By Bishop Durrell Watkins, D.Min.July has some pretty important events to commemorate, such as Canada Day (July 1), U.S. Independence Day (July 4), Bastille Day (July 14), and the anniversary…
By Bishop Durrell Watkins, D.Min.Sixty-four nations criminalize LGBT people. In the U.S., rights for Transgender and gender expansive people are being rolled back. Dozens of Trans* persons are violently killed…
By Bishop Durrell Watkins, D.Min.We are living in a time of multiple conflicts, ubiquitous angst, and frequent hostility. We hear about or experience conflicts, fears, and grief every day. It…
By Bishop Durrell Watkins, D.Min.April 2025 brings Hanamatsuri, also known as International Buddhist Day; the birthday of Jainism’s founder Lord Mahavira; the Jewish Passover; and for Christians, Palm Sunday, Good…
By Bishop Durrell Watkins, D.Min.Ramadan is a month of fasting and prayer for Muslims. Ramadan commemorates Muhammad’s revelation that he would become a messenger of God. Like Easter and Passover,…
By Bishop Durrell Watkins, D.Min.February is named for the ancient Roman festival Februra, which means to cleanse or purify. In Roman Catholicism, February is still marked as a month of purification…
By Bishop Durrell Watkins, D.Min.Did you know that Christmas isn’t really over until January? In the Western tradition, Christmas begins on December 25 and lasts for twelve days. Christmastide spans…
By Bishop Durrell Watkins, D.Min.December is a month of magic, myth, miracles, and memories. Everywhere we turn in December we are reminded of the magic that seems to be in the…
By Rev. Dr. Durrell Watkins“O blest communion, fellowship divine! We feebly struggle, they in glory shine; yet all are one in Thee, for all are Thine. Alleluia, Alleluia!” Those words by…
By Rev. Dr. Durrell WatkinsOctober is the month that gives us National Coming Out Day. It is the month when Matthew Shepard was killed, and of course, it brings us…
By Rev. Dr. Durrell WatkinsFrom the mid-twentieth century Kinsey reports to Evelyn Hooker’s research in the 1950s, to the American Psychiatric Association removing homosexuality from its list of disorders in…
By Rev. Dr. Durrell WatkinsIn July of 1776, our nation declared its independence from an empire; therefore, each July, we think of liberty. One of the liberties we have traditionally…
By Rev. Dr. Durrell WatkinsThere is an ancient word used in scripture that is translated as “go forth,” but a more literal translation would be “go forward to [or for]…