Incarnation's launch team in 2018! Which faces do you recognize? Dear friends, This week I’ve got a letter full of mostly-unrelated, newsy updates (yay fall!). Thanks for reading and see you Sunday! Happy birthday, Incarnation! Eight years ago today, we launched the public worship of Incarnation Anglican Church. Back then, I never could have imagined that I would be your rector. I never could have imagined we’d plant a church in Maryland. I never could have imagined you, this

Friends, As we establish our Fall rhythms, I want to invite all of us to consider joining a small group this semester. Small groups invite us into a life of prayerful friendship with God and one another. They offer us a weekly scaffolding to orient our lives Godward, no matter what our weeks may bring. So please consider participating in one this fall! Click here to see and sign up for the different small groups. Our friend, Danny Nasry, will be trying a new type of small gro

Dear friends, Two Sundays ago, we gathered in the home of Leigh McAfee to pray through the Incarnation Examen together. I was so grateful for those who showed up to pray, including many who are new(ish) to our church! If you missed it, you can read the responses from our prayer time on the leaf post-its in the church narthex. I encourage you to read these as you consider your own prayers for our church. As I have said many times, this summer discernment was not in response to

Editor's note: Summer is a season of transition. Our staff and vestry are keenly aware that many within our church are navigating transition, especially those who are new to our community. So our staff want to try something new. Throughout the summer, our staff will make blog appearances, participating in a summer-y, get-to-know-you interview. Enjoy learning more about the folks who make Incarnation possible! What's something that you enjoy doing in the summer, either growing

Heilung der Schwiegermutter des Petrus, Rembrandt van Rijn, c.1650-60 Dear friends, You've probably seen the Ignatian prayer group that we've been advertising for the past few weeks; if not, details below! This group is something new we're exploring/piloting this fall (we love to "just try stuff" at Incarnation!) and is the outgrowth of many months of conversations with Laura Niver. Laura's tenacious desire to grow in prayer is an inspiration to me, and I'm grateful that she'

St. John the Baptist in Prison Visited by Two Disciples (1455-60, detail) by Giovanni di Paolo Then the King will say to those on his right, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For . . . I was in prison and you came to visit me." Then the righteous will answer him, "Lord, . . . when did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?" The King will reply, "Truly I tell you, whatever yo

Jesus modeled a pattern of retreating from the demands of everyday life to be with his Father and with his disciples. When we step away from our busy lives to retreat together, we follow his example and trust his promise of rest. The fall retreat will provide opportunity for community, reflection, rest, and play in a beautiful natural setting. It's a wonderful opportunity to meet people if you're new and to deepen relationships through good conversation and unhurried time. Fo

Made by a child who participates in a midweek small group! Dear friends, Happy August! I had the privilege of spending the past two Sunday evenings at Holy Comforter as their pastor, Katie Hamlin, was on vacation. It was so wonderful to worship with them! Will you pause right now and pray for our friends at Holy Comforter in their work of church planting? We could also call this work "seed sowing" or "dough fermenting" or "field buying" in the language of Jesus' parables from