eConnections - December 7, 2025
eConnections
The Weekend of the Second Sunday of Advent
(Year A, Advent 2)
December 7, 2025
The Dean's List
I'm Baaaack!
We had great family time around the Thanksgiving holiday, first traveling to Delaware to spend time with my father, brother, and sister-in-law, then on to the Outer Banks of North Carolina to spend time with Tamisyn's side of the family, including our children and 3 of 4 of their significant others. There were 29 of us at Thanksgiving dinner. It was a) delicious; and b) loud. What a gift such time is, though.
Wednesday was my first day back in the office, which also happened to be our December Assistance Day outreach, so I had no choice but to hit the ground running. As we did last month, we increased the number of people we offered help to from 30 to 60. And thanks to your generosity and an assistance grant from the Diocese of Northern Indiana, we increased the amount given in December from $50 to $75 per person. There was much rejoicing, not to mention gratitude. We received two thank you notes from assistance recipients, which marks the first and second time that has ever happened.
There are, as usual, many stories to tell about the people we encountered and the conversations we had and the prayers we offered. What struck me most, however, was not only the receptiveness of most people to pray, but the fact that I prayed with more strangers in one morning than parishioners in any given month of late. And I wondered why that is. And I resolved to change that.
Prayer is a foundational practice of the Church not only in a corporate, liturgical sense, but in a personal, pastoral sense. Likewise, prayer is not the sole purview of the clergy (with a tip of the hat to Mary Beth Wright and Cherry Radin for their faithful offering of intercessory prayer as a ministry of the Daughters of the King), but a gift of faith and caring of every member of the Christian community. We are called - and privileged - to uphold one another in prayer.
2025 has been a decidedly weird and difficult year for many, many reasons; I have found it exceedingly difficult to find much momentum and maintain important relationships in the midst of so much that has demanded and divided my attention. My first resolution for 2026 is, therefore, to refocus on a few fundamentals, starting with creating space for prayer, Bible study, and good old face-to-face conversations. I will have to figure out how to let go of a few things (easier said than done...), but it is abundantly clear to me that priestly presence within the community of faith is the most important work I can do.
Blessings,
Brian
Holiday Benefit Concert
December Worship & Events
Stewardship
Formation & Spirituality
Outreach & Evangelism
The Indiana Faith Voices for Justice Website is now live!
Cathedral Calendar
Saturday, December 6 Nicholas of Myra
No Events Scheduled
Sunday, December 7
The Second Sunday of Advent
Year A: Advent 2
8:00 am
Morning Prayer & Holy Eucharist: Rite One
9:15 am
Adult Forum with Fr. Mark Hummell
10:30 am
Morning Prayer & Holy Eucharist: Rite Two
11:45 am
Hospitality Hour
Youth Group
12:30 pm
Ecumenical Bible Study
Monday, December 8 Nicholas Ferrar
Cathedral Office: Closed
6:00 pm
Education for Ministry
Tuesday, December 9
Cathedral Office Hours by appointment
Joe Anand-Obleton on leave
5:30 pm
Finance Committee & Chapter Meeting
Wednesday, December 10
Cathedral Office Hours by appointment
Joe Anand-Obleton on leave
7:00 pm
Cathedral Choir Rehearsal
Thursday, December 11 Frederick Howden, Jr.
Cathedral Office Hours by appointment
Joe Anand-Obleton on leave
10:00 am
EDNIN Clergy Meeting in Cathedral Hall
Friday, December 12 Francis de Sales; Jane de Chantal
Cathedral Office Hours by appointment
Joe Anand-Obleton on leave
12:05 pm
Holy Eucharist
1:00 pm
Community Lunch at Grill 362
Saturday, December 13 Lucy of Syracuse
11:00 am
Canon Tina Velthuizen 40th Anniversary of Ordination
Holy Eucharist and Reception
Sunday, December 14
The Third Sunday of Advent
Year A: Advent 3
8:00 am
Morning Prayer & Holy Eucharist: Rite One
9:15 am
Through the Years All Generations Gingerbread Extravaganza
10:30 am
Morning Prayer & Holy Eucharist: Rite Two
11:45 am
Hospitality Hour
Youth Group
12:30 pm
Fellowship of Saint John
Cathedral Staff Meeting
Cathedral Prayer List
Collect for the Second Sunday of Advent
Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Anniversaries & Birthdays
Dec 08 Ruby Holmes (103)
Dec 08 Peju Okanlami
Dec 08 Michael Pippenger
Dec 09 Kate & Milt Lee (30)
Dec 09 Carl Marseilles
Dec 10 Ana Schenkel
Dec 11 Joyce Marchant
Dec 11 Emma Schultz
Dec 12 Bunmi & Tayo Banjo (1)
Dec 12 Michael Worns
Dec 13 Dominic Vitale-Richards
For Your Prayers
For the repose of the soul of Clyde Fain, father of Ed Fain; for Ed & Sue Fain; for the Fain family.
For Anne Ford
For the repose of the soul of Marge Johnson, close companion of Becky Ballentine.
For the repose of the soul of Larry Newman, friend of Mthr. Tina Velthuizen
For the repose of the soul of Michelle Miller, friend of Mthr. Tina Velthuizen
For the repose of the soul of Patrick Allen White
For Joe Anand-Obelton as he recovers from surgery
For Kevin Smith
For Segun Soyemi
For Charles Kegg
For Joni Carlson's brother
Daniel & Amy Petry, parents of Amanda Helfrich
For Cecelia Beattie, Goddaughter of Liz and Tom Burman, and for her entire family
For Donna Baker, Jo Dorsch’s sister, who is hospitalized
For Brittany San Felipe, daughter of Erica Vitale, who was in a serious car accident
For Julie Guiler, DeDe’s Stepdaughter
For Bill Young, Catherine Craker’s Father
For Karen Slack
For Megan, Dr. Steve Wietstock's niece
For the Demler and Martindale families
Shaun Ashby, Angela's husband
Shirley Ashby
Roland Ashby
Kitty Ward
Billy Hans, for comfort in grief
Tina Velthuizen
Donnie Zigler
Derek, for guidance
For Joseph Hilliard, for strength & guidance
Joyce, for strength & guidance
Marshall Moore, for strength & guidance
Robin & Laurie, for healing from health issues
Gideon and his family, for healing, strength, and guidance
For David, who has thyroid cancer.
For Rick Hillard.
For Joshua Henderson, brother of Chris Henderson.
For James Ellar, high school classmate of Mike Jaworski, who has a recurrence of cancer.
For Willow Grace Wilson
For Deb Walter, friend of Sherry Berkley
For Elaine Mick
For the Proffitt Family and for the Hillman Family
Mary Brooks
Jamie, Mimi, Joely, Mia, and the entire Jeter Family
Bill Jones and his family
For Mary Beth Wright
For Richard Murphy Jr. and Jill Bird
Mary M. Burman
Carolynn Raney
For Joan Machatton
Jim Arns
For Joni Carlson, who continues treatment of an ongoing issue
For Mike Jaworski and for Lisa.
For Michael, son of Diane Hoist, and his family.
For Tim Haywood, and Janice
Fred & Kate Mast
Paula Fowler
Connor Gibbons
Olivia, who has leukemia, and for her family
Sheila & family
Alan Thompson
Tony Molnar
Dan & Gail Mandell
Ron Gunn
Alissa Broussara
Cherryl Andries
Jo Dorsch
Sharron McGowan
Joyce Marchant
Fr. Paul Tracy
Richard Bitner
Al Caparell; Tony Lemna; Mike; Denise & Demetrius
For those preparing for Holy Orders: Nan Noecker, diaconate
How may we pray for you? To add (or remove) a petition from the Cathedral Prayer List, please send an email to Deacon Clay Berkley. If you are requesting prayer for someone else, please make sure you have their permission to add their name and any details to the prayer list.
Ministry Schedule
Sunday, December 7: The Second Sunday of Advent
8:00 am
Reader Michael Pippenger
Server Mary Young-Marcks
10:30 am
Readers Cindy Laney & Celeste Hilliard
Eucharistic Ministers Bunmi Banjo, Stephen Drendall
Ushers Deborah Drendall, Keith LaPierre
Acolytes Jack Laney, Freddy Kallenberg, Zeke Kallenberg
Hospitality Tina Velthuizen
Linens Mary Lehman
Sacristan Betsy VanderBurg
Wednesday, December 10
Counters Sue Lowe & Betsy VanderBurg
Friday, December 12
Folder Norris Whitfield