The Thankful Priest – Leyla King

Hi, I’m Leyla.

I’m an Episcopal priest, author, Palestinian American, and small church advocate – all of which are part of my identity as the Thankful Priest. Click here to learn more.

Daughters of Palestine

Daughters of Palestine is now available for pre-order wherever you get your books. Release-date of the paperback is July 8 but you can get an early digital copy by joining the Launch Team

Small Churches, Big Impact Collective

As one of the founders of the Small Churches Big Impact Collective, I’m passionate about the dynamic nature of small churches. The average Episcopal church has an average Sunday attendance of 40. Yet these small churches, all around the nation, are having a big impact on their members and communities. Click here to learn more.

Palestinian Anglicans and Clergy Allies

Palestinian Anglicans and Clergy Allies (PACA) is a grassroots organization of Palestinians – both living in the land of Palestine and in the diaspora – who are members of the Anglican Communion worldwide, and the ecumenical alliance of clergy and seminarians who support them. Our goal is to educate and equip the clergy of the Church in the global West to understand, teach and preach from sound theological and pastoral foundations about the realities faced by Palestinians. Click here to learn more.

The Thankful Priest
Blog

While I am an author and speaker, my blog is where I pen my most personal reflections.

Check out the Thankful Priest Blog by clicking here or scrolling down below.

Latest Blog Posts

  • The Good News of our Sinfulness: A Sermon

    Thankful Memorial, Chattanooga; October 27, 2019; Year C, 20 Pentecost, Proper 25 Joel 2:23-32; Psalm 65; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18; Luke 18:9-14 In the portion of Luke’s gospel we heard a few moments ago, Jesus tells a parable about two… Continue reading

  • Stewards of (Extra)ordinary Faith: A Sermon

    October 6, 2019; Year C, 17 Pentecost, Proper 22; Stewardship Discernment Season Kick-off; Thankful Memorial Episcopal ChurchLamentations 1:1-6; Lamentations 3:19-26; 2 Timothy 1:1-14; Luke 17:5-10 “The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’  The Lord replied, ‘If you had… Continue reading

  • Partakers of Mercy: A Sermon

    Thankful Memorial Episcopal Church, Chattanooga September 29, 2019; Year C, 16 Pentecost, Proper 21 Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15; Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16; 1 Timothy 6:6-19; Luke 16:19-31 Oftentimes, the readings we’re given on a Sunday morning are grouped around a shared idea. … Continue reading

  • Hope Endures

    This week has been rough.  It’s just been a long slog.  And by yesterday evening, I was just feeling bad.  There’s an Arabic word for it, za’alaana, which means something along the lines of upset and sad mixed together and… Continue reading

  • Make It Work!

    Some years ago, Ben and I used to watch Project Runway together.  Or, perhaps it would be truer to say that I used to watch Project Runway and Ben used to watch it with me.   The set-up for the reality… Continue reading

  • God is Crazy: A Sermon

    Thankful Memorial, Chattanooga; September 15, 2019; Year C, 14 Pentecost Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28; Psalm 14; 1 Timothy 1:12-17; Luke 15:1-10 In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen. Recently, I’ve rediscovered my… Continue reading

  • A Decade of Priesthood

    A few days ago, the Rev. Alison Cheek died at the age of 92.  Mother Alison was the first female Episcopal priest to celebrate the Eucharist.  She had been one of the so-called “Philadelphia Eleven,” eleven women active in the… Continue reading

  • The Emptiness

    Tomorrow will mark six years since my second baby’s death inside my womb at exactly eight weeks and six days old.  It was my first experience of grief on a visceral level.  Before that baby’s death (who, in my head,… Continue reading

  • Strangers at the Table: A Sermon

    Thankful Memorial, Chattanooga; September 1, 2019;Year C, 12 Pentecost, Proper 17 Jeremiah 2:4-13; Psalm 81:1, 10-16; Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16; Luke 14:1, 7-14 In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen. NPR’s Invisibilia… Continue reading

  • The Art of Small Parish Ministry

    Last Tuesday night, I led Thankful’s Vestry[i] meeting.  It was my first meeting of the Vestry since I returned from a 3-month sabbatical.  We had a lot of ground to cover, but, honestly, most of that ground was just the… Continue reading