News from the Congregation December 4, 2020
‘A Home for Restless Hearts’; ‘Advent: Darkness and Expectation’; | CCC - Christmas Dinner, Holiday Toy Drive; Advent Program on Howard Thurman; Paul Daniels’s Ordination; OPUS Christmas Sing-Along; Sunday Programs (9:45 am Visit with the Vicar, 10 am Genesis Bible Study, 11 am Worship Service, 11:45 Vicar and Friends, 12 pm Coffee Half-Hour, 12:30 pm Howard Thurman’s Theology); Weekday Programs (Wednesday: Visit with Vicar, Bible Study — Paul’s Letter to the Romans, Compline Service, Thursday: YESS Bible Study, EfM Class, Friday: Midday Prayer and Meditation).
Canon Lee
Canon Malloy likes to say that the Episcopal Church tends to be comprised of two groups of religious refugees. In the North, we attract disaffected Roman Catholics. In the South, it’s disaffected Southern Baptists or non-denominational evangelicals.
In my experience, his observation rings true. I have noticed, as a consequence, that Episcopalians are good at defining ourselves by how we are not like Roman Catholics, Southern Baptists, or other less “progressive” traditions. We are good at explaining our faith to Christians looking for a different church home.
But defining our church only, or primarily, in opposition to what we are not, can be problematic.
We can forget how to explain our faith to people who are totally secular. We can be so proud of our radical hospitality—rightfully—that we become blind to the reality that many people don’t give us any credit for ordaining women or marrying LBGTQ+ persons, because they can’t get past our belief in God. They can’t get past our belief that Jesus is the Son of God, or our proclamation of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection as good news for the world.
We can also forget that our own faith journeys, I am guessing, initially had less to do with finding the right church, the one which met all of our particular needs as religious consumers, and more to do with a gnawing realization that there was a gap in our lives. That the secular world’s answers to our deepest desires were inadequate. That something was missing.
Augustine gives voice to this feeling in these famous words, which I quote often in this column because I love them so much: quia fecisti nos ad te et inquietum est cor nostrum, donec requiescat in te. (In Frank Sheed’s elegant translation: “for Thou hast made us for Thyself and our hearts are restless till they rest in thee.”)
It was in the Episcopal Church, among God’s Frozen Chosen, of all places, that I encountered the risen Christ and found the rest that Augustine describes in his Confessions. Perhaps you did too.
My prayer in this season of Advent, in this season of expectation, is that God would bring through our online Zoom doors, the spiritually restless, the spiritually curious, and the spiritually wounded. That God would be pleased to make us, the Cathedral Congregation of St. Saviour, the instrument through which these sojourners would have a transformative encounter with the risen Christ and find peace for their restless hearts.
Marsha and Tim
Our Senior Warden Marsha Ra on Waiting:
Is there such a thing as a typical Advent? Every year we sing about waiting and hoping, about being ready when Jesus shall come. But our waiting is usually obscured by the wild celebrations that have taken over this supposedly penitential time, this “little Lent.” Office parties, tree lighting ceremonies, Nutcracker performances, nostalgia mixed with excess. Rich food, good music, card writing, decorating the house, gift buying, travel-- it is all wonderful but also exhausting no matter how we try to simplify. No, Advent is the Christmas before Christmas most years. When Christmas finally comes many of us are ready to think about Valentine’s Day. The day after Christmas, trees are discarded on the streets of New York. The 12 days of Christmas appear in a rather amusing song about excessive gifts, but following four weeks of Advent madness, one day is enough for many.
Do I have to say that this year is different? Advent has come upon us in a time of true darkness. The number of people sick and dying is overwhelming. The loss of livelihood, the isolation, the fear, the rebellion—all this has made for some very dark days. We have been fasting for nine months—fasting from the Bread and the Wine, fasting from the kiss of peace, fasting from live music and hymn singing, fasting from human touch. Yet in the midst of this there is the tantalizing hope for the end of the pain and frustration. There are several vaccines that will soon be available. And so there is hope of returning to our beautiful church, of seeing one another in the flesh. There is real hope and expectation that we will share the Lord’s Supper again. Soon and very soon!
We can look back at the work our congregation has taken on during these dark days and feel cheered that the message of the Gospel is alive among us. Prayer groups, Bible study, outreach to neighbors, witness to social justice—all this while the City and the world goes through a time of real misery. There have been deep discussions on the issue of racism and anti-racism. There are the new friends we have made over ZOOM as we pray the daily office. On a personal note, there has been overwhelming expressions of love and support during my own personal health crisis.
And so as we go through an Advent like no other, and a Christmas unlike any we have experienced, we can surely say with hope in our hearts:
Come, thou long expected Jesus!
CONNECT
Saturday, December 5, 2020 | 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM - The Northern Manhattan Inter Parish Council Advent Quiet Day: Reflecting on Howard Thurman
This online event, being led by the Rev. Deacon Paul Anthony Daniels of the Cathedral, will focus on the words and ideas of Howard Washington Thurman, an African-American author, philosopher, theologian, educator, and civil rights leader. As a prominent religious figure, he played a leading role in many social justice movements and organizations of the twentieth century. To register & receive the link please email: rector@stmarysharlem.org.
Thursday, December 10 | 7:00 PM - Advocacy and Gender Justice Webinar
The Diocese of New York's Task Force on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault is sponsoring a rebroadcast of the Advocacy and Gender Justice webinar by the International Anglican Women's Network on December 10th, the final day of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.
Saturday, December 12 | 2:00 PM - Ordination of Paul Daniels
Note from Paul: It is with pleasure that I extend this announcement and invitation for virtual attendance to my ordination to the Sacred Order of Priests on 12 December 2020 at 2pm Though we remain friends from afar, serving and praying with you has been a great privilege and blessing. And I hope that you’ll be able to join my family and I on this special occasion.
Tuesday, December 15, 2020 | 7:00-7:30 PM OPUS Retirees and Seniors Meet and Greet 7:30 PM - OPUS Christmas Sing-Along!
Put on your favorite Christmas wear, and join OPUS’s Christmas Sing-Along. There will be Carol singing and readings from classic Christmas favorites. (Please bring a candle to light when we conclude singing “Silent Night”)
GIVE
This Holiday Season, the Congregation and Cathedral are providing several ways to give back to our community.
HOLIDAY CARDS FOR SAGE
Please join us in an Advent project to spread holiday love and cheer by writing cards to the LGBTQ+ seniors of SAGE USA, who may be experiencing isolation this holiday season. Since we cannot gather together to do this, as we have done in past years, we will be doing the project remotely, but the Spirit of sharing remains! If you are interested in participating, please click here to fill out the form and get more information.
CCC TOY DRIVE
Congregation member Sonia Omulepu is working with Cathedral Community Cares (CCC) on a toy drive. To contribute, drop off at CCC in the Town building (on the south side of the Cathedral) or, if CCC office is closed, at the Security Booth from December 1 - 7th from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm. CCC will accept unwrapped toys and $20 and $25 gift cards (for older children). Toys must be unwrapped.
CHRISTMAS MEAL DONATIONS
CCC will have their Christmas dinner on Sunday, December 20th and will accept cooked turkey/chickens and pies. A table will be set up in the driveway to accept donations by 9 A.M. so that volunteers can package individual meals by 10 A.M.
THIS SUNDAY, December 6, 2020
9:45 AM - Visiting with the Vicar
Join the Vicar fifteen minutes before Bible study to say hello and check in with other members of the congregation.
10:00 AM - In the Beginning: A Study of Genesis
Join the Vicar for a study of the first book of the Bible. Discover Genesis, not as a collection of ancient mythological stories, but as the Word of God addressing our fundamental and deepest needs. This Sunday, we continue our study of Genesis 5, under the heading: Family Histories, Part II
11:00 AM - Congregation Watch Party for Cathedral Worship Service
Watch the Cathedral worship service on Zoom with other members of the Congregation. As a way to maintain a prayerful atmosphere, we will be turning off Zoom chat for the duration of the service.
You can also watch the Cathedral Worship Service
On Facebook: http://facebook.com/StJohnDivineNYC
On the Cathedral website: http://www.stjohndivine.org
11:45 PM - Vicar and Friends
Join the Vicar and occasional guests right after the service for a brief time to say hello and check in with other members of the congregation.
12:00 PM - Digital Coffee Half-Hour
Join us at this week’s Digital Coffee Hour to meet members of the congregation.
12:30 PM - Adult Formation Class - Howard Thurman
The Rev Deacon Paul Daniels leads a biographical introduction to the life of Howard Thurman, which will also serve as the introduction to his 8-week course which will take a deep-dive into the various sermons, essays, and meditations of Howard Thurman, guided by the questions: "What is 'religious experience'?" and "What has religious experience to do with political transformation?"
WEEKLY CATHEDRAL CONGREGATION PROGRAMS
Wednesdays | 7:15 PM - Visiting with the Vicar
Join the Vicar fifteen minutes before the Wednesday evening Bible study for a brief opportunity to say hello and check in with the congregation.
Wednesdays | 7:30 PM - Wednesday Bible Study
Join the Vicar for a study of Paul's Letter to the Romans. The source of so many changed lives and pivotal moments throughout Christian history, Paul's greatest epistle invites us to transformation in our own lives and time. This Wednesday will again focus on Romans 1:1.
Wednesdays | 8:30 PM - Congregation Compline
Fridays | 12:15 PM - Midday Prayer and Meditation
The Angelus and 10 minutes of silent meditation. Stay afterwards to connect with the Vicar and others in the parish.
Thursdays | 6:30 PM - Education for Ministry
Education for Ministry is designed for lay people who want to delve more deeply but are not necessarily interested in ordination; EfM classes provide a more formal study of scriptures and the history of the faith. Current Topic: “Living into the Journey with God”
Thursdays | 6:00 PM - YESS Bible Study
The Young Episcopalians of Saint Saviour continue their Bible study of the Gospel of Matthew.
Reminder: you can find a directory of weekly programs with links to each program’s Zoom by clicking here.