Dear Brothers and Sisters, A few years ago, one of my non-Episcopalian friends asked, “What is this COLLECT you keep talking about?” I hemmed and hawed and finally said, “It’s a very brief, formal  prayer, that brings together a number of thoughts addressed to God.” It wasn’t the time for a lesson on types of

Dear Brothers and Sisters of St. Margaret’s! This week’s Collect is one of my favorites:  “O God, because without you we are not able to please you, mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy

Dear Brothers and Sisters of St. Margaret’s! Blessings on this Labor Day Weekend! I have always considered Labor Day Weekend the beginning of fall. Maybe it’s because I was a student for many years and then a teacher for many more years after that.  I always smile to myself when I hear people in the

Dear Brothers and Sisters, This week’s Epistle reading is from the Book of James.  What strikes me so deeply is the phrase: “But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves”.   With all the perils our day, particularly the unimaginable humanitarian catastrophes in Afghanistan and Haiti, and the ongoing peril of

Dear Brothers and Sisters, We are in the midst of a series of Gospel readings where Jesus explains about “I am the Bread of Life.” These readings are foundational for our understanding of the Eucharist. For many years I have loved the great Communion hymn “Adoro te devote”, which is hymn #314 in our hymnal.