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Never alone
As we prepare for the 2022 Annual Conference, I ask for your prayers that great and marvelous things will happen through the Holy Spirit who guides and sustains us. By Bishop L. Jonathan Holston.
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Hopeful and steadfast
On a visit to the Garden of Gethsemane outside of Jerusalem, while looking upward at the gates to the city of Jerusalem, my pilgrimage group entered a section of the garden to pray. By Bishop L. Jonathan Holston.
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Sweet hour of prayer
The old saying goes that if you see a turtle on a fence post, it obviously did not get up there on its own. And so it goes for each of us. We are not meant to do life on our own. We need each other to lean on for encouragement, motivation, and inspiration to continue the work God has planned for us. By Bishop L. Jonathan Holston.
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Clear the way
In the midst of our fast food, drive-through, one-day Amazon delivery world, we recognize patience is hard. We know God’s desire for us is to pause our self-imposed time limits, to stop the urge to do life by ourselves and to linger a little longer in God’s presence. But, it seems we are in an unrelenting, unwavering, unyielding storm that won’t end. A column by Bishop Jonathan Holston.
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Pressing on
Have you ever heard the story told that asks the question, “Why did the child throw the clock out the window?” The answer: “To see ‘time fly.’” By Bishop Jonathan Holston.
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The days are surely coming
The word “Advent” means “coming” or the arrival of something important. As a people of faith, we join the voices of Ancient Israel in the clarion cry for God to save us, to restore justice and to build right relationships. We join their voices in a call for the fulfillment of God’s promises. By Bishop Jonathan Holston.
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Lest we forget
The late Maya Angelou said, “Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.” It goes further to say that we should never back away from any intimidating challenge. By Bishop L. Jonathan Holston
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From the Inside Out
It has been said that, “When spoken together at just the right moment, there are two words that have amazing, life-changing power.” These two words possess the capacity to breathe into us new life, to lift burdens, and to calm fears—as well as to inspire hope. The two words to which I refer are simply these: “I understand.” A column by Bishop Jonathan Holston.
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Taking the lead
At the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, midshipmen must keep their rooms ready for inspection at any time and keep their uniforms in regulation condition. Demerits can be given for a room or uniform that is not in proper order. A column for the Advocate by Bishop L. Jonathan Holston.
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Making it plain
What I have come to know is that confession and repentance is hard and painful work. No one ever feels that they have wronged anyone or done anything that needs an apology until it is brought to their attention. Yet repentance goes beyond confession. To truly repent demands a life changed from the inside out. A column for the Advocate by Bishop L. Jonathan Holston.
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Our journey together continues
In times of change, such as this year of pandemic that we have experienced, what if we were to offer new questions rather than searching for a new “right” answer. Changing the conversation can move us toward a different way of thinking about our future possibilities. By Bishop Jonathan Holston.
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The gathering of God’s people
As this edition of the Advocate arrives, the 2021 session of the South Carolina Annual Conference will be starting. On June 6 and 7, we will gather virtually for a time of giving thanks to almighty God and celebrating the ways in which we have been seeking and fulfilling God’s purpose for the church. By Bishop Jonathan Holston.