News

Between chilling headlines and biting headwinds, it sure can feel like the height of bleak mid (to late) winter. And I confess I am struggling to make sense of the confusion, consternation, and concern that seem to blanket these early days of 2025.

On a recent car ride to Epiphany, my anxious social media doom-scrolling was interrupted by a phone call from a dear clergy friend checking in. Speaking with a wisdom informed by nearly half a century in ministry, he offered his own approach to overcoming the ennui many may be experiencing: “Now is a time to do what we do well well.” Do well what we do well. 

As the conversation wrapped, the car rounded the bend on Church Street, the sturdy Epiphany tower came into view, and I soon bounded into Midweek where I was enveloped by a sudden and striking sense of warmth, joy, and hope.

Epiphany doing well what we do well. Community. 

As I continue on my formation journey toward the priesthood, being a part of Epiphany as your seminarian continues to be a profound blessing and source of inspiration. Through enriching courses at General Theological Seminary, I am learning theology, doctrine, history, studying faith as a noun. At Epiphany, from each of you, I am experiencing what it means to live faith as a verb. 

Epiphany is special, deeply so, uniquely so, importantly so. As I said from the pulpit last fall, in this church community, when we are discouraged, we encourage one another. In defiance of a society that seems to grow cruder and crueler, that brings out the worst in so many, at Epiphany, we bring out the best in each other. Instead of retreating in despair, we move toward each other. That is ours to do; that is what God calls us to do. 

Thank you, Epiphany, for doing so well what you do well – living out the Gospel in community bound together by the blessed ties of faith. Thank you for inviting me to learn from you, with you, and to be a part of this hopeful, hope-filled community. 

See you at church. 

Clayton 
Seminarian