The time is ripe … not all the time, surely, but from time to time … to enter that still room within us all where the past lives on as a part of the present, where the dead are alive again, where we are most alive ourselves to turnings and to where our journeys have […]
Adult Formation
Meditations and teachings plus upcoming Adult Formation opportunities at SsAM — the Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew and Matthew in downtown Wilmington, Delaware.
The Plimpton Syndrome
In my world, there are people who have an unreasonable confidence in their ability to do anything that inspires them, people like me, people who have a bright idea and think, “that’s something I’d love to do!”, even though we have neither the experience nor the expertise to make it happen. A reflection by Danny […]
A Foreshadowing of Expanded Ministry
— a reflection by Bob Young for June 21, 2026. During a period between great miracles in the Book of Matthew, Jesus appeared to be seeking some alone time by traveling to the District of Sidon and Tyre, a distinctly Gentile territory with a complicated relationship with Israel – at times commercial partners, but also […]
Who’s the Real Silly Goose?
A reflection by Christina Brennan Lee for June 7, 2026. One morning as winter was ebbing into spring, I was outside heading to my car as a flock of geese in their V-formation went honking by overhead. I stopped, looked, and listened. I was suddenly reminded of the expression calling someone, usually in teasing a […]
Fighting Cancer in California
What are the chances that, with a couple of hours to fill between my sister’s radiation oncology appointments, we would find ourselves a few feet from an uncaged mamma bear and her two cubs? A reflection by Danny Schweers for May 31, 2026. With 30,000 black bears in California, seeing three of them in a […]
Arrival of the Holy Spirit
On this Pentecost Sunday, let us reflect upon one of the most foundational passages on the birth of the church. Up until this time, the revelation of the God of Israel was restricted to a few prophets and leaders. A reflection by Bob Young for Pentecost, March 24, 2026. Our passage begins with the disciples […]
DISCIPLINE … ugh … But wait … there’s a twist!
In this week’s reading from the 1st Letter of Peter, the letter writer says, in part: Cast all your anxiety on [God] because he cares for you. Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith… [1 Peter 5:6-9]. […]
Call and Response
Doing good should be its own reward but we humans love applause. I do! A reflection by Danny Schweers for May 10, 2026. Every week I write a short Christian meditation, select an engaging photograph, and email the pair to 300 friends and strangers. Yes, it is rewarding to write something inspiring and to create […]
Trials are Temporary and Purposeful
The epistle for this Sunday is a foundational letter from the Apostle Peter to early Christians in Asia Minor to offer encouragement on how to persevere through persecution. A reflection by Bob Young for May 3, 2026. From what I have observed about human nature, regarding the short-term focus of our needs and wants, I […]
Changing the Pray-er
“The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.” ―Søren Kierkegaard [1813-1855] Whether I’m asking, telling, pleading, placating, I have to admit that, for me, my personal prayer is mostly meant to influence God: Please do, please don’t do, please fix this problem, change […]
XXX Christian Witness
I had asked my friend to tell me about his faith in Jesus, so I was amazed that he chose to do so at a XXX-rated bar. As it turns out, he was more surprised than I was. A reflection by Danny Schweers for Sunday, April 19, 2026. As we walked up to the bar, […]
The Transforming Power of the Resurrection
The Gospel according to John, Chapter 20, versus 19-23 is the lectionary reading I have elected to reflect upon for this coming Sunday. A reflection by Bob Young for Sunday, April 12, 2026. This passage illustrates the transformative power of the resurrection of Jesus. As one might imagine, the disciples were a forlorn group of […]
The Fullness of Empty
Alleluia! Christ is Risen! Easter Day is the most joyous day in the Christian year. While Christmas is lovely and inspiring in its own way, it would be no more than a pagan celebration of the winter solstice without the miracle of the Resurrection. A reflection by Christina Brennan Lee for Easter Sunday, April 5, […]
Reluctance is One Sign of Inspiration.
A reflection by Danny Schweers for Holy Week. From the very first page of “The Hobbit”, readers learn that the Baggins family members are respectable, not only because they are rich, “but also because they never had any adventures or did anything unexpected.” Bilbo Baggins, we learn, has an adventure and loses his neighbors’ respect. […]
Acknowledging and Recommending all the Meritorious
How does it make you feel when someone singles you out for hard work or meritorious behavior in a public forum? How do you feel when your significant contributions to a cause go unnoticed or sometimes trivialized? A reflection by Bob Young for March 22, 2026. In this Sunday’s epistle of Apostle Paul to the […]
What Do You Believe?
What Do You Believe? I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that I don’t know the answer. ― Douglas Adams* To be completely fair, the question “What do you believe” was not a question asked of Mr. Adams that I know of, but his words that I quoted are simply that, a quote […]
The Eyes See What The Mind Misses
A reflection by Danny Schweers for March 8, 2026. This past week, Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church in Wilmington, North Carolina picked up one of my Photo Prayers from three years ago and shared it with their congregation as a Lenten Reflection. That was a bit of a thrill for this author, to have my text […]
Strategic Planning Sessions 2026 –
Last Strategic Planning Session, 7pm on Wednesday, February 11. The Strategic Planning team has contracted with Genvision Consulting to facilitate four community listening sessions to gather feedback as part of the strategic planning process. Each session gathers the same information, so you only need to attend one session. Please attend one! The last session will […]
Journey Into Light
After struggling with how to encapsulate the meaning of Revelation 4:2-11, with all of its symbolism, into a brief reflection, I decided instead to tackle the gospel of the day, John 1:1-4. A reflection by Bob Young for March 1, 2026. This passage begins with “In the beginning was the Word (logos in Greek), and […]
Lent Begins – Don’t Just Give Up – Take On and Pray!
The fronds from last year’s Palm Sunday have been burned to ash. Carnival Sunday was a blast and Mardi Gras, which literally means Fat Tuesday, or Pancake Tuesday, was filled with pancakes, great Fellowship and many other pre-Lenten treats. It was also Shrove Tuesday as we are soon to be shriven, that is, absolved of […]
