“In our prayers for you we always thank God . . .
That is how the writer of Colossians begins their letter, with gratitude for the ministry of the Christian community in Colossae. That starting point of gratitude has marked the start of my week.
This morning (7/11), I attend the funeral of a clergy colleague— the Rev. Robyn Arnold served as a priest in our diocese at Grace in Woodlawn. For a decade Robyn led that community in its ministry to the Woodlawn community and welcomed all people to worship in that special place. I am grateful that I got to witness the love and thanksgiving that the worshippers offered as they grieved and celebrated Robyn’s life.
This afternoon, NASA released the first full-color image for the James Webb Space Telescope, which was launched into space on Christmas 2021. I am fascinated by space, and so I was thankful to have a moment to watch a NASA scientist explain that this photo was from an area of the night sky the size of a grain of sand. All of that beauty and wonder in a grain of sand.
So in my evening prayers, I will give thanks for Robyn and the people of Grace Woodlawn. I will also give thanks for all the scientists that worked to make that amazing picture possible.
Dear Church—let us give thanks for one another.
A sermon for the Church of the Messiah in Heflin, Alabama, on the 5th Sunday after Pentecost, 07/10/22:
Principal text: Colossians 1:1-14
Coming next
The often-overlooked “second lesson” of the Sunday liturgy is typically a reading from one of the New Testament Epistles. This summer we will take some time to learn more about these letters that shaped early Christian theology.
July 17 - OFF — Colossians 1:15-28
July 24 - Church of the Messiah, Heflin — Colossians 2:6-19
July 31 - St. Andrew’s, Birmingham — Colossians 3:1-11
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