Weekly thoughts from the Rector of Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church in Houston, Texas, where these words remind us that Jesus’ peace goes with us into the world.

Palmer’s 11:00 a.m. liturgy on Sundays uses the traditional, poetic language of Rite I. Adorning those beautiful words is the music of Healey Willan as we sing “Glory be to God on high . . .” and “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts . . .” Incense is always used at this service, a fragrant offering that, like our prayers, rises to the heavens on the Lord’s Day. And like the 9:00 a.m. liturgy on Sundays, part of the Great Thanksgiving is usually chanted, a sanctus bell is rung to draw attention to the words of Jesus at the Last Supper, and the adult choir sings the words of the psalm in addition to the anthems while bread and wine is brought to the Lord’s Table and at the beginning of the administration of Holy Communion. It is not only dramatic but also spiritual.

Today there are three noteworthy additions to that traditional liturgy. The first is the Summary of the Law, which is said near the beginning of the service and recalls the commandment of Jesus to love God and to love our neighbor.  The second is the restoration of what are known in the Anglican tradition as the Comfortable Words:

Hear the Word of God to all who truly turn to him.

Come unto me, all ye that travail and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you.    Matthew 11:28

God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, to the end that all that believe in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.    John 3:16

This is a true saying, and worthy of all to be received, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.    1 Timothy 1:15

If anyone sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the perfect offering for our sins, and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world.    1 John 2:1-2

These are four sentences from the New Testament that are said after the priest has declared forgiven the sins of the people, including his or her own. For those who are familiar with Twitter, think of them as four tweets that put into just a few words the good news of the gospel of forgiveness and acceptance. Lastly, the prayer that will be used as our general confession is the shorter version that is allowed by the rubrics of the Book of Common Prayer. So come and be renewed in your faith at 11:00 a.m.

— The Rev. Neil Alan Willard, Rector

Weekly thoughts from the Rector of Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church in Houston, Texas, where these words remind us that Jesus’ peace goes with us into the world.

If you walk into the pulpit in the church, you might notice a small brass plaque on top of the railing that is engraved with these words: “. . . we wish to see Jesus.” Those words were spoken to a disciple of Jesus by what the Gospel of John describes as “some Greeks” who had come to worship in Jerusalem. They may have been Jews from the diaspora. They may have been Gentiles, foreshadowing the fact that the message of Jesus would eventually reach the ends of the earth. At the end of the day, however, these Greeks represent you and me. We seek the presence of Jesus here.

The Rev. Liz Parker, our new Associate Rector, will be in that pulpit for the first time today. I’m grateful for her presence on our clergy team and for the wisdom that she brings to the table for all of the church staff. I’m also grateful that she counts herself among those who seek the face of Jesus. For us, this happens though the eyes of faith, as promised to us in the words of Jesus to Thomas at the end of John’s Gospel:

Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.

So pray for the preacher this morning, who is on the same pilgrimage of faith as the rest of us. And come to the Rector’s Forum this morning at 10:15 a.m. in Room A102, when I’ll be interviewing our preacher about her journey with the God of surprises from Pennsylvania and New York City to Abilene, Amarillo, and Houston.

— The Rev. Neil Alan Willard, Rector

Weekly thoughts from the Rector of Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church in Houston, Texas, where these words remind us that Jesus’ peace goes with us into the world.

Today is the 15th anniversary of the terrorist attacks against the homeland of the United States on September 11, 2001. On that morning, four passenger airliners were hijacked and turned into instruments of death, killing nearly 3,000 people and causing the collapse of the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City.

There are two community events that are opportunities to reflect more closely on those terrible and frightening memories today as we commemorate those who were murdered and those who lost their lives as first responders while rescuing others.

The first event is an annual 9/11 memorial concert at Rice University. This year’s “Concert of Hope” will be held this afternoon at 4:00 p.m. in Stude Concert Hall, which is located inside the building that houses the Shepherd School of Music (near the Turrell skyspace). The Rice Chorale and Houston Masterworks Chorus directed by Thomas Jaber will be offering a performance of the Requiem by Gabriel Fauré.

The second gathering is an “Interfaith Service of Prayer, Readings, and Song” this evening at 6:00 p.m. at Christ the King Lutheran Church, which is located at 2353 Rice Boulevard. Representative leaders and faith community members of the Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and Buddhist traditions will participate in this event as our community considers the historic global changes since 9/11 and renews our dedication as a people committed to the healing of both our nation and the world.

— The Rev. Neil Alan Willard, Rector

Weekly thoughts from the Rector of Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church in Houston, Texas, where these words remind us that Jesus’ peace goes with us into the world.