eConnections - September 1, 2023
eConnections
Notes & News from the Cathedral of Saint James
September 1, 2023
In this Week's eConnections:
Watch for a special Dean's List edition of eConnections next week in which I will outline much of the work the Chapter has been doing over the summer. In the meantime, lots of programming is about to resume following our summer hiatus. See what's happening below!
The Dean's List
Cathedral Choir
Youth Group
Sunday Morning Formation
CROP Hunger Walk
Pizza Fellowship
St. Margaret's House September Project
EfM Open Registration
Julian of Norwich Group
Community Health & Wellness Fair
Cathedral Calendar
Making Sunday Worship Happen: Volunteers for this Sunday
For Your Prayers
The Dean's List
Discretionary Tales
Through eight months this year, the Clergy Discretionary Fund has distributed $19,337.55 in assistance to exactly 200 different people. That alone is a wonder. I am exceedingly grateful for the Cathedral community's continued support of our direct, low-barrier ministry with the poor. In recent weeks we have had to put a daily limit on the number of people we can help, not so much because funds are limited - although they would be if we offered assistance to everyone - but because there are so many people coming to our door and calling our office that it could easily occupy all of our time.
There are other wonderful aspects of this ministry. This week a distraught woman came by to vent her frustration over her life situation because she knew based upon her past interactions here that she could trust us. A homeless man rings our bell once a week or so because he knows Joe Anand-Obleton will help him make phone calls. And out and about one day, a man tapped me on the shoulder while I was standing in a line and said, "Hey, Fr. Brian! Do you know who I am?" I said, "You sure look like <insert name here> to me!" I didn't think it was a big deal, but it meant the world to him to be recognized.
I am wondering of late if there is a more excellent way to approach this ministry. Yes, we can and will continue to provide direct assistance, but in what ways can we continue to foster relationships and utilize the gifts at our disposal to serve this informal congregation? Please pray with me on that :)
Chapter Teams
Over the past year, four working groups of the Cathedral Chapter were busily laying some groundwork for the future. The Gather & Grow group, which is the successor to our Heritage & Hope campaign, met to discuss next steps pertaining accessibility, prioritization of capital projects, and our relationship with St. Margaret's House, including building needs and utilization. The Five-Year Plan group was given the broad task of determining what we, as a parish community, needed to do spiritually, financially, and administratively to be "healthy" in five year's time. The Ec0-Cathedral group was tasked with determining a set of ecological values and priorities that will guide us in short-term and long-term decision making pertaining capital projects, physical plant upgrades, and daily operations. We were also part of the Church Buildings for Collaborative Partnerships initiative which guided us through a process of defining our mission, examining our assets and resources, and exploring community needs and partnership possibilities. The dedicated work of each of these teams bore much good fruit; so much, in fact, that we are now re-organizing to take the next steps with four new ministry work groups: Parish Well-Being & Spiritual Health; Community Partnerships; Operational Health; and the Gather & Grow campaign. While we are still in the process of refining the specific scope and scale of each teams' task, we are very happy to tell you that this exciting and important work is not limited to Chapter members. Anyone who is interested in learning more is invited to inquire with me or Senior Warden Liz Burman. An upcoming adult forum will also address this work.
Chasten & Kirk
Chasten Buttigieg was in town last night to discuss his new young adult book, "I've Got Something to Tell You." It was a delightful, witty, poignant, insightful, altogether wonderful hour. Afterwards, Chasten was a bit delayed on his journey from the stage to the room where he was signing books. I found out why today...
Kirk invited Chasten to take a selfie with his '63 Studebaker, the very car that whisked Chasten and Pete from their wedding to the reception five years ago. Chasten was happy to oblige. He also autographed the car (in the glove compartment). The kindness and generosity of spirit represented by both men in this photo is astounding :)
Blessings,
Brian
Upcoming Events
Registration is open for enrollment in Education for Ministry (EfM) for 2023 -2024 year.
EfM is a four year course in Theological Education to which participants makes a commitment one year at a time. EfM helps the faithful encounter the breadth and depth of the Christian tradition and brings it into conversation with their experience off the world as they study, worship and engage theological reflection together. More information is available on the EfM website.
Please let Mother Tina or Father Brian know if you are interested in beginning this year.
Julian of Norwich Book Study/Reflection
A Book study/reflection on Julian of Norwich’s Showings will be held at the Cathedral of St. James on 4 Wednesdays in September and October. September 6 & 20 and October 11 & 25. It will be from 6:30 – 8:00. (Time can be adjusted to meet the needs of participants.) It will be facilitated by Mother Tina Velthuizen.
Mother Tina has been an Oblate with the Order of Julian of Norwich for more than 20 years and was greatly influenced by Julian’s writings soon after being confirmed in the Episcopal Church in 1972. That influence continues as she enters more deeply into Julian’s teaching and trust in God’s love. At Julian Fest in June of this year she was inspired to offer to introduce Julian’s teaching to others. In each session we will share insights from what we have read and do a process of Lectio Divina with a passage of her text. God speaks to us through the writing of the Saints as well as through Scripture. Once we know who is interested, more details will be forthcoming.
About Julian, a 14th Century mystic:
At the point of death, after Julian choose to focus her eyes on the crucifix held before her, she receives 16 Showings of God’s love. She writes a short account of them soon after her recovery and then expands her reflection on them 20 years later, after she became an Anchorite. (A person who is enclosed in a room(s) attached to a parish church.) Her writings were lost for about 600 years, but re-emerged in the mid 20th Century.
Thomas Merton writes of Julian: “Julian is without doubt one of the most wonderful of all Chrisian voices. She gets greater and greater in my eyes as I grow older and whereas is the old days I used to be crazy about St. John of the Cross, I would not exchange him now for Julian if you gave me the world and the Indies and all the Spanish mystics rolled up in one bundle. I think that Julian of Norwich is with Newman the greatest English theologian.”
Cathedral Calendar
This Week at CSJ
Sunday, September 3
The Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Year A, Proper 17, Track 2
8:00 am Holy Eucharist: Rite One
9:15 am Christian Formation Leaders Meeting
10:30 am Holy Eucharist: Rite Two
11:45 am Hospitality
Monday, September 4
Labor Day
Administrative Offices Closed
No Events Scheduled
Tuesday, September 5
Administrative Offices: 9 am - 1:30 pm
Fr. Brian Out of the Office
No Events Scheduled
Wednesday, September 6
Administrative Offices: 9 am - 1:30 pm
9:30 am Raising Cane Bible Study
Call (425) 436-6335; Access Code 782266
7:00 pm Cathedral Choir Rehearsal
Thursday, September 7
Administrative Offices: 9 am - 1:30 pm
No Events Scheduled
Friday, September 8
Administrative Offices: Closed
Deacon Anne Out of the Office
12:05 pm Holy Eucharist
Saturday, September 9
No Events Scheduled
Sunday, September 10
The Fiftheenth Sunday after Pentecost
Year A, Proper 17, Track 2
Ms. Cynthia Laney, Guest Speaker
8:00 am Holy Eucharist: Rite One
10:30 am Holy Eucharist: Rite Two
11:45 am Hospitality
12:00 pm Youth Group
Looking Ahead
Sunday, September 10
Youth Group resumes
Tuesday, September 12
Finance Committee
Sunday, September 17
Sunday Morning Formation for Children & Adults resumes
Tuesday, September 19
Chapter Meeting
Sunday, September 24
CROP Hunger Walk
Thursday, September 28
Pizza Fellowship Group
Making Sunday Worship Happen
Sunday, September 3
The Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Year A, Proper 17, Track Two
8:00 am Lector Jane Hunter
8:00 am Eucharistic Minister Volunteer Needed
10:30 am Lectors Christopher Hillak & Katie Gotfried
10:30 am Server Volunteer Needed
10:30 am Eucharistic Ministers Betsy VanderBurg & Mary Beth Wright
10:30 am Ushers Nicole Pinter & Erica Vitale
10:30 am Hospitality Tina Velthuizen
Counters: Wednesday, September 6: Nan Noecker & Rick Hilliard
Folder: Friday, September 8: DeDe Guth
Flowers: The flowers adorning the altar this Sunday are given by Fr. Jim & Karen Slack in thanksgiving for their 60th wedding anniversary and their children and grandchildren.
Volunteers Needed
Sunday, September 17
8:00 am Lector
8:00 am Eucharistic Minister
10:30 am Usher
For Your Prayers
For the repose of the soul of Larry Coe, father of Mtr. Jen Fulton.
For Olivia, who has leukemia, and her family.
For Daniel and his family.
For Amber.
For the repose of the soul of Omotayo Olutoye, mother of Bunmi Okanlami.
For Mary Evelyn Burman, sister of Tom Burman, who is in hospice care.
For Sandy.
For John G.
For Dede.
For John Monroe, brother of Sue Fain.
For Pat, who is working in California until November, and Shela.
Caitlin H.
Steve B.
Cherryl Andries.
The LaFiero family.
Sharron McGowan.
Kara.
Bernard.
Rhonda.
Tammy, daughter of Tony Molnar.
Alan Thompson.
Continued healing for Donna Woods, and for Dave.
Peju, Bunmi, and the Okanlami family.
Gina Dudeck & Dale Brucki.
The Raman family.
Milo & Gussie Wietstock, parents of Steve Wietstock.
Mike Jaworski, and Lisa.
Marilyn Klopfenstein.
Tony Molnar.
Dan & Gail Mandell.
Russell Cartwright.
Ron Gunn.
Cobie.
Alissa Broussara.
Nan Noecker as she continues her diaconal formation.
Becky Ballentine; Jo Dorsch; Sharron McGowan; Joyce Marchant; Dave & Alice Miller; Fr. Paul Tracy; Ginger & Richard Bitner.
Al Caparell; Tony Lemna; Mike; Denise & Demetrius.
For those preparing for marriage: Matthew Diehl & Chau-ly Phan (September 30).
For those awaiting the birth or adoption of a child: Christopher & Andrew Hillak.
Social Media
Cathedral of Saint James Podcast
Our adult forum conversation with Dr. Samantha Slaubaugh on 'Wealth, Poverty, and the Patristic Period' is now available on Apple Podcasts: