The Dean’s Corner

How is God calling Trinity Cathedral to serve, pray, and gather in the years to come? What does embodied love look like? What does faithful stewardship of our resources require …

On TikTok, it’s a source of entertainment: the words of a candidate, absurd falsehoods about migrant populations abducting and consuming pets, set to a dance beat. It makes us laugh, or perhaps just allows a …

The history of housing and racial injustice in Cleveland was not an accident. As we learned several years ago through Undesign the Redline, an interactive exhibit on economic injustice held at Trinity …

The Christian life is about opening our hearts and the transformation of our world into something that reflects the image and imagination of God. The vocation of a congregation – …

I write this from my downtown office over the screams of fighter jets flying past the Cathedral: Labor Day in Cleveland means, among other things, the air show, so the …

When Trinity Commons was envisioned more than two decades ago, we wisely created a space for a coffee shop to serve as the hearth and heartbeat of the building. Throughout …

One of my favorite cyclists did not win his Olympic race. On the second day of this year’s games, the best cyclists in the world took their turns racing in a 30+ kilometer sprint through and around the city of Paris in the men’s time …

One of my favorite things to do in churches is to train new acolytes. Whether it’s with youth or adults, going through the steps of serving at the altar is …

“We, will not boast beyond limits but will keep within the field that God has assigned to us.” (2 Corinthians 10:13 NRSVUE). In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, he assures the …

The wood-paneling and millwork is sumptuous. The space is quiet, warm, and speaks of a robust history that spans more than a century. It binds our life as a congregation …

One of the things I loved most about college and graduate school was the presence of stately rooms that were simultaneously witnesses to history and functional places where life still happened. Sometimes …

Democracy is hard work. It’s far more than voting, far more than watching political debates, and far more than sharing on social media what makes us excited or upset in …

Grant, we beseech you, that we and all the people of this land may have grace to maintain our liberties in righteous and peace. Blessings to each of you on …

On the eve of the election for presiding bishop, the dean of my seminary welcomed us at an alumni event by reminding us of the importance of the occasion. For …

Members from across the Episcopal Church have begun to gather in Louisville, KY for the 81st general convention. The General Convention is more than a gathering that happens every three years: it is …

This summer the Episcopal Church will elect our next Presiding Bishop, who will lead us through the next nine years of ministry and transformation. This is a time of uncertainty …

There are seasons in our life when we bring our dreams and our generosity alongside all the gifts of those who came before us, to co-create something that is new, …

Communities of faith each have their own “DNA:” distinct qualities present since the church was founded that are expressed throughout time as core values. When a church is at its …

The image of God as a Mother is not new. In Isaiah, God says, “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you.” Dame Julian of Norwich wrote …

“You are grounded.” The phrase can mean a number of things. A child can be grounded, forbidden to leave their place of residence for any non-essential activity, no social life …

Thirteen years ago I was fortunate to attend a conference called CREDO, a week of renewal and discernment that’s part of the ongoing development of Episcopal priests. It was a …

Overwhelmed by work in front of computer screens, many people in Japan in the 1980’s headed out to the wilderness. They found comfort and energy simply by walking in nature, …

In the church I served in North Carolina, we were visited for a stretch of several weeks by a young man whose behavior was erratic and unsettling. We welcomed him …

I was in a coffee shop writing a sermon several weeks ago when I overheard someone speaking about their parents’ Christian faith. I didn’t hear the context, but I did …

The way of grace is not upward, to places of power and status, but downward, towards those who hunger, suffer, or who weep. This is the path that walk with …

I’m so grateful to Trinity’s Greater Cleveland Congregations (GCC) Core Team for leading a campaign of one-on-one conversations to help us discern where Trinity’s passion and capacity for social justice …

While traveling this week, I had some time between flights to take our new congregational communication platform, Realm, out for a test drive. You know what? It was really useful…and …

When Jesus says to Peter and the disciples that they must take up their cross and follow him, he was saying that speaking truth, and living faithfully for others, often …

Let’s turn our phones and tablets into powerful tools for building our faith community! I am old enough to remember phone books, spiral-bound church directories, and even things like kitchen …

When Khalilah Worley of Greater Cleveland Congregations (GCC) joined me for last Sunday’s Dean’s Forum, she shared something striking: even as GCC has had great success on particular issues, the …

As Americans and people of faith, we hold sacred our right to vote. Our democratic values call us not only to honor each person’s perspective and voice, but to work …

Trinity Cathedral is at an exciting crossroads. From growing attendance to new programs and increased giving, we’re emerging from the pandemic fueled by a renewed spirit and several years of …

As a Cathedral Church that passionately affirms the belovedness of every human being, that we are each created in the image of God, and that our dignity cannot be taken …

I cannot imagine ministry without the leadership of women. I have been raised up by women who are priests, I have served alongside women who celebrated Eucharist and I have …

Archbishop William Temple referred to the church as “the only institution that exist for people who are not its members.” This is true, but the paradox is that the more …

Let’s do the work. A coalition of churches in my previous hometown created an ongoing antiracism program they called “Doing our Work.” Churches from across the community gathered for shared …

It takes about 200 people to lead our Cathedral’s Sunday morning worship, from choir members to clergy, ushers and acolytes, and everyone else who pitches once or twice (or four …

In moments of vulnerability, when our hearts are open and we are willing to follow the wild and surprising path of the Holy Spirit, God comes to us. God’s presence …

Can you imagine living your life without shame or fear? It seems like so much of our public life is rooted in shame. Brené Brown, a New York Times Bestselling …

We love to celebrate good things. Nothing quite draws a crowd like a bishop ordination or a baptism Sunday. We gather eagerly at events like new member liturgies and Confirmation …

Let’s begin again. This Sunday marks the beginning of a new liturgical year, when we once again tell the story of Christ’s incarnation, passion, and resurrection through the feasts and …

Without planning it, a common theme ran through two classes I taught at Trinity this past week. On Sunday I led the weekly bible study on the Old Testament, where …

Meet me here, where the old fence ends, and the horizon begins. Craig Hella Johnson’s oratorio, Considering Matthew Shepherd, transforms one of the most painful and traumatic events in recent …

This past year I watched democracy in action, and it wasn’t always pretty. About 18 months ago, the school board of Shaker Heights announced a dramatic plan to reshape our …

Dear Friends, As followers of Jesus, we are called to see borders differently than the powers and principalities of this world. While invisible lines that divide nations and peoples matter …

Folks tend to have feelings about stewardship – aka church fundraising – that are as strong as their feelings about money in general. To some it’s something to be spoken …

Back before he became Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, Bishop Michael Curry had a phrase that he used frequently: “I want the Episcopal Church in North Carolina to look …

Nearly three decades ago, the Rev. Becca Stevens opened a home for five women survivors of trafficking, prostitution, and addiction. In making this committment, she quickly recognized that financial self-sufficiency …

One of the highlights of this past year for me was gathering, not just as a cathedral congregation but as the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio, at the Pride in the …

Most everyone who lives on my block knows what I do for a living. We come from a diverse group of backgrounds and professions, and I tend to lead with …

Recently my wife and I revised our wills. There had been some changes in our family, and we had not actually made any changes when first moving to Ohio, so …

The hardest year in my previous parish was also one of the most joyful. It was particularly difficult because it was one of those years where we just had a …

On August 8th, Ohio voters will decide on Issue 1, which would raise the threshold of approving constitutional amendments to 60%, up from its current required simple majority. At Trinity …

This past week has been one of the few “slow” times at the cathedral that I can remember, as so many staff members and congregational folks were away or simply …

Years ago, I visited Harvard’s campus to consider attending divinity school there. I remember walking through the quad filled with stately centuries-old buildings, anchoring an elite institution where so many …

Each year our nation celebrates Independence Day to mark the signing of a document in 1776 that many regard as the day when our country was born. It was a …

One gift of being an Episcopal church is that we are not a single congregation (or cathedral) located in one place, but rather, each congregation or ministry is an expression …

Congregational development is at the heart of what ministry leaders do. I am grateful that our vestry and staff and mission team leaders are constantly doing the work of prayerful …

We can end gun violence. Each year 43,000 Americans are shot and killed. More than 75,000 more are wounded. Though shootings happen every day, it seems that every few weeks …

When the Holy Spirit came down upon the apostles and the church was born, in tongues of flame and words in many languages, the first followers of Jesus learned something …

You can imagine how good I felt when Kimayo, a musician and artist from New Hampshire, told me why she wanted to perform at Trinity Cathedral. She said, “I want …

This week began with the news of yet another mass shooting. Nine dead in a Dallas, Texas suburb, a shocking figure when one considers how many broken hearts, how many …

“No one ever steps into the same river twice. For it’s not the same river and they are not the same person.” When the ancient writer Heraclitus wrote this many …

This past week, I joined community and civic leaders at Sustainable Cleveland’s decarbonization summit, to learn about the work of environmental sustainability and to connect with those who are doing …

I’ll tell a little secret of ministry: we don’t write our easter sermons on the day of resurrection itself. That would be great, of course, to journey through the emotional …

Each year the American Jewish Committee here in Cleveland hosts an interfaith seder, where leaders from faith communities throughout the area gather to celebrate the story of liberation from slavery. …

It’s time to stop using the word Love. We should also stop using the phrases beloved community and racial reconciliation as well, it turns out. This is what we heard …

This past weekend my father visited to see his grandchildren’s school plays. This got him reflecting on plays he’d seen over the years, including plays at his all-male high school …

This past weekend my father visited to see his grandchildren’s school plays. This got him reflecting on plays he’d seen over the years, including plays at his all-male high school …

What if each Sunday, rather than gathering to sing and pray and bask in the mystery of the liturgy, we merely sat down to talk about God? Setting aside the …

Sometimes spiritual growth happens best with a little bit of preparation, and Lent can be a rich season of spiritual growth. It helps to be reminded a few days before …

Lay down your sword, the Savior said; He healed the wounded with his word. Wisdom is more than weapons of war. Lay down your sword, the Savior said. With another …

Race doesn’t actually exist. Across the scientific and sociological spectrum, we see time and again that the idea of separate “races” has been a historical construct (aka fiction) of the …

In the story if Jesus’ birth, time clearly matters but its meaning is hard to pin down. Of course, time comes up quite often: we know that Mary had reached …