But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.” (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Ephesians 4.7-13

Our life here on earth is a constant journey and a life time experience from the old to the new, whether we look at things from incarnational or eschatological perspectives. It is very important to be aware of the constant tension, the paradox and most importantly the conflict between the old and the new in our lives. While we admit the vast complexity of this reality, our focal point should be on what it takes to belong to the new life and embrace its rhythm of newness so not to be carried away by the old or, even worse, to think we are in the new when in reality we remain in the old.

Dr. Bob Tuttle was one of my favorite professors from seminary because, in my experience with him, he lived out what he preached. My first encounter with him, before ever having him as a professor in class, was when he grabbed me by the arm and dragged me to the other side of the hallway so we could pray. “Your classmate needs us to pray over him.” He not only believed in the power of the Holy Spirit, he reveled in it. He believed in the supernatural power of God. He stretched my openness to God and my openness to the Holy Spirit by sharing his experiences. Though I may not have originally thought some things possible before, his belief in them, combined with his Christian witness, left me open to God being more.

Dear Friends at New Covenant, “Do you love me?” Is a question Jesus asks Peter in the gospel reading for this Sunday -- three times! I have often wondered how I would answer that question. Take a minute and ponder it. What would you say to Jesus? After all, I suspect he is asking. If you try to steal Peter’s answer as I often have i.e. ‘You know I do’ or give a one-word response i.e. ‘Yes’, then hear the second part of the question, ‘How do you love me?’ How is your love expressed? Paul thinks that’s all that matters! “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” Gal 5.6b

Easter was less than two weeks away when Father Carl began work at New Covenant on April 1st 1993. Nothing like the running start of Holy Week to begin a new position. This Friday marks the 23rd anniversary of his ministry as our Rector, or Senior Pastor. It must have been quite a change for him and his family (Barb, Peter, AJ and Whitney) to move from the high skies of Colorado to the sunny humidity of Central Florida. Another still to transition from leading conferences and a national ministry to return to the local rhythms of parish life. Greater changes and challenges have come in the years since, blending joys and sorrows into the type of ministry that can only occur “in place”.

Buried under my books and blogs, notes and commentaries both ancient and modern, I found myself still at a loss to imagine what happened this weekend – Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Yet there are some things to be said, and some things to be partially realized, and a once-for-all story to be shocked by once again. One thing we can say is the cross is a pivotal place. What we say about the cross and the resurrection determines our direction, our destiny. One film I watched lately, CALVARY, an Irish film of 2014 starring Brendan Gleeson as the priest, began with the words from St. Augustine (354-430): Do not despair: one thief was saved. Do not presume: one thief was damned.

And I am often all wet. I heard the first splash and scream from my study, then a second, followed by a third. Arriving at the pool, I saw that Emmett was more cautious, working his way into the pool step by step. For all, it was the first dip of the swim season. And I still don’t know how I resisted Abby’s “Pleeeease Papa” invitation, because as I mentioned, I’m usually all wet and my splash is usually in the first wave. A few weeks ago I had been giving thanks to God for the faith in our family, especially remembering our children and now watching our grandchildren. Watching them and listening to them express and live their life with the Lord is such a blessing and encouragement, and as I gave thanks I wondered where/how they got it.

Dear New Covenant Friends, Last week I had the privilege of hearing from a leader as she told the story of Elijah in I Kings. She explained how the brave widow chose to entrust her remaining earthly sustenance to a stranger at the risk of starving her son. Elijah’s prayerful obedience, coupled with the widow’s generosity, unveil an out of the box missions scenario that has given me much cause for reflection this week. What is the face of global missions in 2016?

Our journey through Lent begins on Ash Wednesday with our confession that things have not gone as they should. Maybe things didn’t go as we planned, or maybe our plans didn’t turn out as we imagined. “We have not loved God with our whole heart. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.” With the wreckage of these missed marks before us, the confession leads us to make a turn, a course correction, and go in a new direction. “We are truly sorry, and we humbly repent.” The scriptures this Sunday ask us to consider what we will do now. What comes after the confession that our internal GPS failed us, and that we have failed God and those around us?

It may seem a bit early to talk about Valentine’s Day, despite the fact that many retail stores have had cards and candy out since just before the glow of the Christmas lights faded. To be honest, this epistle is about love, not the “special day” that greeting card companies and chocolatiers claim as the holiday of love. When we are young, it is a flashy, fun and frivolous day of romance, if we are lucky. As we grow older and hopefully more mature, love begins to grow in dimension. Romance is still wonderful and much-needed, but real relationship suddenly transforms any one-dimensional perspective of love into something that defies easy explanation, something that must be experienced rather than defined.