The Cathedral Times - July 23, 2023

The CATHEDRAL TIMES

YOUR PATHS OVERFLOW WITH PLENTY

By the Rev. Canon Cathy Zappa, Canon for Liturgy and Pastoral Care

You crown the year with your goodness, * and your paths overflow with plenty. Psalm

65:12

Last week, I got to spend a day at the beach, which means that I came home with all kinds of treasures! Because that’s what I do at the beach: knowing that the paths along the ocean “overflow with plenty,” as Psalm 65 says, I walk slowly, paying attention to what lies beneath my foot with each step. On this particular walk, what lay around my footsteps was mostly beautiful oyster shells. They are beautiful to me, at least. I certainly have my type, as you would know if you saw my collection, though I couldn’t tell you what it is. Maybe it’s the designs etched on them, or the stories told in them. Sometimes, it’s the way a shell feels: scratchy, or silky smooth and cool. Or the color! The color really shows when the shells are wet, too: russet orange, deep blue, purple, shiny gold or silver. Once my hands are full, I tell myself that I can’t pick up another shell. But then, another one catches my eye and begs to be turned over, examined, touched. This path really does overflow with plenty, and so do my hands.

When I came back to Atlanta and went on my usual walk, around the usual route, which I’ve done countless times over the last 20-plus years, I found myself walking with the same attention. With the same wonder and delight that I had at the beach, I studied the holy ground beneath my feet, looking for the riches that it, too, offered up to the world. And sure enough, even that most ordinary, routine of paths overflowed with plenty! Thick, sturdy pieces of bark, and thin pieces covered in lichen lace. Papery tubes that had been the skin of a cypress tree. Rich tangles of moss. A stick curved into a perfect curlicue. Blue jay feathers, and one small, black feather with white polka dots. As at the beach, my hands were so over-filled with treasures that I was dropping things on my way home, which drew my eye to the ground yet again and, lo and behold, there was more goodness!

Friends, there is goodness all around. There is beauty all around. There are marvelous signs of God’s abundance and provision and blessing all around. You don’t have to go far to find them, either. You don’t even have to be outside! Come, walk around the Cathedral of St. Philip, and pay attention as you do. Like the beach, and like the path in my neighborhood, it is a holy place. Every nook and cranny of it has been designed and tended to with love and attention. Still, after nine years of working here, it takes my breath away to walk into the nave. Even more so, now that I have heard so many of the stories and prayer and come to know so many of the saints, past and present—the people of this church—who have made it holy.

When we pay attention to the goodness and beauty and abundance around us, whether inside or outside, or in nature or people, we are moved to thanksgiving and praise. We also are moved to love. In fact, this simple practice of paying attention is also a practice in gratitude and love. Yes, it is a practice. When we pay attention and look for beauty in the obvious places, like the beach and church, we are training to do so in the harder places (and with the harder people, too!).

We are also training ourselves in a powerful antidote to anxiety. When your mind starts racing ahead of you, or when worry keeps you up at night, remember the ground beneath you. Remember God, the ground of all being. Slow down, breathe, pay attention, and give thanks. Where do you see good, beauty, abundance, blessing? How is God present, right here and now? For what do you give thanks, in this moment?

The weekly newsletter of the Cathedral of St. Philip · Serving Atlanta and the World · July 23, 2023

This SUNDAY

JULY 23, 2023 · The Eighth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 11, Year A

Isaiah 44:6-8 • Psalm 86:11-17

8:45 AND 11:15 A.M.: IN-PERSON AND ONLINE

• Romans 8:12-25

• Matthew 13:24-30,36-43

CATHEDRALATL.ORG / THE CATHEDRAL OF ST. PHILIP APP / FACEBOOK / YOUTUBE

7:45 A.M. HOLY EUCHARIST, MIKELL CHAPEL

Celebrant and Preacher: The Rev. Canon Julia Mitchener

8:45 A.M. AND 11:15 A.M. HOLY EUCHARIST, CATHEDRAL

Celebrant: The Rev. Salmoon Bashir

Preacher: The Rev. Canon Julia Mitchener

Cathedral Choir (Cantoris): Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924), Almighty God, your Word is cast like seed upon the ground Thomas Attwood (1765-1838), Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes

11:15 A.M. LA SANTA EUCARISTÍA, MIKELL CHAPEL

Officiant and Preacher: The Rev. Deacon Juan Sandoval

STEWARDSHIP

WHY WE PLEDGE TO THE CATHEDRAL

by Cathie and Bill Kelly

When David Rocchio asked us to write a statement on why we pledge to the Cathedral, our first thought was that it never occurred to us NOT to pledge. For both of us, our parents and grandmothers were committed to church both in attendance and involvement. So Sunday School, Choir and Youth Group were a consistent part of our growing up years. As children, bringing a weekly pledge envelope to church taught us the practice of regular giving.

When our family moved to Atlanta in 2002, we joined the Cathedral and immediately felt welcomed and at home. We wanted our two sons to have a similar experience to ours, and to think of church as an anchor in their lives. Both boys attended Sunday School. Thomas earned his God and Country Award for Boy Scouts and Stuart served as an acolyte.

We have participated in many areas of the church since joining it over 20 years ago-Old Fashioned Sunday School, Altar Guild, the Dean’s Bible Study, delivering Habitat baskets at Christmas and the Homeless Requiem. For Cathie, there have been two recent meaningful experiences. During the Pandemic, Sam’s weekly Bible Study on Zoom provided a time for fellowship, reflection and learning in an otherwise isolated environment. After the pandemic, she found a meaningful way to contribute to the church through the Altar Guild.

For Bill, participation in the Homeless Requiem in 2022 brought meaning to his life. He was put in charge of Emma’s Closet, a task which required hours of sorting donated items. He found great reward on the day of the Homeless Requiem, when attendees were given the opportunity to “shop” for what they needed - seeing the joy on individual faces and an empty closet at the end of the evening. A year ago, we downsized from our house in Dunwoody. In order to increase our involvement in the church our goal was to be able to “walk to church.” Our new condo has enabled us to walk to weekday events at church as well as the Farmers Market on Saturdays. Also, we have benefited from the support of the church priests and counselors at the Lanier House when we have needed prayers, guidance and emotional support. Bill’s mother is interred in the Memorial Garden; when the time comes, we also plan to be buried there.

So, why do we pledge to the Cathedral? We pledge because of all the church has offered us, and for the avenues it gives us to give back to our community. We fully believe in the mission of the church and how it has enabled us to live our lives more fully in Christ.

If you, too, feel that the Cathedral has offered you opportunities to belong and serve in our beloved community, join Cathie and Bill by pledging at cathedralATL.org/pledge.

PRAYER List

FOR THOSE WITH IMMEDIATE NEEDS: Kaneez Khanum Bashir

FOR THOSE WHO ARE ILL OR RECOVERING:

LONG TERM PRAYERS: R. Huntley Allen • Randy Allen • Lucy Baker • Lizzie Bicksler • Virginia Bicksler • Ed Black • Miguel Boaz-Contreras • The Bryant Family • Don Cameron • Connie Chapman • Geraldine Charles • Lawrence Cowart • The Crossley Family • Rita Daly • Terry Dornbush • Sarah duBignon • Deborah Ellington • Paul Fekete • Joyce Egan Ferris • Phoebe Forio • Susan Frierson • Tom Frolik • Aidan Gray • Ken Griffiths • Elizabeth Groseth • D. Louis Gruver, Jr. • Suzanne Haerther • Jenny Ham • Karen Howard • Jane Jones • Randi King • Lisa Krysiak • Harry Lamon • Liza Lanier • Jill Mahaffey • Tommy Mason • Lee Moran • Susan Myers • Jim Myrick • Charlie Neal • Marian Palmore • Al Plummer • Rubye and Wayne Reid • Lorraine Reynolds • Barbara and Joel Rice • Bob Riggins • Agnes Elizabeth Robertson • Betty Roper • Peter Sanders • Louis “Skip” Schueddig • Carter Sessions • Gail Morgan Timmis • Tommy Truesdale • Connie Vaughan • Ron Wallace • George Watson • Jonathan Wright

FAMILY AND FRIENDS: Josephine Rose Adams • Elizabeth Alexander • Cinforosa Gómez Alonzo • Alison and Jeffrey Armor • Shaista Bashir • Bettina Bass • Ray and Pat Bell • Jason Brady • Catherine Brinton • Calvin Burgart • Lila Jo Callaway • Penelope Plunkett Campbell • Bob Carreras • Bayard Stout Chapin • Lois Chapman • Mika Chorey • Anna Clifford • Marie Corrigan • Ava Corroon • Apryl Roberts Cox • Bob Crawford • Judy Crosby • Angela DeRuvo • Freddie DeSantiago • Redell DuBose • Megan Dyer • Ron Dyer • Kenneth Farr • Harry Fifield • Peter Foster • John Gerding • McKee Hamilton • Don Harp III • Gayle Higley • Jay Horton •

Beth Ingle • Cami Jackson • Patty and Shannon Jafolis • The congregation of St. James’ Episcopal Church (Eureka Springs, AR) • GK

Johnson • The Kelly Family • Robin Kemp • Tim Kirkbride • Herb Larrabee • Rachel Laurin • Pete Livezey • Cakers Long • Carolyn R. Lusk • Lauren Makhlouf • Sarah Louise Maples • Susan Mendivil • Elaine Metcalf • Denise Mims • Betsy Moore • Sharon Morgan • Linus Nickel • Linda Pace • Ginny Quinn • Todd Reid • Einar Sagstuen • James Sands • Skip Saunders • Patricia Schooley • Stacey Schuitema • Austin Scott and family • Don Smith • Philip Gregory Smith • Michael and Kathryn Snider • Christy Strum • Harry F. Sutcliffe • John and Cleary Tanner • Pierson Thames • Donnie and Ann Waller • Cheryl Waybright • Jason Wilke • Naomi Wolf • Jennifer Wright • Whit A. Wright • Marjorie Young • Hollis Youngner

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE DIED:

Linda Parramore Bath • Louis B. Lusk, Sr. • Steve McCamy • Malcolm A. Moore • Christine Still

The CATHEDRAL of 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. Canon Julia B. Mitchener, Canon for Mission

The Rev. Catherine Zappa, Canon for Liturgy and Pastoral Care

The Rev. Salmoon Bashir, Curate for Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations

The Rev. Deacon Juan Sandoval, Deacon for Hispanic Ministries and Pastoral Care

The Rev. Theophus “Thee” Smith, Ph.D., Priest Associate

Ward Bondurant, Senior Warden

Melody Palmore, Junior Warden

CATHEDRAL TIMES SUBMISSION DEADLINES: FOR THE SUNDAY, JULY 30 ISSUE, THE DEADLINE IS WEDNESDAY, JULY 19 FOR THE SUNDAY, AUGUST 6 ISSUE, THE DEADLINE IS WEDNESDAY, JULY 26 TO RECEIVE THE TIMES BY EMAIL: CONTACT LIZ AULL, LAULL@CATHEDRALATL.ORG.

TO SUBMIT AN ANNOUNCEMENT REQUEST: CONTACT SARA CRAIG-GOODELL, SCRAIGGOODELL@CATHEDRALATL.ORG.

404-365-1000 | cathedral ATL .org

pastoral care emergency line: 404-365-1003

cathedralatl

Adult EDUCATION

THIS SUNDAY, JULY 23

Wake Up to Wonder

Child Hall, 10:10 a.m.

The challenges of the world today often feel overwhelming. The news cycle constantly insists that we be angry about something. The day-to-day demands of work and home never let up. It’s so easy, in rare quiet moments, to just keep numbly doomscrolling. We feel out of balance, ungrounded, unable either to keep up with life or to change anything.

Karen Wright Marsh invites us into a different way of being in her new book, Wake Up to Wonder. Following the examples of wise guides—contemporary mystics like Thomas Merton, civil rights heroes like Fannie Lou Hamer, saints like Patrick of Ireland, and many others—Marsh shows us a pathway to noticing the glory in the everyday, a “spirituality of amazement” that leads to cultivating wholeness, flourishing, and delight.

Living Faith: Discovering Spiritual Growth with the Enneagram

Room 239, 10:10 a.m.

The Enneagram is an insightful, spiritual personalitytyping system that offers another lens into Christian teachings and is a helpful resource for spiritual growth. Join Canons Holder, Mitchener, and Zappa as we explore what it means to live out our faith through conversation with scripture and tradition, contemporary books, and, most important, one another. All are welcome!

Enjoy Biblical Greek Room 239 and on Zoom, 1:15 p.m.

This newcomer-friendly class is open to beginners, while including long-term members who enjoy exchanging tips, best learning practices, and coaching points on how to translate the Greek New Testament.

Spectacular Summer Sale!

Up to 30-70% Discounts on:

• Most Episcopal apparel

• Assorted books

• Select Christmas gifts, ornaments, and boxed cards

• Select home and gift items

July 21 and 22 / 10 a.m. – 4 p.m in the Cathedral Atrium