iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

The sermon for tomorrow’s opening Eucharist for Iona School is titled: “No Pigs Were Harmed in the Making of these Church Leaders: Sermon for the Commemoration of John Henry Hobart.”

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Crowdsourcing: I am going to refer to inclusive orthodoxy in a homily commemorating John Henry Hobart. Anybody want to offer a sermon-friendly couple sentence definition? (My attempt below) ⚓️

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

I have just let the students in my online class of 30ish know that one of the very few ways to fail the class is to “reply all” for the purpose of sending some random acknowledgment like “Okay thanks” or “Sounds good.” It’s important that ministers of the gospel know how to wield power responsibly.

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

My GRWM as a traveling priest staying in a van consistently includes: “OK so this is the part where I get just a little toothpaste on the first of the two clergy shirts. I’ll move the my travel chasuble to block the open window and swap out for shirt #2.”

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

A twist to my visitation for tomorrow. The congregation’s priest wanted us to “split the sermon time.” Them first. Then me. They just sent me their manuscript. Their title: “who we are at St. _____.” My title: “But who do you say that *I* am?” ⚓️

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

A great recent visit to St. Matthew’s in Castle Rock. A lay led congregation with frequent supply provided by one of our excellent Iona grads, Father Darren. On the day I was visiting, they were re-dedicating their newly refurbished steeple cross.

This is a photo of a wood panel church sanctuary with a rock based altar and geometric stand glass in white red blue and green. Also, in the picture is a banner depicting Mount Saint Helens with the church name embroidered in.

A picture of the exterior of the church there is a steeple missing a cross and a red door in view

Laying hands on the newly refurbished steeple cross. This picture depicts about 20 people gathered around a cross, smiling up at a camera as I take a selfie.

I had to take a picture of the keyboard that provides the Sunday morning music. There are pre-recorded hymns… On red floppy disks!

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Having been to @karanslade.bsky.social’s excellent lecture on the Nicene Creed last week, I was a more than a bit surprised to open the advance bulletin for my upcoming visitation:

A paper bulletin lays on a wooden table. It is opened to the place in the liturgy where the Nicene creed should occur. Instead, there is something inserted called a Celtic creed.

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

A priest and a comedian walk into a bar… A bright spot in this week is that a lifelong friend and I were in Seattle at the same time and got to have dinner. So proud of everything that you are and are becoming, friend! (If y’all haven’t seen Kristin Key perform, go rectify that.)

Comedian Kristin Key, and some goofball in a priest collar pose for a picture in a parking lot

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

We got a new foster dog a week ago - an older frenchie. Very handsome. At his intake visit to the vet, he passed out. Turns out, he had a rare and fatal cancer of the aorta. Rest in peace little friend. (Max.) 💛

A little squished French bulldog nose peaks over the edge of a bathtub.

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Second visit on behalf of the Office of the Bishop was to Christ Church Seattle. Gorgeous historic building and even more gorgeous street chaplain ministry.

Stained and sullied stairs lead to lead to a beautiful red brick church with a blue door. Graffiti is visible on the right side of the building.

The interior of a 1900-era church. There are dark wooden beams crisis, crossing on top of the frame and bronze hanging lamps. Stained glass windows. There are mismatched chairs set up in the round around a simply adorned altar.

Volunteers take different stations to prepare supplies that will go into bags for their unhoused neighbors. In the frame, you can see non-perishable snacks, socks, rolled around cigarettes, and multiple people wearing masks working as an assembly line.

A large wooden wagon melted on a metal frame carries various supplies, including cold water, first aid, an assortment of chocolate bars, underwear, socks, and goodie bags with sanitary items.

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Your prayers tonight for the repose of Amanda, a relentless force for good; for her family as they grieve (especially her children R and E); for her students; for her church family; for the group of unhoused folks she fed; and for the multitude of us who called her friend. ⚓️

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

Me to me upon seeing the number of applications to the Iona School for Ministry.

Sheriff Brody from the movie Jaws has just seen the immense titular shark. He steps back, in shock. A cigarette hangs from his mouth as he says “you’re going to need a bigger boat.”

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

First visitation on behalf of the Office of the Bishop today. The small but mighty congregation was missing their token church dog today, so Billie filled in. St. Mark’s Montesano, WA is a lovely and lively crew! ⚓️

Two women sit on a step in a church. One is dressed in a linen outfit and is remarkably attractive. The other is dressed in full vestments for ordinary time. Between them is a bulldog who appears to be smiling at the camera with her tongue out.

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

My spouse and I had a large wedding at a prominent Episcopal Church in our town. It was a SSM and the first of its kind, so the local newspaper wanted to interview us. The interview would’ve run during our new rector’s first week, and as a courtesy to him, we declined the interview. (1/2)

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

You had me at “will you refrain from posting overly dramatic social media entries?”

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EOW Without Context @eow-no-context.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

things which were cast down are being raised up

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Greg Johnston @gbj.dev · 29/05/2026

I've seen lots of conversation recently about AI and preaching, both online and in my own social circles, in part because of this week's encyclical, in part because my two worlds are church and programming, and in part because things are moving so fast that people are talking about AI everywhere.

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

Not the Holy Spirit, but an actual fire(!) at our house tonight. Tremendously thankful that we keep fire extinguishers placed throughout the house. Minimal damage and everyone’s fine. (Some rags saturated with an oil for seasoning cast-iron spontaneously combusted in a trashcan!)

thatspontaneously.com

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

We got to have this truly excellent fella for a little over nine years. We were so lucky and we are so grateful. Rest easy, best buddie. (Gus, aka: Gus Gus, Gus the Bus, Buster, Gussy, Augustus Cecil, ????-2026)

Montage of pictures of a big-headed and very handsome white dog. It’s a screen capture of a Facebook memory reading “9 years ago.”

A recent picture of me with a white dog, Gus. He was maybe as old as 16!

An elderly dog being pushed in a stroller by his very attractive other mom.

Two dogs laying on a dog bed. One is brown and has her tongue out and the other is a larger older dog, resting his head on the smaller brown dog.

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

Prayers appreciated this week, web friends and strangers, as I navigate lots of moving parts for my new diocesan job, while also dealing with the grief of (a) wrapping up much enjoyed three year(!) interim priest job, and (b) likely having to put down my much beloved but terminally sick vvgb. ⚓️

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

I took off five days from looking at email, and now I am fighting for my life to read and respond to the vast array of stuff that’s come in. I feel like any of you who take a sabbatical should automatically get a jubilee reset on your inbox.

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

Prior to ordaining me the second time, Bishop Scott Mayer (DioNWTX) made me promise that if I ever lived close to a seminary, I’d go back and get my MDiv. When I graduated tonight with that MDiv, I wore the NWTX seal in his honor. Thanks for everything, Bishop. 💛

A picture of a smiling but exhausted graduate, pointing to a lapel pen that bears the seal of the episcopal diocese of Northwest Texas. She is wearing a suit and clergy collar, but her newly bestowed MDIV hood is visible.

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

Y’all. People out there rage baiting on Al Gore’s Internet, and I keep falling for it. I should just delete my whole Facebook account, yes?

This is a prompt on my phone asking me if I want to delete Facebook as an app. Of course I do.

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 03/05/2026

It’s notable how much my wife contributes to my sanctification. Thrice today I have said “but what if I replied with _____?” And she has said “probably shouldn’t, babe.”

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

One of several reasons that I shouldn’t be the governor of New Mexico: I’d be like “don’t threaten me with a good time.”

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

One spot where my background in education really shows up is, if you’re a contractor scheduled to be at my house at 8 AM, I’m writing you a tardy slip if you’re not there by 8 AM. Don’t look surprised if you show up at nine and I’m gone. Class is over. It’s second period now.

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Atkinson @maddavenport.bsky.social · 18/04/2026

It’s hard to know how to talk about this stuff, but the gap between the Bible training you get in a top MDiv program and what you’d need for general mastery of the field is considerably wider than the gap between what you might have as a lay-trained pastor and an MDiv graduate.

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Nathan Daniel Blake @sevenstorypilgrim.bsky.social · 16/04/2026

I was raised to believe that Christian Universalism was a cop out for those who wanted to sin. Instead it’s about Christ’s victory over death being so complete that eventually everything is reconciled back to the wholeness of the source of light and life. Same ending, different heart.

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 06/04/2026

I did an 8 AM service on a cruise ship yesterday, and a ninety-year-old Catholic man walked up to me afterwards and said “I’ve never heard a woman give the mass. First time!” And he gave me a big hug. So totally not what I expected his reaction to be. 🥲

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donoteat @donoteat.bsky.social · 06/04/2026

writing an e-mail and getting a prompt from AI "this sentence could be more concise" no. i am verbose. i am loquacious. i am long-winded and often redundant even. you machine, do not tell me how to form my words

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Breaking my social media silence to announce that I've just turned in the last paper for my degree program. 🎉

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

Last two business days of working on the paper that I have been dreading for three years. Mental state is somewhere between these two lyrics: “Are you still … Still breathing?” & “But my heart is wild And my bones are steam And I could kill you* with my bare hands if I were free.”

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

I arrived at my Seattle office today to find a note on my desk from the diocesan altar guild. They had something I might be interested in, it said. They were right! And now I have my own thurible. For teaching purposes, of course. 😂⚓️

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

I’m pretty quiet on the Internet because one of the things that Jesus is constantly having to save me from is scrapping in the comments. (This post inspired by my having made the mistake of logging onto Facebook yesterday. It’s unhinged over there.)

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 28/01/2026

“Okay, this time with jazz hands.” We commissioned our 5(!) newly licensed worship leaders on annual meeting Sunday. A very solid crew.

This is a picture of eight people wearing church vestments. There are two deacons dressed in abs with green stoles, five worship leaders, dressed in cassock and surplice, and in the middle there is a priest wearing a green chasuble. Almost everyone is doing jazz hands, except for one more stern looking fella.

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 26/01/2026

I know that it’s a little discordant that the world‘s on fire and I’m over here asking questions for a paper, but, those of you who attended a specifically Episcopal school for your MDiv: was your educational progress tracked in relation to the (TEAC) priestly competencies matrix? ⚓️

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

Oh y’all. It may be that my background in biochemistry is making me a bit of a snob about how data is collected/analyzed, but I am reading a report on Episcopal theological education and dude just made a conclusion based on words that *aren’t present* on diocesan websites. Is this social science? 🦋

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 22/01/2026

Thanks to everyone who has filled out this survey! If you haven’t, and you have 10 minutes to share your own experience in formation for ordained life, that input would certainly be helpful. ⚓️

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

I know the majority of priests have MDivs. I don’t - and I really try to avoid mentioning that. But since 2022, I have been going to school while parish-priesting. Today I attended the last lecture for my last class. Still have stuff to write/do before they hand me a degree, but: milestone. 🥹

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

Ordained folks: I’m collecting short reflections on formation for ministry - what prepared you, what you weren’t prepared for, and advice you have for the soon-to-be-ordained. ⚓️ Your response will help shape formation for future students. Thanks in advance! forms.gle/tor8J4grMNGb...

forms.gle

Formation for Ordained Ministry: Reflections

This survey gathers reflections from ordained individuals on their formation for ministry and how well that formation prepared them for the realities of ordained leadership. Responses may be completed...

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Mitch is tired 🇨🇦 🇺🇸 @mitchell509.bsky.social · 15/01/2026

Let the reader understand

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 15/01/2026

10 hours of Zoom meetings on the schedule for today. Lord, have mercy.

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Scott Gunn @scottagunn.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

“Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave…” People who claim to be Christians: coercive power is not the flex you think it is. ⚓️

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

Just absolutely spot on time to be taking an intensive class on the Imprecatory Psalms.

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Jay Edidin @edidin.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

A thing I wish more people knew: Therapists are not just for people living with mental illness. They can also help you--short or long-term--find your way through situations your life and relationships so far have not prepared you to navigate without expert support.

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 07/01/2026

It’s wild to think that, for most of my ancestors, an Advil and a hot bath would have been tantamount to a miracle cure. It is meet and right to praise God for a hot bath and an Advil.

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 05/01/2026

📕I rarely ever miss the intensity of the teaching workday. Counterpoint, there was never a day in my teaching career when I sent a question like this to my boss:

This is a screenshot of a text message that reads “I can’t believe I’m even asking you this question, but does this diocese have an appointed exorcist?” It also includes an emoji of a person expressing incredulity.

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Courtney Jones, as one untimely born @revecj.bsky.social · 05/01/2026

There is some evidence that The Malaise™️ has escaped containment to the web.

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