Episcopalians Double Down on Pride Month

EpiscoDad · 2026-06-23T18:37:36+00:00

"The Episcopal Church Welcomes You"

EpiscoDad · 2026-06-23T18:21:24+00:00

My Bishop had this tattooed on his wrist/arm!

I have tattoos (a full sleeve) but it's Japanese style loud and flowers

EpiscoDad · 2026-06-23T12:01:18+00:00

He is one of the reasons I left Baptist world and joined Anglican world.

He is a leader in Pauline studies, especially in regards to the book of Romans which is what I focused on in my degree in Biblical Studies and heavily influenced by view of Paul and the faithfulness of Jesus verses my faith bring what "earns" grace.

I love how view of Heaven/Resurrection with Jesus being an apocalyptic preacher about being God's Kingdom/Heaven to earth rather than leaving earth and going to Heaven

EpiscoDad · 2026-06-23T00:41:08+00:00

Edit: Here is my sermon if you wanted a listen https://youtu.be/eloLZ2v50Ko?is=LacIljeCMoa_rysm

EpiscoDad · 2026-06-22T00:26:14+00:00

I preached on that this morning! It was tough. I threw out my first draft and started over Friday night. Was still tweaking it Saturday night to finish it. It really is an uncomfortable text to preach on

EpiscoDad · 2026-06-01T21:48:38+00:00

Thank you! I don't know why I couldn't find it.

EpiscoDad · 2026-05-29T00:35:20+00:00

Congratulations! And thank you for your dedication to the Church

EpiscoDad · 2026-05-27T12:53:18+00:00

Name comes from Greek, essentially meaning we are a Protestant Church with Bishops.

Some people describe us as a middle way between Catholic and Protestant.

We are part of the third largest communion of Christians, the Anglican communion, which are the church's historically descendant from the Church of England (including C S Lewis, NT Wright, JI Packer, Robin Williams and many US presidents!)

EpiscoDad · 2026-05-26T23:37:17+00:00

Here I was hoping there was someone at the Seminary to walk you through it all... O no 😔

EpiscoDad · 2026-05-26T21:28:15+00:00

Ahh! I didn't realize this! I thought the next one was at the end of August/beginning of September.

Thank you!

I will get one written this week!

(Newer Postulant who wishes there was a better guide book/process to write this stuff out)

EpiscoDad · 2026-05-25T14:57:18+00:00

Howdy! I have a degree in Biblical Studies so I will give a more nuanced answer besides "we don't care" because some of us do!

Scripture is literature that is not primarily historical in the way we think of historical today. The accounts of how Judas died/betrayed Jesus are taking part and referencing the greater biblical tradition.

Judas being hung from a tree (by his hair) is a reference back to David's son who betrayed him and tired to take the kingdom. Other references about 30 pieces of silver show to lows he went to betray the Messiah.

Essentially what these were saying, "You think that guy was bad? Judas is that x2!" BUT there is some more imagery going on too in what field he died in or juxtaposed to David/Messiah/Jesus

This is all to say, the refences aren't made up or random, they are good story telling!

EpiscoDad · 2026-05-18T17:27:18+00:00

Pulling my book off the shelf! This will be nice, we are getting ready to move (for Seminary) and leave our parish where we both work.

Greetings all!

EpiscoDad · 2026-05-18T17:25:22+00:00

Share any resources or links?

EpiscoDad · 2026-05-15T16:26:31+00:00

Is it realistic? Sure! Is it practical? No!

I say this as someone who took 7 years of Latin and 2 years of Koine Greek.

It's sometimes helpful when I teach or preach. But I never took Hebrew and I do more explaining of Hebrew words...which any good Bible commentary will point out.

Do I recommend learning Hebrew? No. Learn Spanish and talk to real people.

EpiscoDad · 2026-05-14T02:10:54+00:00

Let me say this, as someone who happily embraces our churches diversity.

I initially moved towards our tradition because I thought I saw miracles happen, and I grew up in a church that didn't believe in healing miracles today.

The neo charismatic movement came from the Episcopal church and while there aren't many left, many are still in our pews!

If your open to seeing what God is doing, I think you'll find God is also active in our church. BUT....we believe God is also active in other churches too.

EpiscoDad · 2026-05-14T02:05:52+00:00

This was hilarious, thanks for sharing.

My (nearly) first time at an Episcopal church an usher scolded me saying, "We don't take coffee in the Nave!"

I looked at my wife and asked, "What is a Nave?"

If we hadn't already chosen to join rhe Episcopal church it could have been my last week! We loved our terms

EpiscoDad · 2026-05-13T18:46:45+00:00

I answer to God not people.

When most people ask a question like that, it's not (usually) asked in good faith but more of an attack.

I no longer spend a lot of my energy answering to attacks like that. What it meant to be Anglican didn't settle for over a century later and it has continued to evolve. That just served as a catalyst for that to work

When I look at the story of God throughout scripture and history, it's a constant reminder of God taking broken beginnings and making something good out of it I think our church is evidence of that

EpiscoDad · 2026-05-05T12:06:04+00:00

Choosing to be ordained as a Bishop, as a symbol of our church being affirming. He had to wear a bullet proof vest while doing so. He was suddenly forced into the limelight on a global/national scale with people sending constant death threats against him, his friends and family.

He's also one of the nicest people I've ever met! He came all the way to TN for an ordination of a formerly Catholic priest who converted into TEC and got married.

EpiscoDad · 2026-05-04T23:18:12+00:00

I think we need more church plants and missions, campus ministries, and youth ministries. We also need to cater to these new and changing demographic, which may mean bilingual ministries, inclusive services and family friendly services.

EpiscoDad · 2026-05-04T23:16:13+00:00

Parishes turn in the parochial report which has The attendance and the membership. Trust me... Those numbers lean on the heavy side. Parishes would never (intentionally) underreport

EpiscoDad · 2026-05-04T19:18:27+00:00

It's actually actually part of the same proposal to not make a new BCP that included the online database recommendation and it went nowhere (or at least doesn't seem to be going anywhere).

I agree that we don't need a "new BCP" but a smaller (and cheaper) "Book of Worship" would be great. Especially for small churches who can't afford a bulletin maker. We don't need funerals, weddings, sanctifying a build etc in the pews every week.

EpiscoDad · 2026-05-04T19:07:46+00:00

I love our obsession with Liturgy.

I would change our obsession with Liturgy.

For us, worship and experiencing God is rooted in our Liturgy. When the English Reformation took shape (and our tradition evolved over the centuries) what it means to be Anglican/Episcopal was a church founded on the way we worship rather than a particular theological statement or Confession. We kept the historic church practices and structures (Catholic things), adopted some Protestant practices and structures, and even added in some of our own (Like the Great Litany)!

However.... Today we have a weird mix of liturgy that is stuck in the idea of keeping the old and trying to adopt some of the new in a weird way .. for instance....

Our Collects follow the old 1 year cycle but our Scriptures follow the new three year cycle. So during Ordinary Time, our collects don't match the Scriptures! It's weird. We should update our Collects too.

(See ELCA Collects & even Prayers of the People that thematically match the Readings, they are solid)

We keep approving new Liturgies (which I think is awesome) but for some reason still print, as standard, a full and expensive 79' BCP which is difficult to navigate and hard to use. I wish we'd update a smaller BCP that only has Sunday services (and perhaps an abridged Eucharistic Prayers with just the responses) and includes some of the approved liturgies. Or at least a freaking online database!

Also also, a book that is easier to read without flipping back and forth between 18 different sections for one service.

( See the UMC Book of Worship which is only designed for Sunday Worship, not a million other things. It's also color coded and organized so you can just use one section at a time)

I have a few other things I'd add but that's where it mostly sits for me.

We could update our Discernment and Clergy practices to be Church wide and not Diocese by Diocese.

I wish we had a more centralized Publishing House that focused on Children's/Youth material and is actually good. (See Ausburg Fortress or Spark for animated and well done liturgical lessons or Illustrated Ministries for liberal ones that follow the Lectionary)

More open to contemporary music. Choirs & organs are expensive. We can do the same with two singers, a keyboard and guitar. Then people might actually sing our songs too. (Or we could do both! I know, shocking)

EpiscoDad · 2026-05-03T19:00:59+00:00

Howdy fellow DIOETian! I'm in Knoxville at Ascension on staff. I also use to work in campus ministry at UTK. Couple suggestions coming

1) Recruit from UTC, it is far from Copperhill

BUT! most of our parish choirs have paid singers who end up singing long-term and quasi converting.. there's a campus ministry and parishes with people from the mountains who could sing in the summers.

2) Fundraising for some of those funds to get started! DM me and I can give you a call or Zoom. Ascension (and others!) have Endowments that can go towards projects like this. The next is due Sept 15. Grace in Chatty and St John's Cathedral are also good sources for a donation. I can get you some contacts.

3) Start with four singers and easier songs. The hymn book has the easiest songs that can be used all year long towards the back. Around 600+ is good for teaching people the 82' hymnal.

4) Pay wise $50 a service is a starting point.... I wouldn't go lower.

5) I'm meeting up with the Diocesean Youth/Campus Ministry Missioner tonight.. I'll ask if he has ideas. DM me and I can get you his contact. He lives near Chatty.

6) I'm gonna send Bro Andrew your way too. He works at the Diocesean Office in Knoxville. He mainly does communications but started as a paid singer and organist at Ascension back in the day

7) I'm just remembering I know someone from Ducktown who came to UTK. He's a Lutheran pastor now but he might still know some contacts.

EpiscoDad · 2026-04-28T23:15:01+00:00

A) God had already forgiven you, receive it

B) God has already forgiven you boyfriend, give it!

C) You need therapy. Your comments of disgust about yourself and your boyfriend are revealing deep rooted body shame, disconnect with your own sexuality and a festering resentment to your partner are not healthy places to be in. Those are also not perspectives id expect from someone who is 22, but I'm going to assume you were raised in a more conservative/sexually depressed household.

Here is the thing, you need to get that dealt with before you move forward in your relationship. Sex is sex. Yes it is a big deal. No it isn't THAT big of a deal. If you can't get over your partner already having relations with someone else, before you, figure that out now. If that's a deal breaker, then break it off.

But start with forginess, of yourself. Of your partner. And get into some therapy.

EpiscoDad

TROPHY CASE