News from the Congregation July 3, 2020
A Welcome to Deacon Paul Daniels II; ZOOM, By Golly!; Sunday Bible Study - Job, Sunday Zoom Service, Digital Survey, Compline Service, Reading Group - J. B. by Archibald Macleish, Morning and Evening Prayers
From Canon Lee
In last Sunday's service, the Dean announced that the Rev. Deacon Paul Daniels would be joining the Cathedral as a part-time clergy assistant. For the past several months, the Dean has discussed Deacon Daniels with the Chapter, and from first time I spoke to him in early May, I knew he would be a wonderful fit here at the Cathedral. For those of you who missed last Sunday's announcement, you can find an introduction to Deacon Daniels below. His first day was July 1.
The Rev. Deacon Paul Anthony Daniels is from Raleigh, NC. — the youngest and only son of Paul and Julia Daniels. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Ambrose Episcopal Church, Raleigh. And was ordained to the transitional diaconate on 6 June 2020 in the Diocese of North Carolina.
Over the last eight years, Paul has served parishes in Lynn, MA; Grahamstown, South Africa; Raleigh, NC; New Haven, CT; and New York City, NY. And his ministry is especially informed by the imperatives of spiritual and political liberation in the tradition of Jesus’ healing ministry (Luke 4:18).
He holds a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from Morehouse College (Atlanta, GA), a Master of Divinity from Berkeley Episcopal Divinity School at Yale University (New Haven, CT), and is currently a PhD student in Systematic Theology at Fordham University (The Bronx, NY). His research rests at the intersections of Theology, Black Study, and Queer of Color Critique, with special attention on the corpus of 20th century theologian and mystic Howard Washington Thurman.
If not reading, Paul can be found trying his hand in the kitchen. He’s a sports nerd, a novice musician, a lover of Funk and Soul, a believer in the power of friendship, Michelle and Dominique’s favorite little brother, and a proud uncle.
The Rev. Canon Steven Lee
Canon Pastor and Vicar
THIS SUNDAY, JULY 5
(To access each program on Zoom, click the link in the title.)
10:00 AM - Integrity in Crisis: A Bible Study on Job
Join the Vicar for the FINAL class on the Book of Job and learn how this timeless text can address our suffering in this difficult time.
11:00 AM - Congregation Watch Party for Cathedral Worship Service
Watch the Cathedral worship service on Zoom with other members of the Congregation.
You can also watch the Cathedral Worship Service
On Facebook: http://facebook.com/StJohnDivineNYC
On the Cathedral website: http://www.stjohndivine.org
12:00 PM - Digital Coffee Half-Hour
Join us at this week’s Coffee Hour, which will be belated Pentecost Trivia hosted by YESS, the Young Episcopalians of Saint Saviour.
12:30 PM - Adult Formation Class
Join Sub-Dean Malloy for the second class in a series on the Eucharist.
DIGITAL CHURCH SURVEY
Please take a moment to fill out this Digital Church Survey. By answering as many of the questions as possible, you are helping to ensure that the ministry being offered is sustainable and inclusive. The survey is four short pages, and should take about five to ten minutes. Please share it with your friends in the Congregation!
WEEKLY CATHEDRAL CONGREGATION PROGRAMS
Tuesdays | 6:00 PM - YESS Bible Study
This Wednesday | 7:00 PM - Congregation Reading Group
"God is there too, in the desperation. I do not know why God should strike / But God is what is stricken also: Life is What despairs in death And, desperate, is life still…"
- Archibald MacLeish, J.B.
The Congregation Reading Group will finish its dramatic reading of MacLeish's Pulitzer- and Tony-award-winning play, "J.B.," which reimagines Job as a prosperous businessman in postwar America. Show off your acting chops or just come to listen. The play is available on the Reading Group’s Slack Channel, or by contacting lafresem@gmail.com. Please join us!
Wednesdays | 8:30 PM - Congregation Compline
Reminder: you can find a directory of weekly programs with links to each program’s Zoom by clicking here.
NEWS FROM THE CATHEDRAL
Join an intimate group of Christians from the congregation and around the nation for the Daily Office on the Cathedral Zoom. Since our Cathedral closed to public worship, members of our congregation and the Cathedral Liturgy department have led us in Morning Prayer at 8:30AM and Evening Prayer at 5:30PM every week, Monday through Saturday. These spoken services, using the Book of Common Prayer and scripture on PowerPoints, have helped us keep a sense of community and mark time. You are most welcome.
From Marsha and Tim
ZOOM, by Golly!
Today is a day for a little silliness. When I was a kid in Hebrew Sunday School, we used to sing a song that started “zum gali gali!” It was a fun song, full of energy. I had no idea what zum gali gali meant, assuming it was something like tra-la-la. I was wrong! It actually is Yiddish and means: “To Galilee, to Galilee!” It is a Zionist song, written and sung before the establishment of the State of Israel–a cheerful song of planting and harvesting. The Galilee, if you’ve ever been there, is green and lush and beautiful. I am thinking it is time to re-purpose the song for these days of virtual church: ZOOM, golly, golly. ZOOM golly, golly. A song for the virtual church! By ZOOM!
We are, most of us, very familiar with ZOOM, by golly. We are worshipping using this platform and staying connected. It is interesting how when we first connected this way, after several weeks of not being able to go to church physically, there was a joyous outpouring of laughter at seeing one another. Our first Compline was so well attended that we spent perhaps half an hour checking in. Morning and Evening Prayer followed. Then we learned how to use ZOOM to watch the Cathedral Sunday worship service together, to have coffee hour and classes. Attendance has dropped off a bit, but we are finding that other people from throughout the diocese and the country find their way to our Morning Prayer and that feels very good.
Last week, when we faced the fact that ZOOM (golly golly) might be our way to pray together for many more months, we began to look critically at what we are doing. We want to figure out if we can improve our services and our ways of keeping the community together until we at last pile into the Cathedral to worship again in one another’s physical presence. That’s why you are being asked to fill out a short questionnaire to let us know how you are using the virtual services (or not!) and what would be helpful to you.
As we pray together with new friends who log on from California, Michigan, Indiana, Maryland, Kansas, we are reminded of another song—an evening hymn that we all know and love:
“We thank thee that thy Church, unsleeping while earth rolls onward into light, through all the world her watch is keeping and rests not now by day or night.
“As o’er each continent and island the dawn leads on another day, the voice of prayer is never silent, nor dies the strain of praise away.”
Hope to see you soon on ZOOM!
Blessings from your wardens!
Marsha and Tim