The Bishop's Blog

Thoughts and reflections from Bishop John Harvey Taylor

Province VIII bishops’ retreat, day 2

Province VIII bishops’ retreat, day 2

During the second day of our retreat this week at St. Paul's Commons, Echo Park, amid rich conversations about the ministry we share, Province VIII Episcopal Church bishops discussed Israel,...

Daily prayer: Province VIII bishops’retreat, day 1

Daily prayer: Province VIII bishops’retreat, day 1

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of...

Daily prayer: Elizabeth Ann Seton

Daily prayer: Elizabeth Ann Seton

Give us grace, O God, to love you in all things and above all things; that, following the example of your servant Elizabeth Ann Seton, we might express our love for you in the service of others....

Daily prayer: A collect for guidance

Daily prayer: A collect for guidance

Heavenly God, in you we live and move and have our being: We humbly pray you so to guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our life we may not forget you,...

Daily prayer: Holy name of Jesus

Daily prayer: Holy name of Jesus

Eternal God, you gave to your incarnate Son the holy name of Jesus to be the sign of our salvation: Plant in every heart, we pray, the love of him who is the Savior of the world, our Lord Jesus...

Daily prayer: First Sunday after Christmas

Daily prayer: First Sunday after Christmas

Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, enkindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and...

Daily prayer: A Prayer of St. Chrysostom

Daily prayer: A Prayer of St. Chrysostom

Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered...

For now, life and love

For now, life and love

On my reading list this Christmas was Graham Greene’s novel “The Confidential Agent,” which he wrote in 1938, on the eve of World War II. Its hero is a leftist college professor on a secret mission...

Second Christmas celebration

Second Christmas celebration

Kathy and I had a second Christmas Day today in Yorba Linda thanks to the hospitality of Mark and Valerie Passarella and Harriet, 4; our daughter Lindsay was along as well.

Daily prayer: Thomas á Becket

Daily prayer: Thomas á Becket

O God, our strength and our salvation, you called your servant Thomas Becket to be a shepherd of your people and a defender of your church; Keep your household from all evil and raise up faithful...

Daily prayer: Holy Innocents

Daily prayer: Holy Innocents

We remember today, O God, the slaughter of the holy innocents of Bethlehem by King Herod. Receive, we pray, into the arms of your mercy all innocent victims; and by your great might frustrate the...

Daily prayer: John, Apostle and Evangelist

Daily prayer: John, Apostle and Evangelist

Shed upon your Church, O Lord, the brightness of your light, that we, being illumined by the teaching of your apostle and evangelist John, may so walk in the light of your truth, that at length we...