The CATHEDRAL TIMES The weekly newsletter of the Cathedral of St. Philip · Serving Atlanta and the World · February 21, 2021
HOW DO WE OBSERVE LENT WHEN THE WHOLE YEAR HAS BEEN LENT? By the Very Rev. Sam Candler, Dean of the Cathedral We started asking the question in a kind of jest. The question comes just as it comes to anyone trying to make jokes during the pandemic of the past year. By now, we have shared all sorts of pandemic humor across emails and web sites and various posts. It’s been fun to laugh, even while sharing our pitiful plights. We’ve needed to share our plights. We’ve kept up with birthdays and graduations, all adapted to our isolated times. We have kept anniversaries and school beginnings. We have watched our notable sports celebrations, like the World Series and the Super Bowl. We have even kept the Church’s great celebrations. Yes, Easter was strange last year, but it was also a bit fun trying to welcome resurrection in a new way. We celebrated Christmas, too, even in the cold. But the season of Lent is different, isn’t it? Lent is actually meant to be a somber and lean place, a season of abstinence intentionally chosen. Lent is actually supposed to be an encounter with wilderness and solitude and retreat. All of which we have been doing for a year! During Lent, we voluntarily give up things, we fast from good and joyful foods and habits, so that we can focus on something else. But, it is obvious to me that most of us do not feel like giving up anything in this Lent of 2021. We’ve given up too much already! What, then, does Lent mean in the year 2021? Well, it can mean at least two things. For one, we can deliberately pause to interpret this entire past year as a long spiritual exercise for ourselves. Maybe this whole past year has shown us what Lents are supposed to be like. Of course, there are lots of things of this past year that are surely worth regretting. But maybe we can re-view this past year in a spiritual way, intentionally trying to learn from it. In other words, maybe we can use this season as a way to spiritually summarize the entire past year. For instance, our refrain from travel might have taught us that the kingdom of heaven is not necessarily in some exotic vacation spot far away from us. Maybe heaven is right where we are, if we have the patience and insight to realize it. We don’t need travel, or a new house, or a new toy, in order to be spiritually satisfied. We need only the mindfulness to see God right where we are. (“The kingdom of God is within you,” said Jesus, at Luke 17:21.) And maybe our refrain from the latest gourmet events has taught us the same. God and good nutrition can be found right where we are, no matter where we are. But what about our isolation from other people, from touching and hugging the people we love? That’s been incredibly hard to accept and to interpret. It’s been awful, for sure. If that restraint has been a Lenten discipline, however, it might be a fast that teaches us even more deeply that we need each other. We need to touch. We need to eat and sit together. We need community. And maybe the isolation has also taught us to listen to ourselves; what has really, truly, been going on inside us? (When Jesus was in his Lenten wilderness, he was able to discern many voices within himself !) Perhaps, then, our Lenten practice for 2021 is to take the time to review the past year as a symbol for Lent. To accept our fasts as ways that we have become closer to something else, closer to acknowledgements of holy people and holy places. What have we learned about ourselves in the past year? If we can answer that question, in any way, we have participated in a Lenten exercise. What do we learn about ourselves when we are in retreat, away from our usual comforts? What do we learn about our own fears? What do we learn about our own loves? When we acknowledge both those fears and those loves, we grow a little bit. If we can give voice to those fears, and those loves, we might be a little closer to the God whose love defeats fear. A second Lenten practice we might engage in this 2021 year is to envision the future. To envision Easter. To continued on back page...
This SUNDAY
FEBRUARY 21, 2021 · The First Sunday in Lent, Year B Genesis 9:8-17 · Psalm 25:1-9 · 1 Peter 3:18-22 · Mark 1:9-15
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 Rev. Canon Cathy Zappa Preacher: The Very Rev. Sam Candler Music: Louis Vierne (1870-1937), Adagio from Symphonie III, Op. 28 The Great Litany The Trisagion S-102 (after Alexander Archangelsky) Psalm 25:1-9 (Plainchant Tone II.1) Dan Locklair, Lord Jesus, think on me S–130 Sanctus & Benedictus from Franz Schubert, Deutsche Messe “Behold the Lamb of God” from the Iona Abbey Music Book, 16 Hymn 687, “A mighty fortress is our God” Ein feste Burg Louis Vierne (1870-1937), Allegro from Symphonie II, Op. 20
PRAYER List FOR THOSE WHO ARE ILL OR RECOVERING: LONG TERM PRAYERS R. Huntley Allen • Penny Barnett • Edgar and 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 • Glenn Miller • Ashley Minear • Royce Mitchell • Laura Moore • Susan Myers • Charlie Neal • Linus Nickel • Marion Palmore • Jameson Parker • Beth Pitzer • Garry Pryor • Rowland Radford • Rubye and Wayne Reid • Agnes Elizabeth Robertson • Louis “Skip” Schueddig • Marjorie Singley-Hall • Linda Stallcup • Tommy Truesdale • Ron M. Wallace • Faye Van Winkle
FAMILY AND FRIENDS Bettina Bass • Bella Bond • David Bond • Lynn Chandler • Andrew Clark • Vickie and Bob Coffman • Marie Corrigan • Robyn Kim Crennan • Carleton Fuller • Betsy Hunt-Pike • Cadel Ingraham • Vivian Johnson • Stephen Jones • Robin Kemp • Grace Lawson • Pete Livezey • Lauren Makhlouf • Pat Martin • Marge Massey • Michelle Maxwell • John Mitchell • Betsy Moore • Mary Nelson • Steven Norman • Courtney Rosenthal • James Sands • Patricia Schooley • Cindy Snell • Paul Sturtz • Caroline Southerland • Tina Susco • Yvonne Tate • Pierson Thames • Jeffrey Thomas • Wayne Thurman • Roger Traylor • Whit A. Wright • Hollis Youngner
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE DIED: Nan Brown • Marguerite Doubleday Buck • Nitin Patel • John Hoyt Stookey
OUTREACH
MEMBER TRANSITIONS BIRTHS
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!
Sarah Riley Closs, daughter of Elizabeth Hogan and Conor Closs, granddaughter of Jep and Janet Hogan Carney Lucille Underwood, daughter of Carney and William Underwood, granddaughter of Mary and Paul Underwood
WEDDINGS Susi Patton and Walter Driver, Jr., married February 11, 2021 Lisa Sisavath and Ross Coker, married February 5, 2021
MUSIC SUNDAY AFTERNOON RECITAL THIS WEEK: ELENA DOROZHKINA, PIANO Johann Sebastian Bach, From The Well-Tempered Clavier, Books 1 (1722) and 2 (1742) • Prelude and Fugue in A minor, BWV 889, Book 2 • Prelude and Fugue in B-Flat Major, BWV 866, Book 1 • Prelude and Fugue in C minor, BWV 847, Book 1 • Prelude and Fugue in E minor, BWV 855, Book 1 • Prelude and Fugue in D minor, BWV 875, Book 2 • Prelude and Fugue in F minor, BWV 881, Book 2 • Prelude and Fugue in D Major, BWV 850, Book 1 STREAMING LIVE AT 3:15 P.M. SUNDAY AT CATHEDRALATL.ORG/RECITALS AND ON FACEBOOK
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 28 ISSUE, THE DEADLINE IS WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17. FOR THE SUNDAY, MARCH 7 ISSUE, THE DEADLINE IS WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24. 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
cathedralatl
...continued from front page envision heaven! In the Church, the season of Lent was not always meant to be a penitential and self-suffering season. It was meant to be a season of preparation, with time spent hoping and preparing for Easter and new life! Some Lenten disciplines, in the past, have involved not giving up things, but taking on things, taking on projects of adventure and hope and creativity. Lent, then, can be a season for en-visioning, or revisioning, what Easter can be. Most simply put, Easter means new life. What can new life be? What can our new lives be? How will we live, how can we live differently, in newness of spirit, when this long Lent is over, when this coronavirus is managed, and when this pandemic has subsided? There will be opportunity for us to live again! But, the opportunity also comes to live again in a new way, with new and deeper understandings of ourselves and of God. A healthy experience of Lent leads to a healthier experience of new life. Someone once said that the best way to predict the future is to be the future, to live in such a way that you are being the very future you want. The same is true about Easter, and Resurrection, and New Life: the best way to experience Easter is to act as if Easter is already here. That’s what Lent can be about; it can be about living into Easter, acting in ways that bring new life to ourselves and to the world, whatever our present hindrances may be. Yes, we still have some challenges, some hindrances. But we can also be New Life itself; we can be Easter right where we are. The word, “Lent,” comes from the word, “Length.” The days are growing longer as Spring, and New Life, loom on the horizon. We can use this Lent of the year 2021 to lengthen our hopes, to lengthen our loves, to live into the Easter and New Life we truly want for ourselves and for the world.
The Very Rev. Sam Candler Dean of the Cathedral
EASTER FLOWERS Make a donation for Easter flowers in memory or honor of a loved one. The suggested donation is $100 per line.
CATHEDRALATL.ORG/EASTERFLOWERS
POSTMASTER: Dated Material. Please deliver by February 20, 2021 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
CONGREGATIONAL Life SOMETHING SWEET FOR NEWCOMERS! The Newcomer Committee would like to invite friends who have joined the Cathedral in the past year to “Desserts with the Dean” at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, February 24. The event will be on virtual, but the desserts will be real! Register here to pick up your dessert from Chef Lauren Raymond, compliments of the Cathedral. Then Zoom on over to join Dean Sam Candler in a conversation about our sacred (and sweet!) community. Register at cathedralATL.org/ dessert.
YOUNG Professionals 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! To find out more, contact Canon Cathy Zappa at czappa@cathedralATL.org.
SAVE THE DATES Wednesdays — Winter Book Study at 6 p.m. on Zoom Sunday, February 21 — Happy Hour at 5 p.m. Saturday, March 20 — Lenten Retreat at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 17 — Hiking at 9 a.m. Sunday, May 23 — Pentecost Brunch at 1 p.m. *In-person events are dependent on the status of the pandemic.