Grace Pritchard Burson

Funeral sermon for Michael Westwood

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All Saints’, Dorval Michael Westwood April 5, 2025 Meg and Michael’s names on the list of donors to the St. Mark’s organ restoration project in 2011. “For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” If you’re a musician like Michael Westwood was, you’ve already starting humming Handel’s music to these words…. View Post

Bits and bridles

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All Saints’, Dorval Lent IV, Year C March 30, 2025 Melanie Ferrio-Wise and Vlad (Photo from the Equine Chronicle, 2018) Do not be like horse or mule, which have no understanding; who must be fitted with bit and bridle, or else they will not stay near you. As a horse person, this verse has always annoyed me. I don’t know… View Post

Gathering under her wings

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All Saints’, Dorval Lent II, Year C March 16, 2025 My sister Marion holding a chick, spring 2012, with Peter (age 4) looking on Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and… View Post

Bowing down

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All Saints’, Dorval Lent I, Year C March 9, 2025   Grant, Almighty God, that your people may recognize their weakness and put their whole trust in your strength, so that they may rejoice forever in the protection of your loving providence; through Christ our Lord. Amen. This is the Lenten prayer over the people, which I will say at… View Post

Ash Wednesday is what you make of it

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All Saints’, Dorval Ash Wednesday, Year C March 5, 2025 For some reason, growing up, my family, which was otherwise incredibly churchy, did not do Ash Wednesday. We made a big splash at the parish Mardi Gras party the previous night, and we certainly marked the day by beginning our hard-core fast from sweets and desserts, but we never went… View Post