Above is a photo from our Thanksgiving Basket Drive last Sunday. Margie Polishuk, our drive organizer, expressed her gratitude for all of you: “Thank you for the generosity of St. Bartholomew’s again this year. We supplied 101 Thanksgiving baskets with turkeys and pies to the families in transitional housing in Escondido. The families were so excited and happy to get these meals!” The goal was 100 baskets, and I love that we topped the goal with 101! Now, we turn to Advent an

Next week, we will celebrate Thanksgiving, a season in which we take extra time to think about what it is we are grateful for. And as Christians, we especially acknowledge that everything we have—our families, our friends, the food we eat, the houses we live in—is a gift from God, our generous and bountiful Creator. And so we practice gratitude.  One thing I have always found paradoxical about gratitude, however, is how it points us toward generosity. When we recognize that e

Last Friday and Saturday, I joined Mother Nina, Father Isaiah, our St. Bart’s delegates, and six of our youth in attending Diocesan Convention at St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church. We had a great time seeing friends, meeting new people, and hearing about all the incredible things that are happening. As I sat in the pews, I was struck by the energy in the room—the Spirit is working in our diocese! Over the past couple of decades, the Church has faced significant challenges all ar