Official Diocesan Blog

Ad Clerum on Doubt from Bishop Martyn Minns

By Website Admini… on Wednesday, October 06, 2021 - 11:34am
Mother Teresa doubted. Martin Luther doubted. C. S. Lewis doubted. These are not lightweights. These are giants of faith worth following. They made their doubt work for them. They integrated doubt into their faith, and their uncertainty about God and the future deepened their faith over time. This encourages me. I hope it encourages you. If God did not want us to ever doubt, he could have ripped the book of Psalms right out of the Bible. God is much bigger than our doubts. It is possible to have great doubt and great faith at the same time. The two are not mutually exclusive. In Mother Teresa, in Luther, and in Lewis we see that great men and women of faith can also be great men and women of doubt. In faith, there is room for doubt.

Ad Clerum on Spiritual Retreats from Bishop Martyn Minns

By Website Admini… on Thursday, September 23, 2021 - 4:38pm
Retreats were not a part of my foundational spiritual heritage, I have gained an appreciation for them. I encourage each one of you to set aside regular times to be quiet in the presence of the God who loves you more than you can ever imagine? It doesn’t need to be in an actual retreat center – although they do offer a wonderful setting for renewal and healing. It can simply be a quiet corner in your living room, in your garden, or in a nearby park. What is most important is that you take time, make time, and “Be still, and know that I am God.

Ad Clerum on Evangelism from Bishop Martyn Minns

By Website Admini… on Thursday, September 16, 2021 - 11:53am
Personal evangelism is not something that comes easily for me. While I know that it is a great privilege, an essential task for the church, and that there is great rejoicing in heaven when one sinner repents, I am still something of a reluctant evangelist. I am, however, married to one of the world’s most effective evangelists! Angela is able to move from an opening greeting with a perfect stranger to an in-depth conversation about personal faith in no time, and many of these interactions conclude with prayer. Through her example and encouragement, I have begun to make some headway.

Ad Clerum on Good Grief from Bishop Martyn Minns

By Website Admini… on Thursday, September 09, 2021 - 12:02pm
Grief is the natural way that we deal with loss – the loss of loved ones, loss of a home or a job or a church. Grief affects every part of our being – our mind, body, and spirit. It must never be seen as a sign of faithlessness or immaturity. Grief affects us all differently and takes a different trajectory for each situation.

Ad Clerum on Patriotism from Bishop Martyn Minns

By Website Admini… on Thursday, September 09, 2021 - 10:43am
"While I recognize that the US is far from perfect and has much in its history from which we must learn, I am proud to be an American – with a British accent! Patriotism has become a contentious topic in recent years. Extreme views are promulgated with divisive ferocity, and as a result some now suggest that patriotism itself should be renounced or at least kept well hidden. I disagree, and I am in good company with a man familiar to most of you – Clive Staples Lewis."

Thomas & Charlie (Ella) McKenzie: May they Rest in Peace and Rise in Glory

By Website Admini… on Monday, August 23, 2021 - 8:32pm
Head shot of Thomas McKenzie

This morning (Monday August 23rd) Thomas McKenzie, Rector of Church of the Redeemer, Nashville, and his 22-year-old eldest child Charlie (Ella) died in an accident on Interstate 40 west of Nashville. They were driving to Santa Fe, New Mexico where Charlie was to continue studies at St. John’s College. Thomas was just beginning his well-deserved sabbatical. Thomas’ wife Laura and their daughter Sophie are now home in Nashville. 

Ad Clerum on Church Culture and Marriage

By Website Admini… on Wednesday, August 18, 2021 - 9:00am
Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. (Hebrews 13:4)

It was my first experience officiating at a Nigerian wedding. The bride-to-be was the daughter of a Nigerian Anglican priest who was a part of CANA (Convocation of Anglicans in North America) and he had asked me to preside. I was delighted to do so, and we arrived at the church half an hour before the appointed time.

Ad Clerum on the Reality of Evil

By Website Admini… on Friday, August 13, 2021 - 10:23am
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.(1 Peter 5:8)

Linda grew up in the Chicago suburbs and after high school attended Cornell University in the late 1960s, majoring in Far Eastern Studies. After graduation, she headed east, spending time in Egypt, where she had a relationship that resulted in an unexpected pregnancy. She continued her journey eastward and eventually found herself in what appeared to be an isolated hippie commune on the west coast of India.

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