CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL An Episcopal Community in the Heart of Houston, Texas
SEPTEMBER 2017 CHRISTCHURCHCATHEDRAL.ORG
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Faith and foul play:
The mystery of the clergy-detective Whether read or watched, a well-spun mystery tale can be absorbing, entertaining, and a pleasurable mental workout. As it turns out, there are a surprising number of fictional cases involving a clergy-detective or detective sidekick (not always appreciated by the
official inspector). The Rev. Arthur Callaham finds an intriguing connection between literary mystery and Anglican theology. He will be exploring this thread (somewhat playfully, he says) in
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Do priests, bikes, and intrigue go together? Apparently. Above left is the Rev. Sidney Chambers of PBS's "Grantchester," below left is Father Brown of PBS's "Father Brown," and right is the Rev. Art Callaham of the Cathedral's "Holy Mysteries."
Latin/Hispanic Heritage Month Celebrating with pride the diversity of our culture BY LOURDES LOERA
During National Hispanic Heritage Month, occurring across North America from mid-September to mid-October, Christ Church Cathedral will proudly celebrate the diversity of Latino/Hispanic culture for four Sundays. All Cathedral members and friends are welcome to get to know the vast diversity of culture through food, dance, singing, and fellowship at this year's Mes de la Herencia (Heritage Month). It is an annual tradition on the part of the Cathedral’s Latin/Hispanic congregation, and members are very happy to continue to share and celebrate Latino/
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Traditional mariachi band from last year's celebration
Stained glass When I stand in the Bishop’s Courtyard and look across from the fountain to the Cathedral façade, I see tall, arched bays. From that vantage point, the bays house the opaque outline of figures. The scenes are mysterious. If I didn’t know what they were, I’d walk by them and wonder at the kind of people who would go THE VERY REV. to such lengths to install BARKLEY them and tend them. I’d THOMPSON walk away confused as to their value. Yet, when I stand inside Christ Church Cathedral and look at those same bays, I see vivid biblical scenes in blazing color: pictures of St. Paul, St. John, the Resurrection, and Jesus as the Good Shepherd. The bays, you see, are filled by Christ Church’s amazing stained glass windows, produced by some of the masters of the art, including Sharp, Lamb, and Tiffany. But to see the windows’ glory, you must come inside the church. They cannot be understood from the outside. The Cathedral’s windows are rendered priceless not only because of the artists who made them, but also because they include some rare scenes. In the east transept, we have a King David window with a menorah, as well as a window with a scene of the child Jesus helping with Joseph’s carpentry. On the west wall of the nave, we have a nativity window that includes black glass, so that the incoming sun illuminates only the infant Jesus while leaving the remainder of the scene in nighttime darkness. My favorite window is the crucifixion window above the World War I memorial. At the foot of the cross, in addition to the biblical characters, there are a doughboy, a sailor, a USO volunteer, and a Red
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