CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL An Episcopal Community in the Heart of Houston, Texas
DECEMBER 2014 CHRISTCHURCHCATHEDRAL.ORG
AFTER-HOURS EMERGENCY CARE LINE | 713-826-5332
Hines Center to open in fall 2015 “And in my body, The Vestry of Christ Church Cathedral practices such as contemplative prayer, mediis pleased to announce the approval of the tative visual art including icon writing, oneBishop John E. Hines Center for Spirituality on-one spiritual direction, interfaith lectures, and film studies. & Prayer. Dean Thompson remarked, “Just as The Named to honor the legacy of the former Christ Church rector, later the fourth Bishop Beacon feeds hungry bodies in downtown of Texas and 22nd Presiding Bishop of the Houston, the Hines Center will feed hungry Episcopal Church, the Hines Center’s mission souls.” The Hines Center is a major initiative of is as follows: “The Bishop John E. Hines Center for Spirituality & Prayer seeks to facilitate HINES, page 5 knowledge of and relationship with God by nurturing the spirituality of Cathedral parishioners and those who live and work in downtown Houston through spiritual practices, prayer, and opportunities for both Christian and interfaith lecture and conversation.” The Hines Center will offer physical practices that support spiritual growth and appeal to a large cross-section of individuals coming from a broad spectrum of Christian faith. Such physical practices will include a labyrinth, sacred movement, yoga, and more. The Hines Center will be located adjacent to the Cathedral in the Episcopal Additionally, the Hines Cen- Health Foundation Building (formerly the Wilson Printing Building) at the ter will offer contemplative corner of Fannin and Prairie.
Honoring a long tradition of sacred music It’s a Thursday night and Sanders Hall is full of voices. Bob Simpson, Canon for Music at the Cathedral, is perched on a stool in the center of the room, arms waiving about in a controlled but passionate manner. Tenors, sopranos, altos, and basses warm up to songs of Advent. Even in the midst of a midweek rehearsal, the rich tradition of music at Christ Church Cathedral can be felt. With musicians going as far back as Keziah Payne in 1858, the tradition of sacred music at the Cathedral is a long and storied one. “Music is one of God’s most
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I shall see God”
In his very good book on the mystical theology of William Law, my seminary professor Alan Gregory distinguishes the bodies of angels from the bodies of men. About angelic bodies, he says this: “Angels are spirit; they enjoy a heavenly materiality. Entirely subject and obedient to their THE VERY REV. BARKLEY wills, angelic bodies are THOMPSON the immediate music of their desire. When their love turns from God, at once all is discord and loss.” It’s an interesting notion: Because angels have no physical bodies, when their spirits turn away from God, they are lost entirely. (That is, after all, the biblical story of Satan.) There is no physical, bodily anchor to keep angels tied to place and prevent them from spiraling into hell. But about human bodies, Gregory says, “Our bodies are not like that; they have their own way, acting alongside and even upon our thoughts and intentions. Their rhythms exceed our knowing; their demands resist our wills.” When our souls rebel, our very bodies can sometimes save us. That’s counterintuitive. We think of our bodies as the locus of our lusts, our addictions, and our gluttony. But consider also those times when our spirits desire things destructive, but our bodies hesitate, seemingly of their own accord. Recall those moments when our bodies resist the vices of our souls by dropping to our knees in prayer. Sometimes, indeed, it is our bodies that check the harmful inclinations of our spirits! Gregory goes on to say that, “Since we are embodied, we have our being in a material world through which we are to
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Our Cathedral Family We celebrate with
EE new members Betty Bryant and Jane and Tim Dover. EE the newly baptized: Ryder Brown, Josh Cockrum, Esteban Coto, Johana Coto, Marleni Coto, Jesse DiLauro, Huntley Grichor, Ted Henkel, Mason Hons, Noah Hons, Tyler Wiersma, and Charlie Yates. EE the newly confirmed, received, and reaffirmed: Angeles Bermudez, Steven Bermudez, Elie Camp, James Camp, Charlotte Hamilton, Ron Hamilton, Marion Kraus, Michael Kraus, Anne Lynn, Allie Page, Jean Snyder, Chelsea WaschekGaukin, Helen Yee, Steven Yee EE Cathedral member Lisa Roys and Travis Vick, who were married on October 25 in the Golding Chapel.
We extend heartfelt sympathy to
EE the family of Kathryn Carnahan Dodgen, who died October 20. She was the mother of member Lauren Tunstall Bernard. EE the family of Cathedral member Robin Russell Collins, who died October 22. She was the mother of member Daniel Diprisco and grandmother of Madeleine Diprisco. EE the family of Cathedral member Karl Felton Doerner Jr., who died October 26. He was the father of member Mark Frederick Doerner.
Mission trip to Costa Rica planned The Cathedral is reestablishing its short-term international missions by teaming up with the Diocese of Costa Rica for a trip July 5–12, 2015. Fifteen high-school students and 12 adults will join Bishop Hectór Monterroso Gonzalez in Costa Rica for a multi-generational mission trip that will also serve as the summer’s high-school mission trip. COSTA RICA MISSION TRIP At the last diocesan council, the Diocese of Costa July 5–12, 2015 Rica and the Diocese of Texas formally developed a companion relationship. The Diocese of Costa Rica is planting churches, opening whole-child learning and wellness centers in impoverished communities, expanding an HIV/AIDS women’s co-op, partnering with coffee producers, and much more. This is a perfect opportunity for the Cathedral to plug into this developing relationship and to assist our companion diocese. An informational session will be held on Sunday, December 14, from 12–1 p.m. in the Ballard Youth Center. We will discuss the work we will be doing while on the trip, requirements, application process, and cost. For additional information, you may also contact Minister for Youth and Young Adults Jeremy Bradley at 713-217-1349.
We express our gratitude for
EE Sarah Caress, who retired in the summer, and Ann Webb, who retires this month, for their longtime commitment to the Lighthouse Classroom ministry.
The flowers on the Cathedral Altar
EE on December 7 are given to the glory of God in loving memory of Linda Anne Baldwin and Dorothy Geiselman Baldwin by the family of Robert B. Baldwin III. EE on December 14 are given to the glory of God in loving memory of Virginia and Lester Bille and Katherine Close. EE on December 21 are given to the glory of God in thanksgiving for the children and families of Christ Church Cathedral by Lisa Puccio.
The flowers in the Floor Vases
EE on December 7 are given to the glory of God in loving memory of her mother, Rachel Shanks Smart, by Carolyn Paget.
The flowers in the Pulpit and Lectern Vases
EE were given on November 2 to the glory of God in loving memory of the members of the parish who have died in the past year by the Altar Guild.
The greens in the Advent Wreath
EE were given to the glory of God in thanksgiving for the life and work of Jane Brown, Judy Drury, Mary Clarke Mackenzie, and Cindy Dickson.
The candles on the Advent Wreath
EE in the Cathedral were given to the glory of God in thanksgiving for the life and work of Helen Ann Fisher, Norma Jane Hagan, Ella Mae Hayslip, and Norma Jones. EE in the Golding Chapel were given to the glory of God in thanksgiving for her great nieces, Penelope and Charlette Moore, by Lisa Viktorin. THE BULLETIN
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Matthew Smith, Indelible Grace in concert “Indelible Grace will move your heart and awaken your soul,” says Dean Thompson. “Matthew and his band are reclaiming the music of the Church and making it new. Everyone should hear this group.” On January 17, Matthew Smith and Indelible Grace will perform a concert of “retuned” traditional hymns in Reynolds Hall at 7 p.m. Before the concert, Smith will present a seminar at 5 p.m. on the Retuned Hymn Movement, followed by a pre-concert dinner. Save the date, and look for more information to come on the Cathedral website.
Send in Christmas poinsettias dedications Memorial poinsettias can be given in memory or honor of someone special this Christmas. Make your check payable to the Altar Guild for $10 per plant and mail it to Christ Church Cathedral, 1117 Texas Ave., Houston, TX 77002, attn.: Altar Guild. Please note the name of those you wish to remember, indicating if it is a memorial. Those received before December 8 will be listed in the Christmas service leaflet. All others will be noted in January.
Welcome, stranger
Christmas at the Cathedral seeks volunteers The annual Christmas at the Cathedral event will be held this year on Saturday, December 13. Each year, members of the Cathedral come together to provide a wonderful holiday meal and gathering for our downtown neighbors who might otherwise not have this opportunity. There are many openings for volunteers to help make this a success, both on the day of the event and during several preparation dates. Look for the Christmas at the Cathedral table in the cloister on Sundays to sign up. Monetary donations to help defray the cost of the event are also welcome.
Nine days of Las Posadas on road to Christmas For more than 400 years, Las Posadas has marked the beginning of Christmas for most Mexicans (wherever they are living) and for many in neighboring countries who have adopted this tradition as LAS POSADAS their own. Neighbors get together at a certain time December 16–24 and at a designated place to recreate, as best as possible, Mary and Joseph walking the streets of Bethlehem looking for a place to rest the night Jesus was born. Nine nights represent the nine months of Mary’s pregnancy — nine months of faithful expectation and unchangeable hope. Nine nights give people the opportunity to connect to each other and to celebrate solidarity during the sharing of a meal or at the breaking of a piñata. For nine nights we knock on our neighbor’s door, reclaiming our sense of hospitality, and rebuilding community and trust. Las Posadas is not a simple folkloric entertainment specific to México, Guatemala,
and parts of Latin America; Las Posadas is a journey of faith and hope, singing along with Mary on the road to Christmas. The members of the Spanish-speaking service of Christ Church Cathedral will begin this spiritual journey on the evening of December 16. Will you join us?
If you haven’t read William Saroyan’s “The Human Comedy,” it’s a perfect book to read while nestled in front of your Christmas tree, sipping a cup of tea. OK, I know no one actually does that, but I still hope you’ll read it. It’s a gem of a book about 14-year-old Homer Macauley and his family, which happens to include a little CYNTHIA BRANNON brother named Ulysses. There is even a love interest named Helen (Eliot, not Troy.) I read it in ninth grade, but thought of it again because my daughter is now reading the other Homer for school. So, we’ve had a few chats about “The Odyssey” and its obvious influence on popular culture. It’s no wonder that so many books and movies share themes with Homer’s epic poem. After all, life is a big, complicated, heroic journey. Aren’t we all trying to get home? Saroyan’s story is set in a small town, where a sign reads: “EAST, WEST — HOME IS BEST — WELCOME, STRANGER.” It’s true — home is best. But if we’re not home yet, feeling welcome counts for a lot. All the better for us, if we can find some purposeful guidance and direction on the road home. COMPASS offers our homeless neighbors much needed direction. They are on their own unique journeys, facing their own Cyclops. They’re not home yet. So, we welcome them every weekday and offer critical support as they try to find a job, slay a monster or two, and continue on — toward home. It’s almost Christmas. Will you help COMPASS welcome a stranger with the gift you can afford? Cynthia Brannon is the executive director of COMPASS (www.houstoncompass.org).
Longest Night service offers consolation, healing One of the greatest acts of pastoral care Hymns, special prayers, unction (the practice in the Advent season is to offer a service for of anointing with holy oil), and Holy Euchathose grieving a loss. This year we will hold rist form the foundation of this hour-long worship service, reminding us a service on the winter solstice, THE LONGEST NIGHT that even in our darkest hour, the longest night of the year, Sunday, December 21, at 3 p.m. Sunday, December 21, 3 p.m. on the longest night, God is with us. in Golding Chapel. The Longest Night is open to all. It could be This service acknowledges our suffering and grief (which can be intensified during a profound blessing to your neighbor, friend, the holiday season), but holds fast to the sure or coworker. Invite them all to join you for and certain hope of the coming Christ-light. this beautiful, healing service. PAGE 3
THE BULLETIN
Dia de los Muertos, Confirmation
IN PICTURES
On October 14, the Treble Choir performed in Wortham Theater’s Cullen Hall, opening a concert honoring Houston Texans owner Bob McNair for his contributions to UNICEF. The choir performed “Give Us Hope” by Jim Papoulis.
Above left: Players submit answers to questions at the Pub Trivia night on November 15. The all-ages team event was hosted by the Cathedral 20s & 30s. Above right: Bishop Doyle visited the Cathedral to on November 16 to confirm, receive, and reaffirm 14 members of the parish into the faith. The day also included a luncheon celebrating the Cathedral’s 175th anniversary. Right: The Cathedral youth came together for an early-morning shift at The Beacon on November 9 as part of a youth service day.
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Members of the Latino congregation erected an altar for the Day of the Dead with “ofrendas” in memory of loved ones featuring photographs foods, and candles.
HINES, from cover
the Cathedral’s Vision Action Plan, “A Future Filled with Hope.” It was conceived through last year’s visioning process. The vestry approved the idea of a spirituality center in January and announced it to the parish in March, and a Spirituality Center Task Force spent the past eight months studying the feasibility of such a center. The task force consists of Wayne Clawater (chair), Karen Alston, Ken Brown, Justin DiLauro, Kaki Grubbs, Kay Pieringer, Flo Ray, and Dean Thompson. Working with consulting firm Firestarter, the task force conducted Cathedral focus groups and surveys, which reaffirmed the Cathedral congregation’s desire for spiritual practices and spiritual formation. Eighty-five percent of those responding indicated that they are interested in learning about ancient spiritual practices as means of connecting with God. Furthermore, within the next several years more than four thousand new residents will move into downtown Houston. Many of these will be “Millennials” age 20–35, a demographic who increasingly seek spiritual nourishment through spiritual practices other than traditional worship. The Hines Center will be designed with them in mind. Of the Hines Center, task force chair Wayne Clawater said, “The Hines Center will be an aesthetically and functionally beautiful space. The boundless level of enthusiasm, sense of purpose, and dedication of everyone who has been involved in the Center’s development has been inspirational in its own right, and is reflective of the Hines Center’s awesome potential. The Hines Center will be a wonderful
BODIES, from cover
hear, find, and make trial of the love of God. Our bodies give us time, a stake in change, an arc of movement and possibility.” In other words, with the exception of those few who have had near-death, out-of-body experiences, it is unavoidably through our bodies that we encounter God. When we combine these two ideas — that our bodies can redeem our souls and that in our bodies we encounter God — the importance of orienting our bodies toward God becomes obvious. With spiritual practices and holy habits we can, indeed, attune our bodies to the Creator and move in concert with God’s purposes. And where our bodies are directed, our souls will follow. Mystics and sages have understood this throughout Christian history, and it is toward this end that Christ Church Cathedral is engaging in the exciting endeavor to create the Bishop John E. Hines Center for Spirituality & Prayer.
legacy of the Cathedral and yet another example of how God is in the midst of the city.” The Hines Center will be located adjacent to the Cathedral in the Episcopal Health Foundation Building (formerly the Wilson Printing Building) at the corner of Fannin and Prairie. The Episcopal Health Foundation (EHF) occupies the upper floors of the building, and the Hines Center will occupy the first floor and mezzanine level. Ziegler Cooper Architects will design the space. The Hines Center will operate on both a membership and fee-per-class basis, and revenues are projected to match expenses by year three of operation. Money will be set aside both to cover the first two years’ projected operating deficits as well as six months’ cash operating reserves. Total capital funding for the Hines Center,
including all operating reserves, comes to $2.4 million, and all funds have already been secured. EHF is a ready and supportive partner for the Hines Center, recognizing that the center’s mission and EHF’s mission complement one another; the Hines Center will be a major tenant in the EHF Building. In keeping with precedent for Cathedral capital projects, the Cathedral’s Endowment is also supporting the creation of the Center. Finally, Cathedral parishioner Nancy Powell Moore is a major benefactor for the Hines Center and even proposed the center’s name to honor the memory of Bishop Hines. At the Dean’s Forum at 10 a.m. on Sunday, December 14, Dean Thompson will present the Hines Center plans to the congregation. The Hines Center is scheduled to open in the fall of 2015.
Conceptual drawings for the Hines Center include a labyrinth built into the floor of the sanctuary space.
The Hines Center will provide myriad spiritual practices designed to put our souls in harmony with our bodies, and both in harmony with God. Through the Hines Center, we’ll be able to participate in contemplative prayer, labyrinth, visual art, sacred dance, yoga, oneon-one spiritual direction (which is a kind of spiritual counseling), and interfaith lectures. The Hines Center will also be a primary way that the Cathedral reaches out to the growing downtown residential community. The Hines Center project is a cornerstone of our Vision Action Plan, “A Future Filled with Hope.” As your Dean, I am incredibly excited by all it will offer. In the words of Alan Gregory, by forming our bodies and souls, the Hines Center will give Christ Church “a stake in change, an arc of movement and possibility” as we look toward our future. I know you share this excitement. We’ll celebrate together — in our bodies — when the Hines Center opens next year.
Barkley Thompson and Melissa White walk through the mezzanine level of the Episcopal Health Foundation Building on a staff tour of the Hines Center space. PAGE 5
THE BULLETIN
Looking back: Kneelers trace history of diocese, parishes Each month in 2014, The Bulletin will look back at moments from the rich history of Christ Church Cathedral over its 175 years. BY GEORGE HAWKINS
When we kneel in prayer in the Cathedral, or alternately, when our children take the kneelers and build small palisades between the pews, we are benefitting from the efforts of many hands and hours of labor. The needlepointed hassocks (kneelers) that we may have come to take for granted are the result of a small band of dedicated people, largely Altar Guild members, and their years of commitment to the church. In 1993, at the spirited instigation of John Logan and Barbara Wilson, then head of the Diocesan Altar Guild, the Guild decided to create these hassocks, at least one from every church in the diocese. With designs incorporating the shield of each church, the Guild gave materials to volunteers from nearly 180 churches, with a few relevant guilds and organizations added, to complete the hassocks. After a year of hectoring and cheerleading, Barbara Wilson, who herself was not a needlepointer, handed the duties and 125 completed pieces to Dolly Bush. In her three-year term as president, Bush oversaw the completion of 400-plus kneelers which serve us today. No mean feat, the process of finishing one kneeler took dedication, time, thousands of stitches, and $120 in cost to finish. Bush took up the challenge, completing more than 50 by herself. Others, such as Antha Holland, who herself completed more than a dozen, gave their time and talent to bring kneelers to finish, sometimes completing what two or three people from other churches had taken on and abandoned. With the completion of every dozen or so, each was blessed and put into service, eight for each separate row of pews. Now, twenty years later, the kneelers are a kind of history of the diocese. A number of the churches represented no longer exist. Some changed names: Advent in Stafford became All Saints, and All Saints in Baytown became Trinity. Some churches merged, such as when St. George and St. Patrick evolved into Grace Episcopal Church and School, while one or two left the diocese for political reasons. Additionally, the diocese has since planted new churches which currently remain unrepresented by kneelers. There is a strong need today for someone to lead the process. None of the kneelers bears the identification of its creator. Each was made for the glory of God alone. One kneeler, however, was made to honor Barbara Wilson, identified by the shield of the National Altar Guild. See if you can find it in the sanctuary. Although each church was asked to be responsible for only one kneeler, there are many duplicates. No surprise, the Cathedral itself has its shield on the thinner kneelers on the front row of pews, and more than 50 thicker ones throughout the sanctuary, but the other duplicates are possibly a reflection of the lives and interests of parishioners. Perhaps those with children attending school at St. Francis were behind the five kneelers with that shield. Those with fond attachments to the University of Texas may be responsible for the eight kneelers from St. David’s Church, and perhaps those with weekend homes on Lake Travis inspired the six representing St. Luke’s on the Lake. No matter the origin, or the church or organization represented, each kneeler is a work of art, reflecting the love and dedication of the artist who created it. Each of us, kneeling or building small forts, benefits from the labor of those who gave a considerable amount of time. If a child is restless in the service, ask that little one to count the stitches that make up one kneeler. For the record, there are 409 kneelers all together. Consider each a prayer. THE BULLETIN
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Will you be part of the solution? Since May, The Beacon has served as the primary intake center for the city’s Housing First initiative to place chronically homeless individuals in permanent supportive housing. In coordination with partner organizations, case workers at The Beacon use a sophisticated web-based system to assess and match clients with supportive housing connected to social services that address their unique needs. More than meeting basic needs, The Beacon offers new hope to those seeking an end to homelessness. Visit www.beaconhomeless.org to be part of the solution.
Razim elected to ERD board Canon Genevieve Razim has been elected to Episcopal Relief & Development’s board of directors. She will serve a three-year term beginning in January 2015. President Rob Radtke notes that Razim’s years of experience in active parish ministry will help guide engagement with congregations. Additionally, her background in graphic design and advertising will provide valuable input on visibility and awareness objectives. Episcopal Relief & Development’s connection with the Diocese of Texas is historic, deep, and mutually supportive. The Rt. Rev. Dena Harrison is concluding her second term on the board and her efforts have nurtured and built upon this longterm ministry relationship. RAZIM On Razim’s election, Harrison said, “I’m so pleased that Genevieve will be serving on this board. Episcopal Relief & Development carries on one of the Church’s most critical ministries, and she will bring strong skills to support this work.” Episcopal Relief & Development works with more than three million people in nearly 40 countries worldwide to overcome poverty, hunger, and disease through multi-sector programs that utilize local resources and expertise. Episcopal Relief & Development works closely with Anglican Communion and ecumenical partners to help communities rebuild after disasters and develop long-term strategies to create a thriving future.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS Visit www.christchurchcathedral.org or call 713-222-2593 to learn more about these and other events at the Cathedral. Registration recommended
Registration required DECEMBER 14 (cont.)
THIS MONTH DECEMBER 3
WED
Dean’s Book Club 6:30–8 p.m., McGehee Conference Room. “The Meaning of Jesus” by Marcus Borg and N.T. Wright. DECEMBER 5
FRI
Cloister Gallery Opening Reception 6–8 p.m., Reynolds Hall. Featuring iconographers Bonnie Fairbanks and Wick Rowland. Bridge Night 6–9 p.m., McGehee Conference Room. Bring a dish for the potluck social. DECEMBER 5–7
FRI–SUN
Annual Parish Retreat Camp Allen. Fun and relaxing weekend for all ages. Canon Art Callaham will speak. ($)
Registration closed SUN
Las Posadas 7–9 p.m., various locations. Home celebrations with singing, prayers, and traditional refreshments. DECEMBER 17
WED
FRI
SAT
Christmas Camp 9:30–11:30 a.m. Sanders Hall. Children will practice for the Christmas Play, sing songs, and do a Beacon service project.
10:30 p.m. Cathedral Choir prelude. 11 p.m. Festival Eucharist, Rite I, with the Cathedral Choir. DECEMBER 25 THU Christmas Day 10 a.m. Eucharist and carols.
SUN
Christmas at the Cathedral 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Reynolds Hall. The Cathedral family opens its doors to the public to serve 700+ hot meals. DECEMBER 14
Cathedral Family Posada 7–9 p.m., Reynolds Hall. Traditional reenactment of Mary and Joseph’s journey.
The Longest Night 3 p.m., Golding Chapel. Service on the winter solstice for those grieving a loss.
Cathedral 20s & 30s 6:30–8 p.m., Mellinger Room. Weekly discussion group and social gathering of young adults. Meets Dec. 3 and 10. Buscando la Luz 6:30–8 p.m., Bride’s Room. Spanishlanguage discussion group. Compline 8 p.m., Golding Chapel. THURSDAYS
Christmas Holidays Cathedral offices close at noon on Dec. 24 and re-open Dec. 29.
Men’s Lunch Study Group (Biweekly) 12:15–1:15 p.m., Jeffers Conference Room. Meets Dec. 4 and 18.
DECEMBER 27–29
FRIDAYS
SAT–MON
DECEMBER 31
Men’s Early Morning Study Group (First and third Fridays) 7–8 a.m., Jeffers Conference Room.
SUN
’Tis the Season 10–11 a.m. and 12–1 p.m., Reynolds Hall. Enjoy gingerbread, wassail, and hot chocolate between Sunday services.
SAT
The Roots of Christian Community 6:30–8 p.m., Dean’s Conference Room. Ends Dec. 17.
WED–FRI
DECEMBER 24–26
DECEMBER 28
DECEMBER 21 SUN Reception for Lisa Puccio 10 a.m., Reynolds Hall. Celebrating the ministry of Lisa Puccio.
Women’s Bible Study 9:30–11 a.m., Jeffers Conference Room.
Women’s Lunch Study Group (Biweekly) 12:15–1:15 p.m., Jeffers Conference Room. Meets Dec. 11.
Midwinter Camp Allen. High-school holiday retreat led by Jeremy Bradley. ($)
DECEMBER 21
Last Day of Fall Education Spring classes begin Jan. 4.
6 p.m. Festival Eucharist, Rite II, in Spanish, with conclusion of Las Posadas.
8 p.m. Choral Eucharist, Rite II, with the Parish Choir.
FRI
SUN
DECEMBER 24 WED Christmas Eve 4 p.m. Family Service, Holy Eucharist, Rite II, and the Christmas Play.
Faith and Society Seminar 6:30–8 p.m., Reynolds Hall. Conversation with the dean about Holy Scripture, faith, and society. Topic: Drug legalization.
Rhythms of Grace 1 p.m., Jones Basement. Worship experience for special needs children and their families. Lesson: John the Baptist.
DECEMBER 13
WEDNESDAYS
7:30 p.m. Organ prelude by Sigurd Øgaard.
SUN
Houston Early Music Concert 8 p.m. in the Cathedral. El Mundo performs holiday music from Italy, Spain, and the New World in “Villancicos y Cantadas de Navidad.” ($)
Education for Ministry (EFM) 6:30–9 p.m., Mellinger Room.
20s & 30s Christmas Party 6:30–8 p.m., home of Jeremy Bradley.
DECEMBER 20
DECEMBER 12
TUESDAYS
20s & 30s Brunch 1 p.m., Pondicheri, 2800 Kirby B132. ($)
Youth Progressive Dinner High-school students visit three different homes for a spectacular holiday meal. ($)
DECEMBER 7
Bible Study “By the Glass” 6:30–8 p.m., OKRA, 924 Congress. Fellowship and Bible study for those living and working in the urban context.
Costa Rica Information Session 12–1 p.m., Ballard Youth Center. Learn more about the upcoming mission trip.
DECEMBER 16–23
Bring a friend!
MONDAYS
Introduction to the Hines Center 10 a.m., Reynolds Hall. Dean Thompson will present the plans for the Bishop John E. Hines Center for Spirituality & Prayer.
DECEMBER 19
DECEMBER 7 SUN Advent Lessons and Carols 5 p.m. in the Cathedral. Sung by the Cathedral Choir.
Childcare available (3 mo. to 10 yrs.)
WED
Last Day for 2014 Donations Donations must be received or postmarked to be credited for 2014.
WEEKLY
UPCOMING JANUARY 4
SUN
First Day of Spring Education 10 a.m. Christian education classes resume for children, youth, and adults. JANUARY 6
TUE
Feast of the Epiphany 12:05 p.m. Eucharist celebrating the first adoration of God in Christ by the Gentiles.
SUNDAYS
JANUARY 8
THU
Episcopal Youth Community (EYC) 4–6 p.m., BYC. Gathering of youth for dinner, games, teaching, and worship. Does not meet Dec. 28.
Community of Hope Training 6–7:30 p.m., Jeffers Conference Room. Pastoral care training for laity, to meet weekly through April 9. Register by Dec. 8. PAGE 7
THE BULLETIN
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Did you know you can read The Bulletin on our website? If you’d like to go “online-only,” contact Anne Shepard at ashepard@christchurchcathedral.org or call her at 713-590-3301.
MUSICIANS, from cover
powerful languages,” said Simpson. “Whenever we are happy or sad our first instinct is to sing.” Simpson, also the artistic director for the Houston Chamber Choir, felt a tug towards church music as a child. “For me, music is a deeply spiritual undertaking, whether I’m working with at-risk children in the choir the Chamber Choir sponsors at the Rusk School in east Houston or refining the details of an intricate piece with an adult choir,”
In the Cloister Gallery: The Art of Icons In December Cathedral members Bonnie Fairbanks and Wick Rowland present icons written in the Russian-Byzantine style of the 15th Century.
Cathedral Bookstore: “Star Church” on DVD Look for the Bookstore’s annual Advent Newsletter on Sundays in December for holiday gift ideas. DVDs of “Star Church” are also now available for $10 each. THE BULLETIN
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said Simpson. “My daily contact with the From Sunday morning services to Evenclergy and people of the Cathedral keeps me song and special music during Advent, the grounded in that spiritual dimension.” Cathedral music staff seeks to make its musiComposed of volunteers and professional cal offering a positive experience that leads musicians, the choirs at the Cathedral blend parishioners into worship. “We relay the mesa mix of musical styles as well as experience sages and emotions contained in the scriplevels. ture in a way that is even more powerful than “I feel that having professional musicians spoken word,” said Monica Czausz, a junior in the choirs at the Caat Rice University studythedral allows us to do ing organ performance “Our form of communication plays much more difficult and and the Cathedral’s ordirectly to human emotion and glorifies varied repertoire than gan scholar. “Our form God in a humble and beautiful way.” a lot of church choirs of communication plays — Monica Czausz, Organ Scholar would be able to do,” directly to human emosaid Kelli Shircliffe, setion and glorifies God in nior staff singer at the Cathedral. “We have a humble and beautiful way.” some pretty amazing volunteer singers that As a few of the tenors start drumming a take learning their music very seriously, and slight beat on their music stands, the choir I really enjoy helping them.” breaks into “Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and It was the music ministry that initially Burning,” a moving African-American spiribrought Shircliffe, also a soprano with the tual. The voices glide gracefully through the Houston Chamber Choir, to the Cathedral. staccato movement, each refrain a simple “Every Sunday before we go into the service, admonition to vigilance in the Christian life. one of our canons will come and pray for that Simpson smiles wryly through each note day’s music to bless each parishioner, and to as he conducts his choir family. “I feel honbe an offering to God,” said Shircliffe. “It’s ored and very grateful to be at Christ Church our way of praising God, and in turn, help- Cathedral where music is valued and suping to lead the church body closer to Him.” ported,” he said. “I never take it for granted.”