The CATHEDRAL TIMES The weekly newsletter of the Cathedral of St. Philip · Serving Atlanta and the World · June 7, 2020
I AM FOR THE POLICE. I AM FOR THE PROTESTERS. IT MAKES ME WANT TO CRY. By the Very Rev. Sam Candler, Dean of the Cathedral Andrew Young, as usual, said some extraordinarily good things over the past weekend, a weekend when our beloved city of Atlanta witnessed both protests and violence (and they are two very different things!). But I resonated in particular with one of the first things he said: “It makes me want to cry.” I wanted to cry, too. I was sick throughout the weekend. I was heartbroken sick, but I was also almost physically sick, for at least three reasons. For one, the violence and destruction were sickening. Yes, I know that most of the protesters were not violent, and most were not intending to be violent or destructive. I am for the protesters. But a few bad actors were part of the gatherings, and they ended up prevailing in some cases. Some white folks were scared. I found myself worried about things. But that fear reminded me of a far more serious fear. Many black people, and black men, live in that kind of wary fear much of their lives. Let me say that again: reasonable and rational and strong black men live every day in a kind of fear that something unjust can occur to them. That is not right; that is not righteous. That’s the second thing that made me sick. The continuing revelations of violence against black people are nauseating. We all know that most police officers are good and righteous people. I am for the police. But the bad actors among the police officers, and the lapses in judgement by otherwise good officers, are stunning America. I do want to remember the names of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Freddie Gray, Eric Garner. And, of course, the young Georgian, Ahmaud Arbery, who died in some sort of racist vigilantism. Yes, I know that all whites are not the problem. But I also know that this is a problem for all whites. It is especially a problem for those of us white people who are committed desperately to loving all of God’s people. The revelation of a few bad actors has exposed deeper racism that is a part of all of us. Most of us white people have benefitted, to one degree or another, through systems and structures that are tilted toward the wealthy and the powerful – and that’s a lot of white people, and white supremacy – not a lot of black people, or black supremacy. So, yes, racism is a severe problem not just for blacks. It’s a problem for whites, it is a white problem. And it’s a problem for any of us who want to care for our brothers and sisters of whatever race they are. I care for the police; and I care for the protesters. My sermon this Sunday will be about “relationship.” This Sunday is Trinity Sunday, and – for me—the doctrine of the Trinity is about relationship. I have not actually written the sermon yet, but I will. The sermon may work; and it may not. I am uncertain. In fact, that sense of uncertainty is where I am these days. I have tried to work all my life against racism, both personal and corporate. I remember in college when my good friend, who was black, and I decided to room together; we intended to make a Christian witness of relationship. But I have been part of plenty of other things that have not worked. My meager contribution of working against racism has worked some and it has not worked some. It is incomplete and has a long way to go. The last reason I was sick was because I am tired. I am just tired of it all, and physically and emotionally drained, too. Maybe we are all tired. The stress of the past three months has exhausted us in ways we may not continued on back page...
This SUNDAY
JUNE 7, 2020 · The First Sunday after Pentecost: Trinity Sunday, Year A Genesis 1:1-2:4a · Psalm 8 · 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 · Matthew 28:16-20
WORSHIP WITH THE CATHEDRAL ONLINE AT CATHEDRALATL.ORG/STREAM, ON THE CATHEDRAL APP, AND ON THE CATHEDRAL FACEBOOK PAGE.
8:45 A.M. AND 11:15 A.M. HOLY EUCHARIST Celebrant: The Rev. Julia Mitchener Preacher: The Very Rev. Sam Candler Cathedral Singers octet: Robert Ward (1917-2013), “The Glorious Sun” Celebrations of Nature Hymn 362, “Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!” Nicaea Psalm 8 (Anglican chant: Richard Woodward) Hymn 405, “All things bright and beautiful” Royal Oak Larry King, A Canticle of Praise Richard Proulx, Sanctus & Benedictus from A Community Mass Hymn 367, “Round the Lord in glory seated” Rustington Hymn 368, “Holy Father, great Creator” Regent Square Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), Fugue in E-flat Major, BWV 552 “St. Anne Fugue”
PRAYER List FOR THOSE WHO ARE ILL OR RECOVERING: IMMEDIATE NEEDS Bill Aycock • Margarito Barragan • Larry Boggs • Bernice Burton • Connie Chapman • Susan Kuzia • Malcolm A. Moore • Edith Oliveros • Clark Shelton
LONG TERM PRAYERS R. Huntley Allen • T. Mayo and Pat Atkins • Edgar and Judith Beach • Perry Benton • Virginia Bicksler • Mindy Boggs • Josh Borden, Jr. • Kat Bowling • Corey Cashion • Heather Clark • Marie Corrigan • Terry Dornbush • Sarah duBignon • Deborah Ellington • Randy Farmer • Louis Gruver, Jr. • Timothy Gunter •
Katie Hughey • Louise Kan • John Kelleher • Chris Kopecky • Lisa Krysiak • Rose Leon • Elaine Lyon • Patricia Madison • Carol McDonald • Glenn Miller • Ashley Minear • Royce Mitchell • Mary Chase Mize •
Susan Myers • Charlie Neal • Linus Nickel • Marion Palmore • Garry Pryor • Rowland Radford • Rubye
and Wayne Reid • Tommy Ripley • Agnes Elizabeth Robertson • Louis “Skip” Schueddig • Julie Thompson • Tommy Truesdale • Lowell Palmer Weicker, Jr. • Faye Van Winkle • Karen Young
FAMILY AND FRIENDS Eileen Abeyesundere • Marion Altieri • Karyn Bacon • Bettina Bass • Tom Bingham • David Bond • Lynn Chandler • Andrew Clark • Leonard A. Cobb • Sally Davis • Carleton Fuller • Bruce Gillies • Tom Ingegneri •
Stephen Jones • Bernard A. Kan • Pete Livezey • Joyce Lyford • Pat Martin • Michelle Maxwell • Bonnie Shields
McCormack • Bob McGill • David Mickle • Steven Norman • Sally Taylor Rogers • Frank Roth • James Sands •
Lillian Sandoval • Patricia Schooley • Milton Shiver • James Marion Smith • Tina Susco • Yvonne Tate • Pierson
Thames • Jeffrey Thomas • Janiece Townshend • Roger Traylor • Ron M. Wallace • Whit A. Wright • Patricia Young • Hollis Youngner
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE DIED William Ham
This letter is part of a series of fictional letters by Canon George Maxwell intended for Episcopalians young and old who wonder what it means to be faithful in the world today. Dear Anna, I thought your blog post was beautifully written and a poignant reminder that the fight against inequality in this country is far from over. Watching the protests that spread across the nation last week in the wake of the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis filled me with more emotions than I have words to describe. I appreciate that the protests are not just about Mr. Floyd. In a tragic way, his death stands as a symbol of the systemic racism and mistreatment that has characterized the black experience in this country for more than four hundred years. It breaks my heart. I want it to break our collective heart too. I want our reaction to what is happening to people of color in this country to break our collective heart open. I want us to feel all of the suffering that we can imagine and know that they feel more. I want us to feel tired in this moment and know that they have lived their lives like this. And, I want us to cry. I want our tears to remind us of how vulnerable we are and the need to keep on loving anyway. Only then do I think we can find the compassion and grace to do what needs to be done.
I realize that this might not sound like enough. It doesn’t seem to hold the promise of a list of things to do, or laws to pass, or reparations to be paid. It might even feel like a subtle strategy to get on with things without having to make any changes. I’m convinced, though, that it’s the most important thing. Sometimes you can’t move forward until you go back and get what you left behind. We left behind our commitment to honor the dignity of people of color. I remember someone telling me once that the most important ethical decisions we make are the ones we take for granted. I think that’s not a bad test for a heart broken open. I look forward to the day when we take the dignity of people of color for granted. So, yes, let’s do the things we need to do and pass the laws we need to pass. (I’m going to leave the question of reparations for another day.) But, let’s also take up the habits of the heart that we will need to learn how to recognize the dignity of all people. As they say, we’ll know all lives matter when black lives matter. Your affectionate uncle, Ames
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, JUNE 14 ISSUE, THE DEADLINE IS WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3. FOR THE SUNDAY, JUNE 21 ISSUE, THE DEADLINE IS WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10. 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.
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POSTMASTER: Dated Material. Please deliver by June 6, 2020 POSTMASTER Send address changes to: The Cathedral of St. Philip 2744 Peachtree Road, NW Atlanta, Georgia 30305-2920 404-365-1000
I don’t like telling myself when I am tired, or telling anyone when they are tired, that we need to do more. But we can take a stand. We are not too tired to do that. We can declare where our foundations are, where our sources of strength are. It does us good to admit that. It does us good to admit the truth. In fact, speaking the truth can lift us from our fatigue. Speaking the truth can renew us. No, I do not support violence, against anyone. I do not support destruction of property. Yes, I do support the police. Yes, I do support the protesters. I support people of good faith and good will. I support seeking and serving Christ in all persons, loving God and loving my neighbor as myself. AMEN.
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