We’re moving to Austin!

by Derek Michael Larson, posted in Uncategorized

sswcrossMany of you know this past January I was made a postulant for Holy Orders in the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta. The biggest part of being a postulant is receiving formal training and education. Over the last few months LauraAnn, Bear, and I have been immersed in seminary research and conversations with the bishop’s office, and we’ve discerned that God is calling us to the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, TX. We’ll be moving around the first of August and will be there for three years before returning to the Atlanta area.

Obviously we are excited about taking this next step, but of course all moves come with some sadness about what we are leaving behind. It’s bittersweet to leave my position as chaplain at St. George’s Episcopal School. I’ve developed some meaningful relationships and poured my heart and soul into my ministry there. I’m glad that I’ve had the opportunity to gain so much valuable experience in a place like SGES. It has been a crucial part of my journey towards the priesthood, and I’m thankful for that. We’ll also miss being so close to family. We don’t know very many people in Texas and its difficult to leave the community we have here.

At the same time we are so looking forward to all of the great things ahead! We fell in love with the Seminary of the Southwest when we visited; its going to be the perfect place for us to live, work, and pray over the next three years. I am sooo excited.

Wish us prayers, blessings, luck, and all around good vibes for what’s ahead!

Welcome to my site!

Featured by Derek Michael Larson, posted in Uncategorized

Hello all! You have reached the ministry webpage for Derek Michael Larson. Below are blog posts updated frequently with homilies, thoughts on faith and my current engagement in ministry. Above are links to pages with previous homilies, ministry projects, and how to connect with me. To the right is a place to sign up to receive email updates each time I post on this site. Let me know if you have any questions! I look forward to connecting with you.

Pax et bonum, Derek

#StephonClark and the Passion

by Derek Michael Larson, posted in Uncategorized

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PBS Column: White People Don’t Understand the Trauma of Viral Police-Killing Videos

All I could think about during this past Sunday’s reading of the Passion was #StephonClark and all the other black men killed by police recently and over the history of this country. A couple months ago a police officer next door to my workplace was arrested for playing a part in hiding the murder of a young black man in the 80’s. This kind of thing is literally happening in my own backyard, but it’s so easy to not think about.

As my church community read the story of Christ’s crucifixion, I couldn’t help but think of all the black men “crucified” today.

Every year there’s a part in the reading played by the congregation. Together we shout, “Crucify him!” Every year we squirm in our seats just a little at the words. This year I squirmed more.

I squirmed because I know that my whiteness has given me a privilege in society to be unaffected at each new headline outlining the death of another black man. My whiteness has allowed me to read that headline, shake my head, and move on with my life. My indifference to racial injustice in this country is the same as crying out “crucify!” My silence is the same as Peter’s denial of knowing Christ. It’s not that I don’t care, it’s that often I don’t care enough to be bothered.

This Holy Week the Spirit is leading me to reflect more on the what it means to pick up my cross and follow Jesus. The spirit is asking me to look into the face of Christ in the face of my black brothers and sisters and not to run away as the disciples did.

I pray this Easter brings with it new life, a new world, a new society, and a new dream where the reign of God breaks open the floodgates to let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream. #blacklivesmatter

Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

“We see the videos and we are authentically horrified and saddened by what we see. But many of us [white people] have the ultimate privilege of changing the channel, clicking on another Facebook post. We can make it go away if we choose and the horror of the scene is quickly forgotten. We can leave it behind and go about our day. And most white people don’t attune to just how different an experience it is for black people.”
— Dr. Jonathan Kanter, University of Washington

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/column-trauma-police-dont-post-videos

 

#ENOUGH

by Derek Michael Larson, posted in Uncategorized

So proud to have been able to stand with our HS students today, one month after the school tragedy in Parkland, FL, to remember and honor the victims. At 10:00am the students met in front of the school and walked in silence to the chapel, along the way ringing 17 bells and tying 17 orange ribbons to the school for each of the 17 victims. In the chapel, prayers and encouraging words were shared and 17 candles were lit while pictures were placed in 17 empty chairs and 17 names were read with a brief sentence about each. Psalm 88 was read. The service was closed with words of hope. We don’t have to accept these events as normal. We can effect change. We can have the hard conversations. We can speak to people of influence. We can be more kind and loving to our neighbor. We can take our baptismal call more seriously to respect the dignity of every human being. We can put an end to this. We can make a difference. Enough is #Enough.