Almighty God, whose blessed apostles Peter and Paul glorified thee by their martyrdom: Grant that thy Church, instructed by their teaching and example, and knit together in unity by thy Spirit, may ever stand firm upon the one foundation, which is Jesus Christ our Lord; who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Saint Peter and Saint Paul
El Greco, 1590-1600 pic.twitter.com/v7CYQOtl3W

— Marysia (@marysia_cc) June 29, 2025

Almighty God our heavenly Father, who hast given thy Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins, and hast commanded us to love one another as thou hast loved us: Make us, we beseech thee, so mindful of the needs and sufferings of others, that we may ever be ready to show them compassion, and according to our ability to relieve their wants; for the sake of the same Jesus Christ our Lord.

Good Morning from York 👋 pic.twitter.com/CuO3r9wDIn

— Visit North Yorkshire (@visitnorthyork) June 30, 2025

Now Samuel called the people together to the Lord at Mizpah; and he said to the people of Israel, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.’ But you have this day rejected your God, who saves you from all your calamities and your distresses; and you have said, ‘No! but set a king over us.’ Now therefore present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and by your thousands.”

Then Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its families, and the family of the Matrites was taken by lot; finally he brought the family of the Matrites near man by man, and Saul the son of Kish was taken by lot. But when they sought him, he could not be found. So they inquired again of the Lord, “Did the man come hither?” and the Lord said, “Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage.” Then they ran and fetched him from there; and when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. And Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the Lord has chosen? There is none like him among all the people.” And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”

Then Samuel told the people the rights and duties of the kingship; and he wrote them in a book and laid it up before the Lord. Then Samuel sent all the people away, each one to his home. Saul also went to his home at Gib′e-ah, and with him went men of valor whose hearts God had touched. But some worthless fellows said, “How can this man save us?” And they despised him, and brought him no present. But he held his peace.

–1 Samuel 10:17-27

Good morning. Already feeling very warm. Take care in the sun ☀️ pic.twitter.com/YW0u61KsU3

— Sharon Welby📷 (@sharonwelby1) June 30, 2025

Almighty God, who thyself art love, fill us with the spirit of thy holy love; that our hearts being enkindled by thee, we may for ever love thee, and each other in thee, and all men for thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end.

Early Morning Skies. 20°C on the Yorkshire Wolds. Fireweed. pic.twitter.com/ecbsscj87g

— Yorkshire Wolds Weather (@WeatherWolds) June 29, 2025

O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his steadfast love endures for ever!

Let Israel say,
“His steadfast love endures for ever.”
Let the house of Aaron say,
“His steadfast love endures for ever.”
Let those who fear the Lord say,
“His steadfast love endures for ever.”

Out of my distress I called on the Lord;
the Lord answered me and set me free.
With the Lord on my side I do not fear.
What can man do to me?

–Psalm 118:1-6

NGC 404 (Mirach's Ghost) is an isolated lenticular dwarf galaxy located about 10 million light years away in Andromeda. Situated just northwest of the bright star, Mirach, NGC 404 is also known as a field galaxy having tightly wound spiral arms and a bright core. 📷 APOD #NGC404 pic.twitter.com/l7dvpbWWY3

— Lee-Anne Gibbon (@LeeAnneGibbon1) June 28, 2025

‘The most important act of Christian life is, however, the personal hearing of every call directed to oneself and the ability to understand it. No one else can hear my call for me. No knowledge of God and his ways can replace an attentive and obedient ear. The essence of being a Christian is to be open daily and hourly to the call of God and to let oneself be touched and guided by it.’

—The Christian State of Life (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1983 E.T. of 1977 German original), p. 435

We can be sure that whoever sneers at [beauty] as if she were the ornament of a bourgeois past— whether he admits it or not – can no longer pray and soon will no longer be able to love.
— Hans Urs von Balthasar, Glory of the Lord I, 18 pic.twitter.com/TAMlpAraJx

— Jacob Sherman (@Shermanicus) June 6, 2025

Almighty God, who didst uphold thy servant Irenaeus with strength to maintain the truth against every blast of vain doctrine: Keep us, we beseech thee, steadfast in thy true religion, that in constancy and peace we may walk in the way that leadeth to eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

St. Irenaeus, Martyr (202)

Disciple of St. Polycarp, he succeeded St. Pothinus in the See of Lyons. He was the first to write a reasoned summary of our Faith. His treatise: "False doctrine unmasked and refuted" called "Against heresies" gave the death blow to the gnostic heresy. pic.twitter.com/1gkSke0qdn

— Memento Mori (@TempusFugit4016) June 28, 2025

O God, we know and believe in the love thou bearest towards us. May we, by dwelling in that love, dwell in thee, and thou in us. We would learn to love and to serve him whom we have not seen, by loving and serving our brethren whom we have seen; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend from North Yorkshire 😊 pic.twitter.com/CGlpYfv7Y9

— Nicky (@Nicky13Johnson) June 28, 2025

“Now when forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. When Moses saw it he wondered at the sight; and as he drew near to look, the voice of the Lord came, ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and did not dare to look. And the Lord said to him, ‘Take off the shoes from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. I have surely seen the ill-treatment of my people that are in Egypt and heard their groaning, and I have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt.’

“This Moses whom they refused, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ God sent as both ruler and deliverer by the hand of the angel that appeared to him in the bush. He led them out, having performed wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for forty years. This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet from your brethren as he raised me up.’ This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers; and he received living oracles to give to us. Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt, saying to Aaron, ‘Make for us gods to go before us; as for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ And they made a calf in those days, and offered a sacrifice to the idol and rejoiced in the works of their hands. But God turned and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets:

‘Did you offer to me slain beasts and sacrifices,
forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
And you took up the tent of Moloch,
and the star of the god Rephan,
the figures which you made to worship;
and I will remove you beyond Babylon.’

–Acts 7:30-43

Poppies swaying in the breeze…
🥹❤️#SaturdayMood #GoodVibesOnly #farming #croft #jefinuist #wildflowers #flowers #outerhebrides #Scotland #StormHour pic.twitter.com/BQOOaPSgtQ

— DaliMach (@frenchscotjeff) June 28, 2025

Should these measures become law, where will this leave the church? While the clergy aren’t obliged to endorse every parliamentary decision, the church is more closely bound to the nation’s political order than other denominations. Its foundation owed as much to Tudor politics as Reformation theology, its bishops sit in the upper legislative chamber, and historically the church has played a role in British public life that deliberately spans faith and politics.

This role expanded with missionary zeal alongside the British Empire and in some respects had a humanizing influence on its excesses. More recently, the church has continued to adjust in line with perceived mainstream British mores, decrying the historic empire and embracing the ordination of women, gender ideology and same-sex marriage.

But despite, or perhaps because of, such efforts to “modernize” doctrine, Church of England congregations have continued to dwindle and grow older. Church data show that 1.7% of Britons attend its services regularly, and the census finds that only 46% of U.K. citizens call themselves Christian.

Can an institution legitimately serve as an established church when 98% of its nation’s people rarely if ever attend its services? We might turn the question around: Can even so doctrinally adaptable an entity as the Church of England persist as established faith to a polity so indifferent to Christian precepts while preserving its capacity for Christian witness?

Read it all.

The Church of England has spent almost 500 years adroitly juggling faith and politics. But if last week’s abortion and euthanasia votes pass the Hpuse of Lords and become law, it might have to choose

Me at @WSJopinion https://t.co/5KdRiTpd2y

— Mary Harrington (@moveincircles) June 27, 2025

“Archbishop Steve Wood shares his vision for the province in the upcoming years, especially the goal to provide “good ground,” or soil-work, for the seed-work of the diocese and churches.”

The Institute for Science and International Security assessed that US and Israeli strikes on Iran have “effectively destroyed” Iran’s enrichment program. The Institute said it will take a “long time” for Iran to restore its enrichment capabilities to pre-strike levels. This assessment is based on the destruction Iran suffered at Natanz nuclear facility, Fordow nuclear facility, Esfahan Nuclear Technology Center and the elimination of many nuclear scientists

The six entry point craters for the US bunker-buster bombs at Fordow were above two weak points, and the bombs would have detonated within the facility. The Institute for Science and International Security assesses that the bomb blast would have been channeled by the centrifuge cascade hall’s side walls, which would have destroyed all of the installed centrifuges there. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) battle damage assessments indicate that Israeli strikes also likely damaged or destroyed several thousand centrifuges at Natanz.[20]

Israel and the United States conducted airstrikes targeting the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant above ground and Fuel Enrichment Plant underground at Natanz, respectively. The IAEA added that it was possible that uranium isotopes may have been dispersed within the facility (though not outside), which would make it difficult to access. This means it may be some time before even the Iranians can determine the true extent of the damage.

Read it all.

NEW Release: Post-Attack Assessment of the First 12 Days of Israeli Strikes on Iranian Nuclear Facilities

By @DAVIDHALBRIGHT1 and @SFnuclear

This report covers our damage assessment of several nuclear sites, including Natanz, Fordow, and Esfahan, that have been struck since…

— Inst for Science (@TheGoodISIS) June 24, 2025

Bishop Joanne, who like Bishop Martin will become a member of the House of Lords where she will be able to champion issues close to Suffolk’s heart, said: ‘‘I care deeply about our churches being as healthy and safe as possible, in policies, practice, recruitment, training, and, most importantly in culture.

“We can all contribute to a culture where victims and survivors are seen, heard, cared for, and learned from,’’ she says, adding, ‘‘I am looking forward to working with safeguarding professionals and volunteers across the diocese.”

Prior to her role as Bishop of Stepney she served as Archdeacon in the Diocese of Portsmouth, Residentiary Canon and Director of Ordinands in the Diocese of Sheffield, and as an inner-city parish priest in Sheffield and Liverpool. She trained for ordination at Westcott House in Cambridge.

Bishop Joanne, who studied at Oriel College, Oxford and the University of British Columbia, Canada and was a lecturer in English at Oxford  until 1998, is married to the Revd Dr James Grenfell, 55, Chaplain to the University of East London; he will remain in his current role.

It is anticipated that Bishop Joanne will start in her new position during the autumn. 

Read it all.

"I am honoured to be called to this role, this is a beautiful diocese, with truly lovely people, and a grounded Suffolk sense of service and humility."

The Bishop of Stepney, Dr Joanne Grenfell, will be the next Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich.

📰 https://t.co/NpN2yzWYBY.

— The Church of England (@churchofengland) June 27, 2025

Everliving Lord of the universe, our loving God, who raised up thy priest Cornelius Hill, last hereditary chief of the Oneida nation, to shepherd and defend his people against attempts to scatter them in the wilderness: Help us, like him, to be dedicated to truth and honor, that we may come to that blessed state thou hast prepared for us; through Jesus Christ, who with thee and the Holy Spirit livest and reignest, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

#OnThisDay Jan 25,
1907
Death in Wisconsin of Onangwatgo [Cornelius Hill], an Oneida chief and Episcopal priest. pic.twitter.com/Bn7ZUKeo6w

— ☧ Today in Christian History (@HistoricalRook) January 25, 2021

O Lord Christ, Son of the living God, who at the last assize wilt acknowledge all deeds of mercy to others as done unto thee: Grant, in this world of sin and pain and want, that we may never pass by the poor and helpless whose cry is thine own; for the honour of thy holy name.

–Daily Prayer, Eric Milner-White and G. W. Briggs, eds. (London: Penguin Books 1959 edition of the 1941 original)

Wegtrekkende bewolking en een doorbrekend zonnetje. Fijne vrijdag😀 #Terschelling #zonsondergang pic.twitter.com/NhpHjPfuZs

— Tjark Dieterman (@DietermanTjark) June 27, 2025

There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abi′el, son of Zeror, son of Beco′rath, son of Aphi′ah, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth; and he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he; from his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.

Now the asses of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. So Kish said to Saul his son, “Take one of the servants with you, and arise, go and look for the asses.” And they passed through the hill country of E′phraim and passed through the land of Shal′ishah, but they did not find them. And they passed through the land of Sha′alim, but they were not there. Then they passed through the land of Benjamin, but did not find them.

When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come, let us go back, lest my father cease to care about the asses and become anxious about us.” But he said to him, “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man that is held in honor; all that he says comes true. Let us go there; perhaps he can tell us about the journey on which we have set out.” Then Saul said to his servant, “But if we go, what can we bring the man? For the bread in our sacks is gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What have we?” The servant answered Saul again, “Here, I have with me the fourth part of a shekel of silver, and I will give it to the man of God, to tell us our way.” (Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he said, “Come, let us go to the seer”; for he who is now called a prophet was formerly called a seer.) And Saul said to his servant, “Well said; come, let us go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was.

As they went up the hill to the city, they met young maidens coming out to draw water, and said to them, “Is the seer here?” They answered, “He is; behold, he is just ahead of you. Make haste; he has come just now to the city, because the people have a sacrifice today on the high place. As soon as you enter the city, you will find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat; for the people will not eat till he comes, since he must bless the sacrifice; afterward those eat who are invited. Now go up, for you will meet him immediately.” So they went up to the city. As they were entering the city, they saw Samuel coming out toward them on his way up to the high place.

–1 Samuel 9:1-14

Guten Morgen 🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿 pic.twitter.com/yreba0WEE3

— Brigitta Neurauter (@BrigittaNeurau2) June 27, 2025

The legal legitimation of same-sex marriage in June 2015 was an important crossroads in American history and the Anglican Church’s witness in North America.

I saw this event coming twenty years ago. I felt led to write a tract for the 1997 Episcopal General Convention titled Two Sexes, One Flesh: Why the Church Cannot Bless Same-Sex Marriage (a condensed version appeared in Theology Matters). I chose the word cannot in the title advisedly, because I believe that in fundamental matters of reality, man may propose, but only God disposes. In the case of marriage, God has disposed once and for all from creation to the end of the age.

In 2015, I became Chairman of the ACNA Task Force on Marriage, the Family, and the Single Life. That very year, the U.S. Supreme Court was deliberating on a case (Obergefell v. Hodges) that was likely to legitimize same-sex marriage throughout the country. As advisor to the College of Bishops, I helped prepare a statement in response to this decision. In what seems a providential concurrence, the court decision came down on the final day of the College of Bishops meeting in Vancouver. The bishops were able to make a final edit of “‘From the Beginning’: God’s Design for Marriage” and announced it that very day.

The ACNA is, of course, a small fish in a large pond of American culture and religion. For this reason, I think the statement has been little noticed and long forgotten. Nevertheless, reading it over now on the tenth anniversary, I think it still speaks truth to power in a society where sexual disorder and marital decline have dishonored God and wreaked havoc on his children.

For this reason, I wish to commend a serious rereading of this statement….

Read it all.

“The primary signs of human rebellion, according to the apostle Paul, are idolatry and sexual sin…” The Rev. Dr. Stephen Noll #gafcon23 pic.twitter.com/oYGodZkJIu

— Matt Kennedy (@lambeth981) April 18, 2023

Attendance in the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) is up by double digits for the third consecutive year, according to congregational report data released June 19 during the denomination’s Provincial Council meeting at Trinity Anglican Seminary in Ambridge, Pennsylvania.

“We’ve grown in every category that we track,” said Dan Hassler, director of administration and operations. “We are at highest attendance and membership of all time.”

The denomination in 2024 reported a net increase of 14 congregations to a total of 1,027, an increase in membership of 1,997 (+1.5 percent) to a total of 130,111 and an increase in attendance of 11,354 (+13.4 percent) to a total of 96,148.

Read it all.

“We’ve grown in every category that we track,” @The_ACNA staff report at the denomination's annual provincial council, finding 2024 increases in membership, attendance, baptisms, confirmations and weddings. https://t.co/ybtH8c84xP

— IRD (@TheIRD) June 23, 2025

When I jumped out of that window, I asked God to give me everything back. He kept his promise: He kept my daughters safe and returned them to me. When I was locked away, he was my friend and savior. When I was dying, he brought me back to life.

What’s more, he has transformed my suffering into an open door to minister to other people in dire situations living in Thailand, including prostitutes, abandoned children, and those who have been trafficked or are without homes.

I am living proof that God is working in the darkness. And all the ways he has loved me are glimpses of the everlasting life I now treasure in him.

Read it all.

Enslaved for over 20 years, I was on my deathbed in a Thai village, writes Rakthai Sophia Loibl.

Then Jesus brought me back to life and showed me true freedom.https://t.co/9JLjUU55mN

— Christianity Today (@CTmagazine) May 10, 2025

For the first time in decades, the rich world is embarking on mass rearmament. Wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, the threat of conflict over Taiwan and President Donald Trump’s impulsive approach to alliances have all made bolstering national defence an urgent priority. On June 25th members of NATO agreed to raise their target for military spending to 3.5% of gdp, and allocated an extra 1.5% to security-related items (Spain insisted on a loophole). If they achieve that target in 2035, they will be spending $800bn more every year, in real terms, than they did before Russia invaded Ukraine. The boom goes wider than NATO. By one estimate, embattled Israel splurged more than 8% of its gdp on defence last year. Even doveish Japan plans to stump up.

Such vast sums could reshape the global economy, by squeezing public finances and shifting activity within countries. As politicians sell the benefits of rearmament to voters, many will claim that military spending will bring economic gains as well as security. Sir Keir Starmer, Britain’s prime minister, promises defence will offer “the next generation of good, secure, well-paid jobs”. The European Commission says it will bring “benefits for all countries”. However tempting politically, such arguments are wrong. Using defence spending for economic objectives would be a costly mistake.

The most obvious economic consequence of bigger defence budgets will be to strain public finances. Debts are already high and the financial pressures on governments, caused by ageing populations and higher interest rates, are mounting. The average nato member, excluding America, will need to raise annual defence spending by 1.5% of gdp.

Read it all.

How the defence bonanza will reshape the global economy

As they spend big, politicians must resist using one pot of money to achieve many goalshttps://t.co/p7w5mjGcho

— Juhani Huopainen (@Huopainen) June 26, 2025

Loving God, we offer thanks for the work and witness of Isabel Florence Hapgood, who introduced the Divine Liturgy of the Russian Orthodox Church to English-speaking Christians, and encouraged dialogue between Anglicans and Orthodox. Guide us as we build on the foundation that she gave us, that all may be one in Christ; who with thee and the Holy Spirit livest and reignest, one God, unto ages of ages. Amen.

On the Episcopal calendar of commemorations for today: Isabel Florence Hapgood (1851-1928), journalist, linguist, and lifelong Episcopalian, who translated the Divine Liturgy of the Russian Orthodox Church into English. pic.twitter.com/ucMvSYtrZW

— Peter J. Thuesen (@peterjthuesen) June 26, 2020

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who hast taught us by love to serve one another: Give us eyes of compassion for human suffering and need wherever it is found, and especially for that which lies nearest to our own doors; save us from neglecting life’s opportunities; and grant that while we have time we may do good to all men, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Guten Morgen, auf geht's! pic.twitter.com/OmACrttexE

— Die Bergziege (@brauchtfreiheit) June 26, 2025

A dispute also arose among them, which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you; rather let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For which is the greater, one who sits at table, or one who serves? Is it not the one who sits at table? But I am among you as one who serves.

“You are those who have continued with me in my trials; and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

–Luke 22:24-30

🌿Guten Morgen ☀️ pic.twitter.com/pwgRKOsYea

— 🕊️Harmonie (@stein5864) June 26, 2025

The

 old saying “A parish can be no better than its priest” is open to doubt. What is not open to doubt is that the Church of England is facing something of a crisis in clergy numbers.

In 2020, there were 591 ordinands, dropping to 370 in 2024; in the summer of that year, the General Synod was told that numbers had dropped by 38 per cent since 2020 (News, 12 July 2024). Parishes advertising a vacancy frequently get no replies, while the number of interregnums grows daily (Comment, 13 December 2024). Countless churches depend for regular ministry on non-stipendiary (NSM) or retired clergy. The ordination of women in 1994 was welcome for many reasons, but we must also not forget that it delivered the Church from an even greater clergy crisis.

Most serving priests will have been asked “What made you become a priest?” with the expectation there will have been a mysterious divine call delivered by private prayer and worship.

There is no reason, however, why such a call cannot also come through modern PR and planned human strategy.

Read it all (registration or subscription).

"A parish may receive only one applicant for a post, resulting in the choice of facing a further long interregnum or appointing this candidate. When the latter course is taken, disastrous results can follow."https://t.co/1Tbri6VHHL

— Madeleine Davies (@MadsDavies) June 23, 2025

I was in Egypt at this time last year for an international gathering of Anglican ministers. Our group was given an audience with the head of the Coptic church, Pope Tawadros II. He leads one of the oldest branches of Christianity, understood to go back Saint Mark himself.

During our time with him he spoke about the culture of Egypt, which he described as being built over thousands of years upon something like seven or eight layers. There was pre-Egypt (before 3000BC); Ancient Egypt with its several kingdoms (ca 3000-332 BC); the Persian Period (525-332 BC); the Greek Period (332-30BC); the Roman and Christian period (30BC-641 AD); Islamic Egypt (641-1517 AD); Ottoman Egypt (1517-1798 AD); the French and British Period (1798-1952); and now, Modern Egypt (1952-present).

I cannot think of another place with such an ancient, varied, and unbroken witness to human civilization. You can see it in the buildings. In Cairo, in just hours you can find yourself before pyramids over four thousand years old, churches nearly two thousand years old, mosques over a thousand years old, all while driving past hotels and fast-food restaurants just a few years old.

Being in a place like Egypt is a reminder that human beings do more than just exist. We build.

Read it all.

What a blessing to be at @TheFallsChurch Anglican with Sam Ferguson and his flock. pic.twitter.com/nryb3jv7eC

— Ligon Duncan (@LigonDuncan) June 26, 2022

Katie Freer to Serve As Director of Women’s Ministries at St. Philip’s Church, Charleston

Katie Freer has accepted a call to serve as the Director of Women’s Ministries, a newly created position, at St. Philip’s Church in Charleston. In a note to the congregation the Rector, the Rev. Jeff Miller, wrote, “It has long been my desire to provide the women of St. Philip’s with the same level of leadership, encouragement, and spiritual guidance that has helped our men’s ministries thrive. To that end, and with the enthusiastic approval of our Vestry, I am thrilled to announce the creation of a new staff position: Director of Women’s Ministries. Beginning this September, Katie Freer will join the staff in this important role. Katie is no stranger to St. Philip’s. Raised in our parish, she is a graduate of Ashley Hall and Davidson College. She brings with her a wealth of experience in Christian education and children’s ministry, and her life is marked by deep faith and a joyful commitment to serving the Lord. She is the wife of Daniel and the mother of four wonderful children, and she embodies the grace, wisdom, and energy we had hoped to find in this role. 

Read it all.

The Latest Edition of the #Anglican Diocese of #SouthCarolina Enewsletter https://t.co/FoBFqwiLhL #parishministry #lowcountrylife #religion #faith [Katie Freer, Saint Philip's new director of women's ministries] pic.twitter.com/DWxiiriQpt

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) June 25, 2025

Frustrated with dating apps, singles are shelling out for high-end matchmaking.

“We had our biggest month of sales in the history of the company last month, and we’ve been around for 15 years,” Adam Cohen-Aslatei, CEO of the matchmaking service Three Day Rule says. “Our business is not shrinking.”

And he’s not alone. Demand for personalized dating services is growing, according to companies interviewed by Bloomberg, with clients citing “app fatigue” and a desire for meaningful connection as the motivation for ditching the swipes.

Read it all.

Elite dating services are thriving, stoked by app fatigue and "Materialists" the movie https://t.co/vHzSWU11pP

— Bloomberg (@business) June 24, 2025

Eternal God, we give thanks for the gifts that thou didst bestow upon thy servant James Weldon Johnson: a heart and voice to praise thy Name in verse. As he gave us powerful words to glorify you, may we also speak with joy and boldness to banish hatred from thy creation, in the Name of Jesus Christ; who with thee and the Holy Spirit livest and reignest, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Born today in 1871: James Weldon Johnson, author of "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing." This portrait is by the Scurlock Studio of D.C. pic.twitter.com/8SLoPCj81Q

— National Museum of American History (@amhistorymuseum) June 17, 2017

O God,
the strength of all those who put their trust in you,
mercifully accept our prayers
and, because through the weakness of our mortal nature
we can do no good thing without you,
grant us the help of your grace,
that in the keeping of your commandments
we may please you both in will and deed;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Sunrise in Aberdeen this morning at 4.35 🌅 Good morning 👋😁 pic.twitter.com/ROT9Bbm2n7

— Natalie Hood (@NatalieAHood) June 25, 2025