St. Mark's New Canaan

The Second Sunday after the Epiphany.  Something about being face-to-face with Jesus made the disciples want to follow him after just one day. Was it being in his presence? Was it what he saw in them? Could spending time with Jesus reveal the potential inside all of us? #episcopal #episcopalchurch #episcopalian #church #jesusmovement #wayoflove #christian #anglican #allarewelcome #christianity #pr...

Have you ever found yourself asking, “Who am I?” Do you seek the answer from other people or places? God, it turns out, has already answered that question. You are “beloved”. Once you realize that, it may change the way you see your relationship with God and others forever. #episcopal #episcopalchurch #episcopalian #church #jesusmovement #wayoflove #christian #anglican #allarewelcome #christianity...

The Feast of the Holy Name.  Many people who don't believe the teachings of Christianity still believe in a higher power. However, when looking at our world, this more abstract approach makes it hard to determine whether God is actually benevolent or a serial killer. How can the birth of Jesus, God taking on human flesh, help us to know God in more concrete ways? #episcopal #episcopalchurch #...

Christmas Eve.  Rev. Peter Walsh reflects on his former professor who taught him that Christmas is not a birthday party for Jesus but is, instead, a celebration of the incarnation, God made flesh. Other figures like Bono and Queen Elizabeth point out that Jesus being born in this particular way shows us that he is indeed for everyone. #episcopal #episcopalchurch #episcopalian #church #jesusmovemen...

The Fourth Sunday of Advent.  Rather than the kid-friendly angels and shepherds of Luke's Gospel, Matthew's birth narrative features the scandals of a murderous king and a shocking pregnancy. Matthew also connects Jesus to a genealogy where God was repeatedly at work despite questionable actions and troublesome situations. #episcopal #episcopalchurch #episcopalian #church #jesusmovement...

The Third Sunday of Advent.  Have you faced moments in your spiritual life when the pendulum swings and you feel distant from God instead of close? John the Baptist, who heralded the arrival of Jesus, had doubts of his own. If someone like John wrestled with doubt, maybe there's something we can learn from addressing our own. #episcopal #episcopalchurch #episcopalian #church #jesusmovement #w...

The Second Sunday of Advent.  Old Testament prophets like Elijah and Malachi emphasized the need to repent because God would come one day. When John the Baptist arrived on the scene, he proclaimed that God was already here! What does the message of this fiery prophet teach us about God's embrace of us and the relationship that follows? #episcopal #episcopalchurch #episcopalian #church #jesusm...

The First Sunday of Advent.  Advent begins with a reading that some believe signals a rapture event where certain people will be taken up to heaven and others are left behind. This fearful vision implies that salvation is not for all and our world will end in destruction. The Bible, however, paints a very different picture. #episcopal #episcopalchurch #episcopalian #church #jesusmovement #wayoflov...

The Last Sunday after Pentecost: Christ the King.  The knowledge that we'll die someday is something we all think about at some point. The Bible doesn't shy away from this topic, but it also reminds us of the paradise that awaits. From Adam and Eve to St. Paul to the thief on the cross, we're told a complicated tale of paradise that we are invited into as Christ's companions. #...

The Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost.  People throughout history have tried to predict how and when the world will end. Even some of the dire predictions Jesus made can be found in the pages of today's Wall Street Journal. While many see these as a cause for panic, Jesus offers an alternative response. #episcopal #episcopalchurch #episcopalian #church #jesusmovement #wayoflove #christian #...

All Saints' Day.  Dorothy Day once remarked that she didn't want to be a saint who was put on a pedestal. Instead, she reminded everyone that each of us, flaws and all,  possess the qualities of a saint. Occasions like baptism remind us that our path asks us to continually turn toward God's light and, when we ultimately turn away, return to that same light. #episcopal #episcopalchur...

The Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost.  Beneath all the noise around us, is there a part of you that is longing for something? As we move away from the noise, away from any limitations placed on us, we discover a God who longs for us just as we long for God. When we manage to listen for that still, small voice, we meet a God who wants us just as we are. #episcopal #episcopalchurch #episcopalian...

The Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost.  The parable of the Pharisee and the publican serves as an important reminder of how our prayers can become toxic. Do we come to God in humility or do we think of ourselves as better than others? Maybe we're being called, like Jesus, to go down to the places where others have been cast aside. #episcopal #episcopalchurch #episcopalian #church #jesusmovemen...

The Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost.  Like a persistent child, one of Jesus' parables seems to say that we should pray without ceasing until God responds, but is that really what God expects of us? How are we to understand God's justice, even when it isn't evident?

The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost. One popular hashtag going around is #BeBetter . Some people use it to encourage while others use it to complain. God's grace, however, is a reminder that we aren't brought into a relationship with God because of what we do but simply because we are loved. It's a grace that puts even the most beloved and most despised figures on an even playing...

The Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost.  NFL coach Bill Belichick might not be the first modern-day person who comes to mind when you think of Jesus, but both men share a similar motto: Do your job. Listening to side-by-side comparisons of the two figures highlights some key teachings from Jesus which explain what happens when we do what our faith demands of us. #episcopal #episcopalchurch #episco...

The Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost.  It’s our hearts, not our fences, that make us good neighbors. #episcopal #episcopalchurch #episcopalian #church #jesusmovement #wayoflove #christian #anglican #allarewelcome #christianity #prayer #jesus #iglesiaepiscopal   #theology #anglicanchurch #holyspririt #faith #stmarksnewcanaaan #revelizabethgarnsey #ens #ecct #spirituality #bible #scriptures #joy #pe...

The Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost.  People love to offer unsolicited advice on how to have the perfect family, the right credentials, how to be liked, and anything else that will lead to "a better you". We crave to know we're good and good enough. However, it's not advice we need; it's help. Jesus challenges us to ask if the things we give power to are actually providin...

The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost.  So much of life requires us to trust, but how often are we unable to take that first step and let go of the things we're clinging to? When we release our grip, however, we discover a path to true joy and freedom. #episcopal #episcopalchurch #episcopalian #church #jesusmovement #wayoflove #christian #anglican #allarewelcome #christianity #prayer #jesus #...

The Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost There have been countless moments of upheaval and loss since the devastating events of 9/11, both in our society and in our personal lives. Jesus' parables of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin teach us that God always keeps seeking us no matter how lost we feel. This message isn't good advice to be followed. It's good news to be celebrated! #epis...

The Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost.  Search through your social media feed and you can find self-improvement videos on just about anything! Dr. Jewelle Bickel breaks down a lesson from Jesus that isn't "7 Steps to a Better You" but instead teaches us about humility, our worth, and who we are. #episcopal #episcopalchurch #episcopalian #church #jesusmovement #wayoflove #christian #ang...

The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost.  The Bible has many stories about people who came into contact with Jesus, changing the course of their lives forever. We still encounter him today, through sacraments like the Eucharist and baptism and, as our lives become marked by Jesus, we are never the same. #episcopal #episcopalchurch #episcopalian #church #jesusmovement #wayoflove #christian #anglican #a...

The Tenth Sunday after Pentecost.  Are you worried about being on your best behavior before God? Do you need to make sure the good deeds outweigh the bad? Just as Jesus twisted John the Baptist's prophecy of being baptized with fire, the forgiveness we receive twists our understanding of having to be "good enough". #episcopal #episcopalchurch #episcopalian #church #jesusmovement #wa...

The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost.  Sell our possessions? Stay awake? Jesus' words can sound shocking and cryptic at times. In breaking down this passage from Luke's Gospel,  we learn how orienting our lives less on ourselves and more on the kingdom of God can uncover spiritual treasures for us. #episcopal #episcopalchurch #episcopalian #church #jesusmovement #wayoflove #christian #anglic...

The Seventh Sunday after Pentecost.  The economy has plenty of us stressed out these days! However, a closer look at one of Jesus' parables reveals some shockingly relevant advice for addressing our financial fears and helps us think through which of our circumstances are really God's will. #episcopal #episcopalchurch #episcopalian #church #jesusmovement #wayoflove #christian #anglican #...