News from the Congregation May 19, 2023

May 19

Written By Steven Lee; Marsha Ra & Joan Adams

‘‘‘Ordination of Fr. Matt Heyd’ ; ‘Community ’ ” | 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

Please join us on Saturday, May 20 for the Ordination of Fr. Matt Heyd as Bishop Coadjutor.

PLEASE PLAN TO BE SEATED BY 10 a.m.

Prelude music will begin at 10:15 a.m.

The procession will begin at 10:30 a.m.

The service will begin at 11 a.m.

GENERAL SEATING IS OPEN TO ALL

ON A FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED BASIS.

After the service, there will be a reception on the Cathedral Close featuring food trucks, ice cream, abundant desserts provided by our congregations - and a DJ!

The Consecration will be streamed live starting at 10:15 a.m. on Saturday, May 20 on the Cathedral of St. John the Divine's YouTube Channel.

Message from the Congregation

Warden Bob Deming writes on his "Experience of Living in Community":

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them."
-Matthew 18:20

Sunday morning is special: not only do I go to church, but also I have the experience of living in community. That is not to imply that I do not live in community the rest of time. I am part of a family, I live in a coop building, I classify myself as a New Yorker having lived in the city for the last 40 years, and I am a sports fan of quite a few New York teams. These are all communities of, might I say, the faithful, but they are not as tangibly felt as when I enter church.

I share my Sunday morning experiences in the Cathedral. My first responsibility is to help setup the coffee ministry. Often by the time I arrive, Mark and Marsha are at work, moving boxes from the supply closet to the area where we are gathering and spreading the tablecloths over the tables. One of my duties is to retrieve the water from the new filtered watered dispenser for the various beverages we serve. On the way I say hello to those who work in Visitor Service and Security. After filling the assorted containers, I return to the tables, get started the coffee urn, and watch over the heating of the hot water for tea and hot chocolate. I again have a chance to say hello to many Congregation members as they enter the Cathedral and are on their way to the seats.

Eventually, most everything is set up at the coffee ministry tables, and I find my seat for service. The mode changes, from activity toward contemplation and worship. The music and procession help to set the tone for new experiences.

I like the rituals that I am used to as I have come to the Cathedral for many years. The sermon is usually my highlight but there are other parts of the service I identify with deeply. I listen closely to the Prayers of the People because we are caring for those near and far. I get a chance to quietly slip in my own prayers for those who are not in attendance. The part of the service where we directly interact with those in our vicinity is the Passing of the Peace. Marsha wrote about hymn singing last week, and that helped me to better appreciate that communal experience as well as the choral prayers. The liturgy for the Holy Communion is the culminating part of the service where the congregation becomes one body and one spirit. After the ushers indicate my turn to go up to receive Holy Communion and I partake, I return to my seat, say a short prayer, and then enjoy watching others receive Holy Communion.

I get up shortly before the end of service to go to the coffee ministry tables to make sure the coffee urn is in its right spot. Maybe I am biased, but the coffee hour has become a key part of this Sunday experience of community. Usually, I have at least one interaction that is new and heartwarming.

The cleanup from coffee hour is again a group effort. Many hands make light work.

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

DATES TO REMEMBER

Consecration of the Bishop Coadjutor: May 20 The Rev. Matt Heyd is consecrated Bishop Coadjutor.

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)

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 The Very Reverend Andrew Tremlett, the 93rd Dean of St Paul's Cathedral, London, preacher
11:30 am - All Are Welcome Coffee Hour Reception in honor of the retirement of the Rev. Dr. Pamela Cooper-White
4:00 pm - Evensong

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