Church of the Holy Comforter

09/08/2026

"God's mercies never end. They are new every morning" Lamentations 3:23

One of my all time favorite movies is "Saving Private Ryan". As a combat veteran, by the end of Saving Private Ryan, I'm in tears. The movie taps into my grief over friends lost in combat, the 16 Soldiers for whom I had "last rites" and those I've lost to death by su***de.

Grief and loss are like a fingerprint; unique to all.
My favorite scene is at the end of the movie when the old man/former Soldier, hoping he has "earned" the sacrifice of his comrades, turns and says to wife his 'Tell me I've lived a good life. Tell me I'm a good man."

My encouragement to the Soldiers I served, especially in combat, where life was reduced it its studs, and to those who I am blessed to serve at Holy Comforter Episcopal Church is always "Go home better, not bitter". Each day is a gift from God. Be quick to love and make haste to be kind.

09/07/2026

"Will not all those who approach the fountain of sweetness (Eucharist/Communion) with humility take some of its sweetness away with them?"

Thomas a' Kempis : The Imitation of Christ.

I HAVE A DREAM. In the midst of so much division, people receive the Body and Blood of Jesus, the full presence of Jesus.

They look around and see a snapshot of heaven. Straight folks, LGBT folk, people of color, divorced people, Republicans, Democrats, adulterers, cheats, liars, all broken leaky vessel people, beggars in need of mercy and grace.

We are all a hot mess before God. May our hearts be softened and warmed, filled with gratitude as we take the sweetness of the Gospel into daily living loving and serving God and others, in the midst of the daily and the ordinary.

09/06/2026

The 10:30 AM Service of Church of the Holy Comforter, The Rev. Glenn A. Palmer Preacher/Celebrant

09/06/2026

'For nothing is created, however small and insignificant, that is not a reflection of the goodness of God". Thomas a' Kempis.

This is the time of year one can sometimes see the baby alligators at the park downtown in North Augusta SC. (from a safe distance as Momma is also there). The baby alligators are actually quite colorful and stunning. All creation and all humanity is infused with grace.

We live in a moment when so many claiming to follow Jesus seem to celebrate and encourage the hurting, demeaning and belittling of others.

God, help us to see in the "other" a lamb of your own flock, a child of God created by you, in your image. May we at the very least do no harm. At best help us encourage and care for "the other". Love God. Love Others. Serve God. Serve Others.

"Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law." Romans 13:10

09/05/2026

"God made man because God loves stories". Elie Wiesel

In 1909, the South Harpswell Maine postmaster, my grandfather, Alfred Palmer, arrives at Eagle Island with a telegram from Admiral Peary announcing he's reached the North Pole. A group of reporters gather on the island. One reportedly says, “What do you have to say Mrs. Peary?” Mrs. Peary says to the group, “”I say come on boys, let’s have a drink.”

That's a great story. One I heard from my father growing up. Stories define, form us and shape us as humans and as God's people.

I love hearing folks stories over a cup of coffee at the Dunkin Donuts located about 100 yards from my office at the Episcopal Church of the Holy Comforter in Martinez (Augusta) GA.

My story of faith started at Grace Episcopal Church in Bath, Maine. We all have the opportunity, daily, to craft and create our stories; stories woven into God's story, stories with life giving "ripples". I pray that when the time comes my life, as a child of God, has told an imperfect story of virtue, grace, goodness and kindness

09/04/2026

Jesus said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” But she answered him, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” Mark 7: 27-28

In the spring of 1940 my grandmother, Bamma, stormed into the office of the President of Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, demanding her son Arthur be rightfully accepted based on his academic merits.

She was a humble, God-fearing woman with enough self-respect to stake her claim. She won.

Jesus has a back and forth with a woman at the end of her rope because of her daughters illness. She owns her space, coming back at Jesus. She has enough self-respect to demand Grace. Jesus offers grace. Walls come tumbling down. Sloppy, messy expansive love and mercy prevail. In God's eyes there are no DOGS and no one is invisible

09/03/2026

This week's Enews:

Email from Church Holy Comforter CHURCH OF THE HOLY COMFORTER September 3, 2026   NEXT MONTH On Sunday, October 4 at 10:30am, we will have our annual Blessing of the Animals. Bring your well behaved p

09/02/2026

"It is the sweet simple things of life that are the real ones after all"
Laura Ingalls Wilder.

A couple of years back, my wife, our daughter, and one of our grandson's and I went to see "Marcel the Shell with Shoes On"
Marcel is a hilarious and heartwarming in a story about finding connection in the smallest corners, in the ordinary and simple things of life. See it.

We were recently home in Maine for 10 days. We spent the cool evenings on the deck, over the lake, listening to the haunting call of the Loons.

This past Sunday our Bishop, The Right Rev. Frank Logue, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia, preached on the assigned lesson from the Hebrew Scriptures, the story of the burning bush. He shared the importance of seeking and being aware of the Holy in the midst of the ordinary and mundane.

Creator of all. Help us to be content. The grass withers, the flower fades. Guide us towards being fully present in the moments you provide and thanking you for those moments. Amen.

09/01/2026

“Aslan is a lion-the Lion, the great Lion”.

“Ohh!” Said Susan, “I’d thought he was a man. Is he-quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a Lion”.

“Safe?”, said Mr. Beaver, "Who said anything about safe? Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you”.

From C.S. Lewis, "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe".

Jesus is not safe and does not call us to safety. I pray for the Church. I pray we are known not for what we are against but what we are for. I pray we know FOR compassion, kindness, truth, concern for the "other", and for decency, goodness and virtue

God of unbridled grace, stoke our imaginations and souls so we might love and serve you and others in all we say and do. AMEN.

08/30/2026

Good morning and welcome to the Service!