CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL An Episcopal Community in the Heart of Houston, Texas
APRIL 2021 CHRISTCHURCHCATHEDRAL.ORG
AFTER-HOURS EMERGENCY CARE LINE | 713-826-5332
The chrysalis For millennia, the chrysalis has been a symbol of the tomb of Jesus between Good Friday and Easter. I’ve always had an idea in my mind’s eye what happens in a chrysalis, when the caterpillar cocoons himself away from the light of the world, when he rolls the stone in front of his tiny tomb. It is, I have imagined, the closeddoor version of what happens to a tadpole. First, little legs sprout from the caterpillar’s body. Then his soft, inch-worm skin gains its rigidity. Finally, gossamer wings emerge THE VERY REV. from his caterpillar back. BARKLEY And when the chrysalis THOMPSON cracks open to the light, the beautiful butterfly flies to the heavens. The action in the chrysalis is, I have always and hopefully assumed, a gentle metamorphosis from one thing into another. It isn’t so. In a Radiolab podcast entitled “Black Box,” biologist Andrei Sourakov takes a day-old chrysalis and slices it open. Inside, there is no caterpillar. There is no butterfly. There is no halfway thing, like a tadpole. There is nothing resembling an animal at all, no head, legs, or spine. The content of the chrysalis is a white and oozy goo. It turns out, when the caterpillar enters its tomb, cells rupture. Muscle dissolves. All that is left is an amino acid and protein soup. The biologist calls what happens to the caterpillar “cataclysmic and catastrophic.” It is a violent change, an utterly disruptive change. After hearing Radiolab’s podcast, the symbol resonates anew for me this Easter. In order to emerge from the chrysalis, in order to enable a new birth of beauty and wonder, the caterpillar must first be entirely broken, even destroyed. The caterpillar experiences its own Good Friday. But there’s more. Biologists at Georgetown have conducted experiments in
CHRYSALIS, page 3
Caring for God's Good Earth Caring for creation will be an emphasis of the Cathedral's ministry in the coming years, as a component of the Cathedral vision action plan, “Rooted in Christ/Built on Christ.” Dean Barkley Thompson said that as the vision task force and the Cathedral councils did their work in 2019 and early 2020, he was gratified that they included an emphasis on
God's creation. The vestry recently commissioned the “Caring for God's Good Earth Task Force,” which will be investigating possible initiatives for Christ Church. “Genesis names us the stewards of God's world, and tending the creation with care is a sacred responsibility,” Dean
GOD'S GOOD EARTH, page 6
Easter at the Cathedral REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED FOR IN-PERSON SERVICES
Maundy Thursday, April 1
Holy Saturday, April 3
12:05 pm First Eucharist of Maundy Thursday (in-person, virtual) 7 pm Holy Eucharist Rite II, bi-lingual, Stripping of the Altar, (in-person, virtual)
8 pm Easter Vigil, Rite I (in-person, virtual)
Good Friday, April 2 12:05 pm Rite II (in-person, virtual)
Easter Sunday, April 4
7 am Rite I (in-person) 9 am Rite II (in-person) 11 am Rite I (in-person, virtual) 1 pm Rite II in Spanish (in-person, virtual) 5 pm The Well (in-person, virtual)
Our Cathedral Family We celebrate with
E new member Allison “Alli” Elbert.
We extend heartfelt sympathy
E to the family of Donnie Quast, who passed away on February 5, 2021. Donnie is son to Don Quast and wife Diane. E to the family of Ervin Roberts, who passed away on February 18, 2021. Ervin is grandfather to member JR Roberts. E to the family of Lester Podgorny, who passed away on February 28, 2021. Lester is grandfather to member Mas Podgorny and wife Bethany.
The flowers on the Cathedral Altar
E on April 11 are given to the glory of God and in loving memory of Cindi Blakely by her family.
The flowers in the floor vases
E on April 11 are given to the glory of God and in thanksgiving for the life and work of Ardell Ray Jr.
April Recital features Cathedral organist Daryl Robinson Join us April 16 for an evening of musical splendor as Daryl Robinson performs a faculty recital featuring the music of Jeanne Demessieux, Florence Beatrice Price, Healey Willan, and two composers from the University of Houston: David Ashley White and Marcus Karl Maroney. The program includes the Texas premiere of Maroney's "Trio Sonata for Organ" and White's "Come, Pure Hearts: Introduction, Theme, and Variations" which was composed for Robinson in 2012. Thanks to recent efforts in the
2021 Spring Neighborhood Gatherings Every fall and spring, it has become customary to socialize with parishioners, clergy, and staff of the Cathedral either at the homes of fellow parishioners or in other venues around Houston. We hope you'll join us at one of the dates that works best for you. All of the events this spring will be held outdoors and will be socially distanced in the effort to create a safe environment. There will also be a virtual gathering.
IN-PERSON NEIGHBORHOOD GATHERINGS Tuesday, April 20, 6 – 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, May 4, 6 – 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, May, 11, 6 – 7:30 p.m.
VIRTUAL NEIGHBORHOOD GATHERINGS Wednesday, April 21, 6 – 7:30 p.m., Zoom
There will be light refreshments at each event. Please RSVP to Lisa Cantu at least two days before your preferred date (lcantu@christchurchcathedral.org / 713-222-2593). Capacity is limited at each venue and a reservation is required. We look forward to seeing you! THE BULLETIN
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classical music world and beyond, the music of Florence Beatrice Price has taken center stage and her complete "Suite No. 1 for Organ" will be offered. A native of Little Rock, AR, Price attended the New England Conservatory in Boston, MA, where she studied organ with Henry M. Dunham and where she had the opportunity to meet the French organist Félix-Alexandre Guilmant on one of his American tours. Guilmant attended Price's performance of his "Sonata No. 1 in D Minor" on a ROBINSON RECITAL student recital in Friday, April 16 Jordan Hall, and publicly congratulated her for her technical and artistic mastery of the work. The recital will open with Jeanne Demessieux's "Te Deum," based upon the initial notes of the Gregorian chant "Te Deum laudamus" for the opening section followed by two contrasting sections, inspired by the text "Tibi Omnes Angeli" and "Pleni Sunt Caeli." To close the recital, Healey Willan's "Introduction, Passacaglia, and Fugue," will make use of nearly all 5,045 pipes of the Cathedral's Aeolian-Skinner organ. Born in England, Willan moved to Canada in 1913 and spent his career working in Toronto, holding both academic and church positions. The epitome of "a gentleman and a scholar," Willan was fascinated by exploring complex musical forms, writing, "I was always especially interested in counterpoint … the way the parts were interwoven. I got rather bored with the one-dimensional hymn tune stuff. Rather ordinary. But as soon as it became complicated, contrapuntal, then I was having a good time." The recital will be offered in-person April 16, 7:30–8:30 p.m., and will be available via livestream through the Cathedral's website at christchurchcathedral. org/organrecital. Registration and additional information will be available beginning April 1, 2021.
CHRYSALIS, from cover
which they condition caterpillars to respond to attractive and repulsive odors and then allow those caterpillars to enter the chrysalis. Amazingly, when the butterflies emerge in new life, they retain the same attraction and repulsion to the same smells. Do you get that? Even though they, as caterpillars, are dissolved in their tomb, somehow something of them remains when they are reconstituted and reborn. They are a new thing, but the old thing is not lost. The truths of the chrysalis are present in Jesus. When Jesus emerges from the black box of the tomb, the change is cataclysmic. What was broken has been restored; what was dead has been gloriously resurrected. When Mary meets Jesus, she does not even recognize the man she buried two days hence, this time not because of the brokenness of Jesus’ body, but because of the wonder of his rebirth. And yet, we soon learn, even in rebirth the wounds on Jesus’ hands and feet remain. His is new life, but evidence of the old life, the Jesus known and loved by Mary and the others, is still present. Easter is about Jesus, and all of these things are true of him. But Easter is also about us, and they are true of us as well. These truths give us both pause and promise. We say, again and again, that we must walk the Way of the Passion. But this is not merely a liturgical observance. If
we are to experience Easter, if we are to share in Resurrection, in our lives we must walk the Way of the Passion. That, indeed, should give us pause. We must experience Good Friday. We must be willing to be dissolved of those things to which we cling, of those things that threaten to put us in the spiritual — and sometimes earthly — grave to decay rather than rebirth. We must enter the black box that is inky dark and whose other side we cannot clearly see. Indeed, in this long, ongoing, Lenten-like pandemic, some of us may be in the black box even now. We may, in various ways in our lives, be experiencing the cataclysm. But, oh, how Easter is worth Good Friday! How the experience of the black box is worth the promise! The promise is that the tombstone
will roll away. The chrysalis will crack open. We will emerge from Good Friday with the Son of God into new life. And when we do, the best and good of our old lives — our passions, our virtues, our beauties, our loves — will still be at the heart of us. We will be who we are, but redeemed in the light of God’s grace. It seems far-fetched. We can’t imagine that what works for butterflies will work for our souls. Our flaws and fissures run too deep. We are too far gone. Friends, butterflies are but insects. Beautiful, it’s true, but bugs, whereas we — every one of us — are created in the very image of God and loved by God beyond measure. Our Good Friday will end, and we will experience Easter light. Christ is risen! And so will we. Easter joy to you.
May Fete, a Cathedral tradition Mission Outreach Council (MOC) to host blood drive All it takes is one blood donation to help save up to three lives. During this ongoing pandemic, the need for blood products continues and they are much harder to obtain. Perhaps you know someone who has received a donation or heard the stories of many young children BLOOD DRIVE undergoing bone marrow Sunday, April 11 transplants for cancer and requiring multiple transfusions to save their lives. Or the child with severe sepsis requiring prolonged hospitalization and many transfusions to save her life. There are many more stories, and yet there will always be a need for blood and blood products.
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Since the 1890s, May Fete has been a bright spot in the life of the Cathedral, and perhaps it will be especially so this year! We can begin to see the light at the end of the very long pandemic tunnel, and with it comes greater opportunity for fellowship and celebration. This year’s May Fete festivities will include morning worship followed by a party (fête means party in French) spread throughout the Bishop’s Courtyard and Nancy’s Garden, with live music and many other regular features of this longstanding tradition, like the Maypole, a King and Queen, and lunch. On Sunday, May 2, we will gather for inperson worship at 10 a.m., with May Fete activities scattered throughout the Cathedral grounds afterward. Instead of having three separate services in the morning and early afternoon (9 a.m., 11 a.m., and 1
p.m.), we will hold all services simultaneously in both indoor and outdoor spaces at 10 a.m. Note that an 11 a.m. service will still be aired online for those at home, and The Well will still take place at 5 p.m. in-person and online. Registration will be required for the services and festivities. And if you’d rather participate from home, we’ll have a virtual May Fete host on Zoom connecting you to all of the action. Stay tuned for registration links for the in-person events and Zoom information to connect virtually. And also know that we will continue to follow guidelines issued by Bishop Doyle as well as medical advice from the Texas Medical Center and the Center for Disease Control. We’re holding on to safety and hope with both hands as we anticipate this event. PAGE 3
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Lenten Series, Sunday Lenten Services, and more
IN PICTURES
Below (from left to right): The Very Rev. Barkley Thompson, Dean, preaches during the 11 a.m. Lent V service; T the 11 a.m. Lent IV service; The Rev. Simón Bautista Betances, Canon Missioner for Latino Ministries & O Rev. Becky Zartman, Canon Missioner for Evangelism and Formation Zartman, blesses
Left: The Rev. Dr. Grace Ji-Sun Kim led the March 14 Dean's hour on Theology of Reconciliation. Dr. Kim is professor of theology at the Earlham School of Religion and is an ordained minister in the PC(USA) noted for her work in the fields of feminist, postcolonial and Asian American theology.
Below: Dr. Peter S. Carmichael led the March 21 Dean's Hour discussing Reconciliation of Nation. Dr. Carmichael is Robert C. Fluhrer Professor of Civil War Studies and Director of the Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College.
Above: Apparently missing being a THE BULLETIN
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The Rev. Kathy Rock Pfister, Canon Vicar, preaches during Outreach, preaches during the 1 p.m. Lent V service; The s communion elements at the 11 a.m. service for Lent II.
An Easter like no other
at church, a parishioner's daughter decided to build her own Episcopal church with blocks.
We Episcopalians are proud, and rightly so, of our beautiful traditions. When it comes to services on a principal feast day like All Saint’s Day, Christmas or Easter, we have fond memories of celebrations in the past, and strong expectations of how it will be this year. But this particular year, as we’ve heard so many times, is like no other. It stands to reason that our Easter celebrations will be like no other. Rather than gnashing our teeth about the situation, however, it’s enlightening to get out the history of Second Christ Church built in 1859 facing Texas Avenue the Cathedral, Marguerite Johnston’s at the corner of Fannin Street. delightful book A Happy, Worldly Abode and realize that this is not the Cathe- It was the custom at the time to lock the organ dral’s first “year like no other.” Let’s take Easter on Holy Thursday and keep it silent until Easter morning. But for the corner stone ceremony, a 1893 as an example: In the early spring of 1893, when the con- melodeon was rolled out to the site, and played tractor cut into the church building to connect to accompany the choir as it marched from parish house to the it with the new waiting corner parish house, the stone, singing east wall began “The church’s to crumble. The one foundation old church was …” Many panot up to another rishioners were extension or enshocked at this largement. With flagrant violaa seating capaction of tradition. ity of 485, the old Talk about a church had been different kind outgrown years of Easter! Our before. On big dear Cathedral days like Easter, forbears not women and chilonly survived a dren might get inside but most of The Reverend Charles M. Beckwith with male choir and musicians, crumbled sanctuary and a methe men and boys circa 1890 window from 1859 church visible in background lodeon in the had to stand outside and listen through the open windows. The courtyard, but together they worked through crumbling walls simply forced the inevitable to the challenges to raise the beautiful church happen a little sooner. And the 1859 church, de- where we worship today. In this latest year like no other, as we listen to our expanding choir signed by Edwin Fairfax Gray, was razed. But this meant that Mr. Aves and the vestry and sing along on Zoom, let us remember that were precipitated into building the biggest church the strength of our traditions at Christ Church of Christ Church history when they had just spent Cathedral lies not in the particulars of where $25,029 on the parish house and when they had the Easter lilies are placed, or how many peoused most of the building fund accumulated dur- ple may get to sit in the sanctuary, but in the ing Mr. Beckwith’s rectorship. On Good Friday, church’s one foundation. In the history books, 1893, the cornerstone was laid for the new church Easter 2021, like Christmas 2020 before it, will by the Rt. Reverend George Kinsolving. And this stand as a beautiful testament to the Cathewas the last service at Christ Church blessed by dral’s resiliency — one of our most cherished the presence of the Rt. Rev. Alexander Gregg. and time-honored traditions.
BY LUCY CHAMBERS
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GOD'S GOOD EARTH, from cover
Thompson said. “I'm excited to see where the Caring for God's Good Earth Task Force points us in witness.” Vestry member Guy Hagstette, the senior vice-president of parks and civic projects for the Kinder Foundation, is also the chair of the Caring for God’s Good Earth Task Force. He said that in talking to other task force members, he has been learning more about environmental theology. “It is about adjusting how we see our relationship with the world around us,” Hagstette said. “Being stewards doesn’t mean that the earth is just here for us to use. The idea has been that we are managers. We are part of this world and are called to love it.” The task force will concentrate on four areas — to “green the world around us;” to “minimize our carbon footprint;” to “use greenspaces as reminders of God’s good creation;” and to “educate our congregation on how best to steward the earth.” Hagstette said that the group had its initial meeting in March and that each member was tasked with their own items to research. All ideas will be discussed and then whittled down according to how they best fit within prescribed parameters. These include serving as a witness to the care of God's good earth in the urban community, involving parishioners as supporters and volunteers, engaging the downtown community, enhancing existing Cathedral outreach efforts, and the financial self-sufficiency of any projects the Cathedral adopts. The task force will decide on preliminary recommendations in June, and then work to develop a business plan before presenting the recommendation to the vestry in the fall. “We’re going to spend the summer sharpening pencils,” Hagstette jokes. Hagstette said that there is a whole range of ideas that they are considering, but any initiative undertaken should include opportunities to educate all of us about truly caring for God’s Creation. “There are fundamental changes we can make in how we eat, and how we procure energy,” he said. “There are things readily visible in our daily lives that we can look at, change, and be a blessing for the world.” On the food front, the group is exploring how they can support urban farming initiatives, local farmer’s markets, and the farming technique of aquaponics. Aquaponics is different from hydroponics in that it is a food production system that adds aquatic animals to the plant-growing process. The fish provide nutrients to the plants, and the plants clean the water. THE BULLETIN
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BLOOD DRIVE, from cover
Christ Church Cathedral and MOC are sponsoring a blood drive, Sunday, April 11 from 9 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Due to social distancing requirements, you must reserve a time in advance to donate. Register online at https://www.christchurchcathedral.org/blooddrive. As a reminder, all safety precautions are to follow CDC protocols and a mask is required on campus. For your benefit, all donated products are tested for antibodies and the results will be provided.
Camino de Santiago — The Santo Toribio stone cross and a pilgrim walking along the way of St.James, near Astorga
Via Cathedral: Journey Through Easter Everyone is invited to participate in Via Cathedral: Journey Through Easter. There are two ways to participate in this Easter season program. For those who want to get up and moving, we’ll be walking the Camino de Santiago — virtually, of course! Join a walking team to complete the 480-mile journey together. Depending on the size of your team, participants will walk from 1–3 miles a day (see the registration form for info about non-walking activities). The other way to participate is by joining a small group — Canon Becky Zartman has developed a brand-new small group curriculum that emphasizes asking and discussing questions as part of a healthy life of faith. Whether you want to get up and moving with a walking team, connect to other parishioners in a small group, or both, please sign up online. Visit www.christchurchcathedral.org/viacathedral to learn more. “The interesting thing is that you don’t even need natural sunlight,” Hagstette said. “You can use solar panels.” Task force member Erin McMillin is the current Cathedral Junior Warden and chairs the vestry Building and Grounds Committee. She makes the point that as the Cathedral occupies one city block and part of another, with two large courtyards and other smaller green spaces, there is much to work with in green-space considerations. “There are a lot of really interesting options,” McMillin said. Hagstette said that Cathedral members already have a volunteer mindset from all the
work they do in the area, and he hopes to engage non-members from the downtown community, too. “I think there are a lot of downtown residents who are interested in the environment,” he said. “We are the Episcopal parish for downtown Houston. The goal is also to engage others. McMillin talks about the opportunity Good Earth initiatives offer to make change on a broader scale. “We can plant the seed, no pun intended,” McMillin said. “The Cathedral is in a unique position to be creative, and to model something really special.”
CALENDAR OF EVENTS Visit christchurchcathedral.org/events or call 713-222-2593 to learn more about these and other events at the Cathedral. Registration recommended
Registration required
Registration closed
APRIL 7
APRIL APRIL 1 Maundy Thursday 12:05 (in-person, virtual) 7 p.m., bilingual service, Stripping of the Altar (in-person, virtual).
Dean’s Book Club 6:30 p.m., Zoom. The King at the Edge of the World by Arthur Philips. APRIL 8
FRI
Alzheimer & Dementia Support Group 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Zoom, second Thursday of the month.
Good Friday 12:05 p.m., Rite II (in-person, virtual).
Amazing Women of Faith 6:30–7:30 p.m., Zoom.
Via Crucis 7 p.m., Zoom.
APRIL 9
20s & 30s First Friday Fellowship 7:30–8:30 p.m., Zoom. Stations of the Cross. APRIL 3 Holy Saturday 8 p.m. Easter Vigil, Rite I (in-person, virtual).
FRI
Via Cathedral Walkabout SUN
FRI
Daryl Robinson Organ Recital 7:30–8:30, Zoom and in-person. SAT
Threads of Comfort and Joy 10–11 a.m., Zoom. A gathering for those who love to knit and crochet, third Saturday of the month. APRIL 18
SUN
Theology Roundtable
6:30–8 p.m., Zoom.
Virtual Coffee Hour 10 a.m., Zoom.
SUN
SAT
Thursday Lunchtime Men & Women’s Bible Study 12–1 p.m., Zoom.
UPCOMING
SUN
Virtual Coffee Hour 10 a.m., Zoom.
WEEKLY SUNDAYS Dean’s Hour Matinee 2–3 p.m., Zoom. Therefore let us Keep the Feast with Canon Vicar Kathy Pfister (April 11, 18, 25). TUESDAYS
MAY 2 May Fete Beginning at 10 a.m., (in-person, virtual).
Tuesday Early Morning Men & Women’s Bible Study 7–8 a.m., Zoom. Led by Canon Vicar Kathy Pfister.
MAY 14 AND MAY 15
WEBS: Women’s Evening Bible Study 6:30–7:30 p.m., Zoom. Led by Canon Becky Zartman.
Racial Reconciliation and the Baptismal Covenant: Striving for Justice and Peace Among All People
Education for Ministry EFM 6:30–9 p.m., Zoom.
APRIL 4 SUN Easter Sunday 7 a.m., Rite I (in-person). 9 a.m., Rite II (in-person). 11 a.m., Rite I (in-person, virtual). 1 p.m., Rite II (Spanish) (in-person, virtual). 5 p.m., The Well (in-person, virtual). APRIL 4
APRIL 24
APRIL 25 TUE
Community of Hope — Circle of Care 6–8 p.m., Zoom, Second Tuesday of the month.
APRIL 17
SAT
20s & 30s Feast With Friends 4–6 p.m., Zoom.
Virtual Coffee Hour 10 a.m., Zoom.
APRIL 16
APRIL 24
9:30–11:30 a.m., Zoom.
MOC Blood Drive 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Reynolds Hall.
APRIL 13
Buscando La Luz 7 p.m., Zoom. Buscando la Luz/Seeking the Light is a program offered by the Latino Ministry of the Cathedral to our Spanish speaking language congregation (April 7, 14, 21). THURSDAYS
Bridge Night 6:30 p.m., Zoom. APRIL 11
20s &30s Wednesday Nights 6:30–7:30 p.m., Zoom.
THU
Musical Meditations in Lent 10 a.m., Facebook Premiere. Daryl Robinson, organ.
Bring a friend!
Women’s Morning Bible Study 9:30–11 a.m., Zoom. Gather for sincere and truthful conversation on the appointed scripture reading for the following Sunday.
WED
A Conversation with Anne Lamott 6 p.m., Zoom. A Cathedral Bookstore Event.
APRIL 2
Childcare available (3 mo. to 12 yrs.)
Seed Group 6:30–8 p.m., Zoom. WEDNESDAYS
APRIL 20, MAY 4, MAY 11 IN PERSON, AND APRIL 21 VIRTUAL Neighborhood Gatherings
Men’s Morning Bible Study 7–8 a.m., Zoom. Hosted by Dean Barkley Thompson, the Men’s Bible Study gathers weekly to explore the scriptures. No prior Bible study is required for participants. The spring semester topic is the Gospel of John.
SUNDAYS IN MAY Dean’s Hour Matinee 2–3 p.m., Zoom. C.S. Lewis’ The Four Loves, with Dean Thompson, (May 2, 9, 16, 23). PAGE 7
THE BULLETIN
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1117 Texas Avenue Houston, Texas 77002-3183
PERMIT No. 6404
Did you know you can read The Bulletin on our website? If you’d like to go “online-only,” contact Ramona Sikes at rsikes@christchurchcathedral.org or call her at 713-217-1347.
Rescheduled Racial Reconciliation Conference Racial Reconciliation and the Baptismal Covenant: Striving for Justice and Peace Among All People has been scheduled for May 14 and May 15, 2021.
Friday, May 14, 7–8:30 p.m. Join us for a lecture and live conversation on Zoom Webinar between Dr. Caleb McDaniel and Dean Barkley Thompson.
CONFERENCE MAY 14-15
RACIAL RECONCILIATION AND THE BAPTISMAL COVENANT
Saturday, May 15, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Join us for presentations presented via Zoom Webinar by Sam Collins, Sandra Thompson and others.
Saturday, May 15, 2–3:30 p.m. Join us on Zoom Webinar for a lecture by Dr. Catherine Meeks followed by her live conversation with Dean Barkley Thompson. To learn more and register, visit the webiste at www.christchurchcathedral.org/ reconciliation THE BULLETIN
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STRIVING for JUSTICE & PEACE AMONG ALL PEOPLE