The Bishop’s Blog

Reflections on the Start of Lent

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Collect for Ash Wednesday
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So it’s Lent. And what is Lent, anyway? We might perhaps think of it as that annual morose and mopey time of year, marked by giving up some treasured food or habit, that engenders a sense of holy deprivation which is supposed to be good for us. But neither moping nor deprivation is the point, nor the true value.

Do I Believe in the Forgiveness of Sins?

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I believe in the forgiveness of sins.
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The other day I was praying Morning Prayer and came to the recitation of the Apostles’ Creed. As is often the case with those regular and well-known words, something jumped out at me: “I believe… in the forgiveness of sins.”

But do I? So many of us assent to this verbally but live something very different practically

How Can I Hear from the Lord?  

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A corner for prayer at the diocesan office
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A couple of weeks ago I encouraged us to approach this new year with the attitude, “Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.” That all sounds great, you might think, but how do I listen? How do I hear from the Lord? For that, there is a central source and a necessary attitude or habit.

On New Year's Resolutions: Speak, Lord, for Your Servant Hears

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If He calls you, you shall say, "Speak, Lord, for your servant hears."
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And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

I Samuel 3:8-9, ESV

A Christmas Message from Bishop Alex

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A Christmas Message from Bishop Alex Cameron
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While Christmas is—and ought to be—a joy-filled time of year, it can also be a source of anxiety, grief, and even fear for many among us. For those of you burdened with fear, I want to assure you that Jesus Christ is the antidote to that fear—that the gift God gives us on Christmas is a reminder that we are not alone. He has come to dwell among us. 

Watch the Anglican Bishop of Pittsburgh's Christmas address, below.

 

A Devotion for the Third Week in Advent

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An Advent 3 Devotional
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Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good.