The CATHEDRAL TIMES The weekly newsletter of the Cathedral of St. Philip · Serving Atlanta and the World · February 7, 2021
THE FEAST OF THE PRESENTATION AND LIGHT FOR A NEW YEAR By the Very Rev. Sam Candler, Dean of the Cathedral As some of you know, I love this week of the year, the first week of February. Almost always, we in the United States of America seem to observe three different sorts of feasts, sometimes on the same day! In the formal Christian Church, February 2 is the Feast of the Presentation; but many Americans are more familiar with that day as Groundhog Day! What could they have in common? The third “feast” day of the week, usually on the first Sunday in February, is the Super Bowl! Surely that event, even in this pandemic-quarantined-socially distanced way, ranks as one of America’s great “civic feasts.” I actually believe that all these events have something in common, maybe especially this year. They are ways that our community, our civilization, hopes for life and yearns for light in the midst of winter. Consider, for instance, the Super Bowl gatherings, the parties, the festivities around Sunday night. The gatherings will be much smaller this year (I hope!), but this is ritual at its most primordial. In a usual year, people plan schedules and change behavior and spend their resources for this event; in my book, this behavior is exactly the definition of a religion. The entities that change your schedules and order your lives and to which you offer your money are usually what we call “gods.” It’s a religion. This year, we might even be setting up our smaller household gatherings all the while remembering what times were like in the past! That, too, is religion. I will not dwell on its low points today. But, at its best, “Super Bowl Religion” shows us the fruit of sports discipline and athletic respect (and sometimes even advertising creativity, for those advertising). The Super Bowl usually falls right in the middle of winter (in North America). So does February 2, which is the Feast of the Presentation. The day falls almost exactly midway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. Though winter “begins,” officially, on December 21, it is rarely as cold then as it is in the middle of winter – about February 2. Thus, our ancestors realized and devised all sorts of mid-winter feasts and festivals to remind them that spring was coming. Christians began to observe this mid-winter day as “the Purification,”, or “Candlemas,” or—now—“the Feast of the Presentation.” According to tradition, the young child Jesus was to be presented in the Temple 40 days after his birth. However, the tradition of “Candlemas” came closest to recognizing what is going on in our natural world. Whether they called it “Presentation” or “Purification,” Christians lit candles on February 2. On this day, at Christian churches across the world, people usually light candles and walk in procession; they walk toward the light, even in the deep mid-winter. Something in our human condition will always long and lean for light. We yearn for its energy, especially when we miss it the most – in the bleak midwinter. And this year, of course, we miss the light even more. Somehow or another, strangely enough, our secular Groundhog Day is also associated with the longing for this light. We are wondering just how long it will be before spring comes. Will the groundhog see his shadow or not? Is there sunshine on Groundhog Day—too early—or not? (And: has this whole last year been one long Groundhog Day?!) I have no idea what all the bellwether groundhogs across the United States saw on this February 2 or not. And, no matter who actually wins the Super Bowl this Sunday, all of our country is strangely warmed on Super Bowl Sunday either gathering in parties, or watching the festivities in remembrance of parties past. But in the Christian Church, we celebrate the light of the world in the first week of February. Some continued on back page...
This SUNDAY
FEBRUARY 7, 2021 · The Fifth Sunday After the Epiphany, Year B Isaiah 40:21-31 · Psalm 147:1-12, 21c · 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 · Mark 1:29-39
REGISTER FOR IN-PERSON SERVICES OF KOINONIA AT CATHEDRALATL.ORG, ON THE CATHEDRAL APP, OR BY CALLING 404-365-1009 STARTING WEDNESDAY, 10 A.M. THESE SERVICES ARE LIMITED TO 50 ATTENDEES, WITH MASKS REQUIRED.
7:45 A.M. SERVICE OF KOINONIA, CLOISTER GARDEN 8:45 A.M. SERVICE OF KOINONIA, LABYRINTH 11:15 A.M. SERVICE OF KOINONIA, LABYRINTH 1 P.M. SERVICIO DE KOINONIA EN ESPAÑOL, CLOISTER GARDEN REGISTER BY CONTACTING DEACON JUAN SANDOVAL, JSANDOVAL@CATHEDRALATL.ORG. CONTINUE TO 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 Very Rev. Sam Candler Preacher: The Rev. Canon Lauren Holder Music: Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847), Andante in D Major with variations Hymn 411, “O bless the Lord, my soul!” St. Thomas (Williams) Psalm 147:1-12, 21c Plainsong Tone VIII.1 Hymn 635, “If thou but trust in God to guide thee” Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten Samuel Sebastian Wesley, Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace Craig Phillips, Sanctus & Benedictus from Festival Eucharist Gerald Near, They that wait upon the Lord (today’s OT lesson) Hymn 381, “Thy strong word did cleave the darkness” Ton-y-Botel Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847), Allegro con brio (from Sonata No. 4 in B-flat, Op. 65)
PRAYER List FOR THOSE WHO ARE ILL OR RECOVERING: LONG TERM PRAYERS R. Huntley Allen • Penny Barnett • Edgar & Judith Beach • Perry Benton • Virginia Bicksler • Heather Clark • Sharon Crews • Lynne D’Huyvetter • Terry Dornbush • Sarah duBignon • Deborah Ellington • Dan Elson • Jenny Ham • Jane Jones • Louise Kan • Lisa Krysiak • Sandy Land • Carol McDonald • Jessie McGill • Glenn Miller • Ashley Minear • Royce Mitchell • Laura Moore • Susan Myers • Charlie Neal • Linus Nickel • Marion Palmore • Jameson Parker • Beth Pitzer • Sam Polk • Randy Pollard III • Brenda Pruitt • Garry Pryor • Rowland Radford • Rubye & Wayne Reid • Agnes Elizabeth Robertson • Louis “Skip” Schueddig • Linda Stallcup • Tommy Truesdale • Faye Van Winkle
FAMILY AND FRIENDS Bettina Bass • Bella Bond • David Bond • Lynn Chandler • Andrew Clark • Vickie & Bob Coffman • Marie Corrigan • Robyn Kim Crennan • Konrad Darling • Carleton Fuller • Lamont Glover • Betsy Hunt-Pike • Cadel Ingraham • Vivian Johnson • Stephen Jones • Robin Kemp • Grace Lawson • Pete Livezey • Lauren Makhlouf • Pat Martin • Marge Massey • Michelle Maxwell • Pat McEntire • Judy McLeroy • John Mitchell • Betsy Moore • Mary Nelson • Steven Norman • Domini Re-Darling • Courtney Rosenthal • Doug Ross • James Sands • Patricia Schooley • Cindy Snell • Paul Sturtz • Caroline Southerland • Tina Susco • Yvonne Tate • Pierson Thames • Jeffrey Thomas • Wayne Thurman • Roger Traylor • Ron M. Wallace • Diane Woods • Whit A. Wright • Hollis Youngner
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE DIED: Jean Burdick Albertson • Anne Bao • Terrell William Benton, Jr.
OUTREACH BCM FOOD DRIVE February 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 stable, safe housing support as clients cope with layoffs, job losses, and evictions from their homes. Certainly, battling food insecurity remains a priority. St. Anne’s Guild has for many years coordinated the Cathedral’s semi-annual food drives and cherishes its role as ambassadors for BCM. In usual times, guild members would be stationed in the Atrium each Sunday to gratefully receive your monetary
donations. Our Cathedral youth would be coordinating and conducting their “Souper Bowl” Sunday collection and Sara Chapman would be teaching her Sunday School children about service and sharing through her “Children’s Chapel Store.” Our Cathedral Preschool children would be learning to count to 100 by bringing in hundreds of food items, in celebration of their 100th school day in February. But these are not usual times and all of this Spirit-led activity cannot physically take place this month. What can take place in February is your “virtual” support of our traditional BCM drive for the Cathedral. In our first online drive last August, your contributions totaled $9,000, a beautiful testament to what can be done in Christ, even in these hardest of times. St. Anne’s thanks you for your tremendous history of support for BCM! We ask you to continue this record of giving for our neighbors in need! Your “virtual” support in February can be made easily by check or through the Cathedral’s website: www.cathedralATL.org/ contribute. Again, our heartfelt thanks for your giving at this time!
YOUNG Professionals Our Cathedral Young Professionals group continues to gather, serve, pray, and study together in various ways, including our winter book study, service opportunities, and ongoing spiritual community. All Cathedral members—and friends—in their 20s and 30s are welcome! To find out more, contact Canon Cathy Zappa at czappa@cathedralATL.org. We would love to see you!
WINTER BOOK STUDY Our Young Professionals Winter Book Study meets on Wednesdays (except Ash Wednesday), 6–7 p.m., by Zoom. We are discussing Michael Curry’s book, Love Is the Way: Holding on to Hope in Troubling Times, along with holy scriptures. Come as you can, and when you can—and come even if you don’t have time to read the book! We read excerpts together, so that everyone can participate in the conversation. No preparation required!
YP LEADERSHIP TEAM We are excited to announce a new leadership team for the Young Professionals! To deepen our YP ministry and widen our reach, we are introducing a new lay leadership structure consisting of a chairperson and co-chairs. Serving terms of 1–2 years, they will help set priorities for our YP programs, plan events, and provide pastoral support. Meet your new YP leadership team: Hubert Tate (chair), Huston Collings (co-chair), and Abby Schultz (cochair). Thank you, Hubert, Huston, and Abby!
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 The Rev. Deacon Juan Sandoval, Deacon for Hispanic Ministries The Rev. Theophus “Thee” Smith, Ph.D., Priest Associate Del King, Senior Warden Samuel T. Wilmoth, Junior Warden
CATHEDRAL TIMES SUBMISSION DEADLINES: FOR THE SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14 ISSUE, THE DEADLINE IS WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3. FOR THE SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21 ISSUE, THE DEADLINE IS WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10 TO RECEIVE THE TIMES BY EMAIL, CONTACT MELANA DICKSON, MDICKSON@CATHEDRALATL.ORG. TO SUBMIT AN ANNOUNCEMENT REQUEST, CONTACT DAN MURPHY, DMURPHY@CATHEDRALATL.ORG.
404-365-1000 | cathedralATL.org pastoral care emergency line: 404-365-1003
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...continued from front page Christians will light every candle they can find, a ritual that symbolizes the Light of Christ in the world. It is still wintertime. The coronavirus is still with us, too. But on February 2 our world turns toward spring. Yes, there will be more cold snaps. There may even be an ice storm. But the earth has now turned around the sun toward spring. The Church hopes the same thing about life today. The coronavirus is still quite serious. Vaccines are available for some, but not for everyone yet. Perhaps our own health is bad right now. Perhaps our economy still seems bleak right now. But God has turned us toward light, toward health.
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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
I encourage us, then, to present ourselves to this God of Light. Like Mary and Joseph, present yourselves and your offspring to God in the holy temple today. Go to that place which has preserved and proclaimed light even during the darkest times. Light your candles this week, either literally or figuratively. One of great ways that Jesus described himself was the Light, the Light of the world. But Jesus also told us that we, we ourselves, are the light of the world. It’s not Groundhog Day or Super Bowl Sunday that brings true light to the world. It’s not even the great traditions and customs of the church, though each of those events plays its part. The true light is us—you and me—and how we behave during all these events. Jesus said, “You are the light of the world; let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).
The Very Rev. Sam Candler Dean of the Cathedral
SUNDAY AFTERNOON RECITAL THIS WEEK: JUSTIN MAXEY, ORGAN STREAMING LIVE AT 3:15 P.M. SUNDAY AT CATHEDRALATL.ORG/RECITALS AND ON FACEBOOK
Ash Wednesday February 17
SUPPORT ST. VERONICA'S GUILD'S EPIPHANY DRIVE COLLECTING DONATIONS FOR FOUR LOCAL MINISTRIES
CATHEDRALATL.ORG/CONTRIBUTE
Outdoor Services of Koinonia in English at 8 a.m., 12 noon, and 5 p.m. and at 5 p.m. in Spanish. Registration begins February 10 at cathedralATL.org. Online services at 12 noon and 7 p.m. pick up ashes from the information desk or burn palms to make your own.