This week, we got a little taste of Spring as temperatures soared, and people walked about in shorts, t-shirts, and light jackets. The breeze felt like a balm on my bare legs. The patch of snow that filled our staff parking spaces finally receded to nothing. Of course, by the time you read this, we will be back to the customary temperatures of mid-winter. But it was nice to be reminded of what lies ahead. Coincidentally, our Lenten calendar is doing the same thing. This Sunda

During our Wednesday morning Eucharist, we often dedicate the reflection time to learning about the saint whose feast or remembrance is appointed for that day. Yesterday the Revised Common Lectionary Lesson Calendar directed us to remember Emily Malbone Morgan. Her feast day is also listed in Holy Men and Holy Women as today. Morgan’s particular charism was organizing women to pray for one another. So, it’s apt to consider what she might be saying to us at this time. Morgan,

This is the story of how I tempted the devil. It is true. When I was about 5 years old I was swinging on my swing set in the backyard and thinking about things, like you do when you’re 5. And I got to thinking about the devil. I wondered if perhaps the devil was so bad because no one had ever invited him to be good. Well I decided right then and there to have a talk with the devil. How does one begin a conversation with the devil? “Dear devil,” I said. “Why don’t you try bein

A message to our fellow Americans We, the undersigned bishops of The Episcopal Church, write today out of grief, righteous anger, and steadfast hope. What happened a week ago in Minnesota and is happening in communities across the country runs counter to God’s vision of justice and peace. This crisis is about more than one city or state—it’s about who we are as a nation. The question before us is simple and urgent: Whose dignity matters? In the wake of the tragic deaths of tw

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave. (Rev 1:17-18) My Siblings in Christ, Over the last few weeks, we have been left heartbroken by what is occurring in Minneapolis, our country, and the continued pain suffered by God’s children. I plan to write, expand, and cal

As you know, I am not one who issues statements based on every news item that crosses the wire. However, as a Bishop and more importantly a follower of Jesus Christ, I was repulsed and sickened by the meme that was on the President’s feed depicting two children of God who served this nation as apes. It is a sin against the Lord. This is not just politics or someone being themselves. It is an affront to Christ. Either you apologize, Mr. President, or you resign. If that doesn

Lent starts next week with Ash Wednesday. ( See the Lent page for times and details .) Personally, I like that this holy season gives us six weeks to sink into the practices that prepare us for Easter. That’s much different than Advent, where we’re wrestling with Christmas the entire time and have only four weeks to play with. Lent gives us breathing room, and its practices are reflective, tangible and self-giving. Ash Wednesday gets us on the right foot, with its grit and gr

In my Rector’s note a few weeks ago, I quoted the Rt. Rev. Rob Hirschfeld’s call for clergy to be prepared to lay down their lives in order to “stand between the powers of this world and the most vulnerable.” Since then, hundreds of bishops have provided their own guidance on how to take direct action to protect people under threat of ICE arrest and detention. Last Saturday, 154 bishops, including our own Rt. Rev. Daniel Gutiérrez, released a letter calling for “people of fa

Who is my neighbor? That biblical question is resonating with me as I shovel snow, watch the news, and pack leftovers for the community fridge. It’s the question that prompted Jesus to tell the story of the Good Samaritan, a title we now give any helpful person. Who is my neighbor? The one who helps you when the formal helpers walk by; it might even be the person everyone told you was your enemy. Snowstorms are a particular measure of neighbor-hood. As Jess and I walked our d

Just as the dust settles on the Christmas and New Year holidays, our parish Annual Meeting is upon us. Our parish bylaws set the date as the last Sunday in January, with an allowance for the first Sunday in February if we get snowed out. This weekend we are invoking that flexibility as we anticipate record snow, leading us to not only move the Annual Meeting but to cancel in-person services and move to online Morning Prayer this Sunday. That gives us all a little more time to

As we know, concern about the treatment of immigrants being hunted down for detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is bringing more and more people out into the streets. They are calling for justice, for the rule of law to be upheld, and they are serving as observers and witnesses. Clergy of all faith traditions have taken an active role, leading prayer and serving as observers, and promoting peaceful responses. As I mentioned in my sermon this past Sunda

After Christmas, Jess and I spent a week in Moab, Utah, visiting his sister Liz and her husband. Liz is an ecologist with the National Park Service, coordinating programs that restore and strengthen habitats and promote natural diversity in the region’s national parks. This part of the country stands in stunning contrast to the northeastern cities that I’ve called home. Where there would be streets and rowhouses and skyscrapers in my cityscape, there are riverbeds and washes,

The phishing scammers are in full force this holiday season, more aggressive than ever.  For the last two weeks I’ve been receiving a steady stream of emails and phone calls alerting me to the fact that someone using my name and title is asking parishioners for several hundred dollars worth of Target gift cards to help those in need. Those that respond get pulled into a back-and-forth email conversation that gets more demanding with each reply, ultimately being asked to send

This Sunday’s 10 am liturgy will feature our annual Advent Lessons and Carols service, in which a series of carols, anthems and scriptures tell the story of the promised messiah. That has me thinking about the holiday carols that are resonating for me this year. It’s a common topic of conversation at home as Jess and I search for songs to add to our decades-old holiday playlist and ask ourselves which songs we turn to year after year. This year I’m thinking a lot about the so

Walking our dog in the late evening is the best time to see the  clash of holiday décor that we encounter at this time of year. One house in particular still has Halloween bats dangling from branches adorned with Christmas Tree lights. Thanksgiving turkeys peek from behind fences and Christmas trees blink from the windows behind. It’s beginning to look a lot like the calendar pages have run together. With so many secular holidays bunched in a short time it can be hard to find

Thinking about serving on Vestry may be the last thing on anyone’s mind during this busy holiday season. And yet, because new Vestry members are elected at the Annual Meeting in January, we ask that you carve out some time before the end of the year to prayerfully consider Vestry service.   You may not immediately think you have the necessary “gifts” for Vestry service. However, you have significant wisdom and skills from life experience. Vestry service can be deeply rewardin

As we near our national holiday for giving thanks, it’s worth counting a few St. Peter’s blessings for which we can all be grateful. Our parish’s generous commitment to stewardship of our ministry together is at the top of my gratitude list this year. This fall’s Stewardship Pledge campaign, which culminated with In-gathering Sunday on Nov. 16, has been a source of deep thanks in response to generous giving.  By last Sunday, 50 people had pledged $136,000 toward our 2026 budg

Feeding the hungry has been a practice of the church since it’s earliest days, when Christian communities stood out for their generosity in a Roman culture that wanted little to do with people in need. Today the church continues to take its Gospel call to care for those who are food insecure very seriously, both by providing food in emergencies and advocating for governmental and social structures that protect people on the margins at all times.               The disruptions

The call came out of the blue a few weeks ago. “St. Peter’s Church, this is Rev. Barb, how may I help you?” “Oh wonderful! This is Moni McIntyre…” The Rev. Dr. Moni McIntyre! A voice from nearly two decades ago laughed into the phone. She had been poking around on the internet and saw my name and position and decided on a whim to call. She didn’t expect me to answer the phone. And I didn’t expect to hear from one of the people who were key to my becoming a priest, 18 years af

In spring of 2026, we will be celebrating the 10 th anniversary of the joining of St. Philip-in-the-Fields with St. Peter’s, Glenside. The Oreland church, which got its start as a daughter parish of St. Peter’s, closed its doors and turned its property back over to the diocese in 2016 after determining that with a shrinking congregation, the parish could not be sustained into the future. The joining of the parishes predates my arrival, but I can say that everywhere I look I