CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL An Episcopal Community in the Heart of Houston, Texas
JUNE 2016 CHRISTCHURCHCATHEDRAL.ORG
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Prayer and holy places What follows is Dean Thompson’s travel journal entry from May 11, when he was on pilgrimage at St. George’s College in Jerusalem. When I was a child, I found myself at First United Methodist Church in Paragould, Arkansas, virtually every time the doors opened. And whenever my mother volunteered to help with some church activity, I’d sneak away to a little prayer room adjacent to the balcony staircase at THE VERY REV. BARKLEY the back of the narthex. THOMPSON The room had originally been meant for storage, but some family in the congregation once upon a time paid to have it adorned with carpet, a couple of chairs, and a prayer desk. For some reason, the first time I discovered the little prayer room it conveyed a sense of peace. I returned to it every chance I got. It is the first place I ever prayed, on my own, in the words of my six-year-old heart. It is the first place I considered holy, even before I could articulate a sense of what that word might mean. Today, this very day, thirty-seven or so years later, I have visited three of the holiest places on God’s earth for Muslims, Jews, and Christians. Early this morning, my fellow Christians and I were allowed to enter the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock on Haram Al-Sharif. The name means “The Noble Sanctuary,” and after Mecca and Medina, it is the third holiest site in Islam. The Quran says that Mohammed traveled to Al-Aqsa on his night journey, and from there ascended to heaven. Of course, the site is sacred to Jews and Christians as well. Haram Al-Sharif is built on the Jewish Temple Mount, and the temple itself was built on the traditional site of
HOLY PLACES, page 6
Lighting the way to understanding Acolytes learn church liturgy by doing, gaining an introduction to the idea of service in church and learning more about their faith along the way. Their training covers acolyte tasks and traditions, liturgical nuances, and service “mechanics” (as in who stands where and does what when). Camaraderie within the group imparts how to handle the role’s biggest challenges: lighting the notoriously uncooperative altar candles, carrying the tippy, superheavy processional cross, and remembering
the order of their altar duties. Since the Cathedral’s acolytes are students in seventh grade through high school, their maturity, awareness, and self-reflection deepen as they grow with the program, said the Rev. Ed Stein, who instructs and mentors the group. Newcomers might begin “a bit oblivious” to what goes on in a service, but most “come to understand what happens and why.” When polled informally about their acolyte experiences, a mix of students agreed that
ACOLYTES, page 3
Bridge Group bidding for a fuller house of cards Decks of cards and dedicated parishioners LEARN TO PLAY BRIDGE are building bridges to Wednesday, June 8 lasting relationships as 6:30–8:30 p.m. they meet monthly for some friendly rounds of party-style bridge. The established, but expanding, bridge group invites other experienced players within the Cathedral community to their next rounds of play on the first Friday of the month, 6–9 p.m. in the McGehee Conference Room. These noncompetitive evenings include time to socialize and enjoy potluck refreshments.
BRIDGE, page 8