Bishop's Reflections - Page 3 of 4 - Central/Southern Illinois Synod

A Word to Good Friday and Easter 2018

30 Mar 2018

John 13:1 - “Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father.…READ MORE

Tending to the Safety of our People in Church

14 Nov 2017

There has been much conversation in conventional media and social media about what churches should do to best prepare and protect themselves against a violent…READ MORE

A Pastoral Letter in the Aftermath of the Violence in Charlottesville

22 Aug 2017

As all of you undoubtedly know, Charlottesville, Virginia, became a flash-point for neo-Nazi, white supremacist, and white nationalist groups protesting the decision by the Charlottesville…READ MORE

A Word to Good Friday and Easter 2017

23 Apr 2017

“Death is ugly, a rotten deal,” writes author and preacher Fleming Rutledge. And it is still a rotten deal even when it brings relief from…READ MORE

A Word to Ash Wednesday 2017

1 Mar 2017

The Scripture readings for Ash Wednesday seem to give us conflicting admonitions: on the one hand (if you are using the passage from Joel), the…READ MORE

A Word to Christmas 2016

20 Dec 2016

On any given Sunday, but particularly around Christmas, someone is walking into a Christian church for the first time – someone who’s never been to…READ MORE

A Word to Good Friday and Easter 2016

28 Mar 2016

As we began Lent this year, I encouraged you to lift up in your own Lenten thoughts and reflections the apocalyptic dimension of the crucifixion…READ MORE

A Word to Lent 2016

10 Feb 2016

We enter Lent confessing to God in the words of Psalm 51: “I know my transgressions and my sin is ever before me. Against you,…READ MORE

A Word to Easter

5 Apr 2015

“The good news of Jesus Christ is a thing of great comfort,” said C. S. Lewis. “But it doesn’t begin in comfort. It begins in…READ MORE

A Word to Ash Wednesday

8 Feb 2015

I was driving to an evening worship service this past Saturday when I heard the news that an early mentor of mine had died the…READ MORE