Chotard Doll

Dear Friends,

On this date the church celebrates Phillips Brooks, Bishop of Massachusetts, who died on this day in 1893.

I’ve heard that name all my life. He is well known as an inspired preacher, and is the author of “O Little Town of Bethlehem.”

Given his generation, his pedigree from the best of families, and his education at Boston Latin School and Harvard, I had certain expectations as I explored his background. A reminder: don’t make prejudgments!

This legendary preacher and later bishop was fired from his first job as a teacher at Boston Latin School, and considered himself a failure. But he went on the Virginia Theological Seminary, and was ordained.

A few years later he became Rector of the prestigious Trinity Church in Boston, where he inspired architectural changes which included the first free-standing altar in the United States—a hundred years ahead of the rest of the church! In addition, there were no choir stalls to distract from the centrality of the altar, and no pulpit. He preached from the steps or from the lectern.

Several volumes of his sermons were published during his lifetime and afterward.

He is also known for introducing Helen Keller and her teacher/companion Ann Sullivan to Christianity.

So different from what I expected. When God inspires us to serve, unexpected things happen!

Faithfully, 

—Chotard