February 2014
Welcome to WheretheWind.com. My name is Adam Thomas. I am a priest and a writer, and I couldn’t do one without the other. Writing helps me process how God is moving in my life and how I am responding to that movement. And being a priest gives me things to write about.
If you stumble into the back left hand corner of your local Barnes & Noble (that’s where they keep the Christian fiction — as far from the coffee as possible), you might have come across my first novel, Letters from Ruby, which was published in August 2013. I hope you will give it a read. Everyone I know who has read it has told me it’s not too shabby, and that everyone includes more than just my mom.
This website (and my priesthood) is in its sixth year. Features like the Moving Picture Bible Study and DevotiONEighty have come and gone, but my desire to keep creating content remains. I hope to get back to video blogging in the near future as time permits. Look out for more frequent sermons, too, as I am now preaching every week. This is a result of being called as the rector of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Mystic, Connecticut.
I hope you will continue this journey with me and look for where the wind of the Holy Spirit is blowing in your life. Ask yourself these two questions. Where do you find God’s presence in each of your days? And where is God calling you to be God’s presence in this world? God has never stopped creating, and each one of us has the joyous opportunity to join God’s creative activity. This creativity mixes imagination, wonder, and compassion with devotion, discipline, and elbow grease. When we respond to God’s creativity with our own, the outcome brings more love and more freedom than there was before. Think how blessed we are to be a part of it!
Thank you for reading WheretheWind.com. May God show you where your unique gifts can bring healing to this broken, yet beautiful world.
Where the Wind... 
Dear Adam+
This is a great website and I look forward to many postings by WTW. Thanks for mentioning SIM and providing a link to our website.
Cheers and God bless!
Jerry+
I look forward to interacting with you here, I saw you on Anglimergent.
Terry p/BSG
Had an encounter today similar to the one you had at the fair. I’ll call you soon. Painting is soon to be on its way.
Love,
Melinda
Adam, great work with the website. Very impressive and in a short period of time. We are thankful to God that your journey passed through Martinsburg. Keep smiling.
John
Not only can you deliver as an orator, but in the written word as well. This is really enjoyable reading. I come away with a sense of learning more about…myself, the bible, perceptions…or perhaps it is because I sometimes (sheepishly) admit to opening a new tab and browsing the dictionary for an uncertain word–actually makes it that much more enjoyable.
Keep it up,
Brad
I myself am just entering the “local discernment” process for ordination in The Episcopal Church. Hopefully we will deal with each other in great ways.
Adam:
I thought you might appreciate the following link, which is about an older organist and a young curate who have different ideas about music:
I enjoyed having the opportunity to talk with your father last week.
Bob
i got a message from your dad on myspace and he sent me to your blog website. i was so intriqued that i read for 30 mins. you have grown up to be such a smart and handsome guy. i wish the best for you. i am guessing your dad helped to inspire you to become a priest. he is a great one that really helped me to grow in my christian life. i am proud of you and so looking forward to your future blogs.
Hi Adam,
I found this via your (great) post on Episcopal Cafe, and was really struck by the tag-line “one of the first Millennials to be ordained priest.” I guess I am too–I’m Canada, in the diocese of Montreal. There’s a few of our generation around here, ordained and in seminary.
Anyhow, it’s great to find a fellow traveler.
Pax.
Your writings in the Christian Century and in the Theolog this month are profound and imaginative. Thanks, and I’ll look forward to looking in now and again. Peace
Discovered you in Christian Century’s “Living the Word” for Lent I and checked you out. I like what I see . . . refreshing . . . profound! Please notify me of new posts via email.
Thanks so much.
Rich (Retired ELCA)
We enjoyed seeing our visit this morning and look forward to a service soon. We appreciate all the time you spent with us and are very encouraged by your energy and plans for youth. Thank you again.
Miss you around Trinity, but we know you’re keeping them in good shape in MA. Congratulations on your coming marriage. Ruby keeps up the pre-service music at 7:30 with her hymn renditions.
Greetings Adam,
I just found your blog and it is awesome! I am 28 years old and in the discernment process for ordination as a priest. It is great to know that there are other people of our generation who are answering God’s call to service as Priest.
Fr. Adam,
I found this via your (great) post on Episcopal Cafe! Your writing is captivating. I am a layperson several hours southwest of Sewanee. Almost 15 years ago, I went through
the United Methodist process because *I* thought it was quicker; wanted to accomplish a couple of things for my parents. My father suddenly became ill with cancer. Their
committee told me “No” to a deferment; which I had gotten from the seminary(I realize such a decision is not reflective of all such committees) and my pastor and his wife felt it necessary to take me to lunch to inform me of what I could and could not do as a layperson … Well, duh, I never considered myself anything but a layperson. So I fled back to the welcoming arms of The Episcopal Church. To make a long story short, seven years later I moved, got married and became an active layperson in a rural parish. I look forward to reading more of your blogs.
Peace
Hi, Adam.
I just finished Digital Disciple. It was my commuting book this past week (I try to work through various books while I ride the train to and from the city).
I appreciated your sincerity and your humor and your theological reflection.
May God continue to bless you and grow you ever deeper in faith, hope, and love.
Peace
Dan Randall
Hi reverend. My name is Ivan. I’m a 16 year old gay catholic boy.
I’m really interested in joing the episcopal church. Since I was a little boy the priesthood always seemed appealing to me. Because of me sexual orientation I know the catholic church is not where I belong. I hope to join the episcopal church and go into seminary. Your page has been helpfully.
God bless
Ivan,
Know that you will be in my prayers as you discern your calling. There are some great Episcopal Churches in the Bay Area. I commend them to you. Here’s a link that shows all of them. Many Blessings,
Adam
Hey Adam, Hope the post generates some traffic for you and readership of your book. I really enjoyed it, just sorry it took me so long to get around to it! Thanks for all your great work and I look forward to continuing to hear from you. – Jason
From a fellow Sewanee alum and religion and philosophy major I have to say YSR!!! Love your blog!
Too bad that in these past 5 years since your ordination, the wind has yet to blow you to a parish that is not all white and mostly wealthy. Just perhaps you may find something “bigger” to put your ministry and your gifts to test and real use. Remember, feeling the wind blow is often not recognized, or simply ignored, in those set apart places of privilege. Don’t settle for another 5 years of blog writing to deepen your relationship with God and to invite others in – get your ass out there in the fields.
Fr. Martin — Thank you for the encouragement to discover God’s wind blowing in new places and situations. It is possible to get “stuck” and start ignoring God’s movement; complacency is, indeed, the bane of ministry. That being said, I invite you to visit my church: I think you’ll take joy in discovering the Holy Spirit is very present here, as well.