CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL An Episcopal Community in the Heart of Houston, Texas
AUGUST 2022 CHRISTCHURCHCATHEDRAL.ORG
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An important announcement from the Dean and Senior Warden The following letters were originally shared with the Cathedral congregation on July 5. Dear Cathedral Family and Friends,
Heeding a call to serve When Lay Eucharistic Visitor Keith Frazier thinks about what inspires him to serve at Christ Church, he reflects on a lyric from a praise song by Andy Gullahorn — “…Walking through a garden of a thousand burning bushes looking up to heaven for a sign.” “I think faith calls us always,” Frazier said. “Most of us don’t listen because we are waiting for God to come down and say, ‘I want you.’” The “call,” however, can be as simple as a willingness to match an interest with a need. Or just saying yes to an ask. For longtime Cathedral member Flo Ray, teaching the Bible is an abiding interest. She has taught Sunday School to both children and adults and said that the experience prepared
her well for a 21-year stint as the religion teacher at Episcopal High School. “I really believe the words that are in the prayer book,” Ray said. “We say things like we are going to praise God not only with our lips but in our lives. That sticks with me. If I have that attitude that God has prepared me to walk into a good work today, I might notice it when it comes up. That’s part of why I do things, but I also do things because they’re fun.” Since the 1970s Ray has volunteered in a wide range of roles. Ray was the first chair of the former Christian Education Council, now known as Adult Formation, and served as a member of the
CALL TO SERVE, page 6
Rally against world hunger On Sunday, September 11th the Cathedral will Rally Against Hunger as we gather to pack 100,000 meals for our neighbors across the globe. Following a combined service at 10 a.m., we will work shoulder to shoulder to measure, bag, seal, and box 100,000 meals that will be shipped to the hungriest regions on our planet. With decades of experience, our partners at Rise Against Hunger will bring the raw materials and organize our efforts. Our job is to provide a willing spirit and working hands. The pack will take place in
RALLY, page 7
Sunday, Sept. 11
Just over a decade ago, I entered the search process that resulted in me being called as the eighth dean of Christ Church Cathedral. I accepted the call to serve as dean with boundless joy. Our ten years of shared ministry have enlivened me beyond belief, as together we’ve proclaimed God in the midst of the city THE VERY REV. (Psalm 46:5). I have BARKLEY loved this decade with THOMPSON you, as I deeply love Christ Church. Both globally and personally, the past year has been one of challenge. Throughout the year, I have had occasion for discernment and introspection, as I have imagined what fidelity to my calling as a priest will look like for the next decade of ministry. Additionally, as Jill and I prepare to become empty nesters this summer, we have also considered how we might respond to this change in our household makeup. During this same time, the wonderful parish of St. Mark’s in Little Rock, Arkansas began a rector search after the retirement of its long-time rector. St. Mark’s is the largest parish in Little Rock. It is a congregation I have observed, and whose fidelity to the Gospel I have admired, for more than twenty-five years. St. Mark’s is a vibrant place that shares Christ Church’s commitments both to
ANNOUNCEMENT, page 3
