Bishop Neil Lebhar's Blog

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My Greatest Confidence

I remember my graduation from high school. I said goodbye to many friends, but it did not sink in at the time that I would probably never see most of them again. As I come to my retirement, I am reminded of Paul’s farewell speech to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20. He is heading into persecution in Jerusalem and realizes that this will be his last journey in Asia Minor...

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Diets and Nourishing Summer Reading

I don’t know about you, but I have almost given up on reading diet books. It is not that I don’t need to eat less and eat better. It is more that it almost feels hypocritical to investigate another diet when I have not followed the most recent one very faithfully. I suspect the same is true for many of us when it comes to reading books about discipleship. Why read anot...

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Bible Study and Prayer

I am at a season of transition in life where my heart resonates with the words of John the Baptist, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30, ESV). So for the next few Communiques, I want to focus on three topics, three things that I believe are critically important for the life of followers of Jesus. Today I want to consider Bible study and prayer, just for ...

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Living in an Apostolic Time

When Archbishop Foley Beach heard that I was heading to Israel for a personal trip, he asked if there was some way I could stop in Poland along the way and ordain a Ukrainian woman named Nina there. His diocese is closely connected to Christ Church, the historic Anglican congregation in the walled Old City of Jerusalem. Nina will serve there, once her visa goes through....

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Lenten Thoughts

As the season of Lent draws near, it occurs to me how counter-cultural it really is. The culture tells us in many ways that our needs and desires come first, and that limiting ourselves by restraining our desires is somehow generally wrong. We also have a culture that tells us that busyness is required to get the most out of life....

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Reaching Out in Epiphany

It is common for Christians to teach that we live in the Already–Not yet season. Jesus has already called many to be his people, but the kingdom is not yet fully realized, and will not be until Jesus returns again....

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An Unexpected Way to Prepare for Christmas

I hope that as we head towards Christmas, you are finding the Lord’s peace in the midst of the flurry of the season. Let me share one perhaps unexpected way to prepare for Christmas....

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A Tale of Two Countries: An Israel Tour and A New Missional Initiative

Dear brothers and sisters, Greetings in our Lord Jesus, the King of kings. As we head into November, let me share two stories of two different countries. The first country is Israel. Marcia and planned to lead a leadership study tour there from February 20-March 3 next year, 2022. It has recently been on hold due to COVID. Now that Covid is waning, our trip is back on, ...

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Then as Now: 1968 and 2021

A recent podcast caught my attention as it compared the cultural upheaval of our own day to the year 1968. I was a senior in high school that spring, and remember vividly the sense of things falling apart. There were violent anti-war rallies, the continuing Civil Rights debates, and the horrific assassinations of both Martin Luther King Jr. and Senator Robert Kennedy. Kenn...

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Peace in a Shaken World

While we have used the term a lot, I struggle a bit with the language of the “new normal.” Obviously, we mean what life will be like after the pandemic, and certainly many things have changed already. I think there will be major impacts on business travel, online education, various types of available jobs, the economy, etc., etc. But my real struggle is with the ...

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