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Wesley Evans

@wesleyevans.bsky.social
196 followers 87 following 645 posts

Episcopal Priest and member of the Anglican Order of Preachers living in Washington State. Sword fighting (HEMA) as a hobby, also hiking, mushrooms, TTRPGs, and occasionally bookbinding.

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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Observation: in Matthew 21 the verse about the owner killing the tenants isn’t something Jesus says. He asked “them” what the owner would do based on their experience. The “them” prob the leaders only and not even the crowd. What Jesus says by analogy is only their authority will be taken away. ⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
We have competing ideas of what education is for. Merely glorified job training? Or to develop better humans in virtue and critical thinking so to improve the Common Good? If the later, then higher education ought be heavily supported by public funds and companies ought expect a need to train.
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Apparently my midlife crisis involves sword fighting martial arts and 90s rock like Metallica. I said to my wife that at least I’m not buying a motorcycle, but another sword is certainly a possibility 😂 On the good side - exercise and good music!
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Things I want Dioceses to do (what to outsource): property, HR, payroll, financial advice. Things I want to do myself b/c it’s why I was drawn to ministry: teaching, discipleship classes, confirmation classes, liturgical design, community ministry, etc. Why would I outsource the better stuff?⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
You know you have a lot of military families when as a sermon illustration you mention that for civilians “Military Grade” means really good…and suddenly a voice from the pews am says “No!” 😂 Also: pro pastor tip. They don’t like being thanked for their service. Ask them best duty station instead⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Seven Swords has a special workshop today on Shillelagh fighting! This should be fun. So, Druid combat training?
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
I think humans tend towards overcorrection, but one of the strengths of the Anglican/Episcopal tradition is finding a middle ground by seeing truths in different ways of thinking. In particular as Rector of a heavily military parish I think there’s a good and proper place for military imagery 1/2⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
I’m always a gaming system behind, so only now getting into Cyberpunk2077. I can’t get over that the horrible dystopian vision of the future involves…private for profit health insurance. I mean, yes of course, but having America called out like that is darkly amusing every time.
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Please never ever feed communion to birds! Even if your theology somehow allows it, human bread is bad for birds! Don’t give bread to birds at all actually! Wildlife has their own diet which needs to be respected as much as their environment does. ⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Fun fact; there’s no rule in the Episcopal Church that says you must preach on the Gospel text every Sunday. More preaching from the Psalter would be good! ⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
My unpopular TEC opinion of the day: the church has a responsibility to fully welcome active duty military families involved in combat roles without consternation over if their faith is genuine or if they’re ethical enough to serve. Special Forces folk should be able to be on Vestry, LEV, LEM, etc⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
Am I reading too much into Matthew 5:14 that the condemnation isn’t about people who don’t believe the apostles, but rather those who are unwelcoming to host them or listen to them. And how important I wonder is that difference? ⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
Here begins Vacationtide, between Trinity and the beginning of Programseasontide starting the Sunday after Labor Day weekend. ⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
It is “the Art of Defense”, not “the Art of Attack”. One of my biggest long sword sparring challenges is being too focused on getting a hit in without enough regard to not getting hit myself! #HEMA
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
Me: “each step is a time to recognize God” Misspelled “recognize” Autocorrect: did you mean “recolonize God”? No. No I did not. Jesus rebuke ye. ⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 31/05/2026
Preaching on Trinity Sunday is a lot easier if you focus on how Jesus is God for the foundation, and see the Gospel as a thing God does rather than something we do. The Trinity makes sense as a implication of the divinity of the real historical Jesus and with a Gospel of God’s action for us. ⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
Reject newsletters, embrace RSS. Really, RSS feeds need to make a comeback. Imagine every community group, civic institution, local news, etc went back to rss for events and updates. One simple rss app to quickly peruse just the highlights of what you curate yourself. Then make it FOSS of course!
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
My favorite sword at the Academy to use is a shorter and slightly heavier and wider one. I already have a long reach. Thinking of going for fighting in the bind as a focus, to get really good at that. #HEMA
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
Made the intermediate class at Seven Swords Academy! Thursday sword fighting class. #HEMA
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
“YAHWEH is his name” I appreciated that Psalm 68 on Sunday from the BCP preserved the Divine Name Yahweh. I’ve started to use it much more in private prayer and sometimes it shows up in sermons. I find it meaningful and purposeful to preserve. ⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
One wonderful thing about my current parish is being both LGBTQ affirming and also supportive of military families being in the military. We exist in an odd place for both communities and I believe it an important place. TEC needs to be a spiritual home for military families as well ⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
Until it’s officially added to the Prayer Book I’m not changing the Baptismal Covenant or teaching anything different than what’s printed in the preparation class. Trial use ad hoc Covenant seems to go against the very idea of a community covenant. ⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
The new OTM website isn’t compatible with Linux because it needs a passkey which Linux doesn’t have support for natively. Would have to use something third party. Still not going back to Windows. Besides, has anyone really gotten a new position through OTM? Most places seem to bypass it. ⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
Two unconventional clergy advice for Holy Week now after more than a decade of being a priest - 1) go to the gym each day. Physical activity helps energy level overall. It really does help give you the energy needed to get a workout or yoga or something in after your prayers at home 1/3⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
I love the Vigil, I do, but it’s ok to also not do it. The liturgy was made for the Christian, not the Christian for the liturgy; and what was culturally relevant in the early church may not be so now. For most places Easter morning will be the main worship service, and ought be the focus there.⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
Happy Lady Day! (Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary!) ⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
For those into such things. A little liturgy for the start of Spring. I like the idea of doing a toast with mead on these days so this is what my wife and I use. Praying in the new season! ⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 21/03/2026
I love liturgy itself and the art of it, but the older I get the more I think liturgical “theology” is mostly pseudo profound nonsense as a veneer for “I just like it this way” - and modern liturgical theology needs to deal with it’s irrational aversion to the Medieval Era ⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 07/03/2026
One of the oddest things about being Episcopalian is that it seems the majority of my clergy friends are either Monarchists (or adjacent) or Marxist (or adjacent). ⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
Evangelism is Outreach, participating in a community event is Outreach, being directly involved with another org but with our promotion material available is “Outreach”. “Outreach” ought never be the same as charity grants. Many parishes have an odd def of “Outreach” I think. ⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
Why are so many mainliner Christians fascinated by Buddhism? Of all other religions they have about the least appeal to me and I have no desire to become nothing. Why not “interfaith dialogue” with Neopagans? I find them vastly more interesting! That could be an intriguing discussion! ⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 03/02/2026
One reason I prefer many older liturgies is because they don’t shy away from blessing actual things. The objects themselves directly and not just prayers for the people who use them. In preparation for Candlemas today, this past Sunday I blessed candles for people to take home. Happy Candlemas! ⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 01/02/2026
A little video on my possibly unique take of the Babel story ⚓️
youtube.com
St. Mary's Live: The Tower of Babel - a blessing and not a curse?
YouTube video by St. Mary's Lakewood
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 22/01/2026
When I was very young I lost massive hearing in one ear, was supposed to use a hearing aid in high school. I have high prescription contacts (-13.5!!) and retinal degeneration in one eye. My body has broken parts and that’s ok to say. My hope is their repair in the future physical resurrection.1/2⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 19/01/2026
What’s your working definition of “social justice”? And what’s the difference between it and “charity” for you? I see churches with SJ ministries that to me seem like standard charity. Are donations to a food bank SJ? Utility assistance? Does it need to involve directly addressing civic policy?⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 18/01/2026
Keeping the feast day per rubric option! ⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 17/01/2026
So for those of you in TEC who use “The Divine”. Serious question, why? Is it more theological? An aspect of personal piety? Just something you grew up with or adopted? Why is it seemingly more common in mainline settings? (Yes, I get that “God” is not technically a proper name either.) ⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
Updated meme for millennial themes - “This looks AI. I can tell from some of the pixels, and from seeing quite a few AIs in my time”
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 11/01/2026
Given the context of the Roman Empire the Acts 10 passage this Sunday is shocking. Cornelius is a part of the occuping army that conquered the area, yet the text places emphasis on the occupied (Peter) learning the spiritual lesson of acceptance. 1/4 ⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 07/01/2026
It’s time! Happy Epiphany! ⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 06/01/2026
Still mulling how to best articulate this. I’ve noted that certain types of Xtian are inherently contradictory. They glorify the idea of being different from “the world”, in conflict with its values, and being persecuted. But also decry any perceived lack of respect as loss of “culture” ⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 06/01/2026
If exorcism is trending in TEC bluesky then I need to plug @drfrancisyoung.bsky.social books on the history of exorcism in Christianity generally (for medieval history in particular), and the one on exorcism in Anglicanism. For parish practical I also like “Deliverance” by Michael Perry. ⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
Reminder that Microsoft is going to start charging non profits this year and end support for Publisher. If you use Office 365 it’s a subscription, and Publisher will be removed from your computer! Also forcing AI! Fellow clergy consider Linux. I use Kubuntu and Open Office. Free and no AI, FYI⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
What if each season of Stranger Things is also each edition of D&D: From S1/1e where everyone is weak and a anything can kill you style deadly pulp fiction, to S5/5e where everyone is an epic hero doing big things with plot armor and no sense of danger except to the NPCs?
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
The Magi reading may have been used, hymns about the them may have been sung, Epiphany chalk may have been blessed, but per BCP it still wasn’t Epiphany which always falls on January 6. After years of parish ministry I understand the impulse to move it. But the rubric at this time is what it is ⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 01/01/2026
Episcopal/Anglican preaching: is there a unique style or “vibe”? Besides the shorter time how would you describe or define TEC preaching? Do we have a somewhat common style different to others, and what characteristics does it have if so? ⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 29/12/2025
A friend is helping me to make a deck around the Ghostbusters MTG cards! If I get into this, at least it’s not 40k like back in the day when I did some of that!
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 28/12/2025
Tomorrow I focus on John 1:14-18, tie in Moses, the Exodus, and HP Lovecraft. Yes indeed! What would it be like to fully “see” God? Break our minds like plugging a lamp into a power plant directly? Why do we need God to act to see him though the interface of the Incarnation? ⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 27/12/2025
We had three Christmas services. Same core but different piety - Contemporary with band, Classic with smells and bells, and Xmas morning Traditional Rite I Ad Orientem. All good in their own way. I don’t understand the visceral negative reaction some people have to eastward facing Eucharist? ⚓️
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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 25/12/2025
Ready for round 2! 4p was our Contemporary, now for Classic with incense and chanting! Merry Christmas all! ⚓️
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