Supposing Him to be the Gardener

Sermons, from the Canon to the Ordinary in the Episcopal Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania and the Episcopal Diocese of Western New York. Why call it Supposing Him to be the Gardener? Because Mary Magdalene, on the first Easter, was so distracted by her pain that she failed to notice the Divine in her midst. So do I. All the time. This title helps me remember that the Divine is everywhere--in the midst of deep pain as well as in profound joy. And everywhere in between.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Photina: The Woman at the Well, Harlot or Prophet? Lent 3 Yr A

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I was a lucky and blessed kid. As a child strong and independent women surrounded me. And the men in my life—primarily my dad, my grandfathe...

Believing is a verb

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In the old days, people didn’t really choose their religion. When I was growing up you were born Roman Catholic or Presbyterian or Methodi...

Friday, March 18, 2011

Lent 1 Yr A: I can Do It Myself!

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+“I can do it.” “Well, let me help you”---“NO, I CAN DO IT MYSELF!” Child Development expert Erik Erikson posits eight stages of psychosocia...

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Ash Wednesday Year A

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My hope for all of us, on this first day of Lent, this first day of the journey which takes us to the garden of Maundy Thursday, the cross o...

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Last Epiphany, March 6 2011 Yr. A

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Have you ever been transfigured-- been so effected by an experience that your actual appearance—how you look, and your countenance, how you...

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Let's Be Enemies Epiphany 7 Yr A

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From the Book: Let’s Be Enemies (by Janice May Udry with illustrations by Maurice Sendak, Harper and Row NY, NY, 1961) James used to be my f...

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Dotting the i's and crossing the t's of freedom. Epiphany 6

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Back home in Chicago, when I worked in community mental health, I’d, fairly regularly, get subpoenaed to testify in cases of child neglect a...

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About Me

The Rev'd Canon Cathy Dempesy-Sims: I am an Episcopal Priest who serves the Diocese of Western New York as the Canon for Connections (Canon to the Ordinary). I was widowed in November 2017. My wife and I had been married two months shy of 5 years. For years "Pete" had horses and then she added donkeys and then she added goats. And always, always there were dogs. IN the late summer of 2018 I am working toward inventing a new life for myself. One thing will not change: my love for preaching, my love for helping people makes sense of what is by hearing what was in a new way. Especially at this time in my life, I welcome your prayers for me, for my son Patrick and for my dogs (who are my faithful companions) Louie and Purnie (short for Calpurnia) . Supposing Him to be the Gardener is a shout out to Mary Magdalene, my hero.

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