iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

We do? At most it may be 4-5 times a year max *if* there’s a Baptism on the BCP recommended Baptism days or *if* they’re done those days anyway. We maybe say the Baptism stuff 2x a year on the two days I do most Baptisms. I find it odd they think it’s frequent enough to be memorized.

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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. ⚓️

Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

So in my view all degrees should be eligible for full public funds merely because the degree exists. Higher Ed is an inherent good for civilization. Ideally we’d fund it in full as a society.

Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

By that I mean, corporations increasingly put pressure on colleges to “give them” workers they didn’t need to train. But really corporations are owed nothing by society at all, and ought to provide entry level training on their own dime. Higher Ed ought be for the Common Good, not the Bottom Dollar

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.

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 · 26/09/2026

I’m willing to negotiate the details, but regardless the main point being that ministry happens on the ground in Parishes; whereas Diocesan structures should exist to support the Parish in its ministry. And the best way to support us is to take on more of the admin burden to free us for discipleship

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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⚓️

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 understand it can and has been taken too far and down horrible paths, but I don’t think that negates the good in it either. We can and should allow spirituality that includes military and combat language. I’d say the same for regal as well. Context can vary of course, and in mine it works 2/2⚓️

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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 · 11/09/2026

Maybe better: the BCP is the pattern. Galley, Michno, Lamburn, and anyone else are the idea books to make the pattern come to life - but each is doing a different method with different notions and fabric. Learn why they do, then learn when to do different than them or mix them up!

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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

The BCP is the basic recipe, those other books are the style guides. One thing is to remember Galley etc are not “authorities”, but giving style advice. I rarely use Galley at all, for example, and disagree on several points. Other places will be more close. There’s not a “right way” of doing it

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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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A friend is in military logistics. Yes to this. We’re not strong militarily because we have manly men doing big strong man things - but because we can get a cheese danish delivered anywhere in the world in 24-48 hours. It’s supply lines, administration, and technology every time.

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Oh. Oh no. I’d have such a hard time not internally cringing. I’d burn social capital to stop that somehow.

Absolutely not to the birds! I ended that here. My AC side couldn’t and thankfully the Altar Guild agreed! Birds are not properly recipients and also human bread is actually really bad for them! One should never feed birds bread anyway!

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One way to prevent too much visual attention to that I think is the priest traditional ablutions plus some music for people to sing. I just do it reverently but efficiently.

Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Yep! I stopped a practice here of pouring the sacramental blood into the ground and feeding the sacramental body to birds - who I don’t believe are proper recipients - and instituted the ablutions. If it’s too much I ask help from the Servers or the AG is supposed to consume after at most.

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Having said that, the very military cultural influence of this parish means they very much respect authority positions. I’d rather people call me “Wesley” and respect the role of Rector than “Fr. Evans” and not care. But YMMV

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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

There’s some strong regional culture that goes into this. In Dallas clergy often used titles with ourselves. But in W Washington “Fr. Evans” (though a few use it) was way too formal, so I used “Fr. Wesley; and even over time many in the parish now just say “Wesley”. But it’s more casual in the PNW

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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

My biggest thing at the moment is just - the rubrics say receive first. I think it’s an issue of integrity to ordination vows to do so if for no other reason. If we’re only following rubrics when we like them then we’re not following but ourselves. A very American individualist thing to do.

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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 · 28/06/2026

What would you say his view was in summary? Smeared by the Welsh saints? I recall David was opposed to his ideas.

Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

Yeah. From what I’ve read Pelagius was the equivalent of the modern street preacher who believes True Christians(TM) never sin. His rejection of Original Sin didn’t mean he was a pseudo-humanist, but that everyone is going to hell except Xtians who live holy enough lives b/c there’s no excuse to not

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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

Is there an option for the convoluted written rubric allowing all major Holy Days to be observed on the Sunday they fall during basically green seasons? The “if desired however…” etc? We’re keeping St Luke on Sunday this year under that rubric for example.

Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

Second, there’s the issue of certainty. Sacraments as the “sure and certain means” idea. God can obviously work however and whenever for whomever and not bound by the sacraments. But we can’t be certain God will work though someone random just because. Whereas ordination also means certainty 2/2

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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

I think the key is delegation of authority. God is always the primary, but tends to work through specific people in specific circumstances. Ordination happens to the the means by which a person is set apart to be that designated person by which God works as primary cause. 1/2

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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

This wasn’t a “subtweet” (subsky?) but an observation of mainline culture having now been in a heavily military community for a few years.

Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

I’ve not seen a case where it was used to exclude. I’m using a bit of rhetoric to make a point about being welcoming for what can sometimes seem like unease over it. It doesn’t make one in particular qualified no. Though the leadership experience is helpful I’ve seen personally!

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Wesley Evans @wesleyevans.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

And part of the chickens that have come home to roost is the general abandonment of the military by mainline Christians both serving in the military, but also support on the parish level and by clergy. We handed the military over on a silver platter to the nondenoms and lost moral influence there ⚓️

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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 · 03/06/2026

This was hard for me. I think I obviously don’t read much modern theology at all! Several I took guesses on any deeper ideas, and several ideas I’d not heard of. But this isn’t a surprise considering NT Wright was the first Anglican theologian I encountered. My next ones gave me a reading list!

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

Our local news doesn’t seem to offer one. We have many community events at local libraries and parks, and wouldn’t it be fantastic if all of those put stuff on there instead of individual apps or Google calendars? I’m degoogleing my life so that later I’m trying to get away from.

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