Open Door August/September 2014

OPEN DOOR August / September 2014

Worship & Spiritual Growth

A Call to Worship

A Radical Welcome

What is the church for?

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STAFF & VESTRY CLERGY

Highlights

The Very Reverend Peter Eaton Rector and Dean, Ext. 7721 The Reverend Robert Hendrickson Sub-Dean, Ext. 7706

WORSHIP & SPIRITUAL GROWTH

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A Call to worship

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The Reverend Elizabeth Marie Melchionna, Canon, Ext. 7731 The Reverend Jadon Hartsuff Canon, Ext. 7732 The Reverend Charles LaFond Canon Steward, Ext. 7711 The Reverend Elizabeth Costello Curate, Ext. 7704

SENIOR STAFF Kim McPherson Director of Religious Education Ext. 7729

Ministry of worship & Welcome

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A Radical welcome

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Mike Orr Director of Communications Ext. 7730 Stephen Tappe Organist and Director of Music Ext. 7726 Tara Williams Director of Finance and Administration Ext. 7720

VESTRY

Chipping Away at thin places

Larry Kueter, Senior Warden Mary Ellen Williams, Treasurer David Abbott, Clerk Class of 2017 David Abbott, Tamra d’Estrée, Jack Denman, Mike McCall Class of 2016 David Ball, Jen Courtney-Keyse, Suni Devitt, Amanda Montague Class of 2015 Susan Chenier, Ned Rule, Mary Laird Stewart, John Van Camp Cover Photo: Life of Paul, Aidan Hart with contributions from Andrew Jamieson, Copyright 2002, The Saint John’s Bible, Saint John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Following page: Baptism of Jesus, Donald Jackson, Copyright 2002, The Saint John’s Bible, Saint John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

An Entrance to China

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From the Dean: RENEWAL IN OUR LIFE TOGETHER As we all know, we are in an exciting time of reflection and renewal at Saint John’s. The Church must do this work on a regular basis. The truth of God remains constant, but our response to God is shaped by many factors, and these circumstances always demand our attentiveness. This work of reflection and renewal is important for us who belong to the Church already; and it is crucial, too, so that those who come to us in search of a closer relationship with the living God are drawn into a vibrant, faithful Christian life.

As we begin this new program year, five chief desires have emerged from the RenewalWorks inventory that so many of us filled out a few months ago. As you know from prior updates, the results have been tabulated and are being examined by a working group of parish leaders. They have told us that as a community we are most wanting to: •

Focus on reading, learning about, and applying the Scriptures to our daily lives

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Commit ourselves to spiritual practices/prayer in a way that expects accountability

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Deepen our participation in worship that engages us at every level of response to God

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Sustain leaders who model healthy lives and who help us to deepen our own life with God

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Strengthen our sense of belonging to an active community of faith

As we promised, we shall now give clear attention to what we have learned from our parish in these areas, and you will see elsewhere in this issue of the Open Door, and in the upcoming months, the ways in which

we shall be doing this. There will be some changes to various aspects of our life, but these changes will give sharper focus to the desires expressed in our inventory.

I am delighted that the clergy and lay staff and our congregational leaders have this impetus to be getting on with things. We have all been listening, praying, dreaming, and planning, and we are about to see some wonderful results of all this work.

Perhaps most obviously we shall notice a good deal of attention to the deepening of our reading and knowledge of the Scriptures. The presence among us of the great Saint John’s Bible will be a sacramental sign to us of the centrality of the Holy Scriptures in our common life as a Christian community and in our personal lives as faithful individuals. Nothing replaces the formation that being drenched in the Biblical story gives us. And we hope that soon no one who attends the Cathedral will feel the need to apologize for his or her lack of knowledge of the Bible. More than this, we shall be very clear about how the Bible can be a real help to us in our journey towards union with God. There will be so much more: A renewed service of Compline on Wednesday evenings (more information on page 6). Attention to health and well-being. The enriching of our Sunday liturgies. Emphasis on our life together, and the strength that belonging to a community can give to us in our lives during the week. The new ventures you will find in these pages will take us in the direction that our RenewalWorks survey is pointing us, and we shall take some new steps along the road to the Kingdom of God together.

I am grateful to all those who have worked so hard to bring you everything about which you will read in these pages, and who will help us grow more and more into the full stature of Christ as mature daughters and sons of God.

WORSHIP & SPIRITUAL GROWTH As we respond together to the RenewalWorks inventory that we participated in this past spring, we have found a shared hunger for meaning, for a place to learn, to connect with others and share their stories, and for support at turning points in our lives.

We offer many educational and spiritual activities on Sunday and during the week; mornings, afternoons, and evenings.

We are centered around prayer and worship. In addition to our central worship, classes, groups, and programs help us to grow together and respond in the world with love, compassion, and respect. We seek to live as a true “Community in Christ,” transformed and empowered through our individual formation and our work together.

WeEKDAY WORSHIP

SPIRITUAL GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES

Saint John’s Cathedral is committed to a daily life of prayer and worship. Pausing to pray at fixed hours of the day is an ancient spiritual practice, and Episcopalians have long been especially devoted to what are called the “Daily Offices of Morning and Evening Prayer,” thus establishing a pattern of beginning and ending each day by turning to God in prayer.

Wednesdays/CATHEDRAL NITE

In addition to Morning and Evening Prayer, join us any weekday at 5:30 pm in Saint Martin’s Chapel for Holy Eucharist. There is also a Eucharist on Wednesdays at 7:00 am. This is an intimate time of prayer, reflection, and focus on the Eucharist, using the Book of Common Prayer. Consider attending these weekday services as part of your regular prayer life and a way to become more familiar with how the Book of Common Prayer is used in our prayer life and common worship.

Saint Martin’s Chapel, Monday through Friday Morning Prayer - 8:30 am, Weekdays Evening Prayer - 5:00 pm, Weekdays The Holy Eucharist - 5:30 pm, Weekdays

Seeing the Word A program designed especially around The Saint John’s Bible—in worship, prayer, and study to inspire our spiritual imaginations and creativity.

More information on following page

Catechumenate A community of learning for all who are seeking a closer connection with God and who want to explore the faith, life, and tradition of the Church.

More information on page 4

SUnday MORNINGS The Story A group study centered around an accessible, simply written book that is an adaptation of the Bible.

Designed to provide a foundation of biblical history and familiarity with the books of the Bible, this group study will also explore God’s relationship with humanity in a linear, easy-to-understand narrative.

More information on page 5

The Holy Eucharist - 7:00 am, Wednesdays

SUnday EVENINGS Seeing the Word

More information on following page

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Seeing the Word

by Mother Elizabeth Marie Melchionna

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eginning on September 7, for an entire year, Saint John’s Cathedral will be host to a volume of The Saint John’s Bible, the first handwritten, illuminated bible to be commissioned by a Benedictine abbey since the advent of the printing press more than 500 years ago. Saint John’s Abbey and College, in Collegeville, Minnesota, commissioned the Bible to celebrate the new millennium. We shall be using Seeing the Word—a program of study designed especially around The Saint John’s Bible—in worship, prayer, and study to incite our spiritual imaginations and creativity.

Seeing the Word employs visio divina, a spiritual practice closely related to lectio divina, or “divine reading.” Seeing the Word teaches the practice of divine seeing, which uses the sense of sight and the illuminations of The Saint John’s Bible in conjunction with the handwritten words of Scripture to encounter God. For instance, the session on the parable of the Sower and the Seed (Mark 4:1–9) brings together the scripture passage, written reflections on the passage, and the illumination of the Sower from The Saint John’s Bible crafted by artist Aidan Hart.

I took part in a session of Seeing the Word while visiting Saint John’s College, and was taught to use visio divina with John 20:11–18, a passage of scripture I have read perhaps a hundred times. It is the story of Mary Magdalene encountering the risen Christ in the garden, and mistaking him for the gardener, until he called her by name. And yet when this passage was paired with the illumination from The Saint John’s Bible, I found myself encountering this passage and the people in the story in an entirely new way. What did it say about Christ’s divinity, about his divine relationship to humanity, that Mary Magdalene’s hands are bathed in the golden glow from Christ’s halo? Is his divinity reflected in her? Or is Mary being altered by her encounter with the divine? And what does that mean for my own encounters with God? Seeing the Word will be offered twice a week throughout the year: on Wednesday evenings at Cathedral Nite and on Sunday evenings after the Wilderness. I hope each of you will allow yourselves the opportunity to encounter the Holy Scriptures in this new and dynamic way.

Photos courtesy of Saint John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota. 2014

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Catechumenate: Downloading Faith, in Community

by Father Jadon Hartsuff

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or many years at Saint John’s, newer members of the Cathedral community have set aside nine months of their Wednesday evenings to gather into a community of learning called the Catechumenate (kat-eh-QUE-men-et).

Often these newer members are joined by others who have been part of either the Cathedral or the Episcopal Church for some time and now wish to renew and refresh both their adult knowledge and understanding of the Faith as well as their own Baptismal commitments.

respectively, “down” and “sound.”

Catechumens (those participating in the catechumenate) are in a decidedly receptive mode – being formed by a community of believers; hearing the traditions of the church from those who received them before. Joining the catechumenate is not only one individual’s act of exploration but it is also, as in a marathon, an act of the community’s continuation – of participating in the great echo of Christian faith and tradition begun millennia ago.

This kind of gathering is as old as Christianity itself and was, originally, the only way into the Faith. Today the Cathedral’s program fulfills a wide variety of needs and desires: of adults preparing for Baptism or exploring the particulars of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican tradition; of those preparing for Confirmation; of those already Confirmed who would like to renew their commitments through Reception or Reaffirmation; and of those embarking upon a season of inquiry not knowing for sure where an intentional period of reflection and learning will take them. All who are seeking a closer connection with God and who want to explore the tradition of the Church in community are welcome.

Whether you are already certain about an intention to be baptized, received into the Episcopal Church, or renewing your baptismal covenant, or you are simply interested in discerning how God is calling you to be in relationship with the Church at large or the Cathedral in particular – please do consider joining the Catechumenate this September, and do not hesitate to reach out to me by email or in person if you have any questions at jadon@sjcathedral.org.

The word catechumenate comes from the Greek words “kata” and “ekhos,” meaning,

Register now online at sjcathedral.org/ Catechumenate.

The Catechumenate begins on Wednesday, September 17. Regular attendance is desired, though commitments to complete the program will not be expected until late November.

by Mike McCall

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oes the Bible intimidate you? Do you find yourself wanting to understand the story of God’s relationship with humanity – of God’s relationship with you – but feel overwhelmed by the sheer immensity and complexity of this book?

Do you struggle to find the Book of Ruth, or 3 John?

Do you lack confidence in teasing out the meaning of a scripture passage?

Its main character, of course, is God – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. God’s love for us is its central theme.

Each week will build on the previous week, so it will be beneficial to attend each of the classes. The class, however, is open to all whenever you are able to come, as often as you are able to attend.

If this describes you and you want to become more comfortable with the Scriptures – using your whole heart, mind, and soul – then consider attending The Story this coming year.

At the end of 30 weeks, you will have a better understanding of the last five thousand years of Jewish and Christian history. You will be able to open the Bible with confidence, engage in thoughtful debate, and whet your appetite for more knowledge.

Over a period of about 30 weeks, Father Robert Hendrickson, other clergy, scholars, and lay leaders will guide us through an accessible, simply written book of the same name.

You might even discover a deeper relationship with God – and even the real meaning of your life. Please join us Sunday Mornings, at 10:15 am, beginning September 14, in Room 200 for The Story.

An adaptation of the Bible, The Story relates God’s plan for us revealed in the Scriptures. It is written in modern, everyday English and its linear narrative describes God acting in human history, beginning with Adam and Eve in Genesis and ending with the Book of Revelation.

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Monday, August 4 6:00 pm in the Library (Parish House, 2nd Floor)

• We are hosting 20 homeless women weekly at Saint John’s.

• Over 150 participants have gone through the Catechumenate program in the past 3 years.

• Saint John’s hosts 4 addiction groups weekly with over 100 participants.

If you are new to Saint John’s or simply want to reacquaint yourself with the wonderful ministry going on all around, plan to join us for a light wine and cheese reception.

Connect to Saint John’s at this welcoming event with clergy, staff, and other newcomers.

Childcare provided.

• 52 campers, 7 gappers, 12 counselors, 2 interns, and 5 adults attended Cathedral Camp, June 15-21.

• Saint John’s contributed over 4,500 pounds of food to Metro CareRing last year.

• Saint John’s has celebrated over 85 baptisms in the past 2 years.

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Saint John’s parishioner-gardeners have donated well over 46 lbs of produce to Metro CareRing this year.

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Over 2,800 people receive the weekly eNewsletter, The Voice.

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Volunteers give over 1,325 hours of service to the music program each month.

Are you on our eNewsletter list?

Receiving weekly e-newsletters is a great way to find out what is going on in your Cathedral Parish. Email your contact information to communications@sjcathedral.org or register easily online at sjcathedral.org!

Questions/Comments?

Contact us at info@sjcathedral.org with any question you may have. We’d love to help!

Two Important Feasts in August From the liturgical point of view, the summer is a “slow” time.

Intentionally the Church gives us time to grow in our lives of faith by focusing not on the excitements of various feasts, but on the everyday commitment of following Jesus. Our Sunday readings focus on the “basics:” faithfulness, generosity, love of neighbor, self-sacrifice, and other Christian practices and attitudes that accomplish what we call the “conversion of life.”

However, in August there are two great feasts. The first is the Feast of the Transfiguration on August 6. We know this story well enough, but it has deep religious and spiritual significance for each of us.

And then on August 15, we keep the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This is traditionally the feast on which we commemorate her death, and throughout the Christian world this is her greatest feast day.

We shall celebrate the Eucharist on both these feasts in the Chapel at 5:30 pm.

Feast of the Transfiguration - August 6 Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary - August 15 7

A Call to Worship

by Father Robert Hendrickson

“For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name…” Malachi 1:11

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ne trend that we are seeing among those returning to churches across the country is a desire to experience greater mystery and transcendence in worship, to connect with something deeper and wider and greater than they can possibly imagine. Our RenewalWorks survey confirms this trend at Saint John’s, showing that our congregation desires perhaps most of all “worship that is challenging and thought provoking.” We have therefore looked to worship communities across the nation doing creative new work. On Sunday evenings at Saint Mark’s Cathedral in Seattle, for example, as many as 600 people, most of them young adults, crowd the cathedral for their choral compline service. Similarly, the largest Episcopal service in New Haven on a Sunday is often Christ Church’s 10:00 pm compline service.

This evening service draws crowds of students and young adults yearning to connect to ancient traditions, calling them out of an ordinary, hectic daily life into the mystery and beauty of God’s own Presence.

As we look at the ways that Saint John’s can respond to the parish’s expressed desire for a more transcendent worship, we will be experimenting a bit with our 11:15 am service on Sunday and our 8:30 pm compline service on Wednesdays. Of course, by experimenting, we mean reaching back into the depths of our tradition to find elements capable of drawing in 21st-century believers – believers for whom these traditions and this mystery are a new and living thing. We will, as I like to say, be keeping up with tradition.

On Wednesday evenings, Compline will be different.

Some will recognize similarities to Holy Week’s Tenebrae service. Candles will offer the only light.

The choir will sing the service from the loft. We will create a worship space that encourages those who come to be fully present – without talking, texting, or tweeting – yet allowing themselves to be transformed by “the beauty of holiness.”

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“And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord: for His mercy endureth forever.” II Chronicles 20:19

The congregation gathers in darkness at the close of day to hear the beauty of chant and allow the rush of crowded days and strained schedules to recede and fade. It is a time to truly hear the call of Psalm 46 to “Be still and know that I am God.” The earliest formal description of Compline is found in the Rule of Saint Benedict, written in the early seventh century. In fewer than thirty words, Saint Benedict described the form Compline would take for the next thousand years. Compline is marked by simple prayer: then psalm, hymn, chapter, blessing, and dismissal.

“After Compline,” he wrote, “no one may speak.”

On Sunday mornings, we will continue this exploration into how the more mysterious elements of our tradition draw new believers into the Church. Our 11:15 am service will make space for God to touch all of our senses. Our 8:00 and 9:00 am services will

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remain largely as they are – though we will look for ways to involve children more fully in the 9:00 am service.

At 11:15 am, we will mark the importance of the Holy Scriptures by chanting the Gospel. There is a long tradition, especially in cathedrals, of having the deacon chant the words of the Gospels to communicate that a new kind of teaching is happening and to facilitate ease of hearing in large spaces. We will demonstrate a particular reverence for the Gospels in a year when we are focusing on the Scriptures as a congregation by singing them rather than simply reading them.

Scriptures are, at their best, songs to be sung rather than a labor of memorization.

We will use incense each Sunday at 11:15 am while its current use at 8:00 and 9:00 am will remain the same.

Throughout the worship described in the Old and New

“Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.” Psalm 141:2

Testaments, incense is frequently mentioned. It is an offering that indicates that the people are gathered in the Presence of the Holy One and that something beyond description, something commanding all the senses, is happening. In later years, incense would be used to mark the path of royalty. We too mark Christ’s coming among us in the way that the Bible and our traditions have taught.

Finally, we will have full choral services with greater regularity at 11:15 am. Some of the most powerful pieces of music in the Western canon have been those written for use in the liturgy. Think of Mozart’s Requiem, Allegri’s Miserere, Vierne’s Kyrie, or the music of Tallis, Byrd, Bach, and countless others – each of these wrote music with the expectation that their pieces were not simply works of entertainment but were the highest expression of man’s praise and adoration of God. We will use choral Eucharists on

the Feast of Christ the King and the Last Sunday of Epiphany to offer two particularly stunning examples of choral praise – Phillip Stopford’s Keble Missa Brevis and a mass setting by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina.

We hope that people will enter the coming year with joyful expectation as we begin to experiment in new ways across so many aspects of Cathedral life. We are trying on these changes together and I look forward to hearing your thoughts as we explore together.

Please feel free to reach out with your thoughts and questions to Robert@sjcathedral.org.

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Each week the people of Saint John’s send individuals out from the Eucharist to share communion with parishioners who are not able to attend. This Lay Eucharistic Visitor (LEV) ministry is comprised of lay volunteers, trained and licensed by the diocese, who partner with the Cathedral clergy to care for parishioners who are restricted for a variety of reasons – at home, in the hospital, or in a care facility. For more information, or to talk about serving as a LEV, please contact Mother Elizabeth Marie Melchionna at ElizabethMarie@sjcathedral.org.

Ministry of Worship & Welcome Might you be called to deepen your participation in the Church’s worship?

In the liturgy, the work and language of worship, we express our longing to become what we were created to be. Prompted by the Holy Spirit, we “long to be taken out of ourselves… to meet with the One who is the lover of each one of us and of the whole Church.”

(Edith M. Humphrey, Grand Entrance: Worship on Earth as in Heaven, p. 2).

Might you be called to deepen your participation in the Church’s worship? Have you ever considered becoming an acolyte, lector, server, verger, audio tech, or member of the altar guild? If so, please prayerfully consider attending both a time of fellowship and reflection on Tuesday, September 16 and the Fall liturgical training on Tuesday, October 7.

Tuesday, September 16

Sacred Service: The Ministry of Worship

Beginning with dinner and fellowship in Dagwell Hall at 6:00 pm, this event will include ways to deepen your spiritual journey, get involved in liturgical leadership, and explore the ministry of worship at Saint John’s Cathedral. All groups involved in liturgy are invited to this time of fellowship and formation.

RSVP at sjcathedral.org/SacredService.

Tuesday, October 7

Liturgical Leadership: Dinner and Training

Beginning with dinner and fellowship in Dagwell Hall at 6:00 pm, this event will feature specific breakout sessions for training all groups involved in liturgy.

RSVP at sjcathedral.org/LiturgicalLeadership.

For more information, please contact Mother Liz Costello at Liz@sjcathedral.org or Billy Baker at BillyB@sjcathedral.org.

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A RADICAL WELCOME

by Father Charles LaFond

Certain things are vital to a heartfelt celebration with friends and neighbors: offering our companionship and resources, being open to the encounter with both gratitude and humility, enjoying convivial and honest discourse, and, of course, providing plentiful and delicious food! These also happen to be the key elements for our Block Party, to be held on Saint John’s Day, Sunday, September 7.

a faith that is grounded in Jesus’ encounter with the strangers he meets. Jesus put himself out there and said over and over in John’s gospel, “Come and see!”

On a larger scale, we reach out to the community as a means of ensuring the survival of our legacy of caring.

If Saint John’s were to remain nothing but a small group of the like-minded, then our institutional and financial survival would not continue much beyond the next decade. We must turn around and face outward to the city of Denver and to the world beyond in a stance of radical hospitality. We will not only grow our congregation but also transform ourselves through this ministry. We will benefit from the power of new friendships formed and also from the diversity and unique gifts brought to each relationship.

Much like a wedding anniversary or an ordination anniversary, the feast of a church’s patron saint is a precious milestone. This year we will celebrate Saint John’s Day with a block party with no other purpose than to express joy in each other and gratitude for our friends and neighbors in the city of Denver and our little corner of Capitol Hill.

When the settlers of Denver founded what we now know as our church, they were in a roughhewn frontier town set in geographic wilderness. It required of our founders specific strengths and a special kind of courage to engage and to prevail. Today we find ourselves in a different kind of wilderness. One that calls us to draw on new strengths and new courage.

This new wilderness is set amid our occupations, activities, and pastimes that all contribute to the disillusion and isolation so evident for so many of our city’s inhabitants.

We are focusing our attention and the purpose of this celebration on opening ourselves, and our fantastic church, to the city that surrounds us. We are a parish church, a place of prayer and support for our community. More than that, we are a cathedral—a special ministry that for centuries has held “hospitality to the stranger” as a great self-offering to the region it serves, as well as being essential to its own spiritual conversion-of-life. As a priest and canon steward at the Cathedral, my chief responsibility is for spiritual wellness and for hospitality to emerge from that wellness so that conversations are hosted, resources are gathered, and potential is achieved. When we truly put ourselves out to “others,” we come away transformed ourselves. Putting ourselves out there is the focus of this Block Party.

We hope you will join us on September 7. But be forewarned: welcome is hard work. It is vulnerable work. The root word of “hospitality” is “hostia”... which means “sacrifice” and even “hostility.” Real welcome involves vulnerability to others who may be “strange” to us. Help us make the effort to turn to these strange people among us and to extend your hand to them. We also ask you to invite five people from the community to come share in our bounty and our blessings at this event. This is intrinsic to our goals for the Cathedral.

This is why we have established our new Membership Growth Committee, which is being ably co-chaired

by Heidi and Bryant Harris. This Block Party is one of our first official events, which will culminate in our official membership growth campaign beginning Easter season 2015.

As happened over and over in the life of Jesus and among the first Christians, we gather and we celebrate.

Water is turned to wine at a wedding. Loaves and fishes are provided to hungry hordes. Bread and wine are passed at a dinner for the faithful. Fish is roasted on the beach by a risen Savior for his fishing friends.

Wisdom is dispensed with one sister at Jesus’ feet and one in the kitchen preparing a meal. Ours is not just a faith of corpses on crosses and sins on lists. Ours is

We have a pearl of great price. We have authentic connection both to each other and to God. Our offering of our church to this city on Saint John’s Day, the Block Party celebration, and then even more intentionally in our planned “Come and See” membership growth campaign, will transform not only our guests but also ourselves.

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Wartburg College West

photo/James Melchiorre

Saint John’s Day Preacher Our celebrant and preacher on Saint John’s Day this year is the Right Reverend Ogé Beauvoir, the Suffragan Bishop of Haiti. As the Suffragan Bishop, Bishop Beauvoir assists the Diocesan Bishop, Bishop Duracin, in overseeing a large and complex diocese in a densely populated country that faces huge challenges. Before he became the Suffragan Bishop of Haiti in 2012, he was the Dean of the seminary in Port-au-Prince. Before that he had worked at Trinity Church, Wall Street, and in the Anglican Church of Canada.

As we begin a new program year, we shall do so, therefore, in the company of someone who represents a very different part of our Church, and whose ministry is an inspiration to us all. The Church in Haiti does remarkable work in the most difficult of circumstances, but with joy and hope.

Please join us in welcoming Bishop Beauvoir on Saint John’s Day on September 7.

The Wartburg West Urban Semester program, housed at Saint John’s, had 20 students for the summer term serving as interns in a range of settings. Arriving on September 16 for the fall term will be 13 students. You will likely see a number of them on Cathedral Nite, as they enjoy the community supper before our 7:00 class in the Wartburg classroom. We hope you will greet them and invite them to join your dinner table.

For the first time this Fall, we will have a faculty member in residence from the Iowa campus: Dr. Jennifer McBride. A member of the Religion faculty, Dr. McBride heads Wartburg’s Peace and Justice Studies program and also holds the endowed chair in Ethics. She will teach a “Prisons and Punishment” course on the U.S. corrections system which will be open to community members. To inquire about the course, held Monday evenings, September to November, please email Jennifer.McBride@ Wartburg.edu.

In addition to our Wartburg students and professor-in-residence, the Kimberly Apartments will house four students from Augustana Lutheran College in Rock Island, Illinois, several recent Wartburg graduates returning to settle in Denver, and a couple of young people finishing year-long faith-based volunteer programs who have chosen to remain in Denver. The Kimberly has become a coveted residence for this demographic, and provides a safe, friendly, and engaging community.

On September 9 Simon Estes, a Wartburg Professor Emeritus and vocalist of international renown, will perform at the Cathedral. We hope some of you will have the opportunity to hear him.

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Ecclesia and Synagoga at 1313 Clarkson

By David Abbott

Have you ever noticed the carved heads in the arch over the 1313 Clarkson entrance to the Parish Hall outside Saint Martin’s Chapel? If you have, have you wondered what they represent?

They represent Synagoga and Ecclesia, the Synagogue as a symbol of Judaism, and the Church, as a symbol of Christianity. They are commonly found in medieval Christian art, often as sculpted figures on either side of a church portal. The two figures, usually shown as women, both usually young and attractive. Ecclesia is generally adorned with a crown and looking confidently forward while Synagoga is blindfolded and looking down. These carvings represented the medieval belief – now happily no longer held by the Church – that Christianity has superseded Judaism.

Although the first representations Ecclesia and Synagoga date from the 9th century, they did not become common until the 12th century. Their figures are generally found in the cathedrals of larger European cities, particularly those with large Jewish populations

such as Germany. Medieval cathedrals were places in which business was conducted by both Christians and Jews, so Jews would see the figures on entering the cathedrals.

Many English cathedrals had the figures although many were damaged or destroyed during the English Reformation. The figures became rarer in the 14th and following centuries.

Dean Eaton has remarked about these carvings, “Sadly, a now unfortunate theology is, literally, ‘cut in stone’ in many churches, including ours. May these carvings here remind us of the call that we have to create a new and better realtionship between Christianity and Judaism, for without our elder sisters and brothers in faith, we Christians would ourselves still be walking blindfolded.”

This information is summarized from Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eccelsia_and_Synagoga

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by Tim Dunbar

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“The beauty came from an absence of responsibilities. The cultural detox I experienced at Iona eased me into the pilgrimage, opening me up to what the coming days would bring—a new understanding and appreciation of my own ‘thin places’.”

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llow me to confess: my primary reason for signing up for the Saint John’s pilgrimage to Scotland and Northumbria was that I am part Scottish. I have always wanted to visit Scotland. I was driven by no particular love for any saints, churches, or abbeys. And aside from saving up the cash, I made the decision in a nonchalant way. That the trip was in fact a pilgrimage did not sink in with me, really, until my feet were firmly planted on Iona.

Iona. I had a vaguely negative attitude toward this famously idyllic island.

The phrase “thin place,” I had long observed, is more frequently associated with this one locale than any other.

And until I arrived, I harbored a mistrust of the phrase and thus of the place.

Its use in sermons or lectures struck me as pedantic and overly spiritual. Worse, a thin place (and Iona itself) has been lauded as some magic portal through which one could step and suddenly have a spiritual experience, whatever that means.

It seemed too easy. And I did not want the burden of expecting to have a spiritual experience at any moment.

I found my personal thin place one week later during our visit to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, where Saint Aidan (who had come from Iona) founded his monastery during the reign of King Oswald. Upon our approach to the island, I immediately felt a deep connection with it, and during our time there spent many hours alone in reflection walking around this Iona in miniature.

And I felt a kinship to Saint Aidan, whose humility and gentleness in sharing the love of Christ so resonate for me centuries later. These connections with place and saint came unbidden, precisely because the Holy Island is a thin place.

“I came home inspired that, through work and prayer, my home, my workplace, and our Cathedral may become thin places – places where a deep and immediate connection to the living God comes unbidden to all who enter.”

Nevertheless, I spent two wonderful days on Iona, and the beauty I encountered wandering the island, I realize, came from an absence. An absence of phone calls, of a commute, of computer work, a hectic schedule. Dare I say it? The beauty came from an absence of responsibilities. The cultural detox I experienced at Iona eased me into the pilgrimage, opening me up to what the coming days would bring – a new understanding and appreciation of my own “thin places.”

But how was it made thin, I wondered? Most of the places we visited were monasteries. The rule of life for a monk consists of work and prayer. It occurred to me that no place is intrinsically thin.

A thin place is only a thick place, I realized, that has been chipped away at by centuries of work and prayer. And not just for the benefit of those living at the time, but for the benefit of pilgrims like me.

So on my last night on the Holy Island, I wandered in the gloaming and scooped sand, dirt, pebbles, and bits of flowers and grass into a jar. That organic matter now resides in my prayer closet as a daily reminder of my experience on the Holy Island. I came home inspired that, through work and prayer, my home, my workplace, and our Cathedral may become thin places – places where a deep and immediate connection to the living God comes unbidden to all who enter.

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Dream Together Conference

What Is the Church For?

by Tim Dunbar

O

n October 11, 2014, we will gather as friends and eat, drink, talk, walk, listen, and pray, all with the goal of expressing our deepest longings for the future of our beloved parish. We will ask ourselves, “What do we want Saint John’s to be like when future generations walk down the aisle? What do we want to be known for in Denver? Where do our hearts break to reach those on Capitol Hill?” To answer these questions, we may wish to dwell for a moment on the nature of the Church and to ask further, what is the Church for?

“You are living stones of the living church of the living God,” proclaimed Bishop Diseko of the Diocese of Matsolane on Pentecost Sunday. The Church, he told us, is not the building but the people. At Saint John’s, with our beautiful Cathedral housing so many fine programs and ministries, this is an elusive truth. Yet the truth remains: The Church is not the building. We – you, me, our clergy, our friends, our children – we are “the living stones of the living church of the living God.” We build on each other, on the saints who have gone before, confessing Jesus as Lord, and on Christ, the cornerstone.

The Church is also called the body of Christ. In Tokens of Trust, Rowan Williams observes: We Christians are so used to the . . . great metaphor of Christ’s ‘Body’ that we forget just how radical and comprehensive is the vision of a community of universal giftedness. The ancient world had sometimes used the image of the body to describe a society in which there were different functions... but it was left to Christians to reconceive this in terms of different gifts, and to draw out the further revolutionary implication that the frustration of any one member is the frustration of all – because then there is something that is not being properly given.

Someone has not been granted the freedom to offer what only they can give to the whole. (pg 106-107)

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Still, what is the Church for? The Book of Common Prayer gives us this answer: “The mission of the Church is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ. The Church pursues its mission as it prays and worships, proclaims the Gospel, and promotes justice, peace, and love. The Church carries out its mission through the ministry of all its members” (p. 855, emphasis mine).

All its members. We each have a role to play in God’s goal of reconciling all things to Him and to each other in Christ. We are welcomed into a shared life in Christ, first through our baptism, and then our given grace for holy living each week in the sacrament of Christ’s body and blood. We are not saved for ourselves alone but as living members, together, of Christ’s Body. We each bring unique gifts to the Church, the Body of Christ, as we work out our salvation. We bring our gifts to the many ministries housed in the building that is the Cathedral, but we take these gifts as we leave the building, carrying the Church with us, to “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.” It is in fact the fulfillment of the Mass to bring our gifts, of loving and serving the Lord, to the world.

As I imagine our Dream Together conference on October 11, I believe that at the heart of our individual longings for the Church is more than a desire to be present at the creation of new and marvelous things. I believe we long to use our unique gifts, in concert, to bring these “new and marvelous things” to life – both in our midst and in this city.

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DREAM TOGETHER

CONFERENCE

“When my grandchild walks down the aisle in 2073, what will Saint John’s look like?”

The Saint John’s Dream Together Conference.

Plan to attend on October 11, 2014.

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build…” Ecclesiastes 3:1-3

h c a e r t u O

by Mother Liz Costello

A Time for Everything

As the writer of Ecclesiastes said, there is a time for everything. For Outreach Ministry, it continues to be a time to listen and to discern. Over the past year, parishioners involved with Outreach Ministries (including all members of the Urban & Social Concerns Commission) met in a variety of forums.

Many voiced a renewed commitment to serve people who are vulnerable in our community that honors being with one another. From these meetings it became clear that the current structures no longer support our community’s commitments and longings.

As a result, the Urban & Social Concerns Commission will be disbanded this fall. While we will continue to be involved in the same service projects, a new structure to support our commitments and dreams is being discerned. No new structure will be suggested until after parishioners have had the opportunity to express their hopes and dreams for outreach at the Dream Together Conference. Please take part in this visioning process by participating on October 11.

As we prepare to make this transition, it is important to remember and give thanks for the leadership and service of all those who have served on the USCC. In particular special thanks goes out to Rob Vock, chair of USCC, for his leadership, service, and guidance throughout this time of discernment.

We will continue to be involved in the same service projects in the upcoming programmatic year. In addition to these projects, and in response to our community’s request to have more opportunities to put faith into action, as documented in Renewal Works, the monthly Day of Service and the monthly Saint Francis Center volunteer opportunities will continue throughout the upcoming year. To learn more and to register for these opportunities to put your faith into action, please visit sjcathedral.org/ serve.

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Monthly Day of Service September Day of Service • Organization: Habitat for Humanity • When: Saturday, Sept. 20, 9:00 am to 4:30 pm • Where: 2155 West Baltic Place, Denver, CO • Volunteer Spec: 10 people are needed, minimum of 16 years old • What: construction work October Day of Service • Organization: Project Angel Heart • When: Saturday, Oct. 18, 12:00 to 3:00 pm • Where: 4950 Washington St, Denver, CO • Volunteer Spec: Inter-generational-family friendly, five vehicles are needed • What: tour and bag decoration, driver training, vehicle deliveries of food bags

Serving at the Saint Francis Center Saturday, August 16, 8:30 am to 12:00 pm Saturday, September 20, 8:30 am to 12:00 pm Saturday, October 18, 8:30 am to 12:00 pm

For more information about Outreach ministry or volunteer opportunities please contact Mother Liz Costello at liz@sjcathedral.org.

A Daily Blog by Father Charles La Fond, Canon Steward Every morning, my routine includes feeding Kai, making read. They will cover various subjects but will focus on some good, rich coffee, and sitting in the garden to watch the stewardship of our lives. Some posts will include a the sun rise over the trees. I drink deep of this time of day. biblical verse or a line of poetry. Others will quote and My dog, Kai, plays with sticks, wanders the fence line, and comment on an aphorism from a great thinker while then sleeps by my chair until it is time to go to Morning others will simply remind us of things we know but have Prayer at the Cathedral. need of remembering.

This is a time of quiet in The photos with each How are things going? What do I regret from which I can listen for God’s blog entry will be from “still, small voice” and in area gardens in Denver or yesterday? What are my hopes for today? What which I can be mindful of from details of the fabric are my longings? Whom have I wronged? To my life. How are things of the Cathedral such as a what am I being called? What do I want? going? What do I regret window or a carving; and from yesterday? What are the photos will often be a my hopes for today? What are my longings? Whom have launching point for the blog.

I wronged? To what am I being called? What do I want?

Readers can read a series of blog articles on a day With each deep sip of Sumatran Dark Roast coffee with off or catch one every day for a sip of inspiration and heavy cream, I consider my life, those I love, and those I encouragement. You can even search for topics when am trying to love. you need a certain kind of “prescription.” These blogs are a reminder that stewardship is not just about raising The Daily Sip is a blog on the website of the Cathedral. money. Stewardship is about gratitude for the life over Readers can either go to the blog and read it or they can which we have each been appointed a steward. If you are subscribe to have each daily writing emailed to them. It like me, there are days I am full of gratitude and can see is called The Daily Sip because it is just that – a daily sip life for all its wonder. And then there are other days when of spiritual encouragement about the life of a steward of life seems sticky, heavy, obscured by a fog of grief, fear, aliveness. or boredom. It is on those days when I especially need a brief pick-me-up. We hope this blog will provide that Every day from Monday through Friday, a short meditation daily sip that will help you to move you into a mindful will be posted with a photo. Most readings will be day – aware of God, others, and the hope which is our about this long or shorter and will take 1-3 minutes to celestial home.

Subscribe today at sjcathedral.org/DailySip

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An Entrance to China

by Jake Fisher

A

s all eight of us disembarked the plane from Denver, we were tired, cramped, maybe even a little bit cranky, but we were also filled with a new experience: China. China, the most populated country in the world, the largest Communist State, a place rich with history. While the country is just as technologically advanced as the rest of the world, when you enter a building that was built over 600 years ago, you can start to imagine what imperial China was really like. As we journeyed from landmark to landmark, I studied the Chinese characters.

Eventually one became familiar to me: the characters for ‘entrance’ (although I have no clue how to pronounce it): 入口 Entrance. The word became my metaphor for our journey.

An Entrance to New Found Relationships

Over the course of our trip, we were able to get to know each other better. Our group comprised Julie Fifer and her son Elam; Sheila and Doug Robinson; Michelle Geurin; Father Robert Hendrickson himself; and me and my mom (even though I already knew her pretty well, I did learn a couple of new things about her), Tammy Campbell.

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We drove around the country quite a bit, which sometimes put us on edge. Julie and Elam were always able to lighten the mood. Elam is quite the optimist, always equipped with a good attitude and a gift for making conversation. Julie was always able to interest us with a new intriguing story of her extensive travels around the world. Michelle kept us organized and was able to improve our attitudes with a few witty comments every so often.

The massive language barrier daunted neither Father Robert nor Sheila. Nearly fluent in Mandarin, Father Robert brought sighs of relief whenever he began speaking to our hosts and any acquaintance we made.

Without Father Robert’s Mandarin, I would have had only rice at each meal. Because of her gifts with people, Sheila made new friends nearly everywhere we went. My mom, ever the mother, loved meeting and being with the children at the schools we visited, and made a few new BFFs. Doug was never afraid to venture off the beaten path and often discovered interesting new fun places. He was also never afraid to try new food (even chicken feet!) or risk using one of the public toilets (never ask Father Robert for directions to one).

I loved everything – from the huge cities and tall buildings to the quiet gardens and tranquil temples.

And everywhere we found entrance.

An Entrance to Mission

Although I had been on a mission trip before (to Leadville with the youth group), China was, of course, quite a different and eye-opening trip altogether.

There is mission everywhere, of course – in strange countries and familiar neighborhoods alike. But in Leadville, Colorado, life was not that different from what I knew at home in Denver. China, however, is a long way from Colorado. I find it really challenging to describe what it is like. The roads are jammed with cars and the air filled with odors I found repulsive. The air and water pollution shocked me. It’s thronging with people—overcrowded to me but I suppose completely normal for the Chinese. To me it is complete chaos, yet absolutely wonderful. You can fall in love with the rapid economic growth and accompanying excitement while reflecting on the ancient roots and rich history of this massive country. China is beautiful and ugly, scary and comforting, vibrant and dull all at the same time. China is indescribable. The only way to understand is to go there yourself.

While we were visiting the “small” city of Nanjing (only 8.6 million people), we were able to go to a number of schools for autistic children and to drop in at a public elementary school, a local after-school art program, a community recycling event, a center for developmentally disabled adults, and an eldercare center.

We were able to give children’s books in English to the local schools. Every time we presented our gifts, the teachers showed so much appreciation and gratitude that we all felt a lump in our throats.

Not pride. Something better than that – you felt honored, honored that you were able to contribute to a student’s education. In return the students showed off their skills, and we worked on art crafts with them and exchanged gifts. They were remarkable young people and treated us as highly honored guests.

At the community recycling event, we helped set up a booth in partnership with the Amity Foundation (they also helped set up all of our volunteer opportunities across the city). At the booth, we showed local kids ways to recycle used paper into art. As we folded paper into butterflies, I felt like we were helping to diminish some of China’s environmental problems just a tiny bit.

One morning we were able to visit a care center for developmentally disabled adults. We all walked over to the park holding hands, and we sang and danced.

These adults are learning English, as were many Chinese we met, and they serenaded us with several songs. In return, we sang (off key) “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” “The Hokey Pokey,” and “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes.” We could have used more practice.

One day we visited an eldercare center. We split up into two groups: four of us helped videotape and welcome retired teachers as they watched a performance that highlighted China’s ancient roots, while the other half helped teach others how to use the Wii video game system with an exercise regimen to keep mind and body fit. We all had a wonderful time.

An Entrance to Chinese Culture

Once we arrived in Beijing (one of the world’s largest cities at 22 million) we transitioned into more of a tourist group, but we continued to learn more about Chinese culture. As I mentioned before, the Chinese are very hospitable and friendly. At restaurants the waiters would worry about you not ordering enough food, but Father Robert made sure that we did not get any surprises. One of our best meals was Peking Duck at Father Robert’s favorite restaurant.

In spite of gray skies, intense traffic, and intimidating Tiananmen Square guards, our tour of the Forbidden City was unforgettable, as was our walk on the Great Wall. The sight of beautiful temples and their lush gardens moved me. I felt at home on the streets and in the shopping malls. I was thrilled to see blue skies after one rainy evening, a welcome sight for this Colorado kid. I loved China for all of its beauty, history, and mystery and hope to return someday. I will experience entrance again, I hope, and stay a bit longer.

“Everything has its beauty, but not everyone sees it.”

- Confucius 任何事物都有它的美麗，但不是每個人都看到了。” - 孔子

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GETTING REA DY FOR MUSIC

MUSIC

CAMP

August 18-22, 2014 9:00 to 11:30 am daily

Children thrive when making music. A mini music camp this summer at Saint John’s Cathedral makes that possible.

Targeted to children ages 5-7, “Getting Ready for Music” Music Camp aims to teach music fundamentals. The curriculum will include lessons on violin and piano, a daily show-and-tell of musical instruments, and active listening to music.

Theory lessons, games, and stories will teach notes on the staff, rhythm, solfège, and basic sight-singing. Children will be taught a repertory of sacred songs, spirituals, and folk songs, which will be reprised for parents on the last day of camp. Working with Music Director Stephen Tappe, Assistant Organist Lyn Loewi, and childsafety certified volunteers, the focus will be on basic, healthy singing skills and choral group building. Wholesome food and active games will fuel bodies and minds through the morning.

Cost for the weeklong camp is $75.

Register online at sjcathedral.org/MusicCamp!

C A THEDR A L C HOIRS Fall is an exciting time to join the choir! Whether you are starting out at 5 years of age or are interested in singing in the adult choir, we would love to have you.

Children & Youth Choirs Saint Cecilia Girl Choir & Saint Nicolas Boy Choir are for grades 4 and up (or at the discretion of the Music Director). They rehearse on Mondays from 5:00 to 6:15 pm and on Wednesdays from 5:45 to 7:00 pm. These choirs sing weekly at the 9:00 am Sunday service.

Probationers are generally choristers in second and third grade. They rehearse from 5:00 to 6:15 pm on Mondays and 5:15 to 6:15 pm on Wednesdays. This choir sings weekly at the 9:00 am Sunday service.

Saint David Choir is for children age 5 through first grade. They rehearse from 5:15 to 5:55 pm on Wednesdays. This choir sings monthly at the 9:00 am Sunday service.

For more information about the Saint John’s Cathedral Choir School, visit sjcathedral.org/ Music or contact the Music Department staff with any questions at 303.577.7717 or email musicadmin@sjcathedral.org.

Adult Choirs Saint John’s Parish Choir and Saint John’s Cathedral Choir are semi-professional ensembles for adults and advanced youth. These are both auditioned choirs. The Parish Choir provides music for the 9:00 am Sunday Eucharist and occasional Diocesan services; the Cathedral Choir provides music for the 11:15 am Eucharist, Evensong, and other special occasions throughout the year.

The Parish Choir rehearses on Thursday evenings from 6:45 to 8:30 pm. The Cathedral Choir rehearses from 7:00 to 9:30 pm. If you have experience singing in choirs, can read music, and are willing to commit to the choir schedule, please consider joining one of these groups. All volunteers start out in the Parish Choir and begin singing all the hymns and service music. Based on individual ability, newcomers join the choir, singing more complex material as familiarity with the repertoire and sight reading skills allow.

We are currently auditioning for additional staff singers. Please contact Stephen Tappe at 303.577.7727 or Tappe@sjcathedral.org to schedule an audition. For more information, please visit sjcathedral.org/Music.

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OuT oF THe ARCHIVeS Saint Martin’s Chapel

by Robert “Woody” Woodward 1931-2007, Cathedral Archivist for over 30 years Published January 1990, Open Door

T

he inscription over the main door of Saint Martin’s Chapel reads, “My house shall become of all nations a house of prayer.”

In 1894, Marion Grace Hendrie, Anne Evans, and Elisabeth Spalding, daughter of Bishop Spalding, founded the Artists Club of Denver, an organization which later was chartered as the Denver Art Museum. In 1921, Marion Hendrie and Elisabeth Spalding persuaded the Diocese of Colorado to constitute a Commission on Church Architecture and the Allied Arts to encourage and guide parishes and missions in obtaining the best possible design in buildings and furnishings. When Saint John’s Cathedral undertook the building of Saint Martin’s Chapel and the parish building in 1926, Dean Dagwell placed the responsibility for its design in the hands of Marion Hendrie and the Art Commission.

The little booklet prepared shortly after the chapel’s completion states, “Appreciation of art lies in the ability to understand the spirit in which it has been created. Because the members of the Commission of Architecture and the Allied Arts of the Diocese of Colorado feel strongly that work planned by an individual artist for a definite place has a greater spiritual content than work produced in quantity, they have sought cooperation with artists in the building of Saint Martin’s Chapel. Denver is unusually fortunate in having artists of international recognition, and it is conceded that their thought and effort have created a chapel of great spiritual and artistic beauty.” This booklet provides an excellent description of the many artworks incorporated in the chapel.

The most dominant work is the reredos for “The Children of Saint John’s Cathedral,” given by Mrs. Hendrie. The

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artist was Arnold Ronnebeck, who came to Denver in 1923 from Prussia in northern Germany. Mrs. Ursula Moore Works, a present member of the Cathedral Arts and Architecture Committee, is Arnold Ronnebeck’s daughter. The carving was executed by John Robert Henderson, who taught wood carving in Denver schools for 30 years and later worked on the Mount Rushmore sculptures. The 1928 booklet erroneously credits this work to a William Henderson. When completed, the Rocky Mountain News reported that this was among the largest church wood carvings in the world. The gold leaf was added to the halos in 1989 when the reredos and ceiling were cleaned.

The altar cross, from a design of a 10th-century cross in the museum at Ravenna, Italy, and the candlesticks were executed by the artist Joseph Hurlburt.

These candlesticks were stolen in 1976, and identical replacements were carved by Al Aspenwall, a retired Navy man and teacher of woodworking in Jefferson County. In May, while this project was in progress, the altar cross was also stolen. Mr. Aspenwall carved the candlesticks and a new cross from the photos provided from the archives by the late Louisa Arps.

Three mural panels by John Edward Thompson are on the south wall. It was decided that a rival attraction might destroy the importance of the altar. After much study and experimentation, three separate panels, to be rich and low in color and contrast, were decided upon. It is interesting to note that part of this experimentation were two panels by the artist Albert Olsen. These panels now form the reredos behind the altar at Saint Andrew’s Mission (observe Saint John’s Cathedral in the corner of one of the panels). Other experimentation evidently involved the lighting; you can see that at one time there were six, not four, chandeliers. The vestry minutes of December 17, 1928, include a resolution that “the sale of six electric lighting fixtures taken out of the Chapel and sold to Saint Mark’s Church for $90.00 to be ratified and approved.” No evidence of these lights can now be found at Saint Mark’s. All of the lighting in the chapel was updated and brightened in 1989 in memory of Watson A. Bowes, Sr.

Welcome to Family Ministries at Saint John’s Children come to us full of wonder and joy, and already knowing something about God. Our task is to nourish the seeds of God’s love that have already been sown, and to help our children find ways to strengthen their relationship with God throughout their lives. We do this through the stories of the Bible and our Church, by encouraging their wonder and helping them discover their deep joy, by welcoming them fully into the Saint John’s community and by involving them in all that we do. Our children are full members of Saint John’s Cathedral, and we cherish their presence here.

The goal of our youth program is to help our young people journey into adulthood experiencing the care of this community as they learn how to be the hands of Christ in the world. As they grow up, they also grow into ways of being involved, offering themselves to help others within and beyond this Cathedral and creating a circle of trust for one another.

1-3:

All-Parish Weekend at Cathedral Ridge. Register online now at sjcathedral.org.

18-22: Music Camp. 9:30 to 11:30 am daily. Children trhive when making music! More information at sjcathedral.org/MusicCamp.

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Baptism Sunday

7:

Saint Johns’ Day is a great big party this year! There will be fun for the children and delicious food for everyone. Bring your friends!

14: Sunday Christian classes begin

Family Life eNewsletter

Please check the weekly Family Life eNewsletter for information about upcoming events and information about our programs for children, youth, and parents. Register to receive this weekly eNewsletter at sjcathedral.org/eNewsletters.

Formation

20: Summer BBQ at the Deanery from 4:30 to 7:30 pm. A special event for families with children.

More information on page 22.

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Ministries Fair

Your Chance to be Involved!

We depend on volunteers to work with our children and youth on Sundays and at other times, and we also need volunteers to help with a variety of projects. If you would like to get involved in any way, please contact Kim McPherson at 303.577.7729. Thank you!

Godly Play Commuter Core Training, Saturday, September 27.

One all-day training for teachers and anyone who would like to know about Godly Play. Register by calling Kim McPherson at 303.577.7729.

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Nursery Summer Sunday Hours (through September 7) 9:30 am - 12:00 pm, ages 0-3 5:30 - 7:30 pm for The Wilderness, any age

Nursery Fall Sunday Hours (starting September 14) 8:30 am - 12:45 pm, ages 0-3 5:30 - 7:30 pm for The Wilderness, any age

Nursery Fall Wednesday Hours (starting September 17) 4:00 am - 9:00 pm, all ages

Summer Children’s Chapel, ending August 31

10:00 am in Room 103 A Liturgy of the Word for children, ages 3+, where they experience the lesson, a meaningful activity, and then join the congregation for Communion.

Sunday Christian Formation, beginning September 14

9:00 am- Children’s Chapel (ages 3 & up) Saint Francis Chapel, 2nd floor Children are engaged during the first part of the service (the Liturgy of the Word) in very child-friendly fashion, including lesson, prayers, confession and music. Parents may drop off children or remain in Chapel with them. Chapel goers join their families in the Cathedral in time for Communion, and enter the front of the Cathedral on the East side. Children are invited to come forward at Communion to sit on the carpet and stairs.

10:15 am- Godly Play (Ages 3 - 3rd Grade) In Godly Play, we create a safe and beautiful space where children are deeply respected as they see, hear, and wonder about stories from the Bible or another part of our Episcopal tradition. Using hands-on materials and “wondering questions” to reflect on the story together, children then choose from a variety of materials—story materials, art supplies, building materials, books, silence materials—to make their own creative responses, and to help make the stories truly their own.

Prayers and a feast (snack) round out the session.

• • •

3-4 year olds: Preschool Godly Play, Room 101 K-1st Grades: Godly Play Class, Room 103 2nd-3rd Grades: Godly Play for Older Kids, Room 107

10:15 am - SOWhAT (4th - 5th Grade) Room 204 SOWhAT stands for: Stories, Outreach, Wonder, Arts, & Theology. At this age, children are ready for more…more insight, more activities, and more sophisticated art projects. In this year two, as the Saint John’s Illuminated Bible resides with us, these children will have a rare opportunity to explore what sacred space means, and how our own journeys are illuminated by the arts and our faith.

Wednesdays, beginning September 17

4:15 – 5:10 pm, Room 103, for Ages 4 - 9. If you missed Sunday’s class, or if your child is a chorister and would like

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to come on Wednesdays, this time slot is perfect for you! Our Director of Religious Education, Kim McPherson, shares stories, wonders with the children, and invites them to respond to the stories of our tradition through play, art, and other experiences. (Younger children may stay in the nursery, and older children may be signed in to the nursery in advance by parents who wish to attend yoga classes. Choir members will be escorted to rehearsal following class.)

Acolytes

Anyone in 4th-12th grades can be part of the Saint John’s Acolyte team. Training is provided so everyone knows just what to do and feels comfortable doing it. Join this team and experience worship in a new way. Please contact Mother Liz Costello at Liz@sjcathedral.org for more information.

Volunteering

Would you like to help with chapel? Lead or greet and lend an extra pair of hands. Please contact Kim McPherson at 303.577.7729 or at Kim@sjcathedral.org.

Sundays, beginning September 14 Middle School

10:15am Middle School Youth (6th-8th grades) first gather on Sunday for refreshments and time together to play games, chat, and engage in service to others. Our goal is to help these young teens begin to look critically at their day to day lives and decide what their greatest desire is for the best life that they can live. Called a Rule of Life, it is a helpful way for them to be serious about their faith and be able to talk about everything going on in their lives. This is a perfect time to begin the lifetime process of making choices that will help them live into their dream, and to see how their faith is at the heart of that dream. It’s all done with lots of activities, so it’s fun, too!

High School

10:15am Senior Youth (9-12th grades) gather for weekly teaching and conversation with Father Jadon. This is an opportunity for older youth to learn fundamental aspects of Anglican theology in an atmosphere that encourages them to confirm both what they believe and what they struggle with as they encounter the challenges of living as Christian teens. The weekly meetings complement a number of seasonal “away days” that allow for even greater depth of community and spiritual growth.

Serving in Worship

Our youth are part of worship, too: ushers, acolytes, readers, and chapel greeters. Contacts to get involved: Acolytes: Liz Costello, liz@sjcathedral.org Ushers: Sandra Dixon, sandra.dixon@du.edu Readers: Billy Baker, billyb@sjcathedral.org Chapel: Kim McPherson, kim@sjcathedral.org

Youth Retreat: QUEST

October 10-12. 6th - 12th Graders will join with other Episcopal Churches in our Diocese for the fall youth retreat: QUEST, at Frontier Ranch in Buena Vista. Keep an eye on the Family Life eNewsletter for details and to register.

Confirmation for Youth

Preparation for Confirmation happens during our High School Youth Group meetings on Sundays during the 10:15 am hour, from September through May, with Confirmation at the Easter Vigil, April 4, 2015. Youth who would like to be confirmed should regularly attend youth group for at least the entire school year of their Confirmation. Youth in our diocese may be confirmed at age 15. Please contact Father Jadon at jadon@sjcathedral.org for more information.

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1350 Washington Street Denver, Colorado 80203 sjcathedral.org

info@sjcathedral.org 303.831.7115