"And he shall reign forever and ever" — from the score from Handel's Messiah Dear Incarnation, What a sweet Sunday, recalling the hospitality of the Holy Family through chalk and stars, and welcoming Arthur and Mason to our own holy [church] family through water. It was good to be together after such a dizzying start to the new year. The news cycle has been unrelenting, and if you’re like me, you’re still trying to make sense of the last major headline when the next one (and

Note from Amy: Each year, our wardens write an Epiphany letter reflecting on the past year. Below is the letter from our 2025 wardens Katie Foran and Will Montague. They've had their work cut out for them! I am so deeply grateful for their counsel, wisdom, courage, and shepherding care over this unexpectedly tumultuous past year. In Sunday's sermon , I encouraged us to "treasure these things in our hearts" (Luke 2:51) as we learn what it means to be a mother church. Our warde

Christmas Eve candlelight. Thanks to Whitney McArthur for the photo! Dear Incarnation, As we approach the close of 2025, I invite you to take some time to reflect. We have all lived through a year of significant local and national upheaval, impacting many of our jobs, neighborhoods, and relationships. And so I invite you to carve out a bit of time this week — before work, school, and other responsibilities begin again full-force — to step back and reflect with God. On Sunday,

A nurse log from Shenandoah National Park Dear Incarnation, We are writing to you today with important information regarding year-end giving, our Advent offering, and an update on the financial health of our church.  A Note from Amy At a parish meeting  earlier this year, we shared an image from our vestry conversations of a car rolling down a hill, with God at the wheel and all of us running behind it, trying to jump in.  Now, on the cusp of launching what has become Holy Co

Albrecht Altdorfer, The Birth of Christ (1513). I first encountered this painting through Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Advent letters from prison, in which he reflects on the painting's depiction of Christ among the ruins. Dear Incarnation, Earlier this week, I had the privilege of seeing our own Katie Foran (vestry warden, worship leader, and all-around beloved Incarnation member!) perform in a Christmas concert with the Choral Arts Society at the Kennedy Center. (Thanks to Karen R

A picture of the Beverley Hills and Incarnation joint choir, preparing to sing of God's "marvelous" deeds. Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him (Psalm 91:1) As the Worship Pastor for Incarnation, part of my job is to ensure that the songs we sing help us encounter Jesus through the flow of the liturgy. In some ways, this aspect of my job is easy. The liturgy does a lot of the heavy lifting

Dear Incarnation, Another week of Advent in the books! How is it going? Several of you have shared with me a sense of failure in your attempts to observe Advent thus far. Maybe you feel like you’ve let too much Christmas in too early. Maybe you feel like your attempts to slow down are frustrated by a crazy-busy holiday schedule. Maybe your desire to light candles and pray has been overtaken by noise and chaos and, well, life. If so, please hear me: you can’t fail at Advent. D

The remnants of Christ the King Sunday: canned goods, the lion and the lamb, and so many paper crowns at the altar Dear Incarnation, Welcome to Advent! Sunday’s Lessons & Carols service was beautiful. I’m so grateful for all of our scripture readers; the amazingly talented singers in our All Y’All Choir and the Beverley Hills choir; the musical leadership of Grant, Russell, and Steve; and the hospitality of so many who contributed pecan pies and Takis and lingered long afterw