March 2017 Bulletin

CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL An Episcopal Community in the Heart of Houston, Texas

MARCH 2017 CHRISTCHURCHCATHEDRAL.ORG

AFTER-HOURS EMERGENCY CARE LINE | 713-826-5332

Preserving our Sacred Cathedral: The Coming Campaign

Chapel of the Christ Child: the life of a historic Cathedral treasure Wonder-filled, children notice everything — and joyfully share their observations. The preschoolers at Cathedral House Episcopal School (CHES) say the favorite parts of their weekly services in the Chapel of the Christ Child are the boat-like wooden ceiling, the carved chair by the altar, the songs — and all the gestures that go with them, the “People of God” stories, the colorful wall hangings, and the birthday crown each gets to wear on his or her big day.

The weekly chapel service engages the children as they learn church stories and provides an early concept of being respectful within a church setting, CHES teachers say.

Built to scale for children rather than adults, the chapel leaves plenty of room for little minds to “wander in their wondering,” said KariAnn Lessner, Minister for Children and Families. “The chapel is one of the hidden treasures of the Cathedral … Every church

CHRIST CHILD, page 6

Neighborhood initiative information session Ministry can take many forms – from Bible studies to baking bread, from children’s play groups to Christmas caroling, and really anything in between. Ministry is what you make of it, and the Cathedral team is here to support you. Join us on Sunday, March 26, and learn how to bring your ministry ideas to life in your community and get connected to members with similar ideas. The information session will take place from 12:30–2 p.m. in the McGehee Conference Room.

Lunch will be provided. If you’re interested, feel free to reach out to the Rev. Genevieve Razim or Karen Kraycirik and let them know you’re planning to attend.

KAREN KRAYCIRIK

As I reported in the December Bulletin and at our Annual Parish Meeting in January, a Historic Preservation Task Force has been hard at work for the past six months, looking closely at the specific preservation needs of our beloved Cathedral.

The task force focused on the deterioration of bricks and mortar, VERY REV. foundation issues, inte- THEBARKLEY rior spaces that haven’t THOMPSON been addressed in decades, and several other vitally important items. In early February, the task force presented its report to the Vestry at the Vestry’s annual retreat at Camp Allen.

The report identified many necessary and important projects related to our campus. The last time any significant preservation work was done at Christ Church was more than twenty years ago.

Extensive work on the exterior of our buildings hasn’t been done in forty years.

The maintenance of our dear Cathedral buildings needs attention.

We are blessed by a historic campus that is among the most cherished places in Houston. Our campus provides a quiet and sacred oasis in the midst of the city.

The physical space of the Cathedral is also our greatest tool for evangelism; many visit and hear the Gospel here for the first time because they are attracted to the aesthetic beauty of our worship space. Preserving our historic campus is an expression of our fidelity to God. In faith, the Vestry responded to the task force’s report by 1.) approving the historic preservation and renovation projects it includes and 2.) calling for a Cathedral capital campaign to raise the necessary

PRESERVING, page 3

2018 Holy Land pilgrimage information session Canon Genevieve Razim along with Dr. Jaime Clark-Soles, professor of the New Testament, and Dr. Robert Hunt, director of Global Theological Studies at Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University, will lead a group of Cathedral pilgrims and seminary students to the Holy Land during OrINFO SESSION thodox Christmas 2018 Sunday, March 19, (January 3–13).

12:30–1:30 p.m., Pilgrims will study the Mellinger Room life and ministry of Jesus

in their historical contexts and visit important archeological and religious sites in presentday Israel and Palestine. Participants will also begin to understand some of the area’s contemporary issues. Those who include the optional Shalom Hartman Institute seminar (Jan. 14–17) will deepen their knowledge COFFEE WITH of Judaism and DR. CLARK-SOLES explore issues of Friday, March 24, 8:30 a.m., religious pluralism Mellinger Room and peace.

It is important that pilgrims be adventurous, intellectually curious, 18 years or older, of good health, and able to walk for moderate distances and on uneven terrain.

This pilgrimage is limited to 13 Cathedral participants. The cost is $1750 per person plus an additional $1300 for the optional Shalom Hartman Institute. These costs include lodging, meals, and entrance fees. This cost does not include airfare.

Canon Razim will hold an informational

INFO, page 8

Our Cathedral Family We celebrate with

EE Parker Bernard, born on January 2, 2017, to members Zach and Lauren Bernard.

EE Michelle Fanwen Qu and Roy David Judson, who were married in the Cathedral on January 7, 2017.

EE Michael DeVoll and Gary Gee, who were married in the Golding Chapel on January 24, 2017.

EE New members Patrick and Morgan Garvey, Trey and Nissa Picard and their son, James, and Jared and Leisha Dent and their children Claire, Catherine, and Sam.

We extend heartfelt sympathy to

EE the family of Amaryllis Clarice Blaiklock, who died January 16 in Houston, Texas.

EE the family of Edgar Taylor Jr., who died January 31 in Houston, Texas. He was the father of member Rives Tray Taylor.

The flowers on the Cathedral Altar

EE on Sunday, March 5, are given to the glory of God in loving memory of Judge John Birdsall, a founder of Christ Church and a member of the first vestry; DeWitt Clinton Harris, a founder and first clerk of the vestry; Jane Birdsall Harris; and Mary Jane Harris Briscoe, by Dorothy Knox Howe Houghton.

The flowers in the floor vases

EE on Sunday, March 5, are given to the glory of God in loving memory of his parents, Paul Lester and Dorothy Guthrie Berry Rudisill, and his sister, Dorothy Kay Rudisill, by Clifford Rudisill.

The flowers on the choir stalls

EE on Sunday, March 5, are given to the Glory of God and in loving memory of John Baird, by his family.

THE BULLETIN

PAGE 2

2017 Easter lily sales Easter lily sales will begin March 1 on the Cathedral web site and in the courtyard over three Sundays — March 5, 12, and 19 — from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. All dedications received by March 19 will be printed for Easter.

The Beacon 10 years later: more than a meal

BY JULIE FALCON DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, THE BEACON

The windows at 1212 Prairie glowed the morning of January 6, 2007, and our kitchen hummed with activity. The doors to The Beacon Day Center were unlocked for the first time that day, welcoming all that were hungry and hurting, looking for respite and peace.

In addition to a hot meal, approximately 90 homeless men and women came in to take a hot shower and to clean their clothes.

As word got out, the daily census numbers grew. Thankfully, so did the number of volunteers willing to help us provide services with dignity and grace to those living on the margins of society.

We adhere to those same values today and take comfort in knowing that many lean on our chaplain for solace to ease the anxieties of a life that many of us could not imagine — a life without a place to call home.

Recently, The Beacon has been at the epicenter of a citywide effort to change the path for Houston’s homeless. “The Way Home” initiative addresses the issue of homelessness with a housing first model.

In 2014, The Beacon became a Coordinated Access hub, providing assessments for homeless individuals and matching them to appropriate, supportive housing options. We also provide housing navigation services, to bridge the challenges one faces in moving from the street into stable housing.

The housing effort, along with other nextstep services provided through our Beacon Law program and Brigid’s Hope, has allowed us to truly deepen our level of services since that first day in 2007.

Many regular faces of the Day Center have moved on and are now stabilized in a safe, supportive living environment. We celebrate each one them, and we thank our loyal donors and volunteers for their help in this accomplishment.

More than 850 homeless individuals (nearly

half of the city’s collective efforts) have been housed because they started their journey by walking through our doors at The Beacon.

The Beacon is more than a meal. It’s a way out of homelessness.

We are grateful to those who have faith in our mission and welcome visitors for tours and conversation. To schedule a visit, please contact me at jfalcon@beaconhomeless.org.

Please visit beaconhomeless.org to volunteer or donate to our “More Than a Meal” campaign.

PRESERVING, from cover funds. The campaign will also include opportunities to support the Cathedral’s vital outreach ministries and enhance our endowment.

The Vestry is in the process of selecting a capital campaign consultant to work with us this spring in preparation for a fall 2017 campaign. As this process unfolds, we will keep the parish updated. In the meantime, I ask that you keep these important developments in your prayers. I am available to answer any questions or share further details.

I also want to express my deep gratitude to the members of the Historic Preservation Task Force: Jan Barrow, Bill Curtis, Guy Hagstette, Jim Murdaugh, Charlie Prioleau, David Simpson, Phoebe Tudor, and Matt Wareing.

They conducted their work with diligence and faith. As always, I am grateful for all our parishioners’ love and dedication to Christ Church as we continue to proclaim “God in the midst of the city.”

Participatory art installation provides opportunity for reflection graduate, abandon all insecurities, While grieving for a loved one, get my wife back, eat all the candy artist Candy Chang bought an and sushi in the world, be a Youtube abandoned house in New Orleans. sensation, straddle the International She covered the sides with plyDate Line, tell my mother I love her, board, painted them with chalkbe completely myself. board paint, and then stenciled row Many years later, over 1,000 Beafter row of the following prompt:

BY THE REV. “Before I die I want to … ____.” GENEVIEVE RAZIM fore I Die walls have been created in over 35 languages and over 70 She set out baskets of colored countries, including Kazakhstan, chalk and walked away. Soon the boards filled up with hundreds, and then Iraq, Haiti, China, Ukraine, Portugal, Japan, thousands of responses scrawled in chalk: Denmark, Argentina, and South Africa.

ART, page 8 Before I die I want to… see my daughter PAGE 3

THE BULLETIN

Pub Trivia, Youth Service Day, Vestry Retreat, and more

IN PICTURES

Below: Lauren Bradley, Doreen Gallevo, and Jessidee Valdez at a 20s and 30s outing to Pinot's Palette, where they painted the Houston skyline and Van Gogh's The Starry Night — together.

Above: Vestry members, incoming, current, and outgoing at this year's retreat (left to right), Lyman Paden, Randall, Floyd Robinson, Consuelo Bravo, James Hudson III, Frances Kittrell, Bruce McDonald, Andre Jackson Charlie Prioleau, Linnet Deily.

Left: Cathedral youth tidying Olivewood Cemetery, a historic resting place for freed slaves and some of Housto Right: Pub Trivia (left to right), Fabian Berrios, Maria Bautista, Lynette Huron.

THE BULLETIN

PAGE 4

Above: The Altar Guild Epiphany Tea, with (left to right) Donna Boyd, Patty Ramsey, Mary Swift, Diana Smith, Dianne Maurice.

Left: Kay Pieringer (center), recipient of this year's Dean's Cross at the Annual Parish Meeting, with outgoing senior warden Wayne Clawater (left) and Dean Barkley Thompson.

Chris Alexander, Wayne Clawater, Dean Thompson, Elizabeth Goza, Catherine n, Tracey Cabral, Robin Bullington, Bob Richter, Fredricka Brecht, Will Hamilton,

on's earliest African-American residents.

PAGE 5

THE BULLETIN

CHRIST CHILD, from cover doesn’t get a children’s chapel built with them in mind, but every child deserves a space where they feel safe as they explore Him.” It’s unlikely the youngsters are aware of the tiny chapel’s history, pedigree, and intent.

Ditto adult parishioners, especially those who joined the Cathedral after the chapel, completed in 1953, was relocated as part of renovations in 1989 that added the Jones Education Building.

Previously located next to Golding Chapel, in space now designated the Columbarium, the tiny chapel currently sits off a gated walkway within the school grounds for use

by CHES and, occasionally, Sunday school classes.

Architect John Staub designed the Chapel of the Christ Child. It’s a formal space of limestone and dark wooden paneling, but scaled to young worshippers.

The chapel was a gift to the Cathedral in memory of James Walker Cain Jr. The son of Lella Dixon Cain and James Walker Cain, he died of polio at age 21 in 1941, following a week spent in an iron lung, according to obituary accounts.

“Mrs. Cain,” as she was known, was a devoted and active churchwoman, said a variety of Cathedral and family sources; they wellremember her strong, quiet presence and lasting impact.

She was a patron of the arts and an avid gardener, both of which enriched the Cathedral, said Harry Webb, a family friend and Cathedral communicant recognized for his extraordinary Cathedral service as recipient of the inaugural Dean’s Cross in 2015.

Mrs. Cain’s eldest granddaughter, Carolyn Cain Bates, enjoyed an especially close relationship with her “Grandmama.” She believes the memorial chapel brought her grandmother solace. “It was significant for her to have a place to remind her of her son,” she said. “That chapel was one of the things that defined her . . . She adored children, detail, and all that was beautiful.”

A maintenance fund established decades ago by the family has handled the chapel’s upkeep, Webb said.

In the archives Archival research at Houston Metropolitan Research Center on behalf of the Cathedral’s Historic Preservation Task Force located a construction document that attributes the chapel’s donation to James Walker Cain, said Steph McDougal of McDoux Preservation.

In the Cathedral archives, meanwhile, materials indicate the initial altar pieces from Mrs. Cain were brass with a gold wash and THE BULLETIN

PAGE 6

Above left: one of the several needlepoint panels on display in the chapel, made by Patty Hurt and other churchwomen.

Above right: Iconography in the Children's Chapel.

Above: The Rev. Art Callaham leading a children's chapel service with the children of Cathedral House Episcopal School (CHES).

designed by Bernard Ufer, father of current parishioner Dieter Ufer.

Sadly, the originals were stolen early on, said archivist Patty Hurt. Reproductions created in vermeil by the CM Almy Co. relied on the well-documented initial designs.

Also gifted by Mrs. Cain, a large 17th c. silk tapestry of Mother and Child initially occupied one wall of the chapel’s entry. Its condition had disintegrated from the move, and its whereabouts are unknown, Hurt said.

An archival photo of the tapestry, rich in blues, reds, and golds, graced a Cathedral Christmas card at one point. Despite the photo as reference, efforts to have the tapestry restored or replicated were not successful, she said.

Instead, a group of churchwomen

– including Hurt — produced colorful needlepoint panels for the small sanctuary’s interior. The panels convey stories of the Old and New Testaments from the “Godly Play” curriculum, which was developed by the Rev. Dr. Jerome Berryman, the Cathedral’s canon educator from 1984-1994.

The chapel’s current use has revived its purpose in reaching children. It can also be a place of healing and comfort to family and staff during times of crisis, said CHES Director Teri Jackson. When not in use, it is securely locked.

Bates encourages other adults – whether or not they attended chapel services — to visit the space, when possible, to be reminded of their spirit and innocence: “It’s a magical place if you allow it to be.”

CALENDAR OF EVENTS Visit christchurchcathedral.org or call 713-222-2593 to learn more about these and other events at the Cathedral.

Registration recommended

Registration required MARCH 3

MARCH MARCH 1

WED

Ash Wednesday Mark the start of Lent with the imposition of ashes at services at 7 a.m., 12:05 p.m., and 6 p.m. in English and at 7:30 p.m. in Spanish.

Registration closed FRI

20s & 30s First Friday Downtown Lunch 12–1 p.m., Niko Niko’s at 301 Milam.

Join members for a monthly lunch in various locations downtown.

Bridge Night 6–9 p.m., McGehee Conference Room.

Bring a dish for the potluck social.

Dean’s Book Club 7:00–8:30 p.m., McGehee Conference Room. Discussing The Wright Brothers by David McCullough. This meeting follows the 6 p.m. Ash Wednesday service.

MARCH 1–APRIL 9 Before I Die …

The Cathedral gates. This participatory public art project invites people to contemplate death, reflect on life, and share their personal aspirations in public.

MARCH 5

March 12: Rabbi Steve Gross and Ameer Abuhalimeh The Rabbi of the Houston Congregation for Reformed Judaism, with the Executive Director of the Islamic Da’Wah Center in Houston.

March 19: Dr. Leslie Williams English professor, writer, and threetime Fellow of Yale Divinity School.

March 26: The Very Rev. Cynthia Briggs Kittredge Dean and President of the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, and respected New Testament Scholar.

April 2: Miroslav Volf Founder and Director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture, and Henry B. Wright Professor of Theology, Yale Divinity School.

MARCH 30–APRIL 1

Cathedral 20s & 30s 6:30–8 p.m., BYC. (Treehouse) Weekly discussion group and social gathering of young adults. (No meetings during Lent)

THU–SAT

Icon Writing Workshop 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., McGehee Conference Room. Continues April 6–7. ($)

SUN

Lenten Evensong 5 p.m., Cathedral Choir.

MARCH 6

Adult Sunday Formation 10–11 a.m., various locations.

Sunday School 10–11 a.m., various locations. Spanishlanguage classes at 1 p.m. for children and youth.

Christian Meditation 10–11 a.m., Bride’s Room. Learn and practice a form of prayer taught by Jesus.

This class, open to all, includes teaching, Sponsored by FRI–SUN meditation, scripture, and prayer.

20s & 30s Retreat Gathering of young adults from the Cathedral and other area churches.

March 5: The Rev. Peter Marty Senior pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Davenport, IA, and publisher of The Christian Century magazine.

Buscando la Luz (Last 3 Wednesdays) 6:45–8 p.m., Bride’s Room. Spanish-language discussion group.

SUNDAYS

MARCH 4 SAT Touch-a-Truck 10 a.m. to noon, Trinity Episcopal Church, 1015 Holman. An opportunity for kids to get up close to and touch cool cars and trucks. No sirens/lights from 10–11 a.m.

MON

Anam Cara 6:30 p.m., McGehee Conference Room.

The start of a monthly women’s group by Brigid’s Place.

Celtic Eucharist, “The Well” 5 p.m. The Cathedral. Drawing inspiration and music from the Celtic tradition, this service focuses on prayer, silence, meditation, and grace.

MONDAYS Centering Prayer 11:15–11:45 a.m., Hines Center.

Bible “By the Glass” 6:30–8 p.m., OKRA, 924 Congress. Fellowship and Bible study.

MARCH 20

MON

Branch Out Jeremy Bradley and Christy Orman visit Houston area schools to say hello to our youth members.

FRIDAYS Men’s Morning Study Group 7–8 a.m., Jeffers Conference Room.

UPCOMING

APRIL 5 WED Dean’s Book Club 6:30–8 p.m., McGehee Conference Room. Discussing Tomlinson Hill: The Remarkable Story of Two Families Who Share the Same Name — One White, One Black by Chris Tomlinson, with special appearance by the author.

APRIL 9

SUN

TUESDAYS Canticles: Ancient Songs of Faith 7–8:15 a.m., Mellinger Room. Co-ed Bible study with Canon Art Callaham.

The Way of the Cross for Children 10 a.m., Bishop’s Courtyard. In language and pictures for children.

Education for Ministry (EFM) 6:30–9 p.m., Mellinger Room. Comprehensive adult theology program. ($)

Peeps Diorama Contest 10 a.m., Reynolds Hall. Enter your Peepsinspired miniature scene. Prizes awarded. Refreshments served.

WEDNESDAYS

MARCH 26

Moving into Prayer 11:30 a.m. Hines Center. Yoga and scripture. ($) or free with membership.

Lord of the Streets Service Day 6:15 a.m., Trinity Episcopal Church. Help cook eggs, meat, and grits during a twohour breakfast shift.

Men’s Lunch Group: G.K. Chesterton (Biweekly) 12 p.m., Dean’s Conference Room.

Palm Sunday Observances at all services commemorating Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem.

Holy Land Pilgrimage Info Session 5:30 p.m., Mellinger Room. Find out about this pilgrimage on Jan 3–13, 2018.

SUN

THURSDAYS

Episcopal Youth Community (EYC) 3–4:45 p.m., BYC (Treehouse). Gathering of youth for games, teaching, videos, a and worship.

Healing Service 12:05 p.m., Golding Chapel.

MARCH 18 SAT Painted Churches Tour Religion and the Arts partners with local Archaeology groups to revive painted churches bus tour.

Bring a friend!

Neighborhood Initiative Info Session 12:30–2 p.m., McGehee Conference Room. Learn how you can create ministry in your own back yard.

WEEKLY

MARCH 3–5

ROBERT C. STUART LENTEN SERIES ON REFORMATION Sundays in Lent, Reynolds Hall.

10 a.m. class, 6 p.m. dinner, 7–8:30 p.m. conversation. Children’s evening Lenten program from 6–8:30 p.m. in the Jones Building.

Childcare available (3 mo. to 12 yrs.)

Women’s Morning Bible Study 9:30–11 a.m., Jeffers Conference Room.

Bilingual Eucharist 6–6:30 p.m., Golding Chapel.

Palm Sunday Evensong 5 p.m., Cathedral Choir.

Cast the First Stone Film Screening 6–8 p.m., Reynolds Hall. A documentary about the largest prison production of a Passion Play ever, performed by inmates at Angola Prison and Louisiana Correctional Institution for Women.

PAGE 7

THE BULLETIN

Non-Profit Organization U.S. POSTAGE PAID Houston, Texas

1117 Texas Avenue Houston, Texas 77002-3183

PERMIT No. 6404

Did you know you can read The Bulletin on our website? If you’d like to go “online-only,” contact Ramona Sikes at rsikes@christchurchcathedral.org or call her at 713-590-3301.

In the Cloister Gallery: Abundant by Women in the Visual and Literary Arts

Upcoming: Art in Series by Silvia Pinto Souza

In the juried show on view through March 23, artists of this Houston nonprofit use varied media to reflect their interpretation of the word “abundant.”

Using acrylic paint as well as collage and texture, Souza displays examples of her work from a variety of themes based on travel and life experience. There will be a reception on March 31 from 6–8 p.m.

INFO, from page 2 meeting on Sunday, March 19, at 12:30 p.m. in the Mellinger Room. A coffee with brief lecture by Dr. Clark-Soles will be held on Friday, March 24, at 8:30 a.m. in the Mellinger Room. Those interested in finding out more about the Orthodox Christmas Holy Land Pilgrimage should attend the March 19 meeting; registration will open at its conclusion.

ART, from page 3 With permission from the artist, Christ Church Cathedral has created a Before I Die wall for Lent. Installed on the Texas Avenue Bishop’s Garden gate for the season of Lent, parishioners and passersby are invited to reflect on their mortality and then respond by adding their hopes and aspirations to the wall.

This participatory artwork provides an opportunity for self-reflection fitting for Lent and creates another meaningful way to connect with our downtown neighbors and residents.

The Before I Die wall opened to the public on Shrove Tuesday, Feb. 28, and will remain up until Palm Sunday, April 9.

THE BULLETIN

PAGE 8

Dean’s Book Club selections All are welcome. The club meets in the McGehee Conference Room from 6:30–8 p.m. on the following dates:

Wednesday, April 5 Tomlinson Hill: The Remarkable Story of Two Families Who Share the Same Name — One White, One Black by Chris Tomlinson Tomlinson turns his journalist’s eye on his own family background to present an unflinching look at the racial history of one small Texas community.

In the Book Store: Lenten Series selections Lenten reading and a selection of books by our Lenten speakers can be found on the Bookstore shelves now, as well as Easter baskets with seasonal items in our children's section. As usual, we are happy to make book orders upon request.