Dear People of St. David’s,
Late last year we moved the staff members who had cubicles in the second-floor area of the Chapel Building, over the Gift Shop and Art Gallery hallway, into the main corridor of offices above Allen Hall. We did this to enhance the sense of community among the staff, but it also left us an opportunity to do something new with that space. We took that opportunity to make it into a new library.
It took a while for the library to come to fruition. It took the Property Team moving the bookcases and books into the area. It took the dedicated work of several parishioners who painstakingly arranged the books. And it took many loving touches of plants, candles, chairs, and a cross to make it into the warm and inviting space that it is today.
I love walking through that library. I love our staff gatherings there on Thursday mornings as we pray Morning Prayer together. And I love knowing that it is being used by other groups that gather.
It is there for your use. It’s there to come and find a book to read. It’s there if you need a cozy and quiet place to work in. And it’s there if you just need an escape for a while. If nothing else, when you’re here on a Sunday, take a moment and explore it for a few moments.
A church library full of spiritual classics, Biblical commentaries, and theological works is a reminder that our faith is a journey and something that we can always take deeper. It holds a collection of works written by scholars, clergy, and regular people of faith who sought to share their research and insights so that others might learn from them and grow closer to God through them.
Faith in Jesus is a simple thing. Jesus first shared his teachings with fishermen and farmers. We know from the New Testament epistles that there were many slaves in the first Christian churches. You don’t need advanced degrees, knowledge of ancient languages, or piles of books to love your neighbor as yourself, love God with all you are, forgive, pray, and serve.
A mature faith in the infinite love of Jesus, however, also knows that there’s an infinite amount of love to explore, to know, and to feel. St. Anselm of Canterbury says that theology is “faith seeking understanding,” and the seeking never ends. Even if we “graduated” from Sunday School with perfect attendance and at the top of our class (!)—there are still great matters of faith to delve into.
As the days begin soon to cool, perhaps you’ll find a day to make yourself cozy in the library seated in a chair with a book. As we enter the fall, perhaps you will be inspired by all the students going back to school and you will consider finding a book (or a podcast!) to help you take your faith deeper.
Peace,
The Rev. Rick Morley
Rector
PS: To schedule use of the library for a meeting, please contact Diane Dowlin.
Published on September 18, 2026.