News from the Congregation December 27, 2019
Taking Risks at the Cathedral; Northern Manhattan Inter-Parish Council Epiphany Party, Saturday Morning Meditation, Adult Baptism and Confirmation Class, Radical Love Live, Raising My Voice: A Harlem Re-Entry Initiative, Global Mission: Cuba
From Canon Lee
"The number one thing that makes an experience transformative... [is] the amount of risk it asks of the participants."
This quote is from a presentation, given at the most recent Annual Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, by Casper ter Kuile and Angie Thurston of Sacred Design Lab and Harvard Divinity School.
(The entire presentation is worth watching, but starting around 50 minutes, you will hear about Sub Dean Patrick Malloy and his work.)
I thought about this quote during the Christmas Eve Midnight Mass a few days ago, when I saw that many people were nervous, or on the verge of tears, or even shaking, as they received the Eucharist or were blessed with the sign of the Cross.
I'm sure many of us have similar stories about the very first time we came to the Cathedral. That we were afraid to walk up those steps on Amsterdam Avenue, but once we took that risk, our lives were indelibly transformed.
My prayer for the Cathedral Congregation in the New Year is that we continue to take risks in our work together.
That we try new initiatives, even though many will fail.
That we remain vulnerable to one another, even though, many times, we will hurt each other.
That we remember our Cathedral Congregation "exists for the benefit of those who are not its members," no matter how hard or counterintuitive this appears.
That we risk proclaiming the Gospel, no matter how foolish it sounds to the secular world: that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--which, thankfully, means all of us.
The Rev. Canon Steven Lee
Canon Pastor and Vicar
CONNECT
Northern Manhattan Inter-Parish Council Epiphany Party
Saturday, January 11, 2020
1:30 PM
Cathedral House
Meet other Episcopalians from churches in Harlem and Northern Manhattan at this annual Epiphany party hosted by the Cathedral Congregation.
***
FREE FAMILY ICE SKATING
Saturday, January 25, 2020
Upper Playground of the Cathedral
2:30 PM: Performance by Figure Skating in Harlem
3:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Open Skate
All are invited for an afternoon of FREE ice-skating and a chance to connect with families in our neighborhood. Visit stjohndivine.org for reservations (required).
EXPLORE
Saturday Morning Meditation
Saturday, December 28, 2019
10:00 AM
St. Martin's Chapel
Join members of the Congregation and public for an hour of quiet meditation during this hectic season.
***
Pathfinders: A Program of Spiritual Exploration for Children is on break this Sunday, Dec. 29. For more information and to register, please contactDonna Devlin, Director of Christian Education.
***
Radical Love Live
Sunday, January 26, 2020
7:00 PM
Cathedral Nave
TRAILER (starts at 12:00 minute mark)
***
Adult Baptism and Confirmation Class
Sundays, February 2 to March 29
12:45 PM to 2:15 PM
For more information, contact Canon Lee at slee@stjohndivine.org
GIVE
STEP 1: Pledge Online to the 2020 Campaign
http://www.saintsaviour.org/giving
STEP 2: Four ways to Fulfill Your Pledge
Method 1 - Give through Realm (preferred)
Method 2 - Give through Paypal
Method 3 - Give by check
Method 4 - Give with giving envelope***
Contact pastoralcare@stjohndivine.org for help.
***If you wish to fulfill your pledge using a giving envelope, please note that envelope numbers will be assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis. As good stewards of the environment, we are only ordering the minimum number of giving envelopes each year.
SERVE
Raising My Voice: A Harlem Re-Entry Initiative
Pilot Partnership with the Cathedral Congregation,
the J.C. Flowers Foundation, and Circles of Support
January 6, 2020 - March 23, 2020
***
Global Mission
Presentation on the Current Missionary Context in Cuba
Sunday, January 26, 2020
1:00 PM
Cathedral House Conference Room
***
Pilgrimage to England
With Cathedral Choristers and Congregation
August 2021
The Music Department has invited the Cathedral Congregation to participate in a Pilgrimage to England in August 2021. For anyone interested in learning more or in helping to plan the trip, please contact Warden Tim Dwyer.
From Marsha and Tim
On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me….a new sense of gratitude for life at the Cathedral, for friends made over the years; for laughter and caring. On Christmas Eve it seemed that the world came into our beautiful space and was fed by reverence, music, scripture, and joy. More came on Christmas Day. We were ready and delighted to have them join us. The Liturgy, Productions and Music Departments outdid themselves. Liturgical volunteers, including some serving for the first time, stepped forward to offer our particular welcome. The clergy fanned out and offered greetings to as many as possible. WELCOME TO THE CATHEDRAL; MERRY CHRISTMAS; WE HOPE TO SEE YOU AGAIN! On Christmas Day I was moved to see a young woman thanking Kent Tritle in tears for the beauty he and his musicians offered.
As we move through Christmastide and into Epiphany it isn’t too late to make a pledge to the Congregation of Saint Saviour. The Vestry has passed an optimistic budget which will enable us to do more both at home (in the Cathedral) and in outreach. Pledging and giving are an important part of our life together and actually a requirement for being a member “in good standing” The vestry and the office are hoping more people will establish accounts with our new financial system Realm to make managing our resources easier. If you find Realm convenient, your giving will not require staff or volunteers to deposit your gifts, to input a record of them into your membership record, or to input into our financial system. It all happens automatically. At the same time we realize that not everyone will want to jump into the new system immediately, so we will make envelopes available for those who prefer to give that way. Envelopes will be brought into the Cathedral on Sunday, January 5, and will be handed out to those of you who want them. We are consolidating the numbers, so you will receive a new number which will be recorded in your record.
What will 2020 bring? We can only wait and see, pray and be confident of God’s love.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Marsha & Tim
DECEMBER 27, 2019