The CATHEDRAL TIMES The weekly newsletter of the Cathedral of St. Philip · Serving Atlanta and the World · September 6, 2020
LOVE IS THAT TREMENDOUS AND FASCINATING MYSTERY By the Very Rev. Sam Candler, Dean of the Cathedral (A reflection on this past Sunday’s beautiful story of Moses and the burning bush: Exodus 3:1-15.) Most of us, when we see a fire, we note it as fire. But it takes time to see a miracle. We are required to pause, sometimes for a long time, if we are to observe that the fire is not consuming anything. It had to have taken Moses some time to figure this out. He had to take off his shoes. It takes a while, it takes patience, it requires taking off your shoes and getting down to earth, to figure out that the bush was not being consumed. He was fascinated. That burning bush is the symbol of the name of God forever: “YAHWEH” was the name spoken to Moses. We usually translate that word as, “I am who I am.” But it can also mean, in Hebrew, “I am becoming who I am becoming.” And the word can also mean, “I will be who I will be.” In other words, God is never complete. God is still becoming. And creation itself is still longing for the completion of the children of God. This fire of God burns and gives forth light, yet it never consumes us. That is what Moses saw in the wilderness. That was his vision. In the early twentieth century, the philosopher, Rudolf Otto (The Idea of The Holy), described religious experience this way. God, he said, was “mysterium tremendum et fascinans.” A tremendous and fascinating mystery. The mystery of God is tremendous, but it does not confound or frighten us. Rather, it fascinates and attracts us. The fascinating experience of love is like that, isnt’ it? I hope every one of you here has been in love before. (I hope you are in love right now!) Well, true love has this same characteristic. When you are in love with someone, you feel like—no matter how well you know your lover—still you do not know everything about him or her, and you want to know more. You are fascinated. A tremendous and fascinating mystery. And the more we love, the more love we have. Love replenishes itself the more we use it. That is its miracle. Why do we give everything we have for the one we love? Because we know that our love will provide more in the future. Yes, the only way to get more—the only way to get more love!—is to give more love. That is one of the great principles of the Christian faith. The only way to get things is to give them away. The only way to be forgiven is to forgive someone else. The only way to be loved is to love someone else. The only way to gain your life is to lose it. And in the end, the love you take Is equal to the love you make. (the way Paul McCartney and John Lennon expressed it!) The love and the presence of God never run out. That is what Moses saw; that was his vision. There is some mystery, some fascinating mystery about God that both amazes us and fascinates us—without end. It is worth pursuing because the more we seek, the more we find, and then the more we want to seek some more. God is like that fire that never burns out. And we can find that fire, that passion, in all sorts of ordinary experience: from people and flowers in the gardens, to conflict and grief in the city, to bushes and solitude in the wilderness. Every piece of God’s creation can show us something of the eternity and majestic grace of God. Elizabeth Barrett Browning said it this way: Earth’s crammed with heaven, And every common bush afire with God: But only he who sees, takes off his shoes, The rest sit round it, and pluck blackberries.
This SUNDAY
SEPTEMBER 6, 2020 · The Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 18, Year A Exodus 12:1-14 · Psalm 149 · Romans 13:8-14 · Matthew 18:15-20
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. Nate Huddleston Preacher: The Rev. Canon Cathy Zappa Cathedral Singers octet: Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847), Allegretto (from Sonata No. 4 in B-flat, Op. 65) Hymn 586, “Jesus, thou divine Companion” Pleading Savior Psalm 149 ( Plainsong Tone I.1) Craig Phillips, Teach me, my God and King Richard Proulx, Sanctus & Benedictus from A Community Mass Hymn 593, “Lord, make us servants of your peace” Dickinson College Hymn 599, “Lift every voice and sing” Lift every voice and sing Felix Mendelssohn, Allegro maestoso (from Sonata No. 4 in B-flat, Op. 65)
10:30 A.M. LA SANTA EUCARISTÍA Celebrant: The Rev. Canon Lauren Holder Preacher: The Rev. Deacon Juan Sandoval
PRAYER List FOR THOSE WHO ARE ILL OR RECOVERING: IMMEDIATE NEEDS Marge Massey • Trina Mercado • Katie McCrae • Nancy Morehouse • Tarvin Family
LONG TERM PRAYERS R. Huntley Allen • T. Mayo Atkins • Edgar and Judith Beach • Perry Benton • Virginia Bicksler • Bernice Burton • Heather Clark • Sharon Crews • Terry Dornbush • Sarah duBignon • Deborah Ellington • Dan
Elson • Randy Farmer • Jenny Ham • Louise Kan • Chris Kopecky • Lisa Krysiak • Sandy Land • Michelle Leiter • Elaine Lyon • Carol McDonald • Glenn Miller • Helen 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 • Charlie Roper • Louis “Skip” Schueddig • Tom Sharpley • Julie Thompson • DeeDee Watkins • Faye Van Winkle
FAMILY AND FRIENDS Eileen Abeyesundere • Michael Barnett • Bettina Bass • David Bond • Billy Campbell • Lynn Chandler •
Nancy Lanphier Chapin • Andrew Clark • Kent Corrie • Beverly Fifield • Carleton Fuller • Jean Hand • Vivian
Johnson • Stephen Jones • Pete Livezey • Pat Martin • Michelle Maxwell • David Mickle • Malcolm A. Moore •
Steven Norman • Dot Oscher • The Papanikolaou Family • Charlotte Roland • James Sands • Tina Susco • Yvonne Tate • Pierson Thames • Jeffrey Thomas • Janiece Townshend • Roger Traylor • Ron M. Wallace • Whit A. Wright • Hollis Youngner
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE DIED Susan Kuzia • Carlos H. Mercado, Jr. • Jerry Price • Earl Tarvin
CHILDREN'S Ministries GODLY PLAY / STORYMAKERS BEGINS SEPTEMBER 13 We invite all children, ages three-yearsold through 5th grade, to share in the redemptive narrative of the Bible. Using our beloved Godly Play stories alongside our StoryMakers curriculum, we will connect with our Bible stories in creative and playful ways. Our program season will begin remotely via Zoom at 10:10 a.m. on September 13. Please register at cathedralATL. org/godlyplay or email Lisa McNamara, Director of Children's Ministries, at lmcnamara@cathedralATL.org, with questions.. PLUS, WE MEET ON SUNDAY AFTERNOONS FOR SOCIAL TIME AND GAMES! 4 p.m. Social Time for 3rd grade and younger 5 p.m. EYSeedlings (4th-5th graders)
MUSIC CAROLINE ROBINSON TO PLAY SEASON'S FIRST RECITAL The Sunday afternoon recital series kicks off on September 13, and we are thrilled that our new Associate Organist-Choirmaster, Caroline Robinson, will present the opening program. The series will be streamed live on the Cathedral website and Facebook pages every Sunday at 3:15 p.m. Though we would very much like to welcome you into the Cathedral nave, due to current Covid-19 guidelines, we are only presenting the series online at this time. Learn more at cathedralATL.org/music
CATHEDRAL SCHOLA PERFORMANCE ON WABE The Cathedral Schola and Atlanta Baroque Orchestra's 2019 performance of the Magnificat (BWV 243) by Johann Sebastian Bach will be broadcast on WABE, 90.1 FM and at wabe.org, this Sunday, September 6, at 10 p.m. The Atlanta Music Scene, hosted by Robert Hubert, is a weekly series of concert performances from venues all around metro Atlanta.
YOUTH Ministries Our youth ministry revolves around these key components: worship, study, community, mission, and play. We'll begin this program year with a group Zoom at 10:10 a.m. on Sunday, September 13; parents and students are encouraged to attend. Opportunities for Sunday School and weekly Bible study will resume the following week. Contact Father Nate Huddleston, nhuddleston@cathedralATL.org, Priest Associate for Youth and Young Adult Ministries, for more information.
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, SEPTEMBER 13 ISSUE, THE DEADLINE IS WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2. FOR THE SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 ISSUE, THE DEADLINE IS WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9. 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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Adult EDUCATION
Parenting Unscripted meets at 10:10 a.m. on Zoom, resuming Sunday, September 20. Parenting is hard... find a community of support. Join other parents in discussions around faith, parenting teenagers, and how to support their spiritual growth. For more information, contact Scott Russell, scott.russell@mindspring.com.
Throughout the WEEK VIA ZOOM - CONTACT LEADER FOR THE LINK! The Dean’s Men’s Bible Study 7 a.m., Tuesday Resuming September 8, this group meets every Tuesday morning to read and study scripture, to share faith stories, and to support each other in prayer. Sam Candler, the Dean of the Cathedral, usually leads the group; all men are invited, whether Cathedral members or not. Contact Jeannie Mahood, jmahood@ cathedralATL.org, for more information. The Dean’s Women’s Bible Study 10:45 a.m., Wednesday Resuming September 9, this group meets Wednesday mornings to read and study scripture, to share faith stories, and to support each other in prayer. Dean Candler usually leads the group and all women are invited, whether Cathedral members or not. Contact Jeannie Mahood for more information.
Beginning Sunday, September 13, Canon George Maxwell will take a new look at what Jesus was doing on Maundy Thursday when he washed his disciples’ feet and shared supper with them. In her book, The Holy Thursday Revolution, the philosopher Beatrice Bruteau argues that Jesus was showing us a new way to think about ourselves and organize our society. We’ll talk about how this evolution of thought offers us hope in the midst of increasing anxiety caused by the pandemic, social unrest, and election season. Women’s Early Morning Bible Study 7 a.m., Tuesday All women are welcome to this group led by Canon Lauren Holder, lholder@cathedralATL.org, which resumes September 9. Eat Your Word Bible Study Noon - 1 p.m., Wednesday All are welcome to this weekly Bible study, led by Canon Cathy Zappa, czappa@cathedralATL.org. Please bring your lunch and be ready for a lively conversation! Sons of Thunder 7 a.m., Thursday (monthly) Sons of Thunder meets on the first or secondThursday of every month for breakfast, discussion, and fellowship. All men are welcome! Each session stands on its own, so come when your schedule permits. Our next meeting is September 10. For more information, contact Canon George Maxwell, gmaxwell@ cathedralATL.org.