Living Trees

Photo Credit: Mary Krouse

Mirfield, West Yorkshire

May 2009

Prosperous Blessings

“Prosper them with your blessing…”
From the CR’s Office of Compline

What is a blessing?

Is it always packaged nicely?

Does it sing sweetly?

Or can it sting?

I’ve discovered that prosperous blessings

are all that and more.

Abundant? Perhaps.

Graceful? Sometimes.

Painful? Most always.

They can feel as gentle as a late Spring rain,

or smell as a sweet as a Yorkshire rose.

Always, they reveal truth and always imparting

God’s healing grace.

So I’ll take mine with a smile and a tear.

Why I Chose the Episcopal Church

The challenge: in 150 words or less, describe why you chose the Episcopal Church. This was the challenge that The Forward Movement gave to seminarians in anticipation of publishing a new booklet. Below is what I wrote and submitted.

Heralds and Prophets

Submitted by Chad M. Krouse

“No other church heralds the Kingdom of God quite like the Episcopal Church. Our Church lives on the margins, where our Lord’s ministry heralds us and where the Kingdom stirs. I am an Episcopalian to stand among other prophets calling for the freedom of the Kingdom today, living an open Gospel witnessing Christ’s love to every one, everywhere. We struggle openly with the dangers of prophecy in our contemporary world, yet always honoring our history of truth and justice. I cannot sit idly by and ignore the pain and brokenness walking about; I am an Episcopalian to live as both herald and prophet of this Kingdom, working to bring about equality, healing, and peace.”

Windows Into Heaven

These are photographs that I took at Manchester Cathedral this summer. The windows were absolutely amazing and strikingly modern.