<![CDATA[Consistently Upwards]]>https://consistentlyupwards.substack.comhttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yUHs!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fconsistentlyupwards.substack.com%2Fimg%2Fsubstack.pngConsistently Upwardshttps://consistentlyupwards.substack.comSubstackFri, 04 Sep 2026 16:20:06 GMT<![CDATA[The Benediction of Friction ]]>https://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/the-benediction-of-frictionhttps://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/the-benediction-of-frictionSat, 01 Aug 2026 00:01:47 GMTA recent Substack piece by Ryan Burge’s Graphs about Religion, was titled “Mainline Clergy Are Different - And It’s Because of Who They Are.”

And this got me thinking. A lot. The two basic conclusions are that the mainline denominations are collapsing because their clergy are out of touch with their congregations or that those called into the ranks of cl…

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]]><![CDATA[35 Rules for Living a Progressive Episcopal Punk Lifestyle]]>https://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/35-rules-for-living-a-progressivehttps://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/35-rules-for-living-a-progressiveSun, 12 Jul 2026 20:03:05 GMT​I have a ton of respect for the guys at : shared this in early May and I’ve been wrestling with how to apply his “35 Rules for Living an Excellent Life in a Crazy World” to my specific theological outlook as a Progressive, Episcopal, Punk.

​If you are looking for serious ideas on how to live fully in a world that is equal parts corporate dystopia and y…

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]]><![CDATA[The Obedient Punk]]>https://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/the-obedient-punkhttps://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/the-obedient-punkTue, 07 Jul 2026 00:01:21 GMTMy Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Douglas Scharf, shared an article last week from the Rt. Rev. Poulson Reed, Bishop of the Diocese of Oklahoma, from The Living Church, entitled “The Book of Common Prayer: Against the Algorithm”.

I’ve told each of my spiritual mentors that I tend to live a life on the ends of the spectrum. An example: My favorite music is either a…

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]]><![CDATA[The Gospel of the Pavement: Two Years After “Grants Pass”]]>https://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/the-gospel-of-the-pavement-two-yearshttps://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/the-gospel-of-the-pavement-two-yearsSun, 28 Jun 2026 10:01:44 GMTOne this second anniversary of the ruling in “City of Grants Pass v. Johnson”, I wanted to take a few minutes, review things from a theological perspective, and provide examples of action we can all learn from. One action item for our houses of worship is to get organized - and a great way to do that is participating in the “National Faith Coalition to …

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]]><![CDATA[Jesus the Gate]]>https://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/jesus-the-gatehttps://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/jesus-the-gateMon, 27 Apr 2026 18:18:31 GMT(Since the press embargo has been lifted - kidding - I’m happy to share my homily from yesterday. Please, feel free to comment, share, and subscribe! Any paid subscription funds go directly to support my seminary costs.)

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Today’s Gospel gives us such a visual picture - and as the homilist, I have so many directions to turn: we have sheep, shepherds, thiev…

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]]><![CDATA[the image of god]]>https://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/the-image-of-godhttps://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/the-image-of-godFri, 17 Apr 2026 01:18:07 GMT(Trigger Warning - This post includes references to sexual assault. For help in the US, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or chat 24/7 on RAINN.org.)

A picture or two to allow those who wish to leave the post to do so…

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]]><![CDATA[the worst thing is never the last thing]]>https://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/the-worst-thing-is-never-the-lasthttps://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/the-worst-thing-is-never-the-lastFri, 03 Apr 2026 13:49:42 GMTMy Good Friday sermon:

“The first phase of a Roman execution was scourging. The lictors used a whip made of leather cords to which small pieces of metal or bone had been fastened. … This would result not only in great pain but also in appreciable blood loss. The idea was to weaken the victim to a state just short of collapse or death. It was common for t…

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]]><![CDATA[When the Jelly Beans Win.]]>https://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/when-the-jelly-beans-winhttps://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/when-the-jelly-beans-winFri, 20 Feb 2026 04:33:12 GMT(In my annual Lenten tradition of “taking something on”, instead of giving something up, I’m tackling two “disciplines”. First, a daily reflection on mortality - Gemini provides a prompt and I’ll respond with where I’m at that day. Second, I’m making a conscious effort to discover new music under the punk & hardcore umbrella…specifically from BIPOC arti…

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]]><![CDATA[Being Dust]]>https://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/being-dusthttps://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/being-dustThu, 19 Feb 2026 13:43:28 GMT(In my annual Lenten tradition of “taking something on”, instead of giving something up, I’m tackling two “disciplines”. First, a daily reflection on morality - Gemini provides a prompt and I’ll respond with where I’m at that day. Second, I’m making a conscious effort to discover new music under the punk & hardcore umbrella…specifically from BIPOC artis…

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]]><![CDATA[Unafraid, Unpolished, Unashamed: My Call to Authentic Priesthood]]>https://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/unafraid-unpolished-unashamed-myhttps://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/unafraid-unpolished-unashamed-myWed, 04 Feb 2026 00:02:10 GMTIntro

To be completely honest, there have been moments in my discernment process that have been…difficult. Part of it is learning to live on God’s time and not my own (although having wrestled with this process since I was a teenager, you think I’d have that down). Part of it is learning to be my true self in community and not putting up a mask, trying t…

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]]><![CDATA["The Gospel of Inefficiency"]]>https://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/the-gospel-of-inefficiencyhttps://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/the-gospel-of-inefficiencyFri, 16 Jan 2026 15:34:04 GMTWe read in Mark 14, about a woman breaking an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume and pouring it over Jesus’ head. The disciples (specifically Judas) quickly say, “Why this waste? This perfume could have been sold for a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.”

Here is the uncomfortable truth: Judas is the practical administrator, thinking about…

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]]><![CDATA[When Our Sacred Places Ache]]>https://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/when-our-sacred-places-achehttps://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/when-our-sacred-places-acheTue, 06 Jan 2026 20:00:07 GMTThe word “DaySpring” comes from the Song of Zechariah, a staple of Episcopal Morning Prayer. It refers to Christ as the “dayspring from on high” who visits us “to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.”

We treat places like DaySpring as “retreats”—fortresses of peace designed to keep the noise and violence of the world out. W…

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]]><![CDATA[Compassion With Teeth: A Rule of Life]]>https://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/compassion-with-teeth-a-rule-of-lifehttps://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/compassion-with-teeth-a-rule-of-lifeWed, 31 Dec 2025 01:01:10 GMTI have had a really hard time defining to others what my “rule of life” is. By definition, in the Episcopal Church, a rule of life is simply “set of guidelines and commitments directing one’s life.” Easier acted out then defined…and I’ve spent a good deal of time in contemplation, prayer, conversation, and discernment about what it could look like for m…

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]]><![CDATA[The Great Conversation: Why "The Word" Might Be Too Small for a God This Big]]>https://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/the-great-conversation-why-the-wordhttps://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/the-great-conversation-why-the-wordSun, 28 Dec 2025 23:35:44 GMTThe Setup

Today’s Gospel reading is John 1…and I struggle often with “Logos” being translated as “The Word”…hear me out:

In the beginning, before…before…well, everything…there was a Conversation. Not a lecture. Not a monologue. A rhythmic back-and-forth. The Conversation didn't just exist with God; the Conversation was God.

My Reality

The "Word" is too stat…

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]]><![CDATA[Three Chords and the Desert Fathers]]>https://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/three-chords-and-the-desert-fathershttps://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/three-chords-and-the-desert-fathersMon, 22 Dec 2025 02:54:55 GMTMy word for 2026.

"Give me a word, Abba."

It’s the classic request of the Desert Fathers and Mothers. A novice approaches an elder for a word. A single, jagged piece of truth to chew on until…well…until you figured it out.

I just finished reading Give Me a Word, and the word that found me wasn’t "Peace" or "Serenity."

It was Punk.

At first glance, the silen…

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]]><![CDATA[National Homeless Persons' Memorial Day (12/21)]]>https://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/national-homeless-persons-memorialhttps://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/national-homeless-persons-memorialSat, 20 Dec 2025 21:46:12 GMTSunday December 21st is National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day; appropriate for the Winter Solstice (The Longest Night). On this day, “we remember those who have died and we strengthen our resolve to work for a world where no life is lived or lost in homelessness. We state clearly, together with others in scores of communities across the nation, that n…

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]]><![CDATA[The Grace of a Missed Connection]]>https://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/the-grace-of-a-missed-connectionhttps://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/the-grace-of-a-missed-connectionWed, 17 Dec 2025 18:36:16 GMTI really spent some time on this response before I ever began writing…partially because I feel that everything happens for a reason and those “near-misses” helped to create who we later became or set up future opportunities that make us who we are today.

Totally AI. But I dig it.

An example? 

Senior year for most college students is a unique time - trying …

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]]><![CDATA[The “Wedding Garment” Guy]]>https://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/the-wedding-garment-guyhttps://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/the-wedding-garment-guyFri, 05 Dec 2025 12:59:00 GMTToday’s Gospel reading from the Lectionary is heavy enough, I don’t need an AI writing prompt.

Matthew 22:1-14 - another parable about the Kingdom — and like many of His parables, it starts out sounding normal and gets weird fast.

summer dinner party: Michelle Heimann

The Setup: A King Throws a Wedding Feast

Invitations go out for a grand wedding feast.

An…

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]]><![CDATA[“The Holiness of Almost”]]>https://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/the-holiness-of-almosthttps://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/the-holiness-of-almostMon, 01 Dec 2025 20:37:14 GMTToday’s Prompt:
Progressive Christianity is built on the idea that God shows up in liminal spaces—thresholds, edges, places where things are almost but not yet.

Punk insists that the most honest moments in life happen in the cracks: between the song and the scream, between leaving and arriving, between hope and heartbreak.

And Bourdain? He taught us that t…

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]]><![CDATA[“Where Does God Taste Like Salt?”]]>https://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/where-does-god-taste-like-salthttps://consistentlyupwards.substack.com/p/where-does-god-taste-like-saltSat, 29 Nov 2025 22:56:56 GMTThe always amazing Joseph Yoo recently shared his experiences in using ChatGPT to provide - and then score - writing prompts.

This is a brilliant idea and one that I’m immediately stealing. My prompt request is more focused on writing in the progressive-Episcopal-punk-Bourdain space I’ve been building throughout my discernment journey.

The goal is at le…

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