Father David’s post of April 2, 2021, Good Friday: “Seven times a day do I praise you, because of your righteous judgments.” This well-known scripture verse from Psalm 119:164 is the foundation for the seven times of prayer that St. Benedict of Nursia developed in his monastic rule in the 6th century. If you have READ MORE »
Father David's Blog
Every week, Father David writes about his on-going efforts to renew his connection with God and encourages you to follow his lead. Click any headline or thumbnail to see the entire post.
Thomas answered him — My Lord and My God! (John 20:28)
FATHER DAVID’S POST OF 4/9/2021 — Thomas’ confession of faith in the Risen Christ comes at the conclusion of the Gospel that we will hear read in Church this Sunday (April 11th). The Second Sunday of Easter is Doubting Thomas Sunday. This is the Sunday when many clergy take their Easter break and place the READ MORE »
The Call to Get Vaccinated: We Need Everyone!!
Father David’s post of March 19, 2021 — On Sunday, March 28, 2021, we begin the holiest week of the church year with Palm Sunday, also known as Passion Sunday. After observing Holy Week, we will celebrate the Feast of the Resurrection on Sunday, April 4, Easter Day. Click here to learn more about our READ MORE »
The Communion of Saints
FATHER DAVID’S BLOG OF 03/12/2021 — One year ago we began a year like no other. None of us knew a year ago that we would just now slowly begin to come out of a year of so much pain and misery. This has negatively impacted our relationships with one another and with God. So READ MORE »
Learning To See
FATHER DAVID’S BLOG OF 3/5/2021 — Learning To See: Overcoming Confirmation Bias. I have on occasion shared the daily meditation from Fr. Richard Rohr. This week I wish to share in its entirety his reflection from this past Tuesday. Click here to read Richard Rohr’s meditation on Learning To See: Confirmation Bias. As you read READ MORE »
Racial Justice: Continuing the Conversation with Three Wilmington Churches
The members of three Wilmington Churches continue their collaboration on issues of racial justice on Sunday, March 7, at 3:00 p.m. Please join the conversation! FATHER DAVID’S BLOG OF 2021-02-26 – I look forward to Sunday, February 28, and our second 25th Anniversary event at 3:00 in the afternoon. This promises to be a powerful READ MORE »
Spiritual Practices In Lent
FATHER DAVID’S BLOG, 2021-02-19 — Our Lenten journey began this week on Ash Wednesday. For the next forty days, all of us are invited to take on the spiritual practices of self-examination and repentance; and of reading and meditating on God’s holy Word. We are also called upon to regularly confess our sins to God. READ MORE »
Faith and Doubt Are Not Opposites
2021-02-05 Father David’s Blog: Last week’s 25th Anniversary Zoom Launch was a wonderful way to begin this year of celebration. It was a welcome relief from all the bad news that we have experienced in the last year: COVID-19, economic collapse, and a racial reckoning to name a few. As we begin this year of READ MORE »
Happy 25th Anniversary, SsAM!
Father David says, “Greetings from our new home on Rodney Street in the City of Wilmington. Emily and I have been in our new house for four days and we are busily unpacking boxes and making this house feel like a home. All the books are unpacked, and my home office has begun to take READ MORE »
A New Day in America
I was very moved by the events of this past Wednesday, January 20, 2021, when Joe Biden and Kamala Harris took the oath to be the next President and Vice-President of the United States. Two weeks ago we were reeling from the mob that tried and failed to take over the government of the United READ MORE »
A Day that Will Live in Infamy
On Wednesday morning, January 6, 2021, I celebrated the Feast of the Epiphany with Morning Prayer on Facebook Live. That afternoon, the U.S. House and Senate convened a joint session to certify the election of Joseph R. Biden and Kamala Harris as the next President and Vice-President of the United States. During Morning Prayer, at READ MORE »
Happy New Year 2021!
What a year 2020 was! Now we have so much to look forward to in 2021. The COVID vaccine is now available. In two and a half weeks, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will be sworn in as the next President and Vice-President of the United States. And, on January 31, our 25th Year Anniversary READ MORE »
Opening Up the Sunday Scriptures
You are invited — Lectionary and Sermon Study, Tuesdays at 2:00 p.m., through February 23, 2021. Father David’s vision for this lectionary/sermon discussion is to meet weekly (via Zoom) to read the appointed scriptures for the coming Sunday and also to reflect on the sermon from the previous week. He sees this as an opportunity READ MORE »
The Time Is Now: A Call to Uncommon Courage
Fr. David encourages you to read this essay by Benedictine Sister Joan Chittister: In all my years of traveling around the world, one thing has been present in every region, everywhere. One thing has stood out and convinced me of the certain triumph of the great human gamble on equality and justice. Everywhere there are READ MORE »
Grounded in the Eucharist and Prayer
FR. DAVID’S BLOG OF 10/30/2020 — Liturgy and music are so important to our life together. This week I wish to expand on what I said at our recent stewardship webinars. The world in which we live is coming apart. We need only look around and see examples of this fracturing taking place: the devastating READ MORE »
A Conversation about Police Reform and Race
We held a parish-wide conversation about racism in the community on October 25, 2020 Police reform had been the subject of discussion for several weeks by a small group including myself (Fr. David), Canon Casson, Rabbi Krantz, Bebe Coker, and Sam Van Horne. We spent a great deal of time reflecting on the role of READ MORE »
All Things In Love
FR. DAVID’S BLOG OF 10/23/2020: This week I wish to hold up the work of Patty Greene in her role as a vestry member and leading our stewardship effort for this year — All Things In Love. When Patty and I met this summer, one of my major concerns was how to communicate the importance READ MORE »
Transitioning from Pre-Recorded Worship to Live Streaming
FR. DAVID’S BLOG OF 10/9/2020 — We hope to live stream our worship services via video soon! Since Easter Sunday we have been pre-recording our Sunday morning worship services. Pre-recording has allowed us to stay safe and healthy during this time of pandemic. Participants (choir, lectors, acolyte, priest and organist) schedule a good time to READ MORE »
The Country Is On Fire: Prayer Changes Things
ZOOM TIME OF PRAYER, Thursday, October 1, Noon. FR. DAVID’S BLOG OF 9/25/2020 — This past week has been devastating for this country. Last Friday evening Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. On Wednesday of this week a grand jury in Kentucky did not indict the police officers READ MORE »
Howard Thurman Retreat and Follow-Up Discussion
You are invited to participate in an on-line spiritual retreat now and then to discuss the retreat with others at SsAM in October. The Salem Institute on-line retreat is offered free to encourage people spiritually as we fight for racial justice. Lerita Coleman Brown has created this retreat to explore Howard Thurman’s life and contemplative READ MORE »