Powerful sermons from Washington National Cathedral in the midst of the pandemic. Through their sermons, Cathedral clergy and guest preachers such as Jon Meacham, Kelly Brown Douglas, and Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry share inspiring words. Collectively, they offer lasting guidance for difficult times, reinforcing that even in the midst of loss and chaos, God is at work among us, lifting us up and giving us hope for the future. Topics include hope, faith during times of distress, love, grief, and the presence of God. With a foreword by Jon Meacham.

Preaching Black Lives (Matter) is an anthology that asks, "What does it mean to be church where Black lives matter?" Prophetic imagination would have us see a future in which all Christians would be free of the soul-warping belief and practice of racism. This collection of reflections is an incisive look into that future today. It explains why preaching about race is important in the elimination of racism in the church and society, and how preaching has the ability to transform hearts. While programs, protests, conferences, and laws are all important and necessary, less frequently discussed is the role of the church, specifically the Anglican Church and Episcopal Church, in ending systems of injustice. The ability to preach from the pulpit is mandatory for every person, clergy or lay, regardless of race, who has the responsibility to spread the gospel. For there's a saying in the Black church, "If it isn't preached from the pulpit, it isn't important."

So often we think of the Christian faith as an obligation or as a set of beliefs that we must hold. With this outlook, we can lose sight of what is most important: the invitation to experience a loving, personal relationship with God. It's a relationship we can trust, where we can find refuge and solid ground upon which to stand. The Way of Love set forth by the Episcopal Church's Presiding Bishop Michael Bruce Curry is the journey of a lifetime. It's a way of knowing God, receiving and sharing Jesus' love, and being a blessing to the world. Mariann Edgar Budde shares her thoughts on how the reader can come to know--to receive--Jesus more deeply in practicing the Way of Love. Through the seven practices that have been put before us: to turn, to learn, to pray and to worship, to bless, to go, and to rest, she will share biblical stories, wisdom from the Christian tradition, and her own personal stories of spiritual growth.

A menudo pensamos en la fe cristiana como una obligacion o como un conjunto de creencias que debemos seguir. Si seguimos esta idea podemos perder de vista lo mas importante: la invitacion a experimentar una relacion amorosa y personal con Dios. Esta es una relacion en la que podemos confiar, en la que podemos encontrar proteccion y tierra segura sobre la cual pararnos. Mariann Edgar Budde comparte sus pensamientos sobre como el lector puede llegar a conocer - a recibir - a Jesus mas profundamente, practicando el Camino del Amor. Ella comparte historias biblicas, la sabiduria de la tradicion cristiana y sus propias historias personales de crecimiento espiritual a traves de las siete practicas que nos han sido dadas con antelacion: cambiar, aprender, orar, adorar, bendecir, ir y descansar. So often we think of the Christian faith as an obligation or as a set of beliefs that we must hold. With this outlook, we can lose sight of what is most important: the invitation to experience a loving, personal relationship with God. It's a relationship we can trust, where we can find refuge and solid ground upon which to stand. The Way of Love set forth by the Episcopal Church's Presiding Bishop Michael Bruce Curry is the journey of a lifetime. It's a way of knowing God, receiving and sharing Jesus' love, and being a blessing to the world. Mariann Edgar Budde shares her thoughts on how the reader can come to know-to receive-Jesus more deeply in practicing the Way of Love. Through the seven practices that have been put before us: to turn, to learn, to pray and to worship, to bless, to go, and to rest, she will share biblical stories, wisdom from the Christian tradition, and her own personal stories of spiritual growth.

I write for all those parish pastors and priests who want to preach well, who long to speak with authority, clarity, and humility, and yet who feel, as I do, that there is simply never enough time in the week to do justice to the task. I write for those who feel at times overwhelmed by the responsibilities of our work, who wonder if it is possible, in parish ministry, to live a balanced life. I write from that same place of struggle myself. -- from the Foreword For many pastors and congregations, the pulpit is the focal point of weekly worship. But preaching is not only a spiritual practice, it's also a practice of leadership - the most effective means for most ministers of inspiring and guiding their flocks as well as engaging with the society in which they live. Gathering Up the Fragments was written for pastors who struggle with the weight of this heavy responsibility, endeavoring to preach relevant sermons that stay true to the word of God. Mariann Edgar Budde shows how pastors can create a solid foundation for preaching by taking the fragments of their own life and ministry - their studies, personal life experiences, and relationships with their congregations - and weaving them together in a homiletic mosaic that will bring glory to God and illumination for themselves and their listeners. This book offers an approach to preaching that enables pastors to integrate the many competing claims of their lives, reflect deeply on the nature of their work, and sustain their intimacy with God. Budde believes that preaching is a form of art - a profoundly satisfying creative expression with intrinsic value, a gift from God that ministers offer back to the congregations they serve. Each chapter in Gathering Up the Fragments describes a particular dimension of preaching as a spiritual practice and suggests a rule of life for preachers. Budde challenges pastors to be observant of those under their charge, prayerfully considering what God is saying to them individually and communally. A collection of sermons from throughout the church year is also included, demonstrating how to apply the techniques illustrated in this volume.