The Episcopal Church of the Redeemer - Cincinnati, OH | The Episcopal Church of the Redeemer

Jul 24, 2024 |

Carriers of Love

| The Rev. Joyce Keeshin

Carriers of Love

We live in a time when the proclaiming of Christ's word may sometimes be used to divide us, not unite us. To judge us, separate us from one another. The distortion of Christ's message of love may be used to sound exclusive instead of the inclusive example Jesus actually taught and lived. Sometimes it feels heartbreaking that truth and faith and love can become so distorted and weaponized for very human agendas.

In our very human lives, we may witness many divisions from politics to economics, to ecology, to healthcare, to diet, to education, to government, to justice. The list could go on and on. We see these divisions in headlines, in conflicts involving power, violence, manipulation, and distortion. We see these in our communities, in country, and around the world.

And we often experience divisions in close relationships, within families, friendships, with colleagues, neighbors, others in our communities. We can be very clear about our experiences, our judgments, to respond to others. And we respond to others with judgment, accordingly, without effort, to find a place of listening, of reconciliation, of unity.

Jul 23, 2024 |

Tuesday, July 23, 2024 Morning Prayer, Rite II

| The Rev. Melanie W. J. Slane

Jul 21, 2024 |

Sunday, July 21, 2024 Rite II Holy Eucharist

| The Rev. Joyce Keeshin

Jul 19, 2024 |

WLSU, A Really Broken Ankle

| Guest Speaker

WLSU, A Really Broken Ankle

It was one of those mornings. In the labyrinthine hallways of the ministorage, where I was converted through the incredulous look and gentle words of Jamie, one of my dearest pals. I crutched around a corner with a pillow in my teeth to meet Jamie, who was returning to the unit for another load. He looked at me for a second with that look of surprise, and, then, with a measure of concern, said, “Jimmy, what are you doing.” Through clenched teeth, I said, “I’m helping. I can still help.” To which he responded something like, “if we need that kind of help from you right now, we are in real trouble.”

I was good at helping. I was good at giving. I was good at being there for folks in need. I was and still am almost always game for showing. I was no good at receiving. I wasn’t any good at letting others give me a bit of help or care along the way, and my unwillingness to ever be set to receive, rather than send, impeded my real ability to experience the kind of community that I had envisioned to build in this new venture. It was a block for me, and my dear friends stupefied gaze and matter of fact words caused me to turn around and see how The capital K Kingdom wouldn’t work without a real measure of interdependence. How we can’t just give, give, give. How something loving like giving can become absurd under certain circumstances. A grown man, on crutches, with a pillow in his teeth at 7:30 in the morning with a hive of people working around me.