Josh Hale calls out «Éala! Éarendel engla beorhtast…»
@expatminister.bsky.social
Are we not what we consistently love? I love: Christie + 4 Starfleet cadets, UMC pastoring, sci-fi, words, hosting meals & tending bar, Middle-earth, theology, Rice Owls, baseball (go Astros!), making music, all things British. Jesus. Coffee.
Pinned
My wife (who doesn’t skeet but you can find her on FB) & I are celebrating 21 years of marriage today! I love having our anniversary so close to Christmas (even as a clergy couple!)—I am always expecting something wonderful in my life thanks to our grace-filled marriage. Happy anniversary, Christie!
Reposted by Josh Hale calls out «Éala! Éarendel engla beorhtast…»
The Sermon on the Mount, by Beryl Lewis, before 1965, 📸 by @ScottStrazzante
February 9, 2026 at 2:16 AM
The Sermon on the Mount, by Beryl Lewis, before 1965, 📸 by @ScottStrazzante
Reposted by Josh Hale calls out «Éala! Éarendel engla beorhtast…»
Remembir everye daye ys a goode daye to reach out to a friende and tell them how much you love them. Maybe buy them a booke. Bringe up an olde inside joke. All the sillye thinges and the serious thinges about friendeshippe, thei are all infinitelye valuable. Tyme spent thus wil nevir be regrettid.
February 9, 2026 at 12:07 AM
Remembir everye daye ys a goode daye to reach out to a friende and tell them how much you love them. Maybe buy them a booke. Bringe up an olde inside joke. All the sillye thinges and the serious thinges about friendeshippe, thei are all infinitelye valuable. Tyme spent thus wil nevir be regrettid.
In the neverending discussion of what’s the best #startrek episode, I see your “City on the Edge of Forever” and raise you a “Let That Be Your Last Battlefield.”
February 9, 2026 at 12:52 AM
In the neverending discussion of what’s the best #startrek episode, I see your “City on the Edge of Forever” and raise you a “Let That Be Your Last Battlefield.”
Love hearing John O’Donohue quoted on The Pitt (S2E3) tonight. I’ve been using his book of blessings, TO BLESS THE SPACE BETWEEN US, for more than a decade & his poetry for another decade or more before that. What a gift! Check it out for yourself:
bookshop.org/p/books/to-b... 🕯️
bookshop.org/p/books/to-b... 🕯️
To Bless the Space Between Us: A Book of Blessings
A Book of Blessings
bookshop.org
January 23, 2026 at 4:25 AM
Love hearing John O’Donohue quoted on The Pitt (S2E3) tonight. I’ve been using his book of blessings, TO BLESS THE SPACE BETWEEN US, for more than a decade & his poetry for another decade or more before that. What a gift! Check it out for yourself:
bookshop.org/p/books/to-b... 🕯️
bookshop.org/p/books/to-b... 🕯️
#9LC 🕯️
Light and life to all he brings,
risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by,
born that man no more may die.
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn king!”
And now it’s Christmas — Merry and Happy Christmas to you all!
Light and life to all he brings,
risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by,
born that man no more may die.
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn king!”
And now it’s Christmas — Merry and Happy Christmas to you all!
December 24, 2025 at 4:31 PM
#9LC 🕯️
Light and life to all he brings,
risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by,
born that man no more may die.
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn king!”
And now it’s Christmas — Merry and Happy Christmas to you all!
Light and life to all he brings,
risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by,
born that man no more may die.
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn king!”
And now it’s Christmas — Merry and Happy Christmas to you all!
#9LC 🕯️
“Christ, who by his incarnation, gathered into one things earthly and heavenly, fill you with peace and goodwill, and make you partakers of the divine nature…”
That’s the blessing!
“Christ, who by his incarnation, gathered into one things earthly and heavenly, fill you with peace and goodwill, and make you partakers of the divine nature…”
That’s the blessing!
December 24, 2025 at 4:27 PM
#9LC 🕯️
“Christ, who by his incarnation, gathered into one things earthly and heavenly, fill you with peace and goodwill, and make you partakers of the divine nature…”
That’s the blessing!
“Christ, who by his incarnation, gathered into one things earthly and heavenly, fill you with peace and goodwill, and make you partakers of the divine nature…”
That’s the blessing!
Reposted by Josh Hale calls out «Éala! Éarendel engla beorhtast…»
"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and
we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the
Father,) full of grace and truth." In case anyone forgot, THIS is the reason for the season. It's always about grace. It's always been about grace. It will always be about grace. #9lc
we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the
Father,) full of grace and truth." In case anyone forgot, THIS is the reason for the season. It's always about grace. It's always been about grace. It will always be about grace. #9lc
December 24, 2025 at 4:20 PM
"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and
we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the
Father,) full of grace and truth." In case anyone forgot, THIS is the reason for the season. It's always about grace. It's always been about grace. It will always be about grace. #9lc
we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the
Father,) full of grace and truth." In case anyone forgot, THIS is the reason for the season. It's always about grace. It's always been about grace. It will always be about grace. #9lc
Reposted by Josh Hale calls out «Éala! Éarendel engla beorhtast…»
"When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled..."
Tyrants are always afraid of love, terrified of grace and mercy because it undermines their coercive grip on power. By God's grace, the Herods of this world don't have the last word. #9lc 🕯️
Tyrants are always afraid of love, terrified of grace and mercy because it undermines their coercive grip on power. By God's grace, the Herods of this world don't have the last word. #9lc 🕯️
December 24, 2025 at 4:09 PM
"When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled..."
Tyrants are always afraid of love, terrified of grace and mercy because it undermines their coercive grip on power. By God's grace, the Herods of this world don't have the last word. #9lc 🕯️
Tyrants are always afraid of love, terrified of grace and mercy because it undermines their coercive grip on power. By God's grace, the Herods of this world don't have the last word. #9lc 🕯️
Reposted by Josh Hale calls out «Éala! Éarendel engla beorhtast…»
I do wish they would print, just for myne owne enjoyment, the original text of this:
Ther is no rose of swych vertu
As is the rose that bar Jhesu.
etc.
===
like:
For in this rose conteynyd was
Heuen and erthe in lytyl space,
Res miranda
#9LC
Ther is no rose of swych vertu
As is the rose that bar Jhesu.
etc.
===
like:
For in this rose conteynyd was
Heuen and erthe in lytyl space,
Res miranda
#9LC
December 24, 2025 at 3:48 PM
I do wish they would print, just for myne owne enjoyment, the original text of this:
Ther is no rose of swych vertu
As is the rose that bar Jhesu.
etc.
===
like:
For in this rose conteynyd was
Heuen and erthe in lytyl space,
Res miranda
#9LC
Ther is no rose of swych vertu
As is the rose that bar Jhesu.
etc.
===
like:
For in this rose conteynyd was
Heuen and erthe in lytyl space,
Res miranda
#9LC
Reposted by Josh Hale calls out «Éala! Éarendel engla beorhtast…»
oh i do love the joy in the reader's voice on the word "blessed" -- that little upward lilt makes all the difference (also a woman reading this lesson? PERFECTION) #9LC
December 24, 2025 at 3:40 PM
oh i do love the joy in the reader's voice on the word "blessed" -- that little upward lilt makes all the difference (also a woman reading this lesson? PERFECTION) #9LC
Reposted by Josh Hale calls out «Éala! Éarendel engla beorhtast…»
Reposted by Josh Hale calls out «Éala! Éarendel engla beorhtast…»
Wow. This commissioned carol makes bleakness beautiful, entrusts the gospel to the thrush's song, and weaves harmony into hope. I will sit with that one for a long time. What a triumph. #9lc
December 24, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Wow. This commissioned carol makes bleakness beautiful, entrusts the gospel to the thrush's song, and weaves harmony into hope. I will sit with that one for a long time. What a triumph. #9lc
Reposted by Josh Hale calls out «Éala! Éarendel engla beorhtast…»
it is gutsy to set these lines, GUTSY i tell you #9lc
So little cause for carolings
Of such ecstatic sound
Was written on terrestrial things
Afar or nigh around,
That I could think there trembled through
His happy good-night air
Some blessed Hope, whereof he knew
And I was unaware
So little cause for carolings
Of such ecstatic sound
Was written on terrestrial things
Afar or nigh around,
That I could think there trembled through
His happy good-night air
Some blessed Hope, whereof he knew
And I was unaware
December 24, 2025 at 3:32 PM
it is gutsy to set these lines, GUTSY i tell you #9lc
So little cause for carolings
Of such ecstatic sound
Was written on terrestrial things
Afar or nigh around,
That I could think there trembled through
His happy good-night air
Some blessed Hope, whereof he knew
And I was unaware
So little cause for carolings
Of such ecstatic sound
Was written on terrestrial things
Afar or nigh around,
That I could think there trembled through
His happy good-night air
Some blessed Hope, whereof he knew
And I was unaware
#9LC now have been able to sing the most-forgotten verse, but maybe most important, of It Came Upon the Midnight Clear twice this year! Such a beautiful summons to a tangible & real peaceable news in God’s light.
December 24, 2025 at 3:30 PM
#9LC now have been able to sing the most-forgotten verse, but maybe most important, of It Came Upon the Midnight Clear twice this year! Such a beautiful summons to a tangible & real peaceable news in God’s light.
December 24, 2025 at 3:27 PM
#9LC “For Rex Pacificus is come!”
What a cheerful message to sing, especially paired with Isaiah’s zealous God establishing the Prince of Peace for always.
What a cheerful message to sing, especially paired with Isaiah’s zealous God establishing the Prince of Peace for always.
December 24, 2025 at 3:24 PM
#9LC “For Rex Pacificus is come!”
What a cheerful message to sing, especially paired with Isaiah’s zealous God establishing the Prince of Peace for always.
What a cheerful message to sing, especially paired with Isaiah’s zealous God establishing the Prince of Peace for always.
#9LC Listening to the second reading on the blessing of Abraham’s descendants to be a blessing — coming right after he almost sacrifices Isaac — reminds me that in English, “blessed” was originally from “bloodied.” Sobering to view obedience from that place.
December 24, 2025 at 3:23 PM
#9LC Listening to the second reading on the blessing of Abraham’s descendants to be a blessing — coming right after he almost sacrifices Isaac — reminds me that in English, “blessed” was originally from “bloodied.” Sobering to view obedience from that place.