The CATHEDRAL TIMES The weekly newsletter of the Cathedral of St. Philip · Serving Atlanta and the World · March 22, 2020
RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HOLY RELATIONSHIP By the Very Rev. Sam Candler, Dean of the Cathedral Our Lenten adult program this year was to focus on specific words of our tradition. Obviously, our schedule has been disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, and my own presentation will have to be delayed. Instead, however, I will present this short synopsis of my presentation (“Righteousness and Holy Relationship”) as my weekly article for The Cathedral Times! Words of our tradition. One of my own challenges, in teaching and preaching, is to rescue, and even salvage, classical Christian words. Yes, I am trying to save some of our Christian vocabulary, words with old meanings that seem irrelevant to many in our world today. The word “salvation” is itself actually one of them. So is “creed.” Even “sin,” I think, can be re-defined and re-imagined. In particular, I want to rescue the word, “righteousness,” from its rather legalistic and transactional baggage. For many religious people, “righteousness” means following and obeying every religious law that was ever devised – probably not a pleasant task, and certainly impossible. For too many of us, though, we have been taught that if we complete some spiritual transaction the right way (say the proper words, perform the proper prayer, feel the proper emotion), then we will be legally designated “righteous. I have come to believe, however, that when the Bible uses the word “righteousness” in some of its most important passages, in both the Old and New Testaments, the Bible is really talking about “relationship,” and “right relationship.” Simply put, people who are described as righteous are in holy relationship. For instance, the verse from Genesis gets repeated often, “Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). We tend to think of that statement as a form of divine legal transaction. Certain parts of our tradition have taught that somehow Abraham believed the right way, and thus the legal and formal transaction was made valid. He would receive progeny and land. But, no: think about what it means “to believe” someone. Good belief puts us into relationship with that someone. Good faith puts us into relationship. How did belief make Abraham righteous? By simply putting him in relationship with God. It’s as simple as that. Faith puts people in relationship, and relationships save us. Relationships save us. Community saves us! It is holy and right relationship that means righteousness for us. So, I have taken on a new practice. Whenever I read the word “righteous” in scripture, I substitute the word “relationship.” “Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as relationship.” Or, from Habbakuk 2:4, “Those in relationship live by faith.” But the substitution really works in Matthew 5:20, “Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus was talking about what it means to fulfill the law and the prophets, but he certainly did not mean trying to outperform the Pharisees in being obsessed with every detail of the laws! “Don’t think that I have come to abolish them,” he says; they will be fulfilled! But they will be fulfilled by living in relationship with God. Try reading Matthew 5:20 this way: “Unless your ‘relationship’ exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Because the kingdom of heaven—the community of heaven—is continued on back page...
This SUNDAY
MARCH 22, 2020 · The Fourth Sunday in Lent, Year A 1 Samuel 16:1-13 · Psalm 23 · Ephesians 5:8-14 · John 9:1-41
EACH OF THESE SERVICES WILL BE LIVESTREAMED AT CATHEDRALATL.ORG/STREAM, ON THE CATHEDRAL APP, AND ON THE CATHEDRAL FACEBOOK PAGE.
8:45 A.M. HOLY EUCHARIST, CATHEDRAL Celebrant: The Rev. Nate Huddleston Preacher: The Very Rev. Sam Candler Cathedral Singers: Dan Locklair, Lord Jesus, think on me Adrian Batten, Haste thee, O God, to deliver me
11:15 A.M. HOLY EUCHARIST, CATHEDRAL Celebrant: The Rev. Canon Cathy Zappa Preacher: The Very Rev. Sam Candler Cathedral Singers: Dan Locklair, Lord Jesus, think on me
4 P.M. CHORAL EVENSONG, CATHEDRAL Cathedral Singers: Thomas Tomkins, Preces and Responses Psalm 23 (Anglican chant: Charles Hylton Stewart) Thomas Tallis, Short Service William Byrd, Prevent us, O Lord
The CATHEDRAL off ST. PHILIP
The Very Rev. Samuel G. Candler, Dean Dale Adelmann, Ph.D., Canon for Music The Rev. Lauren R. Holder, Canon for Community and Education The Rev. George M. Maxwell, Jr., Vicar The Rev. Catherine Zappa, Canon for Liturgy and Pastoral Care The Rev. John William Harkins III, Ph.D., Priest Associate The Rev. Nathan G. Huddleston, Priest Associate for Youth and Young Adult Ministries The Rev. Julia B. Mitchener, Priest Associate for Children’s Ministries The Rev. Deacon Juan Sandoval, Deacon for Hispanic Ministries The Rev. Theophus “Thee” Smith, Ph.D., Priest Associate The Rev. Carolynne G. Williams, Canon Associate for Pastoral Care and Elder Ministry Del King, Senior Warden Dorsey DeLong, Junior Warden
CATHEDRAL TIMES SUBMISSION DEADLINES: FOR THE SUNDAY, MARCH 29 ISSUE, THE DEADLINE IS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18. FOR THE SUNDAY, APRIL 5 ISSUE, THE DEADLINE IS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25. TO RECEIVE THE TIMES BY EMAIL, CONTACT MELANA DICKSON, MDICKSON@CATHEDRALATL.ORG. TO SUBMIT AN ANNOUNCEMENT REQUEST, CONTACT THE EDITOR, DAN MURPHY, AT DMURPHY@CATHEDRALATL.ORG.
404-365-1000 | cathedralATL.org cathedralatl
ADULT Education These classes meet at 10 a.m. on Sunday via video conference. Contact the organizer for information on where to connect online.
OLD FASHIONED SUNDAY SCHOOL
ADULT CONFIRMATION CLASS
Experiencing the Presence of God This term, we are continuing our study of the Bible and Christian contemplative spirituality. The course is built on the foundation laid by the Rev. Vincent Pizzuto, Episcopal priest and college professor, in his book titled Contemplating Christ: The Gospels and the Interior Life (Liturgical Press, 2018), which is, of course, available in the Cathedral Book Store. Canon George Maxwell leads this class.
We are hearing from different clergy on some of the fundamentals of our faith, such as baptism, scripture, polity and community, worship, and Anglican history and ethos. Though this class serves as preparation for adults seeking confirmation, it is open to all adults who want to deepen their understanding of the Episcopal tradition. This class is led by Canon Lauren Holder and Canon Cathy Zappa.
NEW MEMBERS
PARENTING UNSCRIPTED Scott Russell, Kathy Loomis, Jeff Cunningham, and Michelle Perkins will be leading throughout the semester. Contact the Rev. Nate Huddleston for more information.
Coleman Jett Hancock, from Newnan, Georgia Suhsi Avula, from Atlanta John and Besty Bacon, from Atlanta
PRAYER List FOR THOSE WHO ARE ILL OR RECOVERING: IMMEDIATE NEEDS Mindy Boggs • Joe Burton • Charles Jacobs • Rose Leon • Will McGuffin • Alan McKnight • Joann Lewis Pobst • Kathleen Ravenscraft • Ryan Webb • Lowell Palmer Weicker, Jr.
LONG TERM PRAYERS R. Huntley Allen • Patricia Anderson • T. Mayo and Pat Atkins • Edgar and Judith Beach • Perry Benton • Virginia Bicksler • Heather Clark • Terry Dornbush • Sarah duBignon • Kitty Dukehart • Deborah Ellington •
Randy Farmer • Rita Fink • Robert Fox • William Ham • Katie Hughey • Louise Kan • John Kelleher • Lisa
Krysiak • Elaine Lyon • Carol McDonald • Glenn Miller • Ashley Minear • Cecil Miner • Royce Mitchell • Susan Myers • Charlie Neal • Marion Palmore • Garry Pryor • Rowland Radford • Tommy Ripley • Agnes Elizabeth Robertson • Peter Sanders • Louis “Skip” Schueddig • Jackie Stewart • Julie Thompson • Tommy Truesdale • Cindy West • Faye Van Winkle • Karen Young
FAMILY AND FRIENDS Eileen Abeyesundere • Karyn Bacon • Bettina Bass • Tom Bingham • David Bond • Lynn Chandler • Andrew Clark • Robert Coatney • Myron Danielson • Robert Discavage • Maureen Fernandez • Carleton Fuller •
Bruce Gillies • Tom Ingegneri • Stephen Jones • Bernard A. Kan • Pete Livezey • Joyce Lyford • Pat Martin • Michelle Maxwell • Willard McBurney • Bonnie Shields McCormack • Dawna Dunn Newton • Steven
Norman • Sally Taylor Rogers • Frank Roth • James Sands • Lillian Sandoval • Patricia Schooley • Jim &
Becky Settle • Steve & Colleen Settle • Milton Shiver • Tina Susco • Tom Talley • Yvonne Tate • Pierson
Thames • Jeffrey Thomas • Janiece Townshend • Roger Traylor • Ron M. Wallace • Katherine Welden • Whit A. Wright • Patricia Young • Hollis Youngner
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE DIED Ray Baltz • Tom Koivisto
...continued from front page about relationship, right relationship! The great promise of God, then, is not land or descendants or even life after death. And salvation is not a legal standing of righteousness, or some kind of legal transaction. True salvation in life is relationship. In this moment. To believe in God is to be given relationship. In this moment. Abraham believed God and, thus, he was given relationship. The same is true for us. The promise of God is relationship. Holy relationship. Addendum: During these days of self-imposed quarantines and self-distance isolations, “holy relationship� can be quite a challenge! The Cathedral of St. Philip is preparing and organizing creative ways for us to continue holy relationship. We have some imaginative ways! If you have other ideas, please share them with us and each other!
The Very Rev. Sam Candler Dean of the Cathedral
GROUP MEETINGS AND OFFERINGS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK (SUNDAY OFFERINGS ON PAGES 2 AND 3) MIDDAY MEDITATION On Cathedral Facebook page, offered by a member of the clergy Monday-Friday, 12:15 p.m.
WEDNESDAY PARISH NOTICES with Dean Sam Candler Wednesday, 6:15 p.m., via Zoom
LENTEN SERIES with the Very Rev. Anne Maxwell (March 25) and Dr. Kyle Lambelet (April 1) Wednesday, following Parish Notices, via Zoom
OTHER BIBLE STUDIES AND SMALL GROUPS ARE ALSO MEETING! CONTACT YOUR GROUP LEADER FOR MORE INFORMATION. cathedralatl
POSTMASTER: Dated Material. Please deliver by March 21, 2020 POSTMASTER Send address changes to: The Cathedral of St. Philip 2744 Peachtree Road, NW Atlanta, Georgia 30305-2920 404-365-1000
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
Pastoral CARE Dear Cathedral community, In these unusual times, we are all seeking creative ways to be in community with each other and to support one another. Though our building may be closed temporarily, your Cathedral clergy and staff are here for you! If you know of someone to whom we should reach out, or if you yourself would like to speak with one of our clergy, please let us know. Our pastoral care line is still in operation, with our Program Coordinator for Pastoral Care, Hillary Jones, monitoring it during the day, and the clergyperson-on-call monitoring it outside of business hours for emergencies. Call 404-365-1000 and follow the prompts (press 2) to reach the pastoral care line. Several of our parishioners have offered to help those who, because of age or underlying health conditions, are feeling increasingly isolated or vulnerable. If you find you need assistance running errands or getting groceries, or if you simply would like to visit with another parishioner by phone, let us know, and we can connect you to some of these generous, wonderful parishioners who want to be there for you. Most important, though, for all of us: reach out to each other! Call your friends, as well as people you just met or were just getting to know! Stay in touch with your Cathedral groups! And know that God is with us! May the peace of God be with you, and spread through you to others. The Rev. Cathy Zappa Canon for Liturgy and Pastoral Care czappa@cathedralATL.org