The Episcopal Witness Of Hope

Hope. This simple four letter word was the subject of the 2025 Episcopal Central Ohio Deanery Lenten school. For the past four Tuesday evenings 45 folks, including a healthy entourage from St. Luke’s, met at All Saints New Albany for songs, prayer and great discussions on Hope. Hope through Lament and through insight into the Hopewell culture and through an understanding of What is Ours to Do? and Hope through Repentance and Repair.

Repentance is tough work and requires working through several steps. When I harm another I must recognize and own what I’ve done before moving on to starting to change. It seems as though many of us get stuck here - start to change and then drop back. However, to complete the process we must make restitution and accept due consequences, apologize and ultimately make different and better decisions. It is kind of like my baptismal promise that when I sin I will repent and return to God; with His help. (Suggested reading: Repentance and Repair by Danya Ruttnberg)

Lament is a type of prayer or poem (psalm) where I call to God, tell Him my complaint, ask for help and deliverance and praise God for what He has provided. This section of the program was most difficult for me. I learned that in Eph 2:10 each of us is God’s poem.  Hope exists even as we are in darkness and have difficulty in finding her. “Hope with her gentle persuasion, whispers her comforting word.” (Suggested reading: Psalms of Lament by Ann Weems)

The session on the Hopewell culture helped me remember that what I see may change when I view it from a different perspective. Maybe my world view changes with where I am in the world. Maybe Hope springs from understanding others’ viewpoints. And it made me wonder - did the Holy Spirit work through the ancient Hopewells? Hope - that it worked its wonders then and works now.

What is ours to do? led me to see Hope as a verb; an action word. Hope is a call to invest in the future of God’s world and act as a co-creator with God. Life is messy and the world is imperfect. Don’t wait for perfection, live with joy, be joyful today! With you as co-conspirators and as my community of saints let’s continue doing all we can to allow the light of Christ to radiate out from us. There is only one permanent victory and that is resurrection. 

I am hopeful because, “the word is bright with the joyous saints who love to do Jesus’ will.” Lesbia Scott

Hope be with you!
A Parishioner Perspective