News from the Congregation February 21, 2020
Adam Hamilton - Ministry Hero; Sunday Programs (10 am Bible Study, 10 am Pathfinders Sunday School, 12:45 Adult Baptism and Confirmation Class: Session 4 - The Creeds, Coffee of Grace Sampling), Ash Wednesday Services, Forgiveness Reading Group, Saturday Meditation, Lenten Retreat, Harlem Inter-Parish Council Eucharist and Dinner Schedule, Radical Love Live, Lenten March Madness - Which Saint Will Win This Year’s Golden Halo?Raising My Voice: A Harlem Re-Entry Initiative
Canon Lee
This week I have been in Louisville, Kentucky at the Consortium of Endowed Episcopal Parishes (CEEP) Conference. One of my ministry heroes, Adam Hamilton of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, was the keynote speaker. Adam planted a church in Kansas City that went from 4 members in 1990 to over 22,000 members today.
In a time when mainline Christian churches are rapidly shrinking, he was able to grow his church by inspiring his members to stay relentlessly focused on their mission: to build a Christian community where non-religious and nominally religious people are becoming deeply committed Christians.
I was privileged to facilitate two pre-conference sessions with Adam and around 90 Rectors and Deans of the largest and most well-resourced parishes in our denomination. The experience was transformative, but not only because of the lessons and wisdom that Adam so generously shared.
The experience was transformative because I saw, up close, the depth of his faith in Jesus.
To give you a sense of Adam's ministry, I invite you to watch the sermon he gave at Washington National Cathedral as part of President Obama’s second inauguration.
The Rev. Canon Steven Lee
Canon Pastor and Vicar
THIS SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 23
Coffee of Grace after 9 AM and 11 AM services
This Sunday the 23rd, we will be sampling Coffee of Grace, a very special pilot program for new coffee service for our Cathedral Congregation hospitality!
Coffee of Grace was founded by CEO, Grace Hightower De Niro, in an effort to help rebuild the economy in Rwanda. Coffee of Grace is a vertically integrated coffee company, guided by the purpose of having a positive impact on the lives of the farmers they partner with at source.
All of Coffee of Grace coffees are 100% arabica, specialty grade, organically grown, and ethically sourced from small lot coffee farmers through 100% Direct Trade. Empowering and supporting women, at source and through the supply chain, has always been at the forefront of Coffee of Grace.
10:00 AM - Sunday Morning Bible Study | St. James Chapel (note location!)
Our Congregation's wonderful bible study/discussion group are a great opportunity to explore the lectionary in a little more depth, learn from each other, and get to know others in the congregation. This week's Bible Study is led by Warden Tim Dwyer and will meet in St. James Chapel.
10:00 AM - Pathfinders Sunday School | Cathedral Nave
Little Pilgrims and the Next Step will meet as a combined class this Sunday led by Donna Devlin and Jennifer Allen. For more information, please contact, Donna Devlin, Director of Christian Education.
12:45 PM - Adult Baptism and Confirmation Class: Session 4 - The Creeds | Cathedral House Conference Room
The adult baptism and confirmation class meets this week in Cathedral House. This week's topic is Understanding the Creeds.
ASH WEDNESDAY AT THE CATHEDRAL
FEBRUARY 26
6:30 AM - 6:00 PM - Ashes to Go
Ministers are available for personal prayer and the imposition of ashes on Amsterdam Avenue in front of the Cathedral.
7:15 AM - A Service of the Word & Imposition of Ashes | Chapel of St. James
A quiet, spoken service that includes the Imposition of Ashes. Please note: The Eucharist will NOT be celebrated at this service.
8:30 AM - Holy Eucharist & Imposition of Ashes | Chapel of St. James
The Sacrament of Holy Eucharist with the Imposition of Ashes.
12:15 PM - Holy Eucharist & Imposition of Ashes | Cathedral Nave
The Sacrament of Holy Eucharist with the Imposition of Ashes.
7:00 PM - Holy Eucharist & Imposition of Ashes | Cathedral Nave
The Sacrament of Holy Eucharist with the Imposition of Ashes. The Bishop of New York will preside and preach.
LENT WITH THE CATHEDRAL CONGREGATION
Lenten Retreat with the Cathedral Congregation at Holy Cross Monastery - March 27 to 29
There are now just 5 spaces left, so let us know if you would like to come. Click here for more information.
Lenten Bible Study with Cathedral Clergy - Sundays, March 1 to March 29 | 10:00 AM | Cathedral Nave
The Cathedral clergy will lead the Congregation's bible study/discussion group for the Sundays in Lent.
March 1: Canon Welch
March 8: Sub Dean Malloy
March 15: Dean Daniel
March 22: No Class - Stewardship Thank You Brunch
March 29: Canon Lee
Forgiveness Reading Group - Every Other Tuesday, February 25 to April 7 | 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM | Cathedral House Dining Room
How do we understand forgiveness and grace? During Lent the Cathedral Congregation of Saint Saviour will be reading Grace Will Lead Us Home, The Charleston Church Massacre and the Hard, Inspiring Journey to Forgiveness by Jennifer Berry Hawes. This informal reading group will meet on every other Tuesday starting 25 February (March 10; March 24; April 7). The group will be led by Elizabeth Howard, the Madeleine L’Engle Fellow at the Cathedral. If you are interested in attending, please contact Hope Chang.
Harlem Inter-Parish Council Eucharist and Dinner - Wednesdays in Lent | 7:00 PM
March 4 | Church of the Heavenly Rest | 2 E. 90th St
March 11 | Church of the Crucifixion | Convent Ave and 149th St
March 18 | Holyrood/Santa Cruz Church | 715 W. 179th St.
March 25 | St. Mary’s Manhattanville | 521 W. 126th St.
April 1 | All Souls’ Church | 88 St. Nicholas Ave.
Seniors and Retired Group - Friday Mornings in Lent, February 28 to March 27 | 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM | Cathedral House Conference Room
All senior members of the Cathedral Congregation community are invited to a new group launching this Lent for fellowship, community, learning and fun. This informal group will meet with the Vicar each Friday morning during Lent. If this pilot program goes well, we hope to continue the group throughout the program year. For more information, please contact the Vicar.
YESS - Friday Evenings in Lent - Sushi Dinner with the Young Adults Network
Join other young Episcopalians around the Diocese for a short evening service (15-30 minutes) followed by sushi dinner on Fridays during Lent. (Click to enlarge schedule)
CONNECT
YESS - Escape Room | Friday, February 21 | 7:30 PM (new date!)
Calling all puzzle masters! Dig out your best Gatsby attire and help us escape from this 1920s speakeasy: https://cluechase.com/moonshine-madness/. If you’ve never done an escape room before, it is a fun challenge!RSVP to saintsaviouryoungadults@gmail.com by February 7th to join the team!
EXPLORE
Radical Love Live - Live Show, Sunday, February 23 at 7:00 PM
The second live examines Marginalization and Wilderness, with special guests Johnathan Merritt and Alicia Crosby, with musical performances by Jamet Pittman and Tash Neal.
Saturday Morning Meditation - Every Saturday | 11:00 AM | Chapel of St. Ambrose (note location!)
Join members of the Congregation and public for an hour of quiet meditation every Saturday morning. This week, the group meets in the Chapel of St. Ambrose in the Cathedral.
Adult Baptism and Confirmation Class - Sundays, February 2 to March 29 | 12:45 PM to 2:15 PM
All adults interested in baptism or confirmation at the Easter Vigil are welcome to this 9-week class designed as an introduction to the Christian faith in the Episcopal tradition. To register, contact Canon Lee at slee@stjohndivine.org.
GIVE
Step 1: Pledge Online to the 2020 Campaign
Step 2: Give through Realm (preferred)
Contact pastoralcare@stjohndivine.org for help and for other ways to give, such as using giving envelopes.
SERVE
Raising My Voice: A Harlem Re-Entry Initiative - January 6 to March 23
This pilot partnership with the Cathedral Congregation, the J.C. Flowers Foundation, and Circles of Support brings together men and women recently released from incarceration with mentors from the Cathedral Congregation to form community across difference through sharing personal life stories.
Article about Raising My Voice in the Living Church
Pilgrimage to England With Cathedral Choristers and Congregation - August 2021
Warden Tim Dwyer is working with the Cathedral’s Music Department to coordinate our choirs’ next tour of the UK with a pilgrimage for lay people from the Cathedral community. Taking place during the last two weeks of August 2021, the journey will give participants the chance to see and hear our magnificent choirs up close during their residencies at Chichester and Canterbury Cathedrals and Westminster Abbey, meet the leaders and lay members of their communities, and visit nearby sites of religious, historical, and/or architectural and artistic significance. The trip is still in the planning stages, but if you think you might be interested, send a note to Tim at TimothyDDwyer9@yahoo.com with the subject heading “Pilgrimage” so you can be kept apprised as plans come together.
Marsha and Tim
Getting ready for Lent
How can we have a meaningful Lent? Apart from an occasional grocery store special on canned tuna fish, the great commercial juggernaut that surrounds us does not find much to exploit in this Church season and pretty much ignores it. So Lent remains a reasonably pure religious practice—a period of preparation for Holy Week and Easter. Traditionally, foregoing something pleasurable was a way of connecting Christians to Jesus’ 40-day journey into the desert. Should one fast? But what kind of fast? Give up candy? Give up meat? Try to give up plastic? Last year the senior warden tried to stop complaining with only modest success. Your junior warden gave up using elevators, but he lives and works on second floors.
Of course, Lent doesn’t necessarily have to be about what one “gives up.” Taking something on that might require a little more of our time, energy, and focus can also help us to connect to this season. Perhaps going to church more often? How about saying the daily office? Is it time to give that another try? What about volunteering at a soup kitchen or other worthy project? As you can read above, the Congregation is offering several programs for your consideration. The Lenten Retreat at Holy Cross is a favorite. There are Wednesday night programs of Eucharist and dinner with other Harlem parishes; a Tuesday night reading group which will delve into the challenge of Christian forgiveness. The clergy will be taking over our thriving Bible study group in March. A new seniors and retired people’s group will begin to meet on Friday mornings.
While the activities above all offer some degree of fulfillment, we can also offer some Lenten fun! If you are not already familiar with it, we place before you Lent Madness: https://www.lentmadness.org/. Who will win the golden halo? Lent Madness is the brain child of the Rev. Tim Schenck and brought to you by the same people who bring you Forward Day by Day. The format is straightforward: 32 saints are placed into a tournament-like single elimination bracket. Each pairing remains open for a set period of time and people vote for their favorite saint. 16 saints make it to the Round of the Saintly Sixteen; eight advance to the Round of the Elate Eight; four make it to the Faithful Four; two to the Championship; and the winner is awarded the coveted Golden Halo. The first round consists of basic biographical information about each of the 32 saints. Things get a bit more interesting in the subsequent rounds as quotes and quirks are offered, legends explored, and even some saintly kitsch explored.
Last year Martha of Bethany won the Golden Halo. Previous winners are
George Herbert (2010), C.S. Lewis (2011), Mary Magdalene (2012), Frances Perkins (2013), Charles Wesley (2014), Francis of Assisi (2015), Dietrich Bonhoeffer (2016), Florence Nightingale (2017), and Anna Alexander (2018). Consider signing up for Lent madness and have fun while learning about some of the saints who came before us.
May you have a Holy Lent!
Marsha and Tim
Wardens
FEBRUARY 21, 2020