Baptized for Life
An Episcopal Discipleship Initative
by BFL Spiritual Director Kathy Staudt This semester I’m teaching in 2 places (Wesley Seminary and Virginia Seminary) a course on what I call “contemplative writing” – the practice of using writing as a way to clear the space in our hearts and minds to attend to the presence of God. What I call “contemplative …
Today we are proud to introduce St. Phillip’s in Greenville, South Carolina. The mission of St. Phillip’s is: “To fulfill the Great Commission of God which involves comforting and renewing God’s people by providing spiritual, physical, social and mental well-being to God’s people through local, national and world mission programs.” Even though they are a small …
The Way of Love: to LEARN –– Dreaming with God through Scripture by BFL Spiritual Director, Kathy Staudt “Why do we always have to hear that story on Christmas Eve?” my husband asks, every year. It sounds like an angry God punishing God’s children – not very Christmas-y at all.” He is responding to the first …
Today we would like to introduce you to All Saint’s Episcopal in Richland, Washington. All Saints’ welcomes, nurtures, and encourages people to explore their passion/desire for spiritual growth, worship and service. As a result, the Holy Spirit’s impact is felt within and beyond the parish. Richland was a small farming community (population 200) in southeastern Washington …
by Kathy Staudt, BFL Spiritual Director One of my favorite prayers in the baptism service is the one we say over the newly baptized – and especially the last part of it: Heavenly Father, we thank thee that by water and the Holy Spirit you have bestowed on these your servants the forgiveness of sin …
It’s December 2, the beginning of Advent, and a wonderful parade of old friends will be arriving throughout the day. First will be the procession that moves around the Advent wreath in the center of the old farm table. New candles each year brings it a freshness, but it’s been with us for over 2 …
November: my other Eastertide Years of observance and practice in the Episcopal church’s tradition has made something of a “liturgical animal” of me. I find I am tuned in to the seasons of the Church year, and the rhythms of feast days and remembrances that are part of our practice. Some of these rhythms …
Today we would like to introduce you to Methow Episcopal in Methow Valley, Washington. Methow Episcopal began as a small gathering of Methow residents hoping to start a progressive liturgical worship in the Methow Valley. The first service was held on Ash Wednesday 2015 in Mazama using ashes from the Methow Trails fire pit. Currently …
Grow and Bloom As I was walking into the beauty of outdoors and the morning splendor yesterday, I looked with deep intention at the plants and birds and all of creation which surrounded me. Spending a few days regularly each month at The Retreat House is a true blessing as it is located on about …
“Turning” – our Baptismal Journey of Transformation by Kathy Staudt A church sign I passed some weeks ago read “Come as You Are: You can Change Inside.” I’ve been pondering this from a number of different angles: I think it says something to us about how counter-cultural the Baptismal message can seem, with its invitation …
Today we would like to introduce you to St. Martin’s Episcopal Center. St. Martin’s is an Episcopal / ELCA community sponsored by St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Fayetteville, Arkansas. It is a community that strives, with God’s help, to equip students and faculty at the University of Arkansas to form lives of meaning and purpose …
Today’s post is the first of an ongoing offering – Kathy’s Corner by BFL Spiritual Director Kathy Staudt. The Gift of Water: Meditations on a Barrier Island Most summers at the end of August – so far just on the edge of hurricane season though sometimes we’ve come close – we have spent a week …
Today, we would like turn the BFL spotlight onto one of our wonderful congregations and introduce you to Christ Church Cathedral in Mobile, Alabama. What is your greatest strength as a faith community? Our willingness to take risks and to_be changed by them. Finish this sentence: People come to Christ Church Cathedral because… they feel welcome, …
Being raised in The Roman Catholic Church, Chris was baptized in Shaker Heights, Ohio in 1993. After deferring confirmation to the age of 17; because, he didn’t feel ready, Chris was later prepared for confirmation through the adult RCIA program. “I don’t really remember my baptism, I remember my confirmation process in The Catholic Church, …
Rev. Tricia Lyons takes us on a tour of some unique baptismal waters flowing from the National Cathedral as created by artist Imran Quershi …
It is late afternoon in France under a crisp blue sky. I am covered head–to–toe in water and soap bubbles, a volunteer in the open-air kitchen. The sea of voices around me rises up like a symphony, instruments that I do not recognize, yet long to understand and know. I hear sounds of laughter and joy. So much …
We have at long last began the process of welcoming congregations into the BFL process! In each congregations welcome packet is a copy of this prayer, a prayer we have asked them to post publicly. We thought it would only be fitting that we shared this prayer with the wider community, offering it as a …
I do not remember my baptism because I was a baby. Okay, that’s not quite accurate, I was really a toddler. By the time I was baptized my family had celebrated my first birthday. My mom says she remembers her mother, my Grandma Elizabeth (she was Baptist) fussing because she waited so long to baptize …
“Stories have to be told or they die, and when they die, we can’t remember who we are or why we’re here.”— Sue Monk Kidd. Here at BFL, we like Kidd, believe that stories need to be told in order to help us remember who we are and why we are here. For us, at this …
April 26, 2016 Spring, that glorious season of new life, is currently in full force here at my home, Preservation Acres, and the signs are all around. For one thing there are the allergies. It as if every tree and bush and blade of grass has been painted with a Technicolor pollen-leaded brush, and while the beauty …
Easter Sunday has passed. The drama of Holy Week is complete. Those who were baptized at Easter Vigil are now completely dry. Or are they? I know someone who was seeking something more, desiring something deeper and intentionally did not attend church on Easter (You know – too many big hats, fancy dresses and packed …
