The Feast of the Visitation (full name: The Visitation of the Virgin Mary to Elizabeth and Zechariah), celebrated on May 31st, commemorates the joyous encounter between the Virgin Mary and her cousin Elizabeth, as described in the Gospel of Luke. This feast highlights Mary’s journey to the hill country of Judea to share the news [...] The post The Liturgical Home: Feast of the Visitation appeared first on Anglican Compass ..read more

In our walk with Jesus through the lectionary year, the “ordinary” (numbered) season “After Pentecost” generally begins with Gospel selections highlighting the teachings and events of our Lord’s life after the calling of the disciples (the calling itself being featured in Epiphany). As the Gospel of Mark exposes the reader early on to Jesus’ conflict [...] The post Today in the Spirit: Proper 4B appeared first on Anglican Compass ..read more

Trinity Sunday commemorates the Christian doctrine of God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—three persons in one substance, an eternal community of love. Observed on the first Sunday after Pentecost, Trinity Sunday marks the beginning of the Trinity Season (or Trinitytide), also called the Season after Pentecost or Ordinary Time. Trinity is a [...] The post Trinity Sunday: A Rookie Anglican Guide appeared first on Anglican Compass ..read more

The Church of England, from its beginning, established Trinity Sunday as a principal feast on the church calendar, the Sunday following Pentecost Sunday (Whitsunday), and before the Sundays that followed during the long “ordinary” (numbered) phase of Sundays After Pentecost (or After Trinity). The assigned readings for Trinity Sunday are different in each of the [...] The post Today in the Spirit: Trinity Sunday B appeared first on Anglican Compass ..read more

The Day of Pentecost is one of the highest feast days in the liturgical year. It is the day that we remember and celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church. This pivotal moment in Christian history is the fulfillment of Christ's promise to send a helper, a comforter, who [...] The post The Liturgical Home: Pentecost appeared first on Anglican Compass ..read more

(Part five of five in David Roseberry’s Suddenly Surging series on church growth.) A Pre-Flight Checklist A friend of mine had a passion for flying small planes as a hobby. He had invested countless hours in classroom instruction, flight training, and simulations, accumulating hundreds of hours in the cockpit. As an engineer by profession, he was [...] The post A Church Growth Checklist (Suddenly Surging Part 5) appeared first on Anglican Compass ..read more

“Pentecost Sunday already!?” While this might well be our reaction to the arrival of this feast day on the church calendar every year, we can only imagine how the disciples felt when Jesus ordered them to go to Jerusalem and wait until you are clothed with power from on high  (Luke 24:49). As they gathered [...] The post Today in the Spirit: Pentecost Sunday B (Whitsunday) appeared first on Anglican Compass ..read more

I was a young child the first time I encountered the sign of the cross. It must have been on TV—probably watching The Sound of Music for the hundredth time. Having grown up in a staunchly non-liturgical evangelical home, I can’t imagine where else I would have ever seen such a gesture. It captivated me. [...] The post Mystic Hunger and an Anglican Feast appeared first on Anglican Compass ..read more

In early 2023, the Rev. Dr. Rod Whitacre sat in a hospital bed, reflecting on his life with his son Chad. He was receiving treatment for lymphoma and would soon decide to come home to hospice care. Together that day, they remembered Rod’s many published contributions to New Testament studies, including the IVP New Testament [...] The post Remembering Rod Whitacre: The Ukulele Evangelist appeared first on Anglican Compass ..read more

The Feast of the Ascension, or Ascension Day, is one of the highest feast days in the liturgical year. It is the day we remember Jesus’ bodily ascent into heaven and its profound significance. The Ascension might suggest sadness since Jesus physically left the earth. However, instead, it abounds with great joy as we celebrate [...] The post The Liturgical Home: Ascension appeared first on Anglican Compass ..read more