CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL An Episcopal Community in the Heart of Houston, Texas
OCTOBER 2017 CHRISTCHURCHCATHEDRAL.ORG
AFTER-HOURS EMERGENCY CARE LINE | 713-826-5332
Faith through the storm
Marjorie Thacker Leskovjan with some of her many photographs of Cathedral events through the years.
The stories behind the lens Cathedral member Marjorie Thacker Leskovjan is a lifelong shutterbug with a yen for telling stories. One of her favorite subjects to capture — over several decades — has been the community life of Christ Church Cathedral. Whether using a basic Brownie camera, Polaroid, or traditional point-and-shoot gear, Leskovjan has amassed a collection dating from the late 1970s of mostly candid shots showcasing parishioners observing or enjoying activities on campus, celebrating milestones, and working behind the scenes. The photographs have captured church
history and parishioner stories, she says. Being able to freeze moments in time has been an appealing draw for her to serve as an unofficial documentarian for Christ Church Cathedral, where she and members of her extended family have worshipped for many generations. “It seems like I was divinely guided to snap photos,” Leskovjan says. Doing so brings her a creative voice, a purpose, and personal validation. And in taking photos of others, she hopes to also validate them. “I try to tell a story in the picture so it doesn’t
PORTRAITS, page 6
Billingsley at the Bookstore BY LUCY CHAMBERS
On Sunday, October 22, the Cathedral Bookstore welcomes KPRC’s beloved weatherman Frank Billingsley. Frank will be in the store from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to sign and discuss his recently published book, Swabbed and Found: An Adopted Man’s DNA Journey to Discover His Family Tree. In this candid memoir, Frank explains how he combined cutting-edge DNA tests and genealogical programs with his investigative skills in his search for his birth parents. The science of genealogy is booming, and in his typical open fashion, Frank puts a human face on it. His story reminds us that FRANK BILLINGSLEY
BOOKSTORE, page 6
On Saturday afternoon, August 26, the rain began in Houston after Hurricane Harvey crashed into the Texas coast the day before. By the time Harvey left our region five days later, Houston had experienced more than fifty-one inches of rain, breaking every U.S. record. Harvey’s devastation is enormous, but it is THE VERY REV. not the main story. The BARKLEY THOMPSON main story is the abundant grace God continues to weave through the aftermath of the storm. Christ Church Cathedral is at the center. We are administering a network of Episcopal parishes, including St. Martin’s, St. John the Divine, Palmer, and others, that matches assistance with needs across the city. We have helped dozens of people with housing, transportation, food, clothing, and legal counsel. In addition to our own parishioners, we have enabled more than two dozen families from impoverished neighborhoods to secure housing, preventing them from lapsing into homelessness. More than one hundred Cathedral parishioners served on work crews cleaning out flooded houses or in the shelters. The Beacon was open every day during the first half of September, providing three meals per day. The Cathedral is serving as Christ’s hands and feet across the city. Parishioners Seth Hinkley and Gary Krause are serving as our Cathedral Hurricane Relief Coordinators. If you have any storm-related need, please contact them at hurricanerelief@christchurchcathedral. org or 346-704-1869.
FAITH, page 3