The Way of the Cross

by the Rev. Scott Walters

Here’s a story told by Wendell Berry in an essay called “The Burden of the Gospels”:

In 1569 in Holland, a Mennonite named Dirk Willems, under capital sentence as a heretic, was fleeing from arrest, pursued by a ‘thief-catcher.’ As they ran across a frozen body of water, the thief-catcher broke

Where Is Love?

by the Rev. Paul McLain

We are hurting, angry, and reeling from the senseless shooting at Covenant School in Nashville, resulting in the deaths of 3 children and 3 adults, as well as the life of the shooter. We were already reeling from the deaths of 26 people in the storms and tornados in our region over the weekend that

The Awakening Power of Books

by the Rev. Paul McLain

In the midst of enjoying the return of Waffle Shop favorites like fish pudding and Boston Cream pie and listening to the amazing line-up of preachers for the 100^th anniversary of Calvary’s Lenten Preaching Series, Lent is also a good time to read a new book or revisit an old one. The best books

Ruthie McLain serving as delegate to United Nations Commission on the Status of Women

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry appointed Ruthie McLain of Calvary as one of nine delegates from the Episcopal Church to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. The 67^th session is currently underway in New York City, March 6-17. The delegates include school-age and university-level educators, a former president of the Girls’ Friendly Society, a former UN staffer

‘Who are you, God, and who am I?’

by the Ven. Mimsy Jones

‘Who are you, God, and who am I?
 -Francis of Assisi (1182-1226)

Frederick Buechner defines the ancient church season of Lent this way:

“In many cultures, there is an ancient custom of giving a tenth of each year’s income to some holy use.  For Christians, to observe the forty days of Lent is to do the same thing

You are

by the Rev. Katherine Bush

​As a high school senior, I took an advanced composition class with Lois Strock. I don’t think I have any of the stories or essays or poetry that I wrote for that class; if I do, they are in one of those innumerable boxes in the attic that I keep meaning

Praying for Guidance and Justice

Dear People of Calvary,

Like yours, I’m sure, my heart has been heavy this week with sadness and anger and confusion and fear, and the full range of human emotions that swirl within us in a time such as this. By this evening, it seems almost certain that the world will have witnessed footage of the brutal murder of Tyre

“No worries. We’re all just doing the best we can these days.”

by the Ven. Mimsy Jones

Ebet Peeples, Calvary’s Coordinator for Welcome and Community, texted those twelve words to me the day after I confessed to her that I had missed the deadline to turn in my January blog. If you know Ebet at all, or have ever watched her in action, you will understand what I mean when I

The Soul of Calvary

by the Rev. Paul McLain

A musician on his deathbed last fall shared one of the most convincing proofs of the existence of God that I have ever heard. His eyes lit up when he thought about downtown Memphis. He reflected on the unique culture, music, food, and vibe, how the city itself has a soul. He thought for

Sabbath Attention

by the Rev. Scott Walters

Recently I heard a writer named Judith Shulevitz interviewed by Ezra Klein on sabbath keeping, which strikes me as a fine topic for consideration in the New Year. (Here’s a link for the curious: Click Here)

In the interview, Shulevitz referenced a fascinating study at Princeton Seminary by a couple of social psychologists