Posts by Rev. Paul Calvin
Seeking Vestry Recommendations
The Vestry of Church of the Redeemer is a lay leadership team that partners with our rector, Fr. Paul, in oversight of the church. Each year, new members are needed to serve on the vestry as current members transition out. In keeping with our bylaws, a nominating team has been formed to identify potential new vestry members. As part of this process, we welcome your written recommendations for new vestry members. We will consider all recommendations made to the committee, and from those recommendations will formally nominate new members for the vestry. Those nominees will then be…
Love Never Ends, August 2021
As our local, state, and national response to the Coronavirus pandemic has shifted from mandates to recommendations, you’ve probably spent time considering how these recommendations, options, and suggestions apply to you. While the application of recommendations can be perplexing–frustrating, even–Jesus’s mandate to us remains the same: love one another, and through your love people will know that we are his disciples. In practical terms, that means that Christians interpret recommendations, options, and suggestions through Jesus’s command to love. Christian charity…
Pastoral Letter: More Deeply Rooted
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,whose confidence is in him.They will be like a tree planted by the waterthat sends out its roots by the stream.It does not fear when heat comes;its leaves are always green.It has no worries in a year of droughtand never fails to bear fruit.” – Jer. 17:7-8 Dear Church of the Redeemer, Through the regular rhythm of gathering and being sent out in worship, the Lord builds up His church in…
Important Matter Affecting Our Diocesan Churches
Dear Church of the Redeemer, On Saturday evening, the Bishop’s Council informed the Diocese of allegations of serious sexual misconduct and abuse involving former Greenhouse Movement staff member Joel Girard during his time serving on the Cornerstone Anglican Church staff (Chicago, IL). These allegations are unrelated to the investigation into those at Big Rock, IL being overseen by the Province of the Anglican Church in North America. At her invitation, parish and diocesan leaders are working closely with the woman who…
“He had compassion for them.”
When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. – Matthew 9:36 Dear Church of the Redeemer,The allegations of abuse at the former diocesan church, Christ our Light Anglican Church in Big Rock, IL, are appalling, grieve us, and grieve the Holy Spirit. The survivors of this abuse suffered the experience of being like sheep without a shepherd through the sins of their abuser and then through subsequent…
Love Never Ends
Just a week ago, Gov. Walz announced that “July 1 or sooner” was the deadline for the end of Minnesota’s mask mandate. Well…it certainly was “sooner.” While some health precautions are still recommended, I am looking forward to being able to see you face-to-face. Civil mandates expire – sometimes quite suddenly. God’s love never ends. In the midst of rapid transition, Sunday’s reading from 1 John 4:7 provides timely pastoral guidance for us: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love…
Not Only With our Lips, But in Our Lives – December 2020
Church of the Redeemer, Over the past year, our nation has grieved the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. The public outcry in our community drew attention to the disparate experiences and deep generational sins and wounds of our nation. As a church that seeks to share in Christ’s ministry of reconciliation, Church of the Redeemer earnestly desires to serve as ambassadors of Christ. In fellowship with him, Jesus Christ brings reconciliation between all people, races and…
Not Only With Our Lips, But In Our Lives
Church of the Redeemer, Each day, the prayer of general thanksgiving in Morning Prayer directs us to ask God to “give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days.” Integrity of word and action is likewise a central theme of the book of…
New Every Morning
Written by: Audrey Assad / Matt MaherRecorded by: Lydia Wildes In the beginning, you hovered over the waterYou broke an unbroken silenceYou spoke light into darknessAnd there was lightIn the beginning, we were made in your imageAnd we were naked without shameTill we fell for the darknessAnd there was night Your mercies are newYour mercies are newNew every morning In the beginning, there was the Word and he was GodAnd the Word was with GodAnd he dwelt among usAnd there…