for my good fortune and at the same time more aware of those who were less fortunate.

It is a fact that our current culture seems to be focused on winning. The result being that we may have become all too easy to proclaim others losers. None of the emotions which accompany this particular dynamic are admirable. Pride, envy, even hate can suddenly prevail. And yet we are called to a different response. Compassion is one of the hallmarks of Christianity. We need to place the needs of others as equal to our own. We need to show God’s unconditional love and be less likely to resort to judgment and ridicule.

A prayer that we have been using in our devotions at the weekly staff meeting:

 God of faithful surprises, throughout the ages

you have made known your love and power in

unexpected ways and places: May we daily

perceive the joy and wonder of your abiding

presence and offer our lives in gratitude for

our redemption. Amen.

June 23, 2022  A Reflection from Nanette Towsley

Reprint from the Requiem for A Million Souls on June 19, 2022

We are the survivors. The observers. We have watched the world change in a blink of an eye. We took for granted so many things would always be the same. And then, a global interruption of life itself. We watched the news in horror as the scenes of places we knew turned into giant triage centers for the sick. So many sick people. So many people on ventilators. Not enough ventilators. We watched giant semi-trucks parked on public streets in major cities used to haul away the dead.

This is not the life we knew or ever wanted to know. It was as if we were dropped into a science fiction movie where we were unwitting actors without a script. We were all touched by it. Even if we didn’t have a personal connection to the dying, we were still personally connected. Surreal. Shocking. Sad. Scared. Sorrowful. Lots of emotions to describe our feelings at the time. It was on our tablets and televisions; it was on the lips of most conversations; and it was visible in our new reality of signs in every nook and cranny of public space.

What we cannot deny: A million people in our own country have died. It is official like a date on a calendar. It is more than just a number, it is a critical mass. A critical mass of the humanity in which we are all intrinsically connected. Heart-breaking stories of families, children, lonely people, famous people, poor and rich people alike, old and young, healthy and frail, the disease and pain does not discriminate, or contain itself to one group of people, who perhaps “deserve it.” No one deserves it. No one expected it to go as far as it did. It changed us in so many ways. Unexpected ways.

We remember the stories from history. The 1918 Flu. The Black Death plagues of the middle ages. The AIDS epidemic. But we have compartmentalized those past tragedies. They are tied to all the ills and wars and sadness of times past. It could not happen to us now, with all our technology, and with all our scientific and medical capabilities, with our current knowledge. We ask ourselves how could this happen? And yet it did. And it can. And it can again. 

We have to look beyond the pain and weariness of these pandemic events—from toilet paper shortages to hospitals overflowing with people gasping for breath. If we take the extra time now where we can prayerfully and lovingly choose to be more present in all the lives we encounter every day—we can salvage our humanity. While we cannot change what happened, we can remember the million souls that have been lost and use their experience as a bridge to appreciate life more, one breath at a time. We are the survivors. We owe it to them. We owe it to ourselves. 

May 26, 2022 A Reflection from Pastor Emilie Finn

Dear People of God,

I write today with so much gratitude in my heart for the 13 members of All Saints’   who were confirmed at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral two weeks ago on Saturday. Congratulations to all of you!! As always, I am especially proud of the students in the Youth Confirmation Class of 2022. Eleven of these students chose to confirm their commitment to God in the rite of confirmation this year, one will do so next year, and one was baptized at Easter, but chose to wait to be confirmed.

As we always do in youth confirmation, we began in January with an examination of the baptismal covenant, and asked the question, “What does it mean to turn to Jesus Christ, to put our whole trust in his grace and love, and to follow and obey him as our Lord?” Or, more simply, “Who is Jesus, and what does it mean to follow him?”

For the rest of our time together, we read and discussed the Gospel of Mark with these questions in mind, and the students were thoughtful and insightful in their discussion of their discoveries. In their own words, here is a snapshot of who Jesus is, and what following him means to the Youth Confirmation Class of 2022:

“Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, an exorcist, a leader, and a teacher. He is a friend of John, who is more powerful than John, and who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. He is from Nazareth, and has brothers and sisters. He is tempted by Satan. He is a healer, and a political figure. He wants people to think and remember, he is willing to break rules for a good cause, he is someone angels wait on, someone everyone obeys, and someone who loves everyone. He doesn’t bow to other authority. He doesn’t care what people think of him, and he cares about the people who are suffering the most. He is beloved, trusted, selfless, humble, persecuted, patient, busy, overwhelmed, and doesn’t want to attract too much attention.

“Jesus teaches us to be selfless, to give others second chances, to be open-minded, and to be conscious of our own actions and intentions. He teaches us a more forgiving understanding of God. He teaches us how to teach others, and that everyone who does the will of God is his family. He teaches that less is more and more is less; that the greatest person doesn’t think they’re the greatest; that the less you have, the easier it is to follow him; that possessions make it harder to follow him; and that the denarius has no worth to God.

“Jesus teaches that what comes from your heart, and not your food, can defile you; that if you’re just helping people in order to get something for yourself, it’s not selfless; that the least will be greatest and the greatest will be least as it relates to the kingdom of heaven; that if you welcome the un-valuable, the most valuable will welcome you; that he is not the Messiah they think he is; and that he will be killed and resurrected. He teaches that if you’re greedy, you will lose your life, and if you’re willing to sacrifice your life for a good cause, you will keep it.

“Jesus teaches us to care about ourselves, but not in a selfish way; to be selfless and do good for others out of the pureness of our hearts; not to listen to the emperor, but to listen to Jesus; and not to try to stop people who are doing the same thing as us, just in a different way.”

Thank you to everyone in this congregation for your ongoing commitment to our youth as they continue their adventure into life as followers of Jesus Christ.

May 19, 2022 A Reflection from Deacon Patrice Taylor

The thermometer topped 100 degrees this week in Phoenix and it’s clear that we’re entering the hard season. Errands in the morning. Water. Shade. Wait it out till you see Halloween pumpkins. We enjoyed six months of wonderful weather and life isn’t always sunny and mild. Sometimes it’s relentlessly difficult and we just have to hunker down. All lives have this rhythm. It’s just so hard to survive the baking sun when it happens to be beating down on you, personally.

I have a dear loved one in this kind of place right now. Her spouse died and left her in financial chaos, her housing is insecure for the future, she has a new job she dislikes, two amputated toes that make it hard to walk, and a mountain of bureaucracy to dig through to tie up his life. All while his last medical bills seep in daily like a rising flood and she holds grief at bay.

I am asked a lot why bad things like this happen to good people like her. In essence, it’s the question of weather. You can find places with mostly harsh weather or mostly great weather but even the Arctic has the glorious Northern Lights and Hawaii is heavenly unless your island happens to be erupting. The question isn’t why we suffer because loss and difficulty are simply part of being human. The actual question is what you do with it. Daphne Rose Kingma wrote a beautiful little book about this a dozen years ago called “Ten Things To Do When Your Life Falls Apart.” If your personal weather these days is brutal, you might consider her advice.

Cry. It’s ok to grieve whatever you’ve lost. Face your defaults, the unhelpful strategies you tend to lean on to cope. Do something different. Let go of whatever you need to release. Remember the strengths and gifts God built into you long ago. Persist at the demanding work of moving forward. Find ways to absorb the changes you must accept. Live simply. In the community of others. And lean on God’s love and guidance like your life depends on it. The only mistake is to lose hope. Even that last struggle, the one that will end your life, is only a door opening to the mysterious glory of forever with God. So, it’s all ok. Every bit of it. Just put on your sunglasses and love everyone you can, every way you can, every day. It’s hot outside? Bring it on. Every day is one day closer to October. 

May 12, 2022 A Reflection from Fr. Dan Burner

I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

"See, the home of God is among mortals.

He will dwell with them as their God;

they will be his peoples,

and God himself will be with them;

he will wipe every tear from their eyes.

Death will be no more;

mourning and crying and pain will be no more,

for the first things have passed away."

And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true." Then he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.”

                                                                  —Revelation 21:1-6

Our New Testament reading from Revelation this week is a beautiful reading with much mystical language. The Revelation to John is filled with this type of language and we understand that it is intended to be coded messages addressing the situation of Israel during the time following the destruction of the second temple. At the same time, this passage can say much to us in our times.

The reference to “a new heaven and a new earth” is designed to make us think about our relationship with God. The classical mind thinks of heaven and earth separated by a great distance and reflective of the dwelling places of God and humans. But we are told that the first heaven and earth, those of the more classical understanding have passed away; they are no more. How can this new heaven and earth be different from the first? Could it be because the distance is removed and we are dwelling together with God? Together with God in a oneness that guides our lives in harmony toward the harmony we can find in relationship with God. Possibly it is the fruition of the suggestion of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin that, “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”

And beyond this we are told that the sea is also, “no more.” Why would the sea, that place where so many find solace on it’s beaches, go away and why would this be good? The sea was classically understood to be the source of chaos and evil. Great destructive creatures emerge from the sea and people are lost into its depths to never be seen again. So, John is telling us that the source of chaos and evil will be no more. In addition, the New Jerusalem will be sent down from heaven from God. A symbol that we will live in and through complex relationships with other people. In the midst of this we will come to know that God the dwelling place of God is with us and we will be the people of God. Through this relationship we will receive the water of life and know God’s peace because we will live in the fullness of time in deep and abundant relationship with God and all creatures.

May 5, 2022 A Reflection from Lucian Taylor, Priest Postulant

In 2004, psychologist Barry Schwartz wrote a fascinating book entitled, The Paradox of Choice. The main premise is this: the more choices we are offered, the less satisfied we become. The reason is simple: when there are more things to choose from, there is a smaller chance that the particular item we choose will turn out to be the best one. Having many choices means having many more chances to make a big mistake.

What the paradox of choice leaves us with is a kind of paralysis: we become so afraid of making the wrong choice that we don’t make any choice at all. Instead, we sit on the fence endlessly, feeling both restless and anxious. Restless because we desperately want to make a choice, anxious because we fear we will make the wrong choice.

You can see how the paradox of choice could make for an unhappy life. How do I know I am buying the best house? The best car? The best TV? The best detergent?  The best toothbrush? The list of consumer purchases is endless.

But so is the list of relational purchases. How do I know I am buying the best husband or wife? The best church? The best friends? The best co-workers? The best mental health counselor to help me deal with all my paranoia about making choices?

In 1980, I had a chance to visit the Soviet Union when it was still a Communist country. Moscow was fascinating. There were no billboards, advertisements, promotional campaigns, discounts, sales, or choices. You want bread? Wait in a long line. You give me ticket, I give you bread. Same bread as everyone else. No packaging. Just bread. Enjoy your stale bread.

It was definitely not a perfect system. But no one in the Soviet Union stayed up at night wondering if their loaf was the best artisan bread sourced properly with non-GMO seed. You wake up hungry? Have some stale bread.

I know this all sounds quite silly. What’s wrong with having choices or getting what you want or getting a good deal? Nothing. But there is something wrong with spending your very few precious days on this earth fretting about choices.

You and I were made in the image of God because we are meant to be the face of God to the world. That is, God put us here to love each other and to extend God’s love and kindness and grace into every corner of the earth where we go, and into the heart of each person whose life intersects with ours.

But to do that, we have to be paying attention to people, not things. We have to have the mental and emotional bandwidth to engage with people who need our help, our advice, our friendship, and our love. We have to be mentally, emotionally, and physically available. And since each of us only has so much to give, we need to spend less of our energy fretting about choices, and more of our energy pouring God’s love into the lives of the people God loves, which is everyone. Because which is more satisfying and brings us more peace and joy: sharing our latest find, or finding someone to share God’s love with?

Please, go ahead. Bring home the best locally sourced non- GMO fresh-baked bread you can find. But then invite someone over to share it with. You’ll be amazed how the flavor is enhanced by pairing the bread with some choice laughter, a kind word, a warm heart, and the presence of God.

April 21, 2022 A Reflection from Pastor Emilie Finn

Dear People of God,

I have a question for you: What does it mean to love? We talk about love a lot, in church and outside it, and as we walk through this most Holy Week and into Easter season, it seems very important to know what we mean when we use this word. So, this week, I want to take you back to kindergarten, and share with you the most important story I tell to the students I teach at the Day School. I call it the Love Story:

Once, there was a man who said such wonderful things and did such amazing things that people followed him wherever he went. As they followed him, they heard him talking about a kingdom. It wasn’t the kingdom they lived in, though. And it wasn’t like any kingdom they had ever been to—or even heard about. So they kept asking him what the kingdom of God was like, and how to get to it.

Usually when they asked him these questions, Jesus told them parables. But three times, he just told them. The first time was when a rich young man asked him, “Teacher, what good thing do I have to do to have eternal life?”

Jesus answered, “If you want to have life, you should follow the laws you already know: love God, and love other people.”

The rich man said, “I have always done that.”

But Jesus said, “If you want to be perfect at it, sell what you have, give the money to the poor, and come follow me.”

Later, a lawyer decided to test Jesus. He stood up and said, “Teacher, what do I have to do to have eternal life?”

Jesus said, “You’re one of the People of God. What do the commandments tell you?”

The lawyer said, “They tell me to love God with all my heart, and with all my soul, and with all my mind, and with all my strength; and to love my neighbor as I love myself.”

Jesus said, “Yes. That’s the right answer. Do that, and you will live.”

The third time was during the last supper Jesus ever ate with his disciples. Before supper, Jesus washed the disciples’ feet. Then he told them to do for each other what he had just done for them. “I am giving you a new commandment,” he told them. “I am commanding you to love each other just like I love each one of you. If you love me, you will love each other. And everyone will know you are my disciples if you love each other.”

These three commandments are the great commandments at the heart of Christianity: 1) Love God with all your heart, and all your mind, and all your soul, and all your strength. 2) Love your neighbor as yourself. 3) Love one another as Jesus loves you. If anyone ever tells you that God says to do something that goes against one of these three commandments, you can know that that person is wrong.

The Bible tells us that a person who loves has fulfilled the whole law of God. That all the commandments, “You shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not lie, you shall not be jealous,” and any other commandment are summed up in this word, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” And here’s the important part: “Love does no wrong to a neighbor, therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.

It’s that simple. And it’s that difficult. Because if we really loved everyone, we would never harm anyone. And that would be keeping the entire law of God. And if everyone in the world did that, then we would all be living in the kingdom of God.

April 7, 2022 Vestry Update from Senior Warden, Tim Hyland

What's Happening at All Saints'?

Good Morning All Saints’!  We hope you are noticing all that is happening. We are moving forward together and in faith.  All Saints’ is re-emerging from the pandemic. We are now “mask optional” at all services and events. We look forward to seeing your smiling faces when you choose to remove your mask. We are also continuing to “reopen” the parish and see the return of many things which were postponed during COVID. We are overjoyed to again be having adult formation through our Lenten education series.

The Vestry is hard at work planning for the future. We had a wonderful Vestry Retreat and spent a day looking at our parish and our vision for the future. We are now continuing that work as we seek to know Christ and serve Christ in the world.  The Vestry has also met with Bishop Reddall and discussed the new Rector Search.  In that regard, the parish has commissioned and prayed for our new Rector Search Committee.  The Committee is up and running and has already met with Canon Anita Braden, the Diocesan Canon to the Ordinary, regarding the search process. They are meeting and are hard at work. Please keep the Committee in your prayers.

We are planning a full schedule of Holy Week and Easter services. The parish is actively seeking people who would like to assist with those services. It will be an inspiring walk with our Lord and each other. The All Saints’ youth are joining with students from the Day School in a service project to clean the church and the grounds for Holy Week. We thank them for this joint effort to make our campus look its very best at this special time as we welcome many new and returning people to services.

Sad that March Madness is over? Well, for All Saints’, it is not. In Lent Madness 2022, we have just reached the “Elate Eight.” Now is the time to join in the brackets for this final group of saints as they pursue the Golden Halo – Teresa of Avila, Juliana of Liege, James Holly, Jose Gregorio Hernandez, Origen, Madeline Barat, Thomas of Villanova, and Thomas Aquinas. Take on a fun Lenten discipline for these final weeks of Lent and learn about these saints and vote in Lent Madness 2022 for your favorites.

As to future events, there is the Diocesan Confirmation on May 14 where our All Saints’ confirmands will be confirmed. Also it will not be that long until the end of Sunday School for the program year and graduation for our Day School students.  We look forward to everyone re-engaging and participating in our parish activities as we rapidly move through Spring.

March 31, 2022 A Reflection from Lucian Taylor

“Have I got a deal for you!” How may times have you heard that line? What comes to mind when you hear it? Excitement? Suspicion? Disbelief? Curiosity?

We don’t often think about it, but inside every marketing pitch, two powerful forces are at work: fear and greed. They are the primary emotional drivers that determine buying decisions. Fear and greed are so powerful that marketers create separate pitches for each one. To appeal to our fear (of not getting the best deal), marketers ask: “Why pay more?”

And to appeal to our greed (for getting something better), marketers say: “You deserve the very best.” My favorite pitch is the one that brilliantly combines fear and greed into one simple question: “Why pay more for the very best?” This column is supposed to be a spiritual reflection. So why am I talking about fear, greed, and marketing? Because in Lent, we take time to reflect on the sacrifice Jesus made to welcome us into the Kingdom of God, and Jesus’ sacrifice began with a marketing pitch. Out in the wilderness, Jesus was tempted three times by the ultimate marketer: Satan.

Satan offered Jesus three fantastic deals: free bread when you’re starving, absolute power over the whole world, and a flashy way to show everyone you’re the Son of God. But Jesus turned down all three of these amazing deals. Why?

One reason is that Jesus already had what Satan was selling. Jesus was already the Bread of Life, the King of the World, and the Son of God. But Satan knows it’s still possible for   us to be tempted by what we already have. Got a car? Get a better one! Got a big screen TV? Get two! Got a husband or wife?

Get . . . Uh-oh. Can you see the problem?

Something inside us always wants more. That’s where the battle is. And if we’re honest, we have to admit that we don’t even know how to stop wanting more. Wanting more is in our nature.

But guess what? It’s a solvable problem. We can simply ask God to help us change what we want. We can ask God to transform our insatiable desire to get into    an insatiable desire to give. Believe it or not, this change is actually in our self-interest. Think about what it’s like to meet someone who always needs to get more love, versus someone who always wants to give more love. Which person is more attractive? Or think about how it feels to know that you helped someone in need, versus refusing someone in need. Which action makes you feel better about yourself? Jesus is right: it is truly more blessed to give than to receive.

This brings us right back to Jesus. No one made Jesus die for our sins. Jesus chose to die for our sins. Satan failed at tempting Jesus because Jesus didn’t want what Satan was selling. Jesus didn’t want to take care of Himself. He wanted to take care of us. And He didn’t need bread, power, or prestige to do that. He needed to empty Himself and become like one of us, knowing our suffering, so He could love us right where we are, and for who we are. Jesus loves me. Jesus loves you. The best thing we can give up this Lent is our fear and greed. We can use this season to draw close to God, and to trade in our fear and greed for a beautiful new life of loving God and loving one another.

March 24, 2022 A Reflection from Pastor Emilie Finn

Dear People of God,

This Lent, we have been studying the Way of Love each Sunday, and exploring the practice of essential spiritual disciplines, such as the study Scripture, prayer, sabbath, and outreach. The goal of these explorations is for each of us to discover which parts of these practices we would like to incorporate into our own personal rule of life. A “rule” in this context is not something imposed on us from the outside that we must conform to, but rather a set of guiding principles we create for ourselves to govern our own life.

Most of us are practicing a rule of life already, we just don't always consciously know what it is. To begin the process of discovering what your personal rule of life is, ask yourself one simple question: “What am I already doing that keep my life from falling apart?” Be sure to note the most simple and obvious things. Examples include getting enough sleep, daily exercise, eating nourishing food, checking in with and listening to your life partner and/or children, reading the Bible, saying the daily office, faithfulness in work or study, paying bills on time, keeping in touch with friends and family, favorite hobbies and creative work, and your list will go on.

After a few minutes of thought, try this simple exercise: Find a piece of paper and divide it into four sections. Label the four sections “Physical Practices,” “Mental Practices,” “Spiritual Practices,” and “Relational Practices” respectively. Then, look at each category in turn. Ask yourself: When I am at my best, what do I do to keep myself physically healthy? What do I do to keep myself mentally healthy? What do I do to keep myself spiritually healthy? And what do I do to keep my relationships with the other people in my life healthy?

Once you have answered these questions, I invite you to consider your rule of life from a slightly different perspective: My fourth grade religion students at the Day School have been learning about virtues all year. They began by studying the seven cardinal virtues: Courage, wisdom, temperance, justice, faith, hope, and love. Now, each individual student has added many more virtues to their personal repertoire by asking themselves two simple questions: What kind of person do I want to be when I am older? And what kind of person do I want to be right now?

Examples of students’ answers to those two questions include the virtues of humor, empathy, caring, faithfulness, positivity, truthfulness, gratitude, loyalty, creativity, integrity, adventurousness, kindness, thoughtfulness, willingness to improve, cheerfulness, and perseverance.

I encourage you to ask yourself the same two questions, and to make a list of the virtues you would like to nurture in your own character. When you are done, take a look at each virtue on your list. What is one way you can practice this virtue in your everyday life? In what small way can you practice this virtue that will help make it habitual, or even reflexive? Then, add that practice to the appropriate section of your rule of life.

Alternatively, one of my fourth graders suggested making a deck of little cards with one virtue on each card, then drawing a card at random each morning and making that the virtue you practice especially for that day. What a good Lenten discipline that would be. Or what a fine addition to an ongoing rule of life!

March 17, 2022 A Reflection from Fr. Dan Burner

Wednesday evening, we began the adult confirmation class with Evening Prayer. It had been a very long time since I had said the daily office with a small group of people. It reminded me of my time at seminary and the routine of gathering each weekday morning and evening with other seminarians in the chapel to lead and share together the historic holy offices.

There is something very intimate in worshiping in a small group. And it feels very different from the Eucharist. It seems much more interactive. In seminary, I wondered why many of the other students did not gather with us. It was obvious that we all had more work to do in preparing for classes and writing papers, but the deepening of relationship in chapel offices communicated to those of us who participated the mystery of the church in a way that the noon Eucharists did not. The readings, the canticles, especially the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis, bound us together in a very different way.

As we were saying the office this Wednesday, I thought about how wonderful it would be to live in community again like we did at seminary and spend each day in prayer and study. It was a lovely momentary fantasy. And then I remembered the decision I had to make when I was singing in the choir one Sunday at St. Philip’s in the Hills, Tucson.

My personal spirituality came from singing. It began in the Phoenix Boys Choir and continued in my time in the children’s and youth choirs at church. As an adult I studied voice with the choirmaster of my church in Denver and began a very long path of singing sacred music at a number of churches wherever I lived. On that Sunday morning at St. Philip’s, I was suddenly fully aware that my comfortable life there was about to change because my call to the priesthood was so important.

And I knew that the gifts I would offer to the church would require me to give up the comfort of my personal privilege of indulging my joy of singing in the choir. And yet that is the conflict between wanting to be cloistered and living in the world. We are called to share the Gospel of God’s love with all people and that sometimes means giving up joy and comfort. For now, I will treasure every opportunity I have to experience those feelings of comfort and community that come as I pray the daily office with others. On Sundays, I will sing the hymns and chant the prayers and cherish the beauty of the music from our choir and organ and always remember my spiritual journey that began so long ago right here in Phoenix.

March 10, 2022 A Reflection from Deacon Patrice Taylor

Living Intentionally, Learning Together

If you missed adult education last week you missed a joyful reunion of God’s people. Forty-five members of the All Saints’ family gathered for the first time since the pandemic to laugh, share, and learn together about The Way of Love, Practices for Jesus-Centered Life, a program of the Episcopal Church. It’s not too late to come along because this Lent and Eastertide we are on a spiritual journey that continues next week, after the 10am service!

Early in his ministry, Jesus was surrounded by seekers, and he often asked them “What do you want?” I encourage you to ask the same question. What does my soul want to say to God and what does God want to say to me? The Way of Love curriculum will help you to shape an individual rhythm for intentional living that will help you to hear God in your life and make choices based on this conversation.

March 2, 2022 A Reflection from Pastor Emilie Finn

Dear People of God,

This first Sunday in Lent, we once again have the opportunity to begin our Lenten journey by walking the labyrinth. A labyrinth is a walking meditation that represents an individual’s journey through the world in search of God. One of the oldest symbols known to humankind, the labyrinth is an ancient geometric shape that does not occur in nature, but that has existed in human societies since at least 440 BCE. In medieval Europe, walking a cathedral labyrinth like the one we will use became a substitute for a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, a long and arduous journey that not everyone could make.

Our labyrinth will be set up in the gym at the Day School this Sunday, and will be available to walk following the 7:30am service, until the start of the 10am service (from approximately 8:30-9:55am). I encourage you to make a little time in your morning to take this meditative walk.

As you begin your own pilgrimage to the center of the labyrinth, set an intention. Perhaps you will dedicate each step you take as a prayer for someone, or for yourself. Perhaps you will choose a mantra, or breath prayer, to say silently to yourself with each step. Perhaps you will use your time in the labyrinth to meditate on a topic important to you at this moment, to reflect on what you might like your Lenten discipline to be, or to hold in prayer a complex issue in your life or in the world—not seeking answers or solutions, just following your internal pattern of thought as peacefully as you follow the labyrinth to its center.

Or, simply use the winding curves to slow down the pace of your life and re-center yourself for this coming season of reflection. Do not be surprised if you encounter tears, unusual feelings of irritation, anger, sadness, loneliness, or even extreme joy. Do not be surprised if you encounter God in a way that you have not before. Do not be surprised if you feel nothing at all. These are all normal reactions to the beginning of an internal journey.

If you wish to try a mantra or breath prayer, I have found that the best way is to try out different ones until you find the one that really resonates with you. Many spiritual masters suggest that you pick one mantra and stick with it for a long time, if not forever. Even if you don’t plan on being this extreme, remember that anything you repeat often becomes a part of you, so choose a phrase that really works for you, with words whose long-term effect on your life you trust.

Examples of mantras/breath prayers include:

        All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well. (Julian of Norwich)

        Thy will be done. (Jesus of Nazareth)

        As you will, what you will, when you will. (Augustine of Hippo)

        Rejoice in the Lord always. (Philippians 4:4)

        Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy. (The Kyrie)

        Here I am. (Genesis 22:1, 31:11; 1 Samuel 3:4; Isaiah 6:8, Acts 9:10)

        Let it be to me (or us) according to your word. (Luke 1:38)

        Into your hands I commend my spirit. (Luke 23:46)

I wish you a holy and blessed beginning to your Lenten season this year. 

February 23, 2022 A Reflection from Fr. Dan Burner

There is an elephant in the room. It’s been in the room we call life for a while now and we don’t seem to want to name it. It is this ennui; this sadness, boredom, even frustration with how life has become under the COVID Pandemic. And while we are want to ignore it or dismiss it in platitudes or cliché responses; it is taking its toll on us as individuals and a people. Part of the frustration is that to the common citizen, no one could have imagined what we have and are going through; months of seclusion, fear of the unseen and unknown, grief over the loss of family and friends, and the loss of our normal lives that we were living before the COVID virus began to circulate around the entire world. All of us have experienced this regardless of our personal feelings about COVID. For congregations like All Saints’, we were quickly denied the opportunity to gather in our sacred spaces; spaces that we normally go to when we suffer from the losses we experience in life. This happened at a time when we didn’t know how the disease was transmitted or how to protect ourselves from it.

Now we have experienced three surges of the cases and deaths which is how the 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic played out. The cases and deaths were less then, mainly because the population of the world was much less and there was no air travel, which moves the risk to different locations much more readily. But the fear is real. The Red Cross reported that during the 1918 Epidemic, some healthy people living in Kentucky died from starvation because they isolated themselves so completely because they were afraid they might be exposed to other contagious persons. This is an example of behavior that is difficult to understand. And that is part of what we experience today. We hear and see and read about the COVID-19 virus and we take our personal decisions about how to be safe. Then we hear of others who take other decisions and because of the intensity of our personal fear we find ourselves unable to understand those other decisions and again because of the intensity of our personal fear of possible death we react.

Meanwhile, we need to find healing and consolation in our most critical relationships as children of God and siblings in the Body of Christ. Solace is not found in the empty space of our church nave. Solace is found in that space because of the memories of gathering there to comfort each other in our individual losses and to share the love of God with all people. Regardless of the decisions we have made personally, we need to gather together for the healing and consolation which can only come from being in our sacred space together. Whereas, we each individually experience our own sense of the consolation and healing, we need to remember that it is not simply a personal experience, it is our collective sense of God’s presence in our lives.

February 16, 2022  A Reflection from Fr. Tim Yanni

Dear People of All Saints’,

I want to take this opportunity to say thank you. As you may know, this coming weekend will be my final weekend as one of your priests. Beginning next week, I will be the Rector at the Episcopal Church of St. John the Baptist in Glendale. As you know from my sermons about him, St. John the Baptist is one of my favorite saints. He is an example of how it is important to use our entire self as we follow Jesus, even if others think we are weird or different. John wore camel hair and ate locusts! That’s pretty weird! And yet, this weird guy led a lot of people to Jesus. I am hopeful the entire Church continues to look to John whenever we doubt our abilities to follow Jesus. All of us is called!

I am so happy for the time we have been able to share together at All Saints’ and I am so thrilled about all of the amazing things that you are going to continue to do. Soon you will call your new Rector and a new chapter will begin for you. My hope for you is that you continue to ensure All Saints’ is a place of spiritual growth and nourishment. Oh, yeah, and fun! Don’t forget to have fun! Sometimes we all have to just let our hair down and have a good time. That is an important way to honor God as well. All Saints’ is a wonderful place and you have made a difference in my life. I am confident that there are many continued blessings that will come your way.

I will keep you in prayer and I ask that you do the same for me. Stay faithful, and keep your ears and hearts open to the call of Jesus. He is calling you. Make sure to answer! Go out there and continue to be his hands and feet in this place. I promise to continue cheering you on!

In Christ Jesus,

Father Tim

February 9, 2022  A Reflection from Pastor Emilie Finn

Dear People of God,

Every year at about this time, as the season of Epiphany draws to a close, and the season of Lent approaches; as New Year’s resolutions either work, or don’t, and have to be re-evaluated and reshaped (sometimes into a new Lenten discipline), I always find myself prompted to dig deep, and to discover just what has been at the foundation of my mental health, my faith, and my work during the past year. I find myself asking what has held me together, and what I for sure want to continue doing as we approach the roller-coaster that is Lent, Holy Week, and Easter (and not so incidentally, spring trimester and the end of the academic year).

As I have for the past two years, when I ask this question, I find that what has helped me most consistently to find peace and a sense of stability has been grounding myself in, and going deeper into, one of the oldest practices of our faith tradition. For two consecutive years now, with the help of Lowell & Jimmy, and my wife, Deb, I have been praying morning prayer each weekday with a small, dedicated group of people on Facebook Live. And for two consecutive years, as well, I have been asking all of my friends and family on Facebook, as well as the congregation here at All Saints, how   I can pray for them throughout each coming week.

For early Christians, daily morning and evening prayers that focused on the recitation of the psalms were a principal form of worship, especially in monastic communities, and I have found that this ancient practice of beginning, and ending, and beginning again in prayer has continued to bless me with a structured way to begin and end each day in the presence of God, and other people, during a period of time that has often seemed to do its best to isolate all of us from both. Morning prayer has grounded my ordinary, everyday life in God, and in communion with those I pray for and with, each day, and I have been especially grateful for the little community-within-a-community that has grown up around our practice of virtual morning and evening prayer at All Saints’.

And of course, there is something holy about bringing the entire spectrum of human emotion, from the best and most beautiful to the worst and ugliest, before God each day, as we do when we pray the entire psalter over a period of time in the Daily Office. Praying the psalms reminds me what it means to be human, and what it means to be human in the presence of God, which is humbling, convicting, and challenging all at once.

Thank you all for continuing to pray with Lowell and Jimmy and Deb and me, and with Gary and Dave in the evenings. Your prayers bless and support me, as I hope mine bless and support you, as we all continue our very human struggle to place our lives and our future in God’s hands.

February 3, 2022 A Reflection for our New Senior Warden, Tim Hyland

Hello All Saints!  

We have a lot to do this year and we are putting out this call – We want you! It is time for All Saints’ to connect and engage.  We are all the Body of Christ in the world. We are – each of us – All Saints’. We all have unique skills that contribute and build and strengthen our community. So, whether you are a new member, a longtime member, a young person, a mature person, an in-person attendee, a video attendee, or however you characterize yourself --- please engage and connect with your brothers and sisters at All Saints’. If you have a question, ask. If you have an idea, we are listening. If you want more information, ask. If you need something, let us know so we can discuss how we may be able to help you or locate a resource who can help.

Do not be discouraged or anxious by change.  Change means we can grow and become better. This is the time to shape what we want All Saints’ to be. Please keep your eyes on future E-blasts to stay informed.  Please listen to the announcements on Sundays about upcoming items.  We hope you share your thoughts and dreams of what All Saints’ is and can be with us. We look forward to your participation in all aspects of our community life. We ask for your participation in the pledge drive to support the work of All Saints’ and grow our ministries. Throughout its history, our parish has met every challenge and moved forward in faith. Together, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, there is nothing we cannot do. 

Thank you to everyone who attended the Annual Meeting. It was a great celebration of the hard work by so many people, and in so many ways, last year. A very special THANK YOU to Dave English for his outstanding and wonderful leadership over the last three years as Senior Warden. Thank you also to the departing Vestry members and to the prior Search Committee under the leadership of Derek Horn and Marcia Scott.

Now, all aboard – All Saints’ is moving forward, together, to the glory of God!

January 27, 2022 A Reflection from Fr. Dan Burner

Words are important.

You may have noticed that the first week of the prayers of the people for the Sundays after the Epiphany had some different words than those you have heard more recently. The 1979 Book of Common Prayer took many years to be written and an equally long time to be approved by our General Convention. As such, the language reflects a different time in our culture.

The tone and sometimes the meaning of words change through usage over time and we also find a clearer understanding of the theology that needs to be reflected in our liturgy. This is some of what we find in Form VI of the Prayers of the People.

The first word that we have modified for our usage is the word “needy.” The particular bidding it is intended to be a prayer for those who find themselves disadvantaged and needing our assistance. When it was written we understood that in every one’s life there are times when this occurs. Over the years since it was initially penned by a member of the BCP revision committee however, the word “needy” has come to be a pejorative. In other words, a way of labeling a person or persons not deserving of our assistance because they are always in need. Our response to the bidding, “For all who are in danger, sorrow, or any kind of trouble” now says, “For those who minister to the sick, the friendless, and those in need.”

The second modification to Form VI is the deletion of a word in the response to the bidding, “For the peace and unity of the Church of God…” We currently respond, “For all who proclaim the Gospel, and all who seek the Truth.” This would infer that we own “the” truth. And by further inference our is the “only” truth. Meanwhile, our more recent progressive theology is that we are on a journey with many other people and faiths and that truth can be shared among those various faith journeys. What might be more important is for us to seek truth in each situation we encounter. We have deleted “the” from that response and as a result, it feels more welcoming and less pedantic. “… all who seek truth.”

Lastly, we have modified another word in response to the bidding which asks for prayers for our bishops and all other ministers. Form VI would have us respond, “For all who serve God in his Church.” One of the marks of maturity in Christian understanding is that God has no gender. While those of us who have been raised with a God identified as male, the use of this gender is sometimes troubling to women and others with gender issues and in short is a way of our limiting God by definition and supporting patriarchal structures in our society.

There are undoubtedly other places in our liturgy where words betray the true sense of the Gospel of Love we know through the incarnation of the Christ in Jesus of Nazareth. And yes, you may say that Jesus referred to God as Father, but that was in a different cultural context and for a different purpose. That discussion is for another day.

January 13, 2022 A Reflection from Pastor Emilie finn

Dear People of God,

In second grade religion, we have been studying holidays. We have learned that the word “holiday” comes from the English words, “holy day,” and that the word “holy” means something ordinary that is taken and set apart to serve God. Anything can be set apart to serve God: A person, like a priest or a pastor. A place, like our church building. A gift of time, talent, or treasure. Food, like bread and wine. Music, like hymns and anthems. Even words become prayers when they are used to serve God.

Many holidays are days that are set apart to serve God. Last week, on January 6, we celebrated one of those days: the feast of the Epiphany. An epiphany is a moment in which you suddenly see or understand something in a new or very clear way, which is what happened to the magi in the moment when they finally saw the newborn king. It was this epiphany that caused them to open their treasure and give him gifts that were literally fit for a king.

Gold is a rare and precious metal that has been used throughout human history to make coins, jewelry, and other kinds of art. Frankincense is a brownish-yellow resin harvested from Boswellia trees that grow in Arabia. It is used to make incense and perfume, and because it is rare and difficult to harvest, it is expensive. The name “Myrrh” comes from an Arabic word that means, “bitter.” It is a bitter-tasting, reddish-brown gum harvested from small, flowering Myrrh trees. It is also rare, and even more valuable than frankincense.

I often reflect that it was a good thing that Jesus’ poor, peasant family received these gifts, because a few short days later, they would be fleeing for their lives from a ruthless and tyrannical king. It is quite possible that they needed every coin they could get from the sale of the frankincense and myrrh to fund their flight into Egypt and their lives as refugees, until they could return home.

Reflecting on this always leads me to reflect in turn on the gifts we ourselves give during the season of Christmas, and on the greater gifts we can give throughout the year, if we are open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

When I asked my second graders what the best gift they had ever received was, their answers were enlightening: “My brother.” “My family.” “My classmates.” “My teacher.” “My puppy.” When I asked them what the best gift they had ever given was, their answers were an epiphany: “Love.” “The courage to stand up for someone.” “Support.” “The confidence to speak.” “A hug.”

This epiphany, I hope we can all remember that the greatest gifts we give or receive are seldom material things. As essential as those rich gifts were to the Holy Family, I think the greatest gift the magi gave was far less tangible: They listened to a warning in a dream and returned home by a different road, choosing not to tell King Herod where Jesus was, and giving the Holy Family time to flee to Egypt. Their willingness to go a different way saved the life of the one who would grow up to save all the people of the world.

January 6, 2022 A Reflection from Fr. Dan Burner

There is this characteristic about change. It is truly the only constant. There are changes we like. In effect these are changes that we see bring us a better situation; a new car, a job promotion. We see these as good. But even these are sometimes accompanied by difficulty. Think about the times you have been invited into a cubicle on an auto sales floor to begin the negotiation for that new car, or how long and hard you worked for the promotion. Change is not always instantaneous. The time it takes for change to occur is called the transition. Transition is the name given to a part of the birth process. That process is characterized by confusion, disorientation, discomfort, and frustration with how long the change is taking.

We have a history about this. The Hebrew Scriptures tell us about Moses liberating the people of Israel from Egypt. The story includes forty years in a desolate place and many misadventures including an effort to find a new god in the form of a golden calf. The people demanded of Moses, “Have you brought us out of Egypt to kill us in the desert?” And while we may react with incredulity to these misadventures, those who study human behavior have identified the same general characteristics across time.

We are in a very unusual time. We are still in the midst of a massive pandemic which continues to take many lives and there is great frustration with all of the implications and outcomes of this disease. One outcome of this is a great divide over even the understanding that the virus is real. And why not? Elisabeth Kubler Ross tells us that the first step in grief is denial. And while you might think that grief is an over-reaction, grief is exactly what we experience in almost every change we experience. The second step is anger.

So, what can we do about this transition when we find ourselves in it? First, be kind to ourself. Understand that our reaction is completely normal. Secondly, remember that the feast we have just celebrated, the incarnation of our Lord, is about hope and that finally, what we have as the gift from God is the blessing    of each other is our lives. The reason we worship is to remind us of God’s love and our covenant to be the reflection of that love in the world. Even if you need to isolate for your personal health, reach out to others; let others know of your pain in your own isolation. Comfort others in their pain. Listen to their stories. It is no accident that a major characteristic of humanity is the telling of stories. Let’s make the story of All Saints’ that we held each other in God’s love as we moved to a new season in our life in Christ. 

December 30, 2021 A Reflection from Fr. Dan Burner

We are in the midst of the Twelve Days of Christmas. As I write this, we are on the day of Five Golden Rings. Of course, we all know the cumulative song which is sung so often this time of year that many of us can recite the various subjects of the verses. There is an unfounded myth that the verses were designed to be a secret catechism for persecuted Christians as a means to remember important basics of their religion. Meanwhile, the song helps us count the days we celebrate Christmas from the 25^th of December to the 5^th  of January, which is commonly known as Twelfth Night. According to the bible, the Maji visited the Christ Child on the following day, January 6^th, also known as Epiphany.

These twelve days help us to remember why Christmas and the Incarnation are central to our faith. The full understanding of the Incarnation should be a way for us to transform our lives to be more in keeping with the path to the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God. It begins with the concept of a loving God. A God that gives life and all that is needed to sustain it. In the Incarnation God reminded us of our relationship with the Holy and the possibility that through exercising our agency in the world we can be co-creators of the world that God wills for every creature. To do this, we must do our work to transform the suffering and pain that are endemic to living with each other. Because, as we are reminded by Richard Rohr, “If we do not transform our pain, we will most assuredly transmit it…”

This transformation is what Dickens reveals to us in “A Christmas Carol.” Scrooge must visit the pain of his youth, his current existence, and the possible pain of the future to begin the transformation into a healthy member of his society. In one recent movie, Dickens is proclaimed in the title as, “The Man Who Saved Christmas.” Indeed, the celebration of Christmas was invigorated by his book. But more important is the question of how it impacts our daily lives. Dickens ends his story:

“Scrooge was better than his word. He did it all, and infinitely more; and to Tiny Tim, who did not die, he was a second father. He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough, in the good old world. Some people laughed to see the alteration in him, but he let them laugh, and little heeded them; for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of laughter in the outset; and knowing that such as these would be blind anyway, he thought it quite as well that they should wrinkle up their eyes in grins, as have the malady in less attractive forms. His own heart laughed: and that was quite enough for him. He had no further intercourse with Spirits, but lived upon the Total Abstinence Principle, ever afterwards; and it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God bless Us, Every One!”

Can we keep Christmas alive every day of the year?

It’s up to you!

December 16, 2021 A Reflection from Fr. Tim Yanni

November 24, 2021 A Reflection from Fr. Tim Yanni

November 18, 2021 A Reflection from Fr. Dan Burner

I don’t know if you have noticed, but there are some non-religious organizations moving into our work. I noticed recently an Arizona Human Society billboard that proclaimed that they are, “Transforming lives, One pet at a time!” And even the Eller School of Management is touting that their MBA program is transforming lives too! It may well be that they are indeed transforming lives and you may ask, “how is that moving into our work?”

You might think that the work of the church is to hold services to worship God. To teach us how to pray, and to comfort us when we encounter trouble or loss in our lives. It used to be that almost all weddings were conducted in a church, by clergy. I don’t know if you have noticed, but there is a very large business in destination weddings; some of which are conducted in wedding chapels but it seems like many more are on the beach, in an orchard or barn, or a mountain top (à la Julie Andrews in the opening scene of Sound of Music.) A clergy friend once told me that people were returning to church and when pressed said that the evidence was because there were more funerals.

While different expressions of the ceremonies of our lives can be beautiful, the fact is that people may be seeking other locations sometimes to avoid being in a church. Or they are having their cousin Herb get an online ordination certificate in order to preside their beachside wedding. Maybe they are seeking these other options because the church is somehow not speaking to them in a way that inspires them to transform their lives.

You see, the work of the church is quite simply to gather people together, to transform lives, and to send them out to do God’s work in the world. When we follow God’s call given to us through the life of Jesus, we want to gather with others to share the story of God’s love. Through this process of sharing of story, and listening to each other, we learn to transform the lives of those who are seeking something more than the demands of a material world or material goods. We also transform the lives of those around us living in the margins. After all, even Judaic law commands that we leave the edges of our field un-harvested for the poor to reap.

Once our lives and those whom we gather together are transformed, we send them out to continue that work of gathering and transforming lives. This does not mean that we need to say churchy things or adopt outwardly religious forms of dress or interaction. It means that we can transform lives every day by treating people as beloved children of God who need to know that God loves them. We can do this in our everyday interactions, or the decisions we make about our employees, or how our Christian ethics show in a myriad number of ways.

So the work of the church is: GATHER > TRANSFORM > SEND

November 11, 2021  A Reflection from Fr. Tim Yanni

I am honored to serve in the capacity of a priest in the Church of God. It is a wonderful vocation that brings with it many joys and much responsibility. While I take my calling as a priest very seriously, I often do not take myself quite so seriously. I frequently wear casual attire (including wearing an array of aloha shirts!), I often use humor in my preaching, and I go with the flow when the liturgy does not go as planned. I work diligently to make sure I am accessible.

Why do I do this? Because I want to make sure it is very clear that I am no better than anyone else simply by virtue of my priestly vocation. I despise clericalism. I don’t wish to be respected because of my ordination. I wish to be respected because I am a human. And I wish to show you respect for exactly the same reason. Each of us has inherent dignity and each of us is a child of God. 

Closely related to this is the reality that my status as an ordained person does not give me any extra importance in the Church. The Church is not my Church. It belongs to Jesus. Similarly, All Saints’ does not belong to me. It belongs to you. You, the people of All Saints’, quite literally built this place with your blood, sweat, and tears, and I am privileged to share my gifts and talents with you as we honor God together in this place that belongs to you. I understand I am fortunate to have theological training, and I am honored to share what I know with you. But this place belongs to you and my goal is to help you to take ownership of this place that belongs to you as you continue to serve as Christ’s hands and feet in Phoenix. 

I hope you are aware that I see you in action when you serve as the hands and feet of Jesus. I want you to know that I pay attention when I see you step forward to serve as a minister. I notice when you engage in conversation with a visitor. I see it when you help someone to follow along in the bulletin. When you take pride in your parish, I see it. And when I see it, I am grateful. 

I want you to take a moment to reflect on what it is that makes you feel grateful about your community of All Saints’. Is it your thriving music program? Is it your very important funeral ministry? Is it something that happened by chance, like the reality that the city of Phoenix grew over the years in such a way that All Saints’ is now right smack in the middle of town? There are many reasons to be grateful for this worshipping community. Maybe you are simply grateful that you have a place to come for fellowship, now that some of the worst parts of the COVID 19 pandemic are behind us. Whatever it is that makes you feel grateful about All Saints’, I want you to reflect on it and acknowledge the joy and gratitude in your heart!

All Saints’ is now in its annual pledge drive. It isn’t ever comfortable to ask for money. It’s just one of those things that doesn’t feel great to talk about. But it is important. The COVID 19 pandemic has taken a toll on so many people, yet All Saints’ continues to serve the people of God. Your Angel Tree helps children who otherwise wouldn’t have a Christmas. Your relationship with Maryland Gardens sends a little bit of joy to people who otherwise might not have much. Your online footprint brings All Saints’ into the homes of people around the world. It is so important that these ministries continue and your pledge makes them possible. All Saints’ has been a place where the love of God has been shared with your community for many years. When you pledge to All Saints’, you are placing a bet on your continued success. You are wagering on your future. If you have already placed this wager (a low-risk wager I might add!), thank you! If you have not, then I encourage you to reflect upon the blessings in your life that come from this worshipping community. Pledge to All Saints’ in gratitude and place a bet on you. I promise, you will be filled with gratitude. 

November 4, 2021  A Reflection from Pastor Emilie Finn 

Dear People of God,

On Friday of last week, three classes of excited Day School 4^th graders, and six teachers, including me, piled into two buses to make a trip to Mesa to serve at Feed My Starving Children, the  4^th grade’s particular project for the school-wide Day of Service.

However, due to unforeseen circumstances, when they arrived at the facility, they were not able to serve, and their excitement turned to disappointment. Sadly, the students boarded the bus to return to school two hours early, while their teachers tried desperately to think of something for the children to do in place of their special service activity.

And that is when I remembered the supplies from our Summer of Service VBS that were still sitting on shelves in my office. As soon as we arrived back on campus, while their classroom teachers kept the students busy with mindfulness exercises in the Close Garden, the All Saints’ maintenance staff and three specials teachers magically (and very quickly) transformed the St. Barbara rooms into three service “stations.”

At one station, students braided strips of fabric donated by members of All Saints’ together to make chew toys for dogs in the local shelter our communications director, Nanette Towsley, had put us in touch with this past summer. At another station, students created pictures to turn into cards for the All Saints’ Prison Ministry to use to write messages to women in Perryville Prison. And at the third station, they painted enrichment toys for animals at the Phoenix Zoo, as our own Sharron Luther taught our VBS kids to do.

At the end of the day, thanks to the dedicated team effort of both the church and the school, not only did we have toys for dogs and zoo animals, and cards for women in prison, we also had 50 tired and satisfied students, who had their own special experience of the Day of Service to share along with the rest of the grades during the closing chapel in the Close.

Thank you so much to everyone who has contributed to the culture of service we have cultivated at the church, which enabled us to, with such short notice, give the students at the Day School a service experience they will never forget. Never doubt that even the smallest effort you make on behalf of others has an effect beyond anything you can imagine at the time.

October 29, 2021 A Reflection from Fr. Dan Burner

Our history as a people includes many times we have come together when we experienced adversity both personal and national. Regardless of how you may feel about the COVID pandemic, I think we can all agree that this has been a time of deep crisis. In past experiences, like the Kennedy Assassination, the challenger disaster, and the 911 attack on New York and Washington DC, we have gathered in our churches for solace and consolation.

In our current crisis we could not gather because being together was part of the danger. Experiencing a strange new disease, we did not know how it was transmitted. We had to stay away from each other to show our concern for each other’s wellbeing. This has made it possibly one of the most difficult crises we have had to weather as a people. The comfort we found in being present was not available. Meanwhile, we have persevered and reached out in as many ways as we could to let people know that they are still loved by God and honored by us as fellow travelers and companions in life’s journey.

It is perfectly normal to want to grieve what we have experienced over the last nineteen months. Grief is a long process and each must navigate it at their own speed. Many people have felt great loss from the isolation. Quite possibly, we have lost loved ones or family members. But, to be stuck at one place in the process is not what a loving God wants for each of us. We are more likely to follow the will of God if we move to a point where we can accept what has happened and move forward with gratitude for what God has given us.

I am profoundly grateful for the opportunities I personally have had to reach out and be in touch with people all around the world through the mystery of technology. It has allowed me to continue to affirm and be affirmed by many people in my life. This has not been the experience of everyone. Many lack the resources and or knowledge to make this happen. And so, it’s important that we take steps to return to a life of community in as prudent a manner as possible, knowing that this crisis is not yet over. At All Saints, we are taking steps to return to community and to the familiar forms of worship. We do this knowing that we seek to follow Jesus when he proclaims that the two most important laws are that we love God and love our neighbor as ourself.

October 21, 2021 A Reflection from Fr. Tim Yanni

Long ago, in my life before the priesthood, I worked in radio as an on-air disc jockey. We had two stations. One featured adult contemporary music and the other played oldies from the 1950’s through the 70’s (and even the early 80’s from time to time). This helped me to develop an appreciation for music that would otherwise been long before my time. One of the artists I learned to appreciate was a man named James Taylor.

I had known of James Taylor because my parents enjoyed his music. I also remember his appearances on Sesame Street when he sang about “Jelly Man Kelly.” Along with the children gathered around him, I remember enthusiastically singing, “Oh, can he come home Jenny? Can he come home, Jenny? Can he come?” It was kind of a gibberish song, but a fun one for a five-year old. I also remember him singing to Oscar the Grouch on the rooftop of 123 Sesame Street, changing the lyrics of one of his most popular songs to, “Whenever I see your grouchy face, it makes me wanna smile because I like you.” To this day, James Taylor remains a talented and charismatic performer. As a priest and pastor, I particularly admire the lyrics from a song he frequently performs called, “You’ve Got a Friend.”

In “You’ve Got a Friend”, Taylor, who sometimes sings a duet with Carole King, lists many of the reasons someone might need a friend. When in need, Taylor and King assure the listener, “Just call out my name and you know wherever I am, I’ll come running.” This is true in “winter, spring, summer or fall. All you’ve got to do is call and I’ll be there. You’ve got a friend.” Isn’t that beautiful? As Taylor sings, “ain’t it good to know that you’ve got a friend?” Especially “when people can be so cold?”

All Saints’ is the kind of place where I have seen so many people develop meaningful and lasting friendships. I pay attention to these kinds of things. I know many of you go out to enjoy a cup of coffee together after an early morning service. Many of you go out to brunch or lunch after the 10 a.m. service, and there has been a tradition of a dinner gathering after the Saturday evening service. I know of parishioners making telephone calls to one another to check in from time to time, and I know you care deeply about one another. I especially witnessed your friendships in action during the times we were not able to gather in close proximity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. You stayed in touch, prepared meals for those who needed them, and made sure your friends knew you cared.

Like Taylor sings in one of his most famous songs, “Fire and Rain,” many of us “have seen lonely times when we could not find a friend.” I am hopeful that is not the case for anyone who makes their way inside the doors of our church. I am hopeful that anyone who comes to All Saints’ for the first time or the thousandth time will find someone who will be that person’s friend. Jesus knew the importance of friendships. He called his friends to be his disciples. And he sent them out in pairs.  Two-by-two, they would go out to share the Good News. They didn’t do it alone, but instead in pairs: pairs of friends. I encourage you to continue to nurture your friendships here at All Saints’. They might just put a smile on your face. And, whenever I see your smiling face, I have to smile myself.

October 14, 2021 A Reflection from Pastor Emilie Finn

Dear People of God,

Are you ready for another lesson from the religion students at All Saints’ Episcopal Day school? At the beginning of the year, fourth grade religion students learn about virtue, and the role of virtue in building good character. Virtue, they learn, is the habit of doing right, and the four cardinal virtues are courage, wisdom, temperance, and justice. The four cardinal virtues date back at least to the time of the Greek philosopher, Plato. Christianity adds the three Christian virtues of faith, hope, and love to the four cardinal virtues to create the traditional seven virtues: Courage, wisdom, temperance, justice, faith, hope, and love.

In their first few religion classes, fourth graders define these seven virtues, and discuss what they mean in their own lives. Then they present their work to their parents and fellow students in Lower School Chapel. These are the seven cardinal virtues, as defined by All Saints’ fourth graders:

Courage comes from the Greek word, andreos. Courage is the ability to do something that you’re afraid to do, like speaking to people you don’t know. You have to have courage when you lose a game. It’s easy to be nice to people when you win. You have to have courage to face the pain of losing without being mean to the people who won.

Wisdom comes from the Greek word, phronesis. Wisdom means acting with care and thought for the future, like doing your homework so you are prepared for school the next morning. Wisdom also means understanding and having good judgment. Like judging people by how they act and not by how they look.

Temperance comes from the Greek word, sophrosyne. Temperance means acting with moderation, like when you want to play a game at recess, but your friend wants to play a different game. Temperance would mean playing your game for half the time, and your friend's game for the other half.

Justice comes from the Greek word, dikaiosune. Justice is the use of power to support fair treatment, like making sure everybody gets a turn when you are playing a game. Justice also means being fair or reasonable. Like sharing the last piece of pizza with your siblings, instead of taking it all for yourself.

Faith comes from the Greek word, pistis. Faith means belief, trust, or confidence in someone or something. If someone is sick, you have faith that they are going to be ok. Faith is hope, but with trust.

Hope comes from the Greek word, elpis. Hope means trust and confidence. It is a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. If you don’t give up, and you are confident that you will succeed in the end, you are hopeful.

Love comes from the Greek word, agape. Love in this sense means unconditional love. Like the love God has for us. Love is empathy: the ability to understand and share the feeling of someone else, and to want and work for good for them.

When we practice these virtues, we form habits that create good character. Character is the pattern of thoughts, actions, and feelings that make up who a person is. Someone with good character makes good decisions about how they treat themselves, other people, and the world they live in. The word “cardinal” comes from the Latin word, cardo, which means hinge, because the four cardinal virtues help us open the door to good character—just like a door hinge! Someone who practices all seven cardinal virtues every day for their whole life becomes a person with really, really good character.

October 7, 2021 A Reflection from Fr. Dan Burner, our New Interim Rector

I have noticed more recently that I feel all of my life experience has prepared me to be where I am. Some would say “I’m more comfortable in my skin.” Maybe that is a normal part of aging.

What I do know is that I began experiencing the call early in my life, as a senior in high school to be exact. Reflecting on the possibility that I would have been successful in response to that early call, I wonder what kind of priest I would have been. Hindsight has shown me that my faith journey developed in a way that has made a difference in my personal spirituality and ability to respond to others seeking God’s grace in their lives. Meanwhile, I felt the call very strongly then and I would feel it again two more times. Eventually others would notice the call in me and comment about it to me. The last time it “took” and I committed myself to pursuing ordination to the priesthood.

Three is a significant number in our theology. It’s a message of both completeness and new life. On three separate occasions during the last time I was discerning, a hawk swooped down and lightly scratched the top of my head while I was out for my morning run in the Tucson foothills. One morning I came across a mother quail whose trailing chicks were stuck at the bottom of a tall curb and unable to follow her. I carefully arranged a stack of rocks so the little ones could follow. And off they went. Many cultures believe that birds are messengers and the encounters that I had with that hawk and those chicks made me think that their message to me was that I should hurry up and be about the Lord’s work.

Another thing that has me thinking that I have been prepared to be where I am is the confluence of all my life’s work to this point. Human resource work when practiced well is a way of being pastoral in a business setting, and yet for me there was something missing. After earning my MBA, I found myself using the skills I learned to benefit my church on various committees that dealt with financial matters.

All of this use of my talents for the church were rewarding, and still something was missing. Those business and pastoral skills are important as a rector, even one that is only serving a parish for a season, but the desire to be at one with God through servant ministry as the great mystics seek to be is the part that was missing before my ordination.

The work I performed in a marketing function helped me to learn the difference between how businesses and churches engage with people. Businesses try to make people feel that there is something missing or deficient in their lives that their product will solve, only to continue to promote that same feeling of deficiency to sell more or something different. The church on the other hand is offering a way of life that allows people to grow into fullness with God and all Creation.

As Saint Gregory of Nyssa reminds us: The only honor or pleasure to covet is to become God’s friend. As our companion on the way of Emmaus, the risen Christ reveals itself walking with us, in our hopes, in our doubts and on the road.