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 »
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.
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 »
From Transaction to Transformation
FR. DAVID’S BLOG OF 9/11/2020 — Let me begin by acknowledging how our world and our lives changed nineteen years ago today. The horrific events of September 11, 2001 are still very present in our memories and I invite us sometime today to stop whatever we are doing to stand or sit in silence and READ MORE »
Living from our Essence during COVID-19
Fr. David’s blog of 8/14/2020 — For several months I was offering Daily Morning Prayer on Facebook. Each morning at the time for intercessions I offered prayers for those who had died and would die as well as for those who had tested positive and were either in hospital or recovering from home. I would READ MORE »
To Make Ourselves At Home
Here is an invitation to participate in a program offered by my friends, the Rev. Robert Gallagher and Ms. Michelle Heyne from the Order of the Ascension. I hope all members of SsAM will take the time to read what Robert and Michelle are offering to parishes around the country at this time as we READ MORE »
Going Deeper: Clergy Spiritual Life and Leadership
— Fr. David’s Blog of 8/7/2020 — Last fall I applied to a two-year program entitled, “Going Deeper: Clergy Spiritual Life and Leadership” hosted by the Shalem Spiritual Institute (Shalem.org). I was accepted into the program and will be taking one week of continuing education the week of August 13 to 20. Because of the READ MORE »
New Leadership for Youth & Young Families and for Pastoral Care Ministries
— Fr. David’s Blog of 7/24/2020 — Michelle Smith has accepted my invitation to assist with Youth & Young Families (YYF). Three others have agreed to assist with Pastoral Care: Eudel Drain, Leslie Clouser, and Lynne Rosa. I wanted to alert you to these changes while I am away. More news about the future of READ MORE »
Exodus, COVID-19, and Reimaging the Church
— Fr. David’s Blog of 7/17/2020 — Read the Bible in a disciplined manner and ask how God wants us to re-imagine ourselves. One of my spiritual practices is that of sacred reading or Lectio Divina. This ancient practice is a powerful way to enter into the story of scripture by first reading a piece READ MORE »
Moving Forward
— Fr. David’s Blog of 7/3/2020 — Nearly 60 members and friends of SsAM met on-line last Sunday to discuss “Repairing The Breach: A Conversation About Racism” with Fr. David, Canon Casson, and Rabbi Douglas Krantz. I was very moved by the strong attendance and insightful commentary. As was said often during this Zoom video-conference READ MORE »
Five opportunities to live into a Rhythm of Prayer
— Fr. David’s Blog of 6/26/2020 — What demands are you coping with today? Here are five opportunities to live into a Rhythm of Prayer. Since the beginning of our being apart in March, all of us have had to lean into a new normal: online worship, working from home, not being able to go READ MORE »
My White Privilege and My White Fragility
— Fr. David’s Blog of 6/19/2020 — I am really looking forward to this Sunday’s live video conversation with Canon Casson and Rabbi Krantz. That’s this Sunday, June 28, at 11:00 a.m. Not on the E-Blast? Click here to contact us! We will add you to the list. Or call Danny Schweers at 302 475-0998 (even READ MORE »
White Fagility: Repairing The Breach
FR. DAVID’S BLOG OF 6/12/2020 — This past Sunday the SsAM Facebook Book Club met to discuss Robin Diangelo’s powerful book, White Fragility. I am reading this book for the second time and I am grateful for the folks who gathered last Sunday morning to reflect on what white fragility is – especially during this READ MORE »
The Church and the Bible are not to be used as a Photo Op
FR. DAVID’S BLOG OF 06/05/2020 — Last Saturday night, downtown Wilmington erupted in chaos. Earlier in the day at Rodney Square, a peaceful demonstration was held to decry the death of George Floyd on Memorial Day. Mr. Floyd died as a result of being pinned to the ground while handcuffed by a Minneapolis police officer READ MORE »
When will we be together again?
When will regular worship services resume? FR. DAVID’S BLOG OF 05/30/2020 — The easy answer to the above is, I don’t know. This is hard to hear but I cannot give you a definite date when Sunday church services will resume. One of my responsibilities as rector is to make sure everyone is safe and READ MORE »
How to Live in this Time Apart
FR. DAVID’S BLOG OF 3/22/2020 — Earlier this week Governor Carney announced his guidelines as to the procedures places of worship will have to follow in order to provide in person worship. The bottom line is that the governor strongly encourages houses of worship to continue on-line worship for the foreseeable future. If you would READ MORE »
Church in the Age of Zoom and Facebook
FR. DAVID’S BLOG OF 5/15/2020 — I think it is fair to say that all of us have had to adapt to the new normal that we find ourselves in because of COVID-19. Parents and kids participate in on-line learning and are settling in for doing this for a long time. Many are working from READ MORE »
Connecting in This Time of Separation
FR. DAVID’S BLOG OF 5/8/2020 — How are we connecting to you? Daily Morning Prayer on Facebook Live every morning of the week at 7:00AM. Pre-recorded Sunday worship that can be watched on Facebook and You Tube. Calls to all of you by me and folks involved with pastoral care. Weekly E Blast articles that READ MORE »
New Ways to Be Community
FR. DAVID’S BLOG OF 5/1/2020 — Two months ago, who would have thought we would still be under orders to stay at home to ensure that we are safe and healthy? And yet here we are at the beginning of May still at home. This time of isolation from one another has brought with it READ MORE »
Change is Difficult and Painful
Morning Prayer Every Day on Facebook Live; An Experiment with Evening Prayer on Zoom. FR. DAVID’S BLOG OF 4/24/2020 — Saying Morning Prayer is an activity I look forward to each day during this stay at home time. I am saying Morning Prayer on Facebook Live every morning (yes, every morning) at 7:00 AM. This READ MORE »
