News from the Congregation March 14, 2023

Apr 15

Written By Steven Lee; Marsha Ra & Joan Adams

**‘‘‘Our Faith May Not Be Magic…’ ; ‘Bending the Titanium Knee of My Heart’ ”** | Dates to Remember |Pride Month Programing; Sunday Programs: 10:30am Worship Service In-Person and Online, 11:30am All Are Welcome Coffee Hour, 4:00pm Evensong| Weekday Programs: M-S Morning and Evening Prayer (Zoom)

Canon Lee

Last Friday, I mentioned that Canon Suarez would be on the Today Show with a rabbi and an imam to discuss this holy season for the three Abrahamic faiths, when Easter, Passover, and Ramadan coincide. She did a fantastic job on the live segment, which you can see here.

I was so grateful when Rabbi Gewirtz asserted that "faith is not magic."

We come to church in order to have a transformative encounter with Jesus Christ. We meet Jesus in the Bread and Wine, in Scripture, in the preached Word, and in one another.

But this encounter is not magic. This encounter does not automatically make everything in our life better.

Instead, as Canon Suarez so beautifully put it, this encounter transforms us by bringing us into deeper connection with God and with one another. When an assembly of disparate people drink from the common cup or wash each other's feet, we not only rehearse and practice unity, but in that moment, we manifest it.

Out of this deep connection to God and to one another, we are able to do things we wouldn't normally do, such as forgiving those who persecute and hate us. Sometimes, we can even love them.

Our faith may not be magic, but its effects can be magical.

Message from the Congregation

Marsha Ra writes about her experience of gratitude during the Triduum:

Holy Week and Easter are always rich and moving. God reaches us through the rituals, the music, the prayers and the sermons. For me the highpoints were Canon Lee’s Good Friday sermon and seeing people in church on Easter Sunday that I haven’t seen in years. I missed the Vigil but hear that Canon Suarez chanted the Exultet with great beauty. This year, however, the high point happened outside of the church when God reminded me that I am not always as filled with gratitude as I should be.

On Maundy Thursday I was delighted that we had a rare opportunity to sing many hymns. But when the foot washing began I was thrown into a self-centered attack of sadness. It was obvious that I couldn’t take part in the foot washing. It is impossible for me to kneel and wash someone else’s feet. My titanium knee would have balked as would have my “un-operated” knee which is waiting for its replacement in June. I thought, “Well, probably next year.” But then it dawned on me, it would not be possible next year or ever again. Watching the clergy, liturgical staff, altar guild and other volunteers running back and forth with bowls and pitchers of water became very depressing. This self-pity lasted through Good Friday. After venerating the cross (standing erect, I’m afraid) I walked to Broadway to get on a bus. That’s when God took away the wallowing and showed me something beautiful: The graciousness that can exist right in our New York City community—the care that makes it possible for people with bad knees and no knees at all to participate to a great extent in City life. At the bus stop with me were another older woman with a cane and a young woman in a motorized wheelchair. The bus arrived. A ramp was lowered so the wheelchair could drive on. Once on the bus we met a third woman with a cane and one with a walker. We all began to chat. The woman in the wheelchair told us that she was delighted that the chair allowed her to be completely independent. She could go practically anywhere. At the next stop yet another person in a wheelchair got on and those of us with canes and walkers moved back into seats vacated by people who were not visibly disabled. The new buses in the City make this all possible. There is such dignity in being able to travel depending only on people being willing to let us take those front seats. If you have no mobility issues you may not have noticed that every single corner sidewalk curb is graded to accommodate wheelchairs. There are many other things that can be done to make people with mobility issues independent but the community is certainly making efforts and that is reason to rejoice and experience gratitude.

How do we manage to accommodate people in the Church? Efforts are certainly made. “All stand who are able” is a message that takes the guilt away when I am having a bad day. Communion is brought to people who can’t come up to a Communion station. People who have issues with gluten are brought gluten free Communion wafers. There is a ramp to enter in a wheel chair, though an elevator would be a wonderful addition. As for kneeling: well, I concentrate on the words from The Prayer of Manasseh that we say often at Morning Prayer during Lent:

“And now, Oh Lord, I bend the knee of my heart, *
And make my appeal, sure of your gracious goodness.”

Penitence is possible even with titanium knees!

NEWS FROM THE CATHEDRAL - Cathedral of Saint John the Divine (stjohndivine.org

DATES TO REMEMBER
PRIDE MONTH EVENTS AT THE CATHEDRAL
Pride Eve Celebration: May 31, 2023 Opening of art exhibit Queer Icons by local artist Gabriel Garcia Roman; the event will include cocktails and remarks, and culminate with lighting the Cathedral interior in pride colors.
Pride Family Day: June 3, 2023 Held in partnership with the Cathedral School, the Cathedral will host a family day featuring an ice cream truck, a special section of resources for LGBTQ+ families, book readings, games, dancing, and a performance by the Queer Big Apple Corps Marching Band.
Faith Perspectives Panel: June 5, 2023 Moderated discussion with leading LGBTQ+ religious thinkers on the intersection of the LGBTQ+ community and religion. This event will also be livestreamed and recorded to reach as many people as possible.
Community Choir Evensong: June 18, 2023 LGBTQ+ Community Choir and Evensong service featuring works by queer-identified composers.
Film Screening: My Name Is Pauli Murray: July 1, 2023 Documentary screening ofMy Name is Pauli Murray, celebrating the feast day of Pauli Murry, the first African-American female Episcopal priest and civil rights leader who championed gender equality, and commemorating the close of Pride month.
“Divine Pathways” Ribbon Project: Opening Fall 2023. Brooklyn-based artist Anne Patterson’s large-scale multimedia installation of hundreds of ribbons suspended from the Cathedral’s ceiling, each ribbon inscribed with a wish, prayer, or hope from Cathedral community members.

Young Adults of Saint Saviour Bible Study (Meets once a month)

All members of the Cathedral Community and Congregation in their 20s and 30s are invited to a Bible study hosted by the Young Adults of Saint Saviour. Last month we discussed the beginning of Jesus’ ministry and his call for us to change our hearts.
Immediately after the service, we gather in the nave during coffee hour and walk over to the Chapel of Saint James in the Cathedral.

No preparation or prior Bible study experience is necessary. All young adults are welcome!

NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE Home - Episcopal Diocese of New York (dioceseny.org)
All Singers in the Diocese Are Warmly Invited to join the Diocesan Consecration Choir for the Celebration of the life of the Diocese of New York and the consecration of the Bishop Coadjutor
Saturday, May 20, at 11 a.m. at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine
Sign Up Here Deadline for Signing Up: May 1

NEWS FROM THE CONGREGATION

The Weekly Sunday Hospitality continues.

Research shows that the more you give the more you get. The more you help, the more invested you become in your church and the more it feeds you. Isn’t that amazing? Do you enjoy the coffee and the treats--the time together every week for conversation and welcoming of visitors? To keep this ministry going we need to expand the number of people involved. If you are on the list of helpers and providers of snacks, THANK YOU! If you haven’t volunteered yet— why not join the team? There is nothing exclusive about it. All are welcome to help out. If you can come once a month or every 6 -8 weeks to set up before the service and clean-up after the coffee hour, please contact Marsha Ra or Sue Sobolewski. Or talk to us on any Sunday. We will get you started on this ministry.

NEWS FROM THE VESTRY

GIVE/SERVE

Questions about Realm, the Congregation’s Online Hub for Giving, Volunteering, and Reaching Out to One Another
The Admin team would love to hear from you. Whether you need help making the shift to online donations, setting up your account, or just want to know what Realm can do for you, please contact Laura and Bob at this email address: info@saintsaviour.org

THIS SUNDAY

In-Person Worship at the Cathedral
10:00 am - Doors to Cathedral open.
10:30 am - Eucharist Service
11:30 am - All Are Welcome Coffee Hour
11:45 am -Young Adults Bible Study
4:00 pm - Eva Suarez made Cathedral Canon
5:00 pm - Eva Suarez reception

You can also watch a Livestream of the Cathedral Worship Service
On Facebook: http://facebook.com/StJohnDivineNYC
On the Cathedral website: http://www.stjohndivine.org