cathedral times The Weekly Newsletter of the Cathedral of St. Philip, Serving Atlanta and the World
November 27, 2016
TABLES OF THANKSGIVING
Across the country this week, many of us gather at tables. Those tables are of all sorts and conditions: ordinary tables in the kitchen, rickety tables that we never got round to fixing this past year, grand tables in the dining room, low tables for the children, tables at restaurants and diners, outdoor picnic tables, laps serving as tables in the overflow rooms, lonely tables before the television set.
What matters, of course, is not the quality of the tables around which we gather. What matters is who we will be with, the quality of our community. Even if some of us are alone, we might take time for a telephone call or conversation. Some of us look forward keenly to seeing old friends, maybe favorite cousins, and maybe extended family members.
But we also realize that the conversations around those tables, after we pause to offer our pleasant thanksgivings, can turn awkward and even sour. Maybe we fear re-visiting those old family arguments, about all sorts of things. Maybe we are embarrassed about having too little this year, or even embarrassed about having too much. Moreover, we admit that our world’s polarization and suspicions seem to have seeped into our families and closest communities. We might even fear having to face that relative whom we know recently voted differently from the way we voted. One of us seems elated, and one of us seems devastated. Maybe we dread having to defend ourselves and our opinons again.
In this environment of secular polarization, and of much suspicion of anything Christian, Nick Spencer has written a helpful little book titled, The Evolution of the West: How Christianity Has Shaped Our Values. Nick Spencer works from a Christian “think tank” in England called “Theos,” and even Muslims are recommending his book. Spencer writes handily about the evolution of such huge subjects as proper law, democracy, humanism, secularization, and even the welfare state. Towards the end of his book, writing about inequality, he says this:
The poor, Jesus tells his disciples in Matthew 26, are ‘always with you’. Specifically, they will always be with you ‘ but you will not always have me’. Yet the same words are used – deliberately? – in the final line of Matthew’s Gospel, as the resurrected Christ, as if responding to his earlier earthly claims, this time tells his disciples ‘surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age’ (NIV). His promise is one of presence, being with us, whatever. ‘Always with you’: the problem of inequality is fundamentally one of not being with people. Vast and/or inherited and/or unmerited differences of wealth divorces us from one another, in extreme circumstances completely and permanently…. It was the unprecedented and threatening bringing together of radically different groups of people – Jew and Gentile, slave and free, male and female, young and old – within the earliest churches that sowed seeds that eventually and imperfectly cracked through the ineradicable inequalities of the ancient world, inequalities that went beyond the merely economic and make today’s look positively gentle.
Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour. From this week’s lectionary Matthew 24:44
Inequality becomes harder to justify, harder to sustain, if you find yourself breaking the same bread and drinking the same wine with others you would otherwise never meet – the reason why box pews and pew rents and the practice of separate communion vessels for rich and poor is not simply a matter of cultural distance but a wholesale desecration of the gospel. At the final count, it is only here, not in the cataclysmic circumstances of war, nor in the chirpily optimistic calls for democracy or debate or leadership, but in the deep, pre-political understanding that we are called to be with one another, that we will find a political answer to the problem of inequality. (Nick Spencer, The Evolution of The West, page 166).
Spencer’s words give us a good way to understand Thanksgiving this year. Thanksgiving, and especially Christian Thanksgiving, is about striving to be with each other, about coming together with each other. Tables are not meant to separate us, but to bring us together. Thus, the Christian Church, week after week, offers us the ultimate table of thanksgiving, “breaking the same bread and drinking the same wine with others you would otherwise not meet.” We reverence an altar around which God’s people of all opinions and persuasions gather. We gather because God has loved us, no matter who we are. We gather because we want to love, in the way that God has loved us in Jesus Christ. We give thanks, glorious thanks, for the wideness of God’s mercy and love. Happy Thanksgiving!
PROGR A MS DUR ING THE WEEK T U E S DAYS The Dean’s Men’s Bible Study: 7–8 a.m., Room 319. This group meets consistently to read and study scripture, share faith stories, and support each other in prayer. A light breakfast is available. We finish by 8 a.m. so those gathered may go into the world to carry on their ministries.
2016 CH APTER Rob Adams (Junior Warden), Mary Bondurant (Executive Committee At-Large), Josh Borden, Kate Brewer, Matt Caine, Mary Caroline Cravens (Senior Warden), Joan Gilbert, Austin Hall (Secretary), Jason Hultgren, Lindsey Hardegree, Wade Hooper, Eric Mininberg, Doug O’Bryan (Treasurer), Brad Reeves, Julie Rief, Ruth Russ, Susan Troutman, George Watson, Anne Young
CLERGY A ND SENIOR STA FF The Very Rev. Samuel G. Candler Dean Dale Adelmann, Ph.D. Canon for Music The Rev. George M. Maxwell, Jr. Vicar The Rev. C. Wallace Marsh IV Canon for Pastoral Care and Worship The Rev. Catherine Zappa Canon for Spirituality and Mission The Rev. John William Harkins III, Ph.D. Priest Associate The Rev. Todd D. Smelser Canon Associate for Pastoral Care The Rev. Theophus “Thee” Smith, Ph.D. Priest Associate The Rev. Carolynne G. Williams Canon Associate for Pastoral and Elder Care The Rev. Juan Sandoval Deacon for Hispanic Ministries
Early Morning Women’s Bible Study: 7–8 a.m., Walthour Library. Canon Cathy Zappa leads this group. Women of all ages are encouraged to join us for good fellowship and lively conversation. W E D N E S DAYS The Dean’s Women’s Bible Study: 10:45–11:45 a.m., Room 319. This group meets consistently to read and study scripture, share faith stories, and support each other in prayer. We close promptly at 11:45 a.m. in order to get to carpools and lunches! Eat Your Word Bible Study: Noon, Room 239. Canon Cathy Zappa and seminarian Clayton Harrington lead this Bible study. Centering Prayer: 6:30 p.m., Lanier House Chapel. Contact Jeannie Mahood at jmahood@ stphilipscathedral.org. T H U R S DAYS Centering Prayer: 4 p.m., Lanier House Chapel. Contact Ann Hickman, mannhick@aol. com.
WOR SHIP SCHEDULE
MUSIC
Sunday, November 27, 2016 / First Sunday of Advent, Year A
Sunday, November 27, 2016 / First Sunday of Advent, Year A
7:45 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Mikell Chapel Celebrant and Preacher: The Rev. Dr. Thee Smith
4 p.m. Advent Lessons and Carols / Cathedral Choir Richard Marlow, Matin Responsory Frank Ferko, Adam lay ybounden Francisco Guerrero, Rorate caeli arr. Jan Sandström, Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming Gerre Hancock, The Lord will surely come arr. Andrew Carter, A maiden most gentle Gerald Finzi, Magnificat Franz Biebl, Ave Maria
Liturgy of the Word Lesson: Isaiah 2:1-5 Psalm 122 Epistle: Romans 13:11-14 Gospel: Matthew 24:36-44
8:45 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Cathedral Celebrant: Dean Sam Candler Preacher: Canon Wallace Marsh 9 a.m.
Holy Eucharist, Mikell Chapel Celebrant and Preacher: The Rev. Dr. Thee Smith
11:15 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Cathedral Celebrant: Dean Sam Candler Preacher: Canon Wallace Marsh
11:15 a.m. La Santa Eucaristía, Mikell Chapel Celebrant: Canon Cathy Zappa Preacher: Deacon Juan Sandoval 4 p.m.
Advent Lessons and Carols, Cathedral Officiant: Canon Wallace Marsh
8:45 a.m. Holy Eucharist / Cathedral Staff Singers 11:15 a.m. Holy Eucharist / Cathedral Schola Benjamin Britten, A hymn of St. Columba Orlando Gibbons, O thou, the central orb
CHILDR EN The Nurturing Center is open for children three and younger from 8:30 a.m. through the end of the 11:15 a.m. service each week. Children’s Chapel takes place during the 8:45 a.m. service as an option for parents and children who are not yet ready to experience the full liturgy together, though children are always welcome in “big” church. Children three years through third grade begin in church with their parents, follow the children’s acolytes and leaders out at the Sequence Hymn, then rejoin their parents at the Offertory.
CHILDR EN Advent wreath making and spaghetti supper Sunday, November 27 | 5:30-7 p.m. The Cathedral’s annual Advent wreath making event will take place after Advent Lessons and Carols on Sunday, November 27 in Child Hall. Wreath kits include the circular form, candles, candle holders, and a booklet about celebrating Advent at home. The kits are $14. Some greenery will be provided but everyone is encouraged to bring their own clippings and clippers as well. A warm spaghetti supper will be available. Dinner is $6/child and $8/adult. RSVP: stphilipscathedral.org/wreathmaking.
CHRISTMAS PAGEANT SIGN-UPS It is time to sign up for the Christmas Pageant, held every year at 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve. All children registered in Sunday School, from the 4-year-olds through fifth grade, are welcome to participate. If your child is not registered for Sunday School, please contact Ciara Rowley at crowley@stphilipscathedral.org or register online at stphilipscathedral.org/children. A pageant sign-up table will be in the Atrium on Sundays, November 27, and December 4 and 11. Dress rehearsal will be Sunday, December 18 at 12:45 p.m. If you have any questions, contact Sara Chapman at sarachapman@westminster.net. The Christmas Pageant is a tradition not to be missed.
THE REV. DR. BILL HARKINS’ ADULT CLASS, “THE CARING CHURCH,” WILL MEET AS NORMAL AT 10:10 A.M. IN ROOM 120. THE REV. DR. THEE SMITH’S GREEK CLASSES WILL MEET AS NORMAL AT 10:10 A.M AND 1:15 P.M. IN ROOM 356. THE DEAN’S FORUM AND OLD FASHIONED SUNDAY SCHOOL, AS WELL AS CHILDREN’S AND YOUTH CLASSES, WILL NOT MEET THIS SUNDAY.
YOUTH MIDDLE SCHOOL RETREAT TO K ANUGA Come join the middle school EYC for a relaxing retreat December 2–4 at Kanuga in Hendersonville, North Carolina! We will be having fun while building community and exploring our faith. Activities will include low ropes/team building, hiking, and free time to enjoy Camp Bob. We will also be praying the Daily Office while we are there. As always, there will be a campfire with s’mores! The cost is $135; register at stphilipscathedral.org/youth. YOUTH SKI TRIP OVER MLK WEEKEND Middle and high school youth will be going to Sugar Mountain and staying at the Valle Crucis Conference Center in Valle Crucis, North Carolina from January 13–16. The full cost is $400, which includes two day lift tickets, rentals, lessons, lodging, transportation, meals, and a t-shirt. You can secure your space by making a $100 deposit as soon as possible. The total cost is $400. All payments are due by Friday, January 6. Register at stphilipscathedral.org/youth.
Full-service audio recordings of many of this season's 4 p.m. Evensong services are now available at S T PH I LI P SC AT H E D R A L .O R G / R ECO R D I N GS .
Check back weekly!
OUTR EACH TOY DR IVE 2016 B E N E FI T I N G E M M AUS H O USE A N D B U CK H E A D CH R I S T I A N M I N I S T RY Emmaus House and Buckhead Christian Ministr y (BCM) provide Christmas gifts to children in need. Last year, Emmaus House provided gifts to nearly 800 children, and BCM provides gifts to more than 900 children. Please join the Cathedral ECW in a toy drive to help these organizations provide a cheer ful Christmas to all.
HERE'S HOW YOU CAN HELP: DONATE GIFTS: Bring NEW, UNWRAPPED GIFTS to the bins in the Atrium from until December 19 or to the toy drive table on Sundays through December 18.
WRITE A CHECK OR GIVE ONLINE: $35 will sponsor a child; $70 two children; for $175, five children will awaken to gifts on Christmas morning! All donation amounts are appreciated. Make checks payable to “Cathedral of St. Philip – ECW Toy Drive.” Or, give by credit card online at stphilipscathedral. org/contribute or at the kiosk in the Atrium. To ensure timely deliver y, please make all monetar y donations early and by Sunday, December 11.
WRAP GIFTS: Bring your tape and scissors and join the gift-wrapping par ty at the Cathedral on Wednesday, December 14.
For a list of suggested toys, go to stphilipscathedral.org/toydrive. If a toy requires batteries, please provide them. No militar y toys, especially guns.
HABITAT BASKETS Come be part of the annual joyful experience of building and delivering Christmas baskets for our Cathedral Habitat families. We are building 20 this year and need your help! This has become a very popular event and you can help in any of several ways, including contributing food or monetary support, building baskets (beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday, December 16), or delivering baskets (meet at 9 a.m. on Saturday, December 17). This is something for kids and adults alike; make it a family event. Sign up in the Atrium beginning Sunday, November 20 or contact John Champion at 404-307-0817 for more details. DONATE TO ST. VERONICA’S TOILETRY MINISTRY St. Veronica’s Guild is working to collect 125 hotel sized shampoos. That is the number our partner ministries have requested each month. Their needs for shampoo, soap, deodorant, toothpaste, and toothbrushes are simply the items we take for granted each morning. Useful things in addition to those listed above are individual hand sanitizer, comb, socks, and diapers. Your contribution of unopened, travel or regular sized personal care items may be left at the Cathedral Information Desk. St. Veronica’s Guild will handle the sorting and delivery to Crossroads Ministry, Emmaus House, Church of the Common Ground and Holy Comforter. In this season of thankfulness and gift giving please remember these ministries. For more information, contact Lucy Perry, perry72@aol.com, or Judy Bodner, 404-814-1468.
STEWAR DSHIP I/We, pledge $ __________ to the ministry of God in Christ, through the 2017 annual operating fund. Name(s): _____________________________________________________________________________ Address (if changes have been made in past year): _____________________________________________ City: _________________ State: _____ Zip Code: ____________ Home Phone:___________________ Signature: ________________________________ Signature: __________________________________ Date: _______________________ Email Address: ___________________________________________ This commitment, offered in faith, may be increased or decreased due to changing circumstances. Please return your pledge card to The Cathedral of St. Philip, 2744 Peachtree Rd., NW, Atlanta, GA 30305. If you have questions, please contact David Rocchio at 404-365-1033 or drocchio@stphilipscathedral.org.
MUSIC
Advent Lessons & Carols Sunday, November 27, 4 p.m. On Sunday afternoon, November 27, at 4 p.m., the Cathedral Choir will offer our annual Advent Service of Lessons and Carols. Those who have attended this candlelight service in past years know what a perfect opportunity it is to step back from the hectic pace of the post-Thanksgiving, pre-Christmas season, and take a few moments to contemplate its real meaning. The singing of carols within the context of Anglican and Episcopal liturgies is a relatively recent phenomenon. Across the pond, it was only in the 1870s that carols began to be sung in London parish churches, and in 1880 Truro became the first English cathedral to hold a carol service. Our two services of Lessons and Carols (for Advent on November 27, and for Christmas on December 18) are adapted from the famous carol service at King’s College, Cambridge, which has become popular worldwide since World War II through annual radio broadcasts on Christmas Eve. For our Advent service we include the ancient O Antiphons, one after each of the seven. These Christian texts invoke the Messiah to return and have been sung through the ages at Vespers on the seven evenings leading up to Christmas, and each is sung to equally ancient and beautiful plainchant. Whether you best sense the eternal through timeless chant, or wonderful choral music, or popular carols sung by all, there is something for everyone in this service.
SPIR ITUALIT Y ADVENT QUIET DAY: "PREPARING A SPACE" Advent is a season of preparation, a time of getting ready for what lies ahead. This Advent Quiet Day on Saturday, December 3, from 9:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. in the Lanier House, invites us to be in silence and to offer a space to reflect on scripture through journaling, collage, poetry and the labyrinth. As we give ourselves the gift of time to open to God’s guiding, we may discover that the space being prepared for the coming birth lies within our own selves. The retreat will be facilitated by Barbara Pendergrast, who received her M.Div. from Emory's Candler School of Theology and is a spiritual director and board certified member of the Association of Professional Chaplains. The cost is $20, which includes lunch. Register at stphilipscathedral.org/quietday or with Jeannie Mahood, jmahood@stphilipscathedral.org or 404-365-1034, by Tuesday, November 29.
LABYRINTH WALK FOR WORLD AIDS DAY You are invited to a labyrinth walk in Child Hall on World AIDS Day, Thursday, December 1, from 6–8 p.m. We will have a brief orientation at 6 p.m. Please come and go at any time and allow 25 minutes for your walk. Feel free to bring a photograph or small memento of a person who has died from or lives with AIDS. A special prayer table for those persons will be available to share your remembrances and prayers in solidarity with others around the world. Blank cards will be provided to write the name of someone you wish to remember. The labyrinth will quiet your mind and open your heart to others we pray for this day. Please dress comfortably and wear socks.
ELDER MINISTRY AARP will again offer the Smart Driver Course at the Cathedral on Thursday, December 1. The course is a six-hour refresher aimed at motorists 50 year old and older. Some of the objectives of the class include understanding the effects of aging on driving; learning driving strategies that take into account the changes we experience as we age; and a number of other topics designed to make you a safer driver. At the completion of the class, you may be eligible to receive a discount on your automobile insurance policy. Class begins at 9 a.m. and will be completed by 4 p.m. There will be an hour break for lunch. Feel free to bring a lunch. The cost for AARP members is $15 and $20 for non-members. You will pay at the door by cash or check. You must bring your AARP card to receive the discount. You may sign up by calling the Information Desk at 404-3651000. If you have additional questions you may contact the course instructor, Stratton Leedy, at 404-237-8910.
CATHEDR AL THR IFT HOUSE Treasure of the Week Beautiful, elegant Persian Kirman pastel rug. Measures 13’ x 11.5’ and in lovely condition.
1893 Piedmont Road | 404-876-5440 Monday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
3 WAYS TO HELP THE CATHEDRAL THRIFT HOUSE: 1. Volunteer The hours are flexible and the work is fun! 2. Donate Clothing, accessories, home decor, furniture, garden items, etc. Everyday in the store or first Sunday morning of each month in the Cathedral Atrium 3. Shop Find amazing treasures among our racks!
MEMBERSHIP TR ANSITIONS NEW MEMBERS Cayce and Nikko Politis, and their children, Mac and Archer, from Washington, D.C.
DEATHS Ruth Elder Vaught, mother of Marjorie Vaught, James Vaught Jr., and Ellen Brown, died November 8, 2016
Stewart Lathan, from Atlanta Richard Wood, from Savannah, Georgia
R EQUEST FOR CHR ISTM AS ALTAR FLOWER S Please list the name (or names) as you want them to appear: In Memorial for:
In Thanksgiving for:
name(s): In Memorial for:
In Thanksgiving for:
name(s): In Memorial for:
In Thanksgiving for:
name(s): In Memorial for: name(s):
In Thanksgiving for:
Please complete the following information about you: your name(s): phone: date: Please include a check with your request, made payable to: The Cathedral of St. Philip. While any gift is appreciated, a minimum of $75 per printed line is suggested. Checks and forms should be sent to: The Cathedral of St. Philip, Attn.: Ciara Rowley, 2744 Peachtree Rd., NW, Atlanta, GA 30305. You may also make arrangements by contacting Ciara Rowley, 404-3651038 or crowley@stphilipscathedral.org. The Flower Guild will also be taking these requests in the Atrium on Sundays, November 27– December 18.
PR AYER S For those who are ill or recovering: Immediate Needs Brenda Pruitt
Long Term Prayers Julia Ballard Priscilla Beale Llewellyn Bell Karen Bellaire Cornelia Bird George Bird John Blair Josh Borden Catherine Carson Louisa Chapman David and Ginny Collins Lawrence Cowart Terry Dornbush Sarah duBignon Kitty Dukehart Angela Ellis Mary Elrod Sean Farmer Amy Feuss Robert L. Foreman, Jr. Mary Ann Frazier Grace Gibson Rebecca Gorman Jennifer Ham Jane Hannah Caroline Hatcher Shirley Heermann Richard Hill Connie Hoar Peggy Hull Jane Jones Landon Lanier Tommy Lanier Karen League Jack Lyle Robert and Aggie Maddox Reilly McClain Carol McDonald Dick Miller
Stuart Peebles Beth Pitzer Garry Pryor Jennifer Rankin Jonna Rankine Joe K. Steele Roy Unkefer Cindy West Chandra Westafer Dick Wilson Hollis Youngner Family and Friends Steve Auerbach Rodger Beatty Janet Bell Marcia Block David Boone Joan Brooks Keith Brooks Meredith, Adam, and Leo Bugenske Denise Carlson Andrew Clark Joann Claypoole Rick Copeland Jackson Culbreth Van Foster Carleton Fuller Susan Gill Peggy Govan Eudelle Lanier Graham D. Louis Gruver, Jr. Ellen Gunn Doyce Gunter Helen Hammond Gregory Hentz Debanhi Hernandez Alice Hoft Michael Ivy Annemarie and Ante Jazic Jon Kelly Kolak Lisa Krysiak Margaret Winders Kuhn
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Courtney Lamberth Janie Mathis Michelle Maxwell Michael McClelland Bonnie Shields McCormack Jan McPherson Eric S. Merrifield Lyn Moore Lucius Morton Andy Nelson Libby Powell James Sands Coleen Schoen Logan Shannep Michelle Simmons Lara Smith Sitton Bill Smith Lyda Sorgini Mack Brown Stevenson, Jr. Janiece Townshend Martir Valesquez Peter Veverka Ed Vogel Elizabeth Slaton Wallace Meredith Wallace Herbert “Rip� Waters Caroline and John Westerhoff Stephen Williamson Marion Wilson Lu Worrell Patricia Young For those who have died Milton Colton Steven Dover Gretchen Storch Hull Hoyal Pittman Harry Woolston Shipps Carol Stanwood
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member dies, sign up for pastoral care emails at stphilipscathedral.org/pastoralcare or email Canon Wallace Marsh, wmarsh@stphilipscathedral.org.
POSTMASTER: Dated Material. Please deliver by November 26, 2016
CATHEDRAL PODCASTS
POSTMASTER send address changes to: The Cathedral of St. Philip 2744 Peachtree Road, NW Atlanta, Georgia 30305-2920 404.365.1000
Subscribe to the Cathedral's podcasts or check out the sermon archives at stphilipscathedral.org/sermons
cathedral timeS (USPS-093440) is published weekly by The Cathedral of St. Philip 2744 Peachtree Road, NW Atlanta, Georgia 30305-2920 Periodicals Postage Paid at Atlanta, GA
CATHEDRAL TIMES SUBMISSION DEADLINES: For the Sunday, December 4 issue, the deadline is Wednesday, November 23. For the Sunday, December 11 issue, the deadline is Wednesday, November 30. Please email announcement requests to the editor, Dan Murphy, at dmurphy@ stphilipscathedral.org. Learn more about upcoming events, download sermons, and access contact information at stphilipscathedral.org.
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To receive the Times by email, contact Janie Harris at jharris@stphilipscathedral.org.
American Canticle, the new CD by The Cathedral Choir and Schola and members of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra brass section, is available now through the music office or Cathedral Book Store! Contact Tim Gunter, 404-3651050, for more information. Last week, members of the Cathedral ECW visited Camp Mikell and the Rev. Ken Struble, director, as part of an ongoing relationship that recently included a significant gift for the purchase of new kitchen equipment for the camp.
FEATURING WORKS BY CRAIG PHILLIPS, ROLAND MARTIN, GERALD NEAR, LARRY KING, HOWARD HELVEY, HAROLD FRIEDELL, AND LEO SOWERBY.
Cathedral Farmers Market Saturdays 9 a.m – noon
This Saturday, November 26, in addition to our fantastic line-up of farmers and prepared food vendors, more than 35 artists will be bringing their locally made wares to inspire your shopping for the holidays! Our artists are producing fine jewelry, original paintings and photography, handcrafted clothing and accessories, doggy treats, bath and body collections, pottery, fiber and paper art, wooden bowls, woven baskets, and much more! And this week, bring your camera to Market and take photos with Santa for free! Bring your little ones, your pups and your camera and snap a few with Santa and his helpers: Chef Kevin Gillespie and elves Andreas Muller and Joey Ward!