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 a special day in our life together at Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church. It’s when we come together for a combined worship service, elect new leaders at our annual meeting, and stay for a wonderful lunch in the parish hall. So join me in praying for our community of faith:

Loving God, in holy baptism you have gathered us together across all human divisions and reconciled us to yourself in one body through the cross. Strengthen us now by your presence, that our thoughts and actions may be rooted and grounded in your love for us; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

O God, full of compassion, we commit and commend ourselves to you, in whom we live and move and have our being. Be the goal of our pilgrimage, and our rest by the way. Give us refuge under the shadow of your wings. Let our hearts, so often a sea of restless waves, find peace in you, O God; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Almighty God, you have built your church upon the foundation of apostles and prophets, with Jesus Christ himself as the cornerstone. Grant that the people of this congregation may be joined together as a holy temple, a place where you dwell. Send your Holy Spirit upon us that, guided by your word and strengthened by your sacraments, we may gather together at our annual meeting for the good of your church and the glory of your name; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

— 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.

This past week I had an appointment across the street from the church in the Texas Medical Center. As I walked past Methodist Hospital in the rain, I was very much aware of the fact that former President George H.W. Bush was there in an intensive-care unit because of problems related to pneumonia. So I prayed not only for him but also for his wife Barbara, who had been admitted to the same hospital because of fatigue.

The next day was the presidential inauguration, when I prayed again for the current leaders of our nation. I used these words, repeated from one generation to another by people of faith who have come before us, that are printed in the American version of the Book of Common Prayer:

Almighty God, who hast given us this good land for our heritage: We humbly beseech thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of thy favor and glad to do thy will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in thy Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to thy law, we may show forth thy praise among the nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in thee to fail; all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

— 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.

Next month the Super Bowl will take place at NRG Stadium in the City of Houston. Many people watch that event because they love NFL football. Others like the food or the company that comes to their home to enjoy a shared experience. But nearly everyone likes to see the commercials, even though it’s hard to comprehend that a 30-second ad this year during the Super Bowl will cost a minimum of $5 million.

General Mills – whose headquarters I frequently drove past during my years in Minnesota – bought one of those Super Bowl spots for a Cheerios ad in 2013, when cost for doing so was less than $4 million. It included an interracial family and generated so many negative comments and racial slurs that General Mills eventually disabled the comments on YouTube. Several months after that eruption of racist commentary happened, an article published in the New York Times included these remarks by a parishioner in my former congregation:

The ad will “absolutely not” be withdrawn, Meredith Tutterow, associate marketing director for Cheerios and Multigrain Cheerios at General Mills in Golden Valley, Minn., said Friday.

“There are many kinds of families,” Ms. Tutterow said, “and Cheerios just wants to celebrate them all.”

Those actors returned to the small screen to portray the same family during the next Super Bowl in 2014. Those memories of standing firm in the midst of a storm brought to mind these words from the Book of Common Prayer:

O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne…

Amen to that. Perhaps others will see a glimpse of that harmony in us on this MLK holiday weekend.

— 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.

This past Friday, January 6, was the Feast of the Epiphany. It’s the day when we read in Matthew’s Gospel about the visit of the Magi, strangers from the East, to worship the young child Jesus. Arriving with “gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh,” they provide an exciting and exotic ending for the whole story of Christmas. Here’s what preaching scholar David Lose says about all of that:

[T]he presence of these three magi and their quest for God’s messiah announce that the world is changing, that God is approaching, and that nothing can remain the same in the presence of God’s messiah. The arrival of these wondering astrologers signals that the reach of God’s embrace is broadening considerably, that there is no longer “insider” and “outsider,” but that all are included in God’s plan for salvation. . . .

Whatever its various and sundry causes, fear is a powerful thing. In response to their fear, Herod, along with the chief priests and scribes, conspire to find the messiah and kill him. They will not succeed this time, but much later in the story there will again be an unholy alliance between the political and religious leaders of the day who will not only conspire against Jesus but this time capture and crucify him.

And what about us? What does fear do to us? Do we install more security systems in our homes and cars? Do we build more gates or buy more guns? Do we save even more for retirement, pulling back from charitable contributions to make sure we have enough? Do we close our hearts – and minds – to those who are different? What?

The world of fear that surrounds us today is the very world into which Jesus was born. Your presence in our community of faith, reflecting the love of Jesus, is a powerful reminder that we do not have to stand in the midst of our fears alone.

— 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.

Each year the Archbishop of Canterbury publishes an Ecumenical Christmas Letter to Christians throughout the world. The Most Rev. Justin Welby currently holds that office, and here is a quote from his letter to us in this Christmas season:

In many parts of our troubled, uncertain world, Christian minority communities along with other minorities are being [targeted and attacked]. In some places, this is motivated by a desire to eradicate the indigenous Christian presence completely. These are acts not only of terror but of genocide; criminal acts for which the international community must bring those guilty to account. Yet although so vulnerable and often forgotten and marginalised, our brothers and sisters are being courageous in the Lord. Indeed, ‘God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong’ (1 Corinthians 1.27).

In other places conflict and corruption have become so normal that the world forgets the suffering of the poor.

I ask your prayers for those of us who live in safety that we may not be bystanders afar off, beating our breasts as we retire to the security of our homes, but that we may draw nearer to the cross of Jesus, stand there alongside our suffering brothers and sisters and be ready to take our part in practical action for change. I pray that Christ will strengthen all his people in our inner being with power through the Holy Spirit to be faithful, to have courage and to live in hope.

In this New Year, my prayer is that we’ll be filled with such hope so that the light of Christ will shine into the darkness within us and around us.

— The Rev. Neil Alan Willard, Rector