The CATHEDRAL TIMES The weekly newsletter of the Cathedral of St. Philip · Serving Atlanta and the World · August 2, 2020
WHEN YOU JUST DON’T KNOW… EVEN HOW TO PRAY An excerpt of the Canon Cathy Zappa’s sermon from Sunday, July 26. Read the whole sermon at cathedralATL.org. ...And there is death, the greatest unknown of all, which is upfront and center these days: the deaths of people sick from COVID-19, the deaths of loved ones from other things, the deaths of people of color and of public servants, the death of the way things used to be. At the threshold of death, we don’t understand. We don’t know what we’re supposed to do, or say, or pray. Thankfully, we aren’t the first to stand at this threshold, and we can draw on ancient rituals and prayers of the community. But in these times, even these rituals are changed! Many of us can’t attend funerals, or gather with family members in the wake of a death. This is new territory, indeed, and there is so much we just don’t know anymore. For some of us, many perhaps, this not-knowing extends even to our understanding of God, our spiritual lives, and prayer. Yes, even prayer. […It takes me back to] one of my most epic fails in prayer. I had been visiting someone on death row for almost four years. His name was Marion, and he would be turning 44 three days from today. Thirteen months ago, he lost his last appeal on a Wednesday morning and was scheduled to be executed that same evening. After they took Marion away, I waited with his mother, and some other family and attorneys, at a hospitality house not far away, a holy place if there ever was one. When we got word that the dreaded moment was now, a heavy hush fell. Someone asked me to pray. Thankfully, I had my prayer book with me. I read the Prayer of Commendation, and then led us in the Lord’s Prayer. Except that halfway through, I completely forgot the words. The weight of the moment was too much. And yet, again, there was prayer. Though I was very embarrassed, and so sorry, there was prayer; there was the Spirit, interceding for everyone—everyone—affected, with sighs too deep for words. In a way, my word-ful prayer falling apart was what that moment required, that moment in which everything fell apart. Had I not lost my words, I might have continued to believe that the prayer was up to me, and missed the Spirit’s deeper, truer prayer in that unfathomable moment. Later that night, I came home and cried. A lot. But I still couldn’t pray, not in the way I was used to. I didn’t even want to, because I was so, so disappointed in God, and angry with God. I didn’t want to make sense of this, and I refused to see good in it. But somehow I still knew this: I could give myself over to this grief, this disorientation, because I knew that God wouldn’t leave me there. I knew that the Spirit would help me in my weakness, and pray when I couldn’t. I knew that not even this irreconcilable trauma, nor my doubt nor anger, could separate me—or any of us— from the love of God in Christ Jesus. And that diminished their power over me even in that moment. There are so many things that threaten to separate us from God’s love, and from one another. Indeed, separation is a sad, hard fact of this current time we’re living through, too; and it’s bringing many of us face to face with the limits of our knowing and understanding, our control, our planning, our fixing and helping. In physical separation from so many family and friends, and amid daily reminders of our own mortality, we are having to trust more and more in the power and goodness and love of God; in the Spirit’s presence and care, strength and prayer; and in the spiritual realm and the spiritual communion we share, with both the living and the dead. ...At the threshold of death, whether physical death, or the loss of a cherished way of life or self-image or future; and at the threshold of your own ability to understand, help, control, pray; may you know this: The Spirit helps you in your weakness, and prays when you can’t.
This SUNDAY
AUGUST 2, 2020 · The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 13, Year A Genesis 32:22-31 · Psalm 17:1-7, 16 · Romans 9:1-5 · Matthew 14:13-21
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. Nate Huddleston Preacher: The Rev. Julia Mitchener Cathedral Singers octet: Gottfried August Homilius (1714-1785), Two Chorale Preludes on “Jesu, Meine Zuversicht” Hymn 523 stanzas 1&2, “Glorious things of thee are spoken” Abbot’s Leigh Psalm 17:1-7, 16 (Anglican chant: Lionel Dakers) Hymn 638, “Come, O thou Traveler unknown” Vernon Percy Whitlock, O Living Bread! Who once did’st die Richard Proulx, Sanctus & Benedictus from A Community Mass Cesar Franck, Panis angelicus Hymn 690, “Guide me, O thou great Jehovah” Cwm Rhondda Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), Fugue in A minor, BWV 543
PRAYER List FOR THOSE WHO ARE ILL OR RECOVERING: IMMEDIATE NEEDS Bill Bazemore
LONG TERM PRAYERS R. Huntley Allen • T. Mayo Atkins • Edgar and Judith Beach • Perry Benton • Virginia Bicksler • Mindy Boggs • Bernice Burton • Heather Clark • Terry Dornbush • Sarah duBignon • Deborah Ellington • Randy
Farmer • Jenny Ham • Roger Hendler • Katie Hughey • Louise Kan • Chris Kopecky • Lisa Krysiak • Michelle Leiter • Elaine Lyon • Carol McDonald • Rebecca McDonough • Glenn Miller • Ashley Minear • Royce Mitchell • 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 • Faye Van Winkle
FAMILY AND FRIENDS Eileen Abeyesundere • Patty Alexander • Bettina Bass • David Bond • Lynn Chandler • Andrew Clark • Charles
“Skipper” Cook • Marie Corrigan • Connor Butler Crennan • Carleton Fuller • Stephen Jones • Bernard A. Kan • Susan Kuzia • David Lee • Pete Livezey • Maggie Maddux • Pat Martin • Michelle Maxwell • Bonnie Shields McCormack • David Mickle • Steven Norman • Maggie Rogers • Frank Roth • James Sands • Milton
Shiver • Tina Susco • Yvonne Tate • Pierson Thames • Jeffrey Thomas • Janiece Townshend • Roger Traylor • Angel Antonio Vega • Ron M. Wallace • Whit A. Wright • Patricia Young • Hollis Youngner •
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE DIED Darrell Davidson • John Lewis
MEMBERSHIP CHANGES NEW MEMBERS Thayer F. Coll, from Houston, Texas Elizabeth M. Allen, from Atlanta Oluwatobi D. Anosike, Lawrenceville, Georgia
BIRTH Robert Winston “Winn” Douglass, son of Lauren Giles, born June 19, 2020
Adult EDUCATION OLD FASHIONED SUNDAY SCHOOL This Sunday, August 2 at 10:10 a.m. in Old Fashioned Sunday School, Jennifer Priestley will lead the discussion on “Angels Among Us.” Have you noticed that when angels appear in the bible, they are almost always are saying “do not be afraid”, when there always seems to be a very good reason to be afraid? This Sunday we will talk about angels and how they help us through periods of uncertainty and transition.
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, AUGUST 9 ISSUE, THE DEADLINE IS WEDNESDAY, JULY 29. FOR THE SUNDAY, AUGUST 16 ISSUE, THE DEADLINE IS WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5. 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
POSTMASTER: Dated Material. Please deliver by August 1, 2020
EDUCATION The Cathedral of St. Philip is excited to introduce our Cathedral Scholars—Nicole Baños, Leslie Coronel, and Rachel Woods! We are so grateful for the thoughtful work of the Higher Education Scholarship Committee: Nancy Beane, Lyons Brewer, Lindsey Hardegree, the Rev. Nate Huddleston, the Rev. Lauren Holder, Amy Rudolf, the Rev. Juan Sandoval, and Rick Tyler. Thank you! Thanks too for the generous donors who have made it possible for us to partner with these impressive young adults in pursuing their goals—and to David Rocchio, always making a difference behind the scenes.
MEET OUR CATHEDRAL SCHOLARS! Nicole Baños: Rising senior at the University of Georgia, studying food science and technology. Nicole was a leader in the Hispanic service at the Cathedral while in high school. Now she serves on the Vestry of the Episcopal Center at UGA. Leslie Coronel: Rising freshman at the University of the South. Leslie is a first-generation high school graduate, now looking forward to being a first-generation college graduate as well. She hopes to study English and creative writing. Rachel Woods: First year graduate student at Georgia State University, studying English rhetoric and composition. Rachel participates in the Cathedral’s young professionals group and volunteers with our youth.
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
OUTREACH AUGUST IS BCM FOOD DRIVE MONTH – PLEASE DONATE! August is food drive month at the Cathedral in support of Buckhead Christian Ministry’s client choice pantry. While COVID-19 has caused the temporary pause of pantry operations, BCM’s work to assist the working poor in our community is ongoing and more important than ever. Much of its current focus is delivering housing support as clients cope with layoffs and job losses, but food assistance remains a critical need and BCM’s reserve funding for the eventual reopening of its pantry is extremely important. St. Anne’s Guild coordinates the Cathedral’s semi-annual food drives (in August and February) and cherishes its role as ambassadors for
BCM. In usual times, guild members would be stationed in the Atrium each Sunday in August to receive your monetary contributions. In these unusual pandemic times, where Cathedral services and gatherings are conducted online, St. Anne’s is asking for your monetary support of BCM. In 2019, the Cathedral’s collective support of BCM’s client choice pantry surpassed $10,000 per semi-annual drive. Help us continue this wonderful record - these are extraordinary times producing extraordinary needs. Thank you in advance for your generous support of our neighbors in need! Your support in August can be made easily through the Cathedral’s website at cathedralATL.org/BCM. Also, the Cathedral will gladly accept mailed checks made payable to “The Cathedral of St. Philip,” with “BCM” on the notation line.