News from the Cathedral November 22, 2019
Gratitude Over Expectation; CCC - Desserts Needed!, Sunday Programs (10 am Newcomers Brunch, 10 am Advent Bible Study, 12:30 Celebration in Honor of Tim Dwyer, 1 pm ‘Friendsgiving’ Brunch), "Saturday Church" Film Screening, World AIDS Day Commemoration, SAGE Table - Holiday Cards, Raising My Voice: A Harlem Re-Entry Initiative, Christianity in the Vineyard Wine Tasting, Crafts Fair Volunteers Needed!
From Canon Lee
"Those whom the Gods wish to destroy, they first call promising." I have often wondered whether this (admittedly rather dark) quote from the English literary critic Cyril Connolly has a religious analogue.
That is, when God called the Creation good, did this declaration become an expectation for Adam and Eve? Did they resent living up to this standard? Is that why they rebelled?
Far-fetched, perhaps, but the times I have expected something more for my life--financial success, worldly recognition, everyone agreeing with my politics--were times I was least grateful for what I already had.
Expectation, and its frequent companion, entitlement, crowded out gratitude. Bitterness ruled the day.
Whereas, in moments of failure and weakness, when I died to myself, my need to be a success, or famous, or to "win" the argument, was crucified with me. My ego shrank, and gratitude filled its place.
Perhaps this paradox explains why the people I visit in hospitals are so often grateful, even when they are dying. Yet, those who seemingly have it all--health, wealth, many friends, an interesting career--are so often unsatisfied.
So let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself.
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross.
The Rev. Canon Steven Lee
Canon Pastor and Vicar
CHRISTMAS
AT THE CATHEDRAL
4:00 PM Christmas Eve Lessons and Carols
The very large puppets that for many years have been part of Lessons and Carols on Christmas Eve suffered smoke damage in the Palm Sunday fire. New puppets are being constructed but will not be ready for this year. The service, a favorite of families with small children, will otherwise be the same as usual. We look forward to Christmas 2020 and the arrival of our new Christmas puppets.
10:30 PM Christmas Eve Festal Eucharist
Passes for Reserved Cathedral Congregation Seating
LINK
11:00 AM Christmas Day Choral Eucharist
CONNECT
Newcomers Brunch
Sunday, November 24 at 10:00 AM
Cathedral Nave
***
Celebration in Honor of Tim Dwyer
On His Retirement as Head Usher
Sunday, November 24 at 12:30 PM
Cathedral Nave
***
Cathedral Young Adults
Friendsgiving Brunch
Sunday, November 24 at 1:00 PM
Cathedral House
***
Cathedral Young Adults
Christianity in the Vineyard Wine Tasting
Saturday, December 7, 2019
2:30 pm - 4:00 pmLe Grande Triage1657 1st Ave
New York, NY 10028
RSVP in Realm
***
Cathedral LGBTQ+ Community
"Saturday Church" Film Screening
Sunday, December 8 at 2:00 PM
Cathedral House Conference Room
Fr. Bo Reynolds of St. Luke in the Fields will introduce the film, which was partly inspired by an outreach ministry of that church. For more information about the film, see this review in the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/11/movies/saturday-church-review.html
EXPLORE
Advent Bible Study with Cathedral Clergy
The Gospel of Matthew
10:00 AM
Cathedral Nave
December 1: Dean Daniel
December 8: Sub Dean Malloy
December 15: Canon Lee
December 22: Canon Welch
***
Pathfinders: A Program of Spiritual Exploration for Children at the Cathedral
This Sunday, Donna Devlin will teach both the Little Pilgrims (3 - 7) and the Next Step (8 - 12) classes. Everyone will meet at 10:00 AM in the Cathedral. The children will be making Snippet Jars.
The purpose of a snippet jar is to have a thought provoker (the jar) to make the kids more mindful of doing kindnesses for people. Each time them do something nice for someone--a kind act, a nice word, even a thought, they'll be prompted to put a slip of paper in their snippet jar noting the kindness.
For more information and to register, please contact Donna Devlin, Director of Christian Education.
***
Radical Love Live
First Live Show
Sunday, January 26, 2020 at 7:00 PM
Cathedral Nave
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.
SERVE
Thanksgiving at the Cathedral
Cathedral Community Cares will be offering its Thanksgiving meal on this Sunday, November 24 and is asking us to help by providing much of the food.
THANK YOU for your generous donation of cooked chickens (40+ AND COUNTING).
We still need more pies, cakes and cookies!
Please bring all prepared food donations to the CCC kitchen by going down the steps across from the guard booth before the 9 AM or 11 AM service this Sunday, November 24.
***
World AIDS Day Commemoration
Sunday, December 1 at 1:00 PM
Cathedral Nave
Join the Cathedral Congregation as it commemorates World AIDS Day. Choreographer Jody Sperling and her all-women company Time Lapse Dance presents excerpts from “Wind Rose” which visualizes and sonifies wind patterns that are changing dramatically along with the earth's climate. Sperling also shares a duet created in collaboration with cellist Scott Johnson for the occasion of World AIDS Day. The elegiac work explores themes of grief, isolation, and transcendence.
***
Cathedral LGBTQ+ Community
Invites You to a Holiday Card Writing Party
For Clients of SAGE USA and The Ali Forney Center
Tuesday, December 10
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Cathedral House Conference Room
***
Raising My Voice: A Harlem Re-Entry Initiative
Pilot Partnership with the Cathedral Congregation,
the J.C. Flowers Foundation, and Circles of Support
Begins January 2020
From Marsha and Tim
Change is always part of life. I get so annoyed when I don’t agree with a change and am told, with a certain condescension “Oh you just don’t like change.” I reply that it depends on the change: new baby = good change; diagnosed with some horrible disease = bad change. The changes that we are experiencing these days fall mostly in the new baby category.
The fire on Palm Sunday was a bad thing and caused more disruption than anyone expected. However many of us have loved worshipping in the round in the middle of the nave. We will probably miss that configuration when the machines are taken away and we are all seated facing forward again—unless Canon Malloy has some other creative idea!
We continue to do many things that we have done for decades. We worship the way our ancestors have worshipped for hundreds of years. We hear traditional music and new music too. We bring food for special meals in the soup kitchen, we undertake a toy drive. A new tradition (just two years old) is the collection of funds for back-to-school supplies for needy children--our back-pack project. Helping CCC hand out these back-packs was a wonderful experience—to see the faces of the children as they chose the color they wanted. There is a group that will be working with men and women newly released from prison. Some people have become involved in providing sanctuary to immigrant families awaiting amnesty trials. All new, all good. Of course it would be better if there were no need to provide sanctuary and school supplies or toys. It would be better if our social ills were cured. In the meantime, this is what we do to help in a modest way.
The biggest change for the senior warden is the recent growth spurt of our congregation and the joys and challenges of being lead by the “always say yes” vicar. For so many years it was possible to know almost everyone in the congregation. The familiarity of the faces around the Communion circle was an important part of worship for me. There was a feeling of connection. Even if someone on that line was a person that I had been arguing with, it felt so good to stand there, presenting ourselves to God, just as we are. Now there are so many new people that I don’t know and names my old brain can’t seem to remember. But these are all friendly, warm faces and I’m so glad they have joined us. A new members’ brunch will be held this Sunday between the services and I will try to learn some more names.
A new energy is felt in our community. We are still a relatively small congregation, but we are acting as though we have already become large. It is now impossible to go to every meeting and every event, since there are by necessity conflicts. If I were young and gay I would have had to make a choice last Sunday between going out to lunch with the 20/30’s group or attending the LGBTQ organizational meeting. When the Crafts Fair takes place in two weeks, one group will be away on Saturday afternoon at a lecture on the history of wine. The LGBTQ group will be showing a film on Sunday afternoon that it would be good to see, but some of us will be working at the fair and not able to go. This is as it should be.
However, we do need more people to help work the fair. Look for Susan Stair and Marsha Ra on Sunday to sign up. Winston Nguyen will be approaching the 20’s/30’s group and Sharne Jackson the newcomers.
In the 90’s the Congregation had a large membership of gay men and lesbians. They were full of energy and became congregation leaders. However, that was the time of the AIDS crisis and before marriage equality. People were sick and they were dealing with the sense of shame the broader society laid on them which must have been emotionally draining.
I was invited to attend the LGBTQ meeting last week and was so moved and encouraged by what I heard. There was new energy and commitment, and a broader vision that included other marginalized groups. There was thoughtful discernment, concern for the transgender and the very young. I have no doubt that this group will inspire new purpose and commitment within our church. AIDS is no longer a death sentence. Many of our gay members are married, even raising children. One big beautiful baby of change!
Speaking of change: this Sunday, after the 11 o’clock service we will gather for a small reception to acknowledge your junior warden’s 12 years of service as Head Usher as he steps down from that role. In classic Episcopalian fashion, he is reluctant to have the focus on him; so many of us give of our time, energy, and resources to make the Cathedral the loving and welcoming community that it is. So as we gather together just days before Thanksgiving, we will be celebrating our collective commitment to each other and our many visitors. For that we are truly thankful.
There is always more to come. We look forward to continuing our life together where change is a constant!
See you Sunday,
Marsha and Tim
NOVEMBER 22, 2019