OPEN DOOR February / March 2014
STAFF & VESTRY CLERGY
CONTENT
The Very Reverend Peter Eaton Rector and Dean, Ext. 7721 The Reverend Robert Hendrickson Sub-Dean, Ext. 7706
RenewalWorks
Yearning
The Reverend Elizabeth Marie Melchionna, Canon, Ext. 7731 The Reverend Jadon Hartsuff Canon, Ext. 7732
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Authentic Transformation, Young Adults and the Church
The Monastary Life
The Reverend Charles LaFond Canon Steward, Ext. 7711 The Reverend Elizabeth Costello Curate, Ext. 7704
SENIOR STAFF
RobeRt HendRickson
Bishop Andudu Speaks about SUDAN
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Kim McPherson Director of Religious Education Ext. 7729 Mike Orr Communications Director Ext. 7730
The Stations of the Cross
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Cathedral nite
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Intercessory Prayer
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Stephen Tappe Organist and Director of Music Ext. 7726 Tara Williams Director of Finance and Administration Ext. 7720
VESTRY Tom Stoever, Senior Warden Mary Ellen Williams, Treasurer David Abbott, Clerk Class of 2016 David Ball, Kat Challis, Jen Courtney-Keyse, Amanda Montague Class of 2015 Susan Chenier, Larry Kueter, Ned Rule, John van Camp Class of 2014 David Abbott, Newt Klusmire, Jim East, Mary Ellen Williams
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From the Dean: A Deep spiritual life We know some things about the longings of the human heart, and also about what makes a parish strong. Both are rooted in our seeking a deeper relationship with God. Without strong spiritual lives, we cannot flourish as individuals or as a congregation.
share what we know of the God who created us, saved us, gives us life.”
Our Christian tradition as Episcopalians is particularly rich. We claim a Scriptural, historic, sacramental, liturgical, prayerful, active, and contemplative tradition that stretches back through the centuries to the earliest days of the Church. We draw our inspiration from the prophets of the Hebrew Scriptures, the poetry of the Psalms, and the testimony of the Gospels about a crucified and risen Lord, Jesus Christ. Ours is the inheritance of the saints down the ages who have tried, in their different ways, to live lives that are holy.
One focus of this new year at Saint John’s will therefore be our spiritual lives, both as individuals and as a congregation. Is our prayer life as vital as it could be? Do we engage in self-examination that is genuinely helpful? Are we steeped in the Scriptures and in the writings and lives of the saints? Or are we just stumbling about?
As Episcopalians, we are also heirs to the ancient Christianity of the British Isles, expressed in some of the greatest literature in the English language. And we have been open to the best in other Christian traditions, whose prayers and practice have informed our piety and our witness. For spirituality is about much more than the inner life; it is about our Christian witness to the world. Our faith is both traditional and innovative, catholic and reformed. Anchored in core beliefs and commitments, our faith is also open to the new things revealed by God to each new generation. We affirm the great truths of God as the Christian tradition has received and proclaimed them, while embracing all those we meet, wherever they are on their journey toward God. “Come be with us,” we say, “and we shall
Spirituality concerns that inner disposition to be conformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ. It is the education of the heart, the focusing of the imagination. As with everything important in our lives, we must be intentional about our spiritual practice. A spirituality born of daily prayer and contemplation will bring us both joy and sustenance as we discover a God who does not know how to be absent from our lives.
Our strength as a Christian community will not, ultimately, be based on the beauty of our worship, or on how much money we raise, or on our charitable works or on the range of activities we can relate to a visitor. Our strength will be grounded in our union with God, as we seek to be a people who “know Christ and make Christ known.” The Eucharist is one expression of our union with God. In celebrating the Eucharist, heaven and earth meet so that the altar is at once our banquet table and the throne of the everlasting God, our nourishment for the journey and the vision of our journey’s end. So in this time of discernment, let us place ourselves in God’s way, so that our common life may reflect the glory of God who has called us into his marvelous light to be a witness to his transforming truth and love.
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We invite you to RenewalWorks! The clergy of Saint John’s Cathedral are committed to supporting the Cathedral community as we seek to grow deeper with God and with one another. We are also committed to listening and hearing where we are in our relationship with God before creating new programs simply for the sake of something new. We invite you to join us in the process of listening and in the process of growing more deeply with God by particiating in a unique spiritual inventory. Help us renew our community by particpating in RenewalWorks. RenewalWorks is an Episcopal planning tool that provides a process for: • Assessing the spiritual vitality of a congregation by surveying the beliefs and spiritual practices of its members. • Training a task force from the congregation to interpret the survey results. • Examining the life of the congregation in light of the survey results to discern how the congregation is and is not inspiring and supporting people in their spiritual journeys. • Challenging the congregation to better support the spiritual lives of its members through spiritual practices that are key predictors of a vital congregation such as regular worship, Bible reading, personal prayer, and service to people in need. RenewalWorks is based on the Reveal Process that was developed at Willow Creek Church in South Barrington, Illinois, in 2005. With help from a grant from the Lilly Endowment, leaders from Church of the Holy Spirit in Lake Forest, Illinois, and the Diocese of Chicago have rewritten the Willow Creek survey and supporting materials to make them more accessible to people in the Episcopal Church.
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The RenewalWorks workshop approach is the core of the survey process. RenewalWorks focuses on ‘spiritual growth’ as the central goal, based on developing a closer relationship with God, measured by the Great Commandment: Love of God and love your neighbor as yourself. The research findings are crystal clear: for a church to be healthy and growing, its individual parishioners must be spiritually healthy and growing. Understanding where we are in our spiritual journies is an essential part of church vitality. This should be combined with how the Church is helping you – as an individual – move forward. The intent of spiritual growth can get lost in the day-to-day activities and traditions. The RenewalWorks approach focuses on creating an action plan for congregational spiritual growth. How do you participate? Between February 5 and March 5, (the month preceeding Lent) the Spiritual Life Survey will be accessible through our website. Additionally, there will be survey stations set up at the parish as well as paper copies for those without intnet access. In Eastertide, the Cathedral will receive the composite data from the survey (we cannot see individual responses) and a team of parish leaders will analyse the data, report back to the congregation and offer concrete suggestions and programs for ways we can all grow deeper with God. The process takes the investment of ALL parishioners! Visit renewalworks.org for more information, or contact Mother Elizabeth Marie at elizabethmarie@sjcathedral.org.
Visit sjcathedral.org/RenewalWorks from February 5 to March 5 to participate!
“Participation in the ESLR has helped me become more intentional about spending time with God, in prayer and through other spiritual practices, and has enhanced my awareness of God in all things. This time with God has made for a deeper and more conscious spiritual life, and has kept me grounded through the challenges present in parish ministry and personal life. Spiritual Renewal has also helped our congregation get clear about its identity as the body of Christ distinct from, yet in relationship with, other caring entities in the larger community. By engaging in Spiritual Renewal, we see ourselves more fully as agents reconciling others to God through Christ.” -The Reverend Patti Snickenberger Rector, Saint Lawrence Church, Libertyville, Illinois
“The idea that I had a responsibility for fostering my spiritual growth was incredibly empowering and transforming. As a church community we realized we had become too passive in regard to our own spiritual growth. Through the spiritual life survey we began to focus on different activities that individually engaged and challenged us in our own spiritual journey. This, in turn, elevated the entire congregation into deeper community with Christ and each other. Through the spiritual life survey and specifically the articulation of Episcopal beliefs and practices we reaffirmed as a congregation our shared core beliefs and then outlined specific disciplines each of us could employ for committing to these same beliefs, both individually and as a community.” -Ms. Loren Dixon Parishioner, The Church of the Holy Spirit, Lake Forest, Illinois
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February 2, 10:15 am in Dagwell Hall Living the Rhythms of the Christian Year
Many of us live several annual rhythms simultaneously, including the rhythm of the seasons as well as the rhythm of the civil and school calendars. But there is also a Christian calendar, the rhythms of which are meant to support us in our lives of prayer, worship, and action. Today we shall learn how the Christian calendar developed and how it can give focus to our lives.
February 9, 10:15 am in Dagwell Hall A Fast is Not a Diet!
Fasting is an almost-universal religious practice, known in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and it is enjoying something of a renewal among modern believers. At this forum we shall examine the history of fasting in our tradition and ask how it might be helpful and fruitful for us today – and in good time to make preparations for Lent!
February 16, 10:15 am in Dagwell Hall Commemorating Canon Winfred Douglas
In 1894, a young deacon came to Denver for his health and became a minor canon (a clergyperson responsible for worship) at Saint John’s Cathedral. Douglas would become one of the great figures in the history of church music, and we still sing his music a century later. Today we hear about his life, work, and ongoing significance.
February 23, 10:15 am in Dagwell Hall Renewing our Spiritual Lives
Today we shall hear from Father Robert and Mother Elizabeth Marie about RenewalWorks, a tool that will help us as a congregation and as individuals to deepen our lives of spiritual practice in our life with God. Our spiritual lives are the foundation of everything, and this program will enable us to keep our proper focus.
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March 2, 10:15 in Dagwell Hall The Daily Life of the Soul – Part I
Following on from RenewalWorks, Father Charles will lead this interactive forum on various ways that busy people can form a routine that fits our lifestyle and our internal landscape so that between Sundays we may enjoy the deepening of relationship with God. We shall look at classical Anglican forms of personal, marital, and family daily spiritual practices while also examining other Christian and religious wisdom to assist the vital connection to the love of God that fuels the light in our lives. We shall also look at what monasticism has to offer home-made spiritual work.
March 9, 10:15 am in Dagwell Hall The Daily Life of the Soul – Part 2
Father Charles continues his exploration of daily, practical spirituality.
March 16, 10:15 am in Dagwell Hall A Conversation with our Mayor
Once again we are pleased to welcome our Mayor, Michael Hancock, to be with us for a conversation about our city. Historically, cathedrals have an intimate relationship to their host cities, and Saint John’s has a long-standing commitment to civic engagement. Join us for what is always a lively forum.
March 23, 10:15 am in Dagwell Hall Looking to China
As we look to our parish pilgrimage to China in June, Father Robert will talk not just about that journey, but also about the current state of Christianity in China and its significance for us.
March 30, 10:15 am in Dagwell Hall The annual Everding Lecturer
Every year we welcome our Everding Lecturer to the Cathedral, and this year we are delighted that Dr. Omid Safi will be with us. An expert on Islamic mysticism, Dr. Safi will open up for us a world of spirituality that has many connections with Jewish and Christian mystical traditions.
We have an active, seniors ministry with monthly activities involving field trips, fun, learning, fellowship, food and care for one another.
Valentine’s Day Celebration Thursday, February 13 1:00 to 3:00 pm We will celebrate Saint Valentine’s Day in Room 107 with sweet treats and activities. We invite you to help decorate valentines and/or meal sacks for Project Angel Heart’s clients (people with life threatening illnesses). Cost: $5.00 per person; pay at the door. Reservations required: Call Joan Jarboe at 303.424.7095 by February 7.
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SERVICES & EVENTS The Feast of the Presentation of our Lord in the Temple
Sunday, February 2. This feast, also known as the Purification of the Mother of God, or “Candlemas,” is one of the major feasts in our calendar. Traditionally celebrated with candles to reflect the words of Simeon that Jesus is “the Light to enlighten the nations,” it is also a time when the Church blesses candles that will be used in the ensuing year. If you would like to bring candles from home that you will use during the next year, we shall bless them as part of the liturgies at 9:00 am and 11:15 am.
Evensong
Sunday, February 16. Join us for an extended prelude to Evensong with a concert at 3:00 pm in the Cathedral. Evensong, starting at 3:30 pm, is an uplifting 45 minute service rich in choral music, sung by the Cathedral Choir. Following the service all are invited to fellowship at a reception in Dagwell Hall. Pre-Evensong recital by Lucy Garrett and Rosanne Sterne, pianist and flutist.
The Feast of Saint Matthias
Monday, February 24. Daily services as usual.
Shrove Tuesday
Tuesday, March 4. Today we make our final preparations for Lent and enjoy our annual parish Pancake Supper. Please bring your old palm fronds from previous Palm Sundays, so that they can be burned this evening to provide ashes for our Ash Wednesday liturgies.
Ash Wednesday
Wednesday, March 5. Lent begins today with our traditional observance of the Eucharist and the Imposition of Ashes. This is a day of special devotion, on which Christians have traditionally fasted and given special attention to our spiritual lives. It is also a day when the Church asks everyone to make every effort to be at the Eucharist. Cathedral Nite this evening is focused on our Eucharist at 7:00 pm. There is no supper or Compline this evening. 7:00 am Ash Wednesday Liturgy in Saint Martin’s Chapel 12:00 pm Noon Ash Wednesday Liturgy in the Cathedral 5:30 pm Ash Wednesday Service for Families with Children in the Saint Francis Chapel. All ages welcome. 7:00 pm Ash Wednesday Liturgy in the Cathedral. Nursery provided.
Stations of the Cross during Lent
Every Friday after the 5:30 pm Eucharist, we gather in the Cathedral at 6 pm for this traditional Lenten devotion in which we focus on Jesus’ journey from his trial before Pilate to his death and burial. This devotion originated in Jerusalem in antiquity, and remains a powerful way for us to enter imaginatively and prayerful into the mystery of our salvation and the depths of God’s love for us.
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The Sacrament of Reconciliation in Lent
Lent is the season in which the Church summons us to take a serious look at our lives and the things about the way we act and live that need real, deep and lasting change if we are to live that “serious and devout� life to which the Gospel calls us. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is one of the principle ways in which Christians have found real strength and encouragement for this work of inner transformation and deeper relationship with God. If you would like to know more about this sacrament and how it can sustain you in your deepening spiritual life, please ask one of the clergy. This sacrament is always available every day after the 5:30 pm Eucharist, or by appointment with one of the priests.
The First Sunday in Lent
Sunday, March 9. 9:00 & 11:15 am. The Great Litany and Choral Eucharist. At 11:15 am The Rite of Enrollment of Catechumens and Candidates. 6:00 pm the Wilderness.
Lenten Quiet Evening
Wednesday, March 12, Cathedral Nite. This evening Cathedral Nite is devoted to Lenten devotion for all. Join us as we deepen our trust in and relationship with our loving God at the beginning of Lent. 5:00 pm Evening Prayer 5:30 pm Eucharist 6:15 pm Supper 7:00 pm Lenten Quiet Evening Groups and Prayer 8:30 pm Compline and Benediction
Evensong
Sunday, March 16. Join us for an extended prelude to Evensong with a concert at 3:00 pm in the Cathedral. Evensong, starting at 3:30 pm, is an uplifting 45 minute service rich in choral music, sung by the Cathedral Choir. Following the service all are invited to fellowship at a reception in Dagwell Hall. Pre-Evensong recital by Bryan Dunnewald, organist.
The Feast of Saint Joseph
Wednesday, March 19. Daily services as usual, including the Cathedral Nite sung Eucharist at 5:30 pm.
The Feast of the Annunciation
Tuesday, March 25. Only nine shopping months till Christmas! We keep this great feast with a sung Eucharist in the chapel at 5:30 pm.
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Tuesday, March 4, starting at 5:30 pm in Dagwell Hall Join us for our annual parish-wide Pancake Supper before the Season of Lent. All proceeds go to Cathedral Camp Scholarships. Enjoy the best pancakes from here to New Orleans (and wash it down with a Mimosa!) Suggested donation: $6 for kids, $10 for adults, $22 for families. At 6:30, children will gather for a short lesson about the season of Lent, and then will join one of the clergy in the White Garth to burn the palms from last year to make the ashes for Ash Wednesday services. Crafts & activities provided, too!
Register online at sjcathedral.org today!
Lenten Quiet Evening March 12 The forty days of lent are a time of repentance, a time of turning from those things which distract us back to God. One way to turn back towards God in the lenten season is to join us for our Quiet Evening on Wednesday, March 12. Our formation time together will include a variety of choices, from the adoration of the blessed sacrament, to walking the labyrinth, to hearing a Godly Play story. Feel free to invite a friend to join you in this lenten quiet evening! The schedule for the quiet evening is as follows: 5:00 pm Evening Prayer (Chapel) 5:30 pm Sung Eucharist (Chapel) 6:15 pm Supper (Dagwell Hall) 7:00 – 8:15 pm Lenten Spiritual Preparation for all 8:30 pm Compline and Benediction by candlelight The Nursery will be open.
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A Retreat for Women, March 21 - 23, 2014 Come to beautiful Cathedral Ridge for a weekend of relaxation, community building, and spiritual refreshment. This spring the women of Saint John’s Cathedral will once again have the opportunity to gather for a time of spiritual retreat and fellowship. In addition to Mother Liz and Mother Elizabeth Marie, or retreat facilitator will include Sister Eileen Currie, a skilled spiritual director from the Sacred Heart Retreat Center. Sister Eileen will focus her reflections specifically on women’s spirituality and women in the bible. We look forward to spending the weekend with you in formation and fellowship! Register online at sjcathedral.org today! 11
Monastery Life by Father Charles LaFond, Canon Steward
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T
he Canon Steward is an ancient title and an ancient function in the church. It comes from days in which cathedrals were also monasteries whose activity was divided between three initiatives.
the cathedral. Sick? Go to the cathedral. Robes were bound up and sleeves were drawn back so that everyone from the novice to the superior touched human suffering as the hands of Jesus every day to give integrity to their candles and books and add needed dirt beneath their fingernails.
Primary in the life of the monks was God (ideally) and that primacy was made real and physical through the liturgy. The monks and nuns (or But of course today cathedrals are no longer in some cases both) populated by an army lived a life that was enof monks and nuns. tirely infused by and Today the cathedrals What we know about the wrapped around God are populated by conspiritual life is that in its and the adoration of gregations: laity and God. So they punctuclergy together are the molten core is simple service, ated their day with ministers of Christ. guiding gentleness, and abiding worship. Just as we love. Spirituality is an equal do today as a ChapWhat we know about opportunity invader. ter, the monks gaththe spiritual life is that ered in their church in in its molten core is the morning and the simple service, guiding evening for prayers. The act gave their lives gentleness, and abiding love. Spirituality is an integrity. It inspired, encouraged, or soothed, equal opportunity invader. I have known archdepending on how they experienced their days. bishops who do not have even an ounce of it Morning prayers were focused on praise (“God, left in them and I have known janitors whose Yay! We survived the night! YAY!”) and evening souls burst open with the warm, kind fruits of prayers were focused on the needs of the time many hours of prayer with a mop. (“God, life is scary and hard and we need you to know that, and help us out with it!”) Now, a The Cathedral Steward cares for the resources thousand years later, our Cathedral Chapter still of the community that make possible the litdoes this one essential act of priestly and Chrisurgy, the contributions, and the integrity of its tian integrity. It means that any day, any one of human service. our thousands of parishioners can step into the cathedral and plug into this ancient form of life An ancient icon of church and life is the bee hive. in Christ for whatever reason. The bees surround their queen like we surround our God. They live because of her and they are Next in the life of cathedral-monks was work. identified by her fragrance. The bees work hard They lived their lives from the income of the to make life together just as we are called to do. contributions of those around the cathedral The bees give of themselves, fitting each gift whose bounty could be shared, and from the into the system to make the hive hum. And the income that the land would produce. Fields bees feast on their honey – delicious, golden, contributed wool. Gardens contributed food. life-infused goodness. In May, when you walk People contributed money. Herb gardens coninto the Cathedral through the Clarkson Street tributed medicine and flavorings. Sheds proentrance near the chapel, you will be walking duced meat. And some fields or shed roofs probeneath a large, low tower on which four new vided honey. bee hives will be installed. The new Cathedral bees will pollinate Capitol Hill. The honey will Third in the life of the monks was service. The slather our toast and sweeten our tea and cofgood monasteries were deeply-loved places fee on Sunday mornings. And the integrity of simply because they met the human needs of our bees will model a way of life to which we the people around them. Starving? Go to the are called. cathedral. Bruised? Go to the cathedral. Sad? Go to the cathedral. Confused by life? Go to
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Sudanese Bishop Andudu Speaks about Rising Tensions in Two Sudans by Mike Orr
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udanese Bishop Andudu Adam Elnail has been a part of the Saint John’s Cathedral community now for more than two years. Bishop Andudu is in exile in Denver after coming to the United States in the spring of 2011 for medical treatment. While he was here in Denver, on June 6, 2011, the Government of Sudan attacked the bishop’s home and his Cathedral church in Kadugli, located in the Nuba Mountains. The attack on the Bishop’s home and church, and subsequent attacks in Kadugli, displaced his family and church leaders. Most of them now live as exiles in South Sudan, Uganda, Egypt, and Kenya. Bishop Andudu has testified before committees of Congress, briefed the United Nations, and spoken with the Council on Foreign Relations on the conflict in Sudan. Deeply committed to advocacy for his people, Bishop Andudu is in current dialogues with other faith leaders and civil leaders to call for peace initiatives and political solutions to resolve the conflict in Sudan. The Bishop urged President Obama in letters in August 2011 and March 2013 to protect civilians in Sudan from the well-documented governmentsanctioned genocide. In recent months, Bishop Andudu has met with the new special envoy to Sudan, members of the Enough Project and the Council on Peace and Democracy, the Russian ambassador, and the Assistant Secretary of the United Nations. Recently, the Bishop traveled to Des Moines, Iowa, to work on reconciliation efforts between groups from the Sudan. In September, 2013, Bishop Andudu wrote to President Obama a third time, asking for “prompt action to save those still alive.” While the world’s attention has been focused on Syria, the Bishop urged the President to save lives of refugees in the country’s Nuba Mountains, Blue Nile, and Darfur regions. The letter reads in part: “As a victim and survivor of genocide, I would like to remind your respected office that great effort is needed to end the deaths and displacement and restore peace to our community, which
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“God help us to bring peace that only he can understand— in our hearts and with our neighbors.” has suffered for so many years.” The Bishop has called on the United States government to take action immediately. In his letter, he warns, “If the political situation is not addressed and aid is not delivered to the people immediately, the catastrophe will grow until it is too late.”1 On December 19, 2013, President Obama issued a statement warning of the scenario that could unfold in South Sudan as a result of clashes between different units of South Sudan’s presidential guard. “Today, that future is at risk. South Sudan stands at the precipice. Recent fighting threatens to plunge South Sudan back into the dark days of its past,” the president said.2 South Sudan president Salva Kiir accused his former deputy, Riek Machar, and other ex-officials of attempting a coup. Machar denied the charge and in turn, accused Kiir of using the clashes to clear out political opposition. Heavy fighting has ensued in the Unity state capital of Bentiu and the Jonglei state capital of Bor. The Episcopal Bishop of Bor is being sheltered in the United Nations compound for his protection. “In 2011, millions of South Sudanese voted to forge a new nation, founded on the promise of a more peaceful and prosperous future for all of South Sudan’s people,” Obama said in his December 19 statement. “In recent years, against great odds, South Sudan has made great progress toward breaking the cycle of violence that characterized much of its history.”3
nations and groups involved. “God help us to bring peace that only he can understand—in our hearts and with our neighbors.” The Bishop asks for our prayers that groups can come together in negotiation and reconciliation.4 Along with our prayers, we can help support the efforts in the Sudan by contacting our local and national representatives and asking them to demand political intervention in the Sudan; to urge the United Nations to provide humanitarian relief; and to support diplomatic talks between the parties. Bishop Andudu also thanks the people of Saint John’s Cathedral for the opportunity to make the Cathedral his home and center. “I’ve been able to serve many Sudanese across the United States in many capacities because of the support of the Cathedral to make this work possible,” he says. Bishop Andudu will continue to be a part of the Cathedral community and in the mission and ministry of Saint John’s as we work together to “know Christ and make Christ known.”4 References: 1 Bishop Andudu’s Letter to President Obama: http://actforsudan.org/2013/09/07/bishop-andudu-adam-elnails-letterpresident-obama/ 2
http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article49255
http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/19/world/africa/southsudan-violence/ 3
Interview, December 20, 2013, Mike Orr, Communications Director, Saint John’s Cathedral, Denver, Colorado, with Bishop Andudu Adam Elnail. 4
Fighting in Sudan has persisted for more than 21 years, and tensions remain high. The Government of Sudan has now sent 15,000 additional troops to Kadugli in the Nuba Mountains. Violence continues; bombings in the mountains recently destroyed a clinic, killing women and children. Since June 2011, 100,000 Nuba refugees have fled to the new nation of South Sudan. But violence there too has started to unfold.
As this issue of The Open Door was being finalized, Bishop Andudu was preparing to leave Denver on an extended and dangerous trip to the Sudan and its neighboring regions. Please keep him in your prayers.
Bishop Andudu hopes the church can play the role of bringing peace and reconciliation to the
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THe STATIoNS
By Ann Jones
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n February of 2012, a very special service was held in the Cathedral on the Sunday before Ash Wednesday. The purpose of the service was twofold: to dedicate a magnificent collection of fourteen needlepoint banners portraying the Stations of the Cross, and to honor a number of parishioners who had made this treasure possible with their loving contribution of artistic skills and generous donations. A few years before, the Dean had approached the Arts and Architecture Commission with the suggestion that the creation of fourteen Stations of the Cross would be a meaningful addition to the observance of Lent, and he wanted its creation to involve active participation by the parishioners of Saint John’s. Members of the Commission spent over a year discussing various possibilities of form, content and style. When A&A chair Janet Thompson suggested that the fourteen large columns in the nave of the Cathedral would provide the perfect location for a series of fourteen banners, the commission was unanimous in its agreement, and from there decided on the creation of the stations in needlepoint.
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The search for a designer resulted in the selection of Betsy Johnson Welty, not only a professional artist, but one who since her baptism had been familiar with the beauty of the Cathedral. Following a period of research in Christian art including Byzantine mosaics, medieval illuminated manuscripts and Gothic stained glass, Betsy began to create her beautiful designs, taking into consideration the glowing colors found in the Cathedral--the myriad shades from stone, oak, stained glass, and even pew cushions. After she painted her designs on needlepoint canvas, she and Janet chose the appropriate yarns, and then for weeks the Thompson dining table was covered with skeins in a riot of color as the yarn kits were assembled. An appeal for needlepointers had been made in the weekly bulletin, and gradually volunteers came forth, offering their time, talents and devotion to cover the carefully painted pictures with glowing color and texture. As the year 2012 began, it was hoped that the canvases could be hung in time for the beginning of
S oF THe CRoSS Lent, but there was much to be done to make this possible. The firm of Friel Ironworks which had previously created the holy water stands, and would later renovate the rood screen, was engaged to form the custom hardware which supports the banners. Charles Smith, verger and interior designer, offered his expertise to complete the formation of the canvases into banners, searching for the perfect fabrics to create the beautiful tapestry edging. A last minute delay from a company chosen to sew the fabrics threatened the Lenten deadline but thanks to Charles, with a week left to go, a replacement company was found, and the banners were completed on time. Once in place, the Stations became for many not only a beautiful addition to the Cathedral, but “looked as though they had always been there”. This year a small booklet with pictures and appropriate prayers will be available to all who wish to use the stations as a part of their Lenten worship, with thanks to all the many needle pointers and donors who made possible these works of art.
Needle pointers: Diana Boubion, Nina Churchman, Pera Beth Eichelberger, Judy Hardart, Nancy Hawthorn, Ginger O’Neill, Sandy Morris, Karen Swenson, Linda Teves, Janet Thompson, Joan Von der Heiden, Betsy Johnson Welty Donors: Roger Allen, Taylor Baird, Jennifer and Lee Ballentine, Basil Carpenter, Brad Case, Harold and Alice Johnson, Dr. Terrence Quirke, Charles Smith, Kris Stoever, Jay Swope, Janet Thompson, Joseph E. Waldon, Russell and Betsy Welty, Catechumenate Class of 2010.
Please join us in the Cathedral on Friday evenings after the 5:30 pm Eucharist in Saint Martin’s Chapel (at about 6:00 pm or so) to walk the way of the cross with Jesus. This is a spiritual and liturgical practice that will deepen your understanding of the meaning of the suffering and death of Jesus, which lies at the heart of our faith as Christians.
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Everding Lecture, March 2014 The Everding Lectureship in Anglican and Inter-Religious Studies is a gift to the community from Professor H. Edward and Lee Palmer Everding. Through a cooperative partnership between Saint John’s Cathedral, the Iliff School of Theology, and the Denver Foundation, the Everding Lectureship seeks to enhance interfaith dialogue through a series of speaking engagements by a guest lecturer held throughout the community. This spring Saint John’s Cathedral will host Dr. Omid Safi for the Everding Lecture. Omid Safi is an IranianAmerican Professor of Islamic Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he specializes in Islamic mysticism (Sufism), contemporary Islamic thought and medieval Islamic history. He has served on the board of the Pluralism Project at Harvard University and is the co-chair of the steering committee for the Study of Islam at the American Academy of Religion. Professor Safi will be with us at the Cathedral over the weekend of March 29-30. On Saturday morning, March 29, beginning at 10:00 am, Dr. Safi will lead us in an interfaith Lenten morning in which he reflects on the subjects of repentance and fasting from an Islamic perspective and explores what his tradition might have to offer to our own. On Sunday, March 30, he will offer brief reflections during morning worship and will speak and answer questions at the Dean’s Forum. The Everding Lecture will take place at 3:15 pm in the Cathedral with the Abrahamic Initiative helping to host the lecture and facilitate questions. Join us to hear this world-renowned scholar share his views on progressive Islam.
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The Reverend Margaret “Timmy” Case, our new Priest Associate Mother Timmy has joined us as an Associate Priest. Please welcome her when you see her around the Cathedral. After she moved to Denver a year and a half ago, Mother Timmy joyfully found Saint John’s Cathedral as her first and only choice for her new church home. She comes to Saint John’s from the Diocese of the Rio Grande in New Mexico, where she settled and lived for many years after graduating from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. A cradle Episcopalian, she felt a very strong call from Jesus Christ in childhood. After years of working with horses and later being a paralegal in both civil and criminal law, she offered herself for ordination to the priesthood and obtained an M.Div, cum laude, from Nashotah House Seminary in Nashotah, Wisconsin, in 2005.
called to the Saint John’s Cathedral in Albuquerque, where she served as Canon for Outreach. In addition, she participated in all aspects of the Cathedral liturgy, helped to provide pastoral care to the large congregation and taught regularly. While in Rio Grande, she served on the Commission on Ministry, was Priest Superior to the Society of Mary at the Cathedral and was Chaplain to two different chapters of Daughters of the King. She has a love of liturgy and a special interest in encouraging the doubtful and disappointed into, or a return to, a life in Christ. Horses have been a passion all of Mother Timmy’s life, and she’s ridden and showed in the hunterjumper discipline for over thirty years. She loves sports and enthusiastically supports her favorite teams. She also loves to read and is an avid follower of current technologies, US foreign policy, and current events. We welcome Mother Timmy to our community as a Priest Associate.
Upon graduation, she returned to Rio Grande and served as vicar of a mission in Santa Fe until she was
The Dean to be Sewanee Fellow-in-Residence The School of Theology at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, has invited the Dean to be a Fellow-in-Residence for two weeks at the end of March and the beginning of April. This is the second time Sewanee has so honored the Dean, and he first held this fellowship nearly 20 years ago, in 1995. The fellowship is designed to give parish clergy time for reading and writing, and the Dean will be working on two writing projects: a chapter in the forthcoming multivolume Oxford History of Anglicanism and a translation of Saint John Chrysostom’s treatise, On the Priesthood.
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The Catechumenate
Now through May 14 Leader: Father Peter Eaton and others The Catechumenate (pronounced “kat-uh-KEWmeh-nut”) is for those who have never been part of a church, those who are returning to church after a long absence, or those who have been members of another tradition. It is the heart of our formation process for adults, an exploration of what it means to be a Christian in the Anglican tradition, and serves as the principal process by which we welcome newcomers to Saint John’s Cathedral, the Episcopal Church, and the Christian faith. Each week, class members gather in the chapel following supper for brief devotional introducing classic Christian disciplines, then return to Dagwell Hall for a presentation and table conversation. For more information, please contact Michael Koechner at koechnermc@hotmail.com.
The Bible in a Year
Facilitated by the Cathedral Clergy Understanding how the Scriptures cohere and how the Bible can enrich our experience of God is a transformational experience. It also makes worship come even more alive. It is the difference between riding in a car as a passenger and not paying close attention to the route being taken versus driving the car and learning the roads that get you to your destination. We will read the Bible in short daily selections over the course of a year. If you have been wanting to start reading the Bible, this is a great opportunity for you and if you have read it through and through, this is also an opportunity to delve even more deeply into it with friends. For more information, please contact Mother Liz at Liz@sjcathedral.org.
Rule of Life: From the Cloister to the Kitchen Now through April 9 Leader: Father Charles LaFond
Have you ever made a New Year’s resolution only to leave it in the dust in February? This course, for all levels of spiritual progress, provides a spiritual and practical way to live a balanced and focused life. Led by Charles LaFond, the course will use his new book manuscript as its literary source and will lead attendees through the history, writing and use of a Rule of Life. This life management tool is more than three thousand years old and is a foundation of monastic life. Each morning the monks read a “chapter” of their Rule to remind them of how they hope to live. This course will drag this monastic invention into the 21st century and will apply it to busy family and individual lives. By the end of the course each attendee will have a Rule of their own and will know how to use it.
Financial Peace
Now through March 12 Leader: Tim Dunbar We all need a plan for our money. Financial Peace is that plan! It teaches God’s ways of handling money. Through video teaching, class discussions and interactive small group activities, Financial Peace presents biblical, practical steps to get from where you are to where you’ve dreamed you could be. This plan will show you how to get rid of debt, manage your money, spend and save wisely, and much more! Financial Peace classes meet for around an hour and a half each week for ten weeks. Purchase materials and register online at sjcathedral.org/CathedralNite.
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Cathedral Nite Formation Groups (continued)
Lived Liturgy: Making the World a Eucharist February 5, 12, & 19 Leader: Mother Liz Costello
In Liturgy and Society: The Function of the Church in the Modern World, A.G. Hebert claimed that there are multifarious ways in which the Church bears witness to the world, but it is through the liturgy that the Church speaks most clearly. However, as Conrad Noel wrote, “…liturgy divorced from life makes the church into an ever more esoteric social club.” And when liturgy is not lived, as Timothy Sedgwick wrote, “worship becomes an enclave separated from the rest of life.” How then are we to live the liturgy? Having beheld and received the Body of Christ, how do we then go into the world to be the Body of Christ – to make the world a Eucharist – where our lives are taken, blessed, broken, and given as food?
explore how the Anglican tradition has viewed works of mercy as a means of socially embodying the liturgy. To avoid this class from being disembodied from action, participants will be encouraged to volunteer at local ministries involved in serving others.
Fogiveness and Reconciliation
March 19 & 26 Leader: Mother Elizabeth Marie Melchionna This two-session class on forgiveness and reconciliation will explore the biblical foundations of forgiveness and reconciliation, explore the topics theologically, and examine historical and contemporary examples of reconciliation at interpersonal and community-wide levels. How might knowing that God longs for our reconciliation deepen your relationship with God?
Come and explore how we as Christians live the liturgy through social action. To do so, this class will
A Newcomers’ Journey to Saint John’s by Linda Larche
I moved to Denver in March, 2013, from California. The church I had been attending in California was a calm, peaceful, beautiful church, but I was having real issues with some of the church’s beliefs. So when I moved to Denver, I decided I would try the Episcopal Church. (My uncle was very involved with the Episcopal Church and thought I might like it as well as the Catholic Church I was attending.) I first came to Saint John’s Cathedral on Easter Day. The Cathedral was beautiful, the choir was beautiful,
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and when the Dean processed down the nave after the service and patted a little boy’s head, I was sold on Saint John’s. It reminded me so much of the church my family attended when I was growing up. As I continued to attend Saint John’s and got involved with the church, my love continued to grow. There is so much I like about Saint John’s: the community through church dinners, breakfasts, and coffee after services; the encouragement and support to grow spiritually provided through sermons, enlightening formation classes and Father Charles’ daily blog, the Daily Sip; the agencies that the Cathedral supports and special offerings to support these organizations; the opportunities to serve both within and outside the church; the love and care that is shown to all people; the beautiful music sung by the choir. Saint John’s Cathedral is the only church I have attended that practices what it preaches. I am blessed to be a part of this church.
Saint John’s Cathedral Music & Worship Tuesday, February 11, 12:00 pm - Hans Hielscher, organist – Cathedral
German organist Hans Hielscher has given recitals in Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Spain, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Luxemburg, Great Britain, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Israel, U.S.A. (36 tours in 39 different U.S. states), Canada, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, The Bahamas, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Bangkok. He has 18 CD recordings to his credit; has had his own compositions of organ and chamber music published by companies in the U.S., Great Britain, and Germany; and has had three books and numerous articles published.
Friday, February 14, 7:30 pm - Michael Hey, organist
A student of Paul Jacobs at The Juilliard School, Michael Hey is a full-tuition recipient of the Alice Tully, Bidu Sayao, Noble Foundation, and Juilliard Organ scholarships. He is also Assistant Organist at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City. He gave his official New York City debut in November 2010 at Lincoln Center performing a Handel organ concerto with the Juilliard Orchestra. He has given solo concerts throughout the country, and has been featured on Philadelphia’s WRTI-FM playing the Wanamaker Organ in Macy’s, the largest functioning musical instrument in the world. Hey’s program will feature works by Smetana, Bach, Ravel, Debussy, Jean Guillou, and Max Reger. Freewill offering.
Sunday, February 16, 3:00 pm - Evensong and Pre-Evensong Music
In 2013, Saint John’s introduced free Pre-Evensong “recitals” featuring local artists from 3:00 to 3:25 pm on the third Sunday of the month. Intended as an extended prelude to Evensong, these programs are an excellent way to prepare for this quiet evening service, and hear skillful music-making as well. Pre-Evensong recital by Lucy Garrett and Rosanne Sterne, pianist and flutist.
Friday, February 21, 7:30 pm - Boulder Bach Festival, Concerto, Cantatas, and Motet
Featuring Boulder Bach Festival music director, baroque violinist, and conductor Zachary Carrettin, the Boulder Bach Players, Chorus, and artists in a performance of the Marcello Concerto for Oboe in D minor, Bach Cantatas Der Herr denket an uns, BWV 196, Nach dir Herr, BWV 150, and Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir, BWV 131, and Bach Motet Komm Jesu Komm, BWV 229. Featured artists are Zachary Carrettin, conductor and violinist, Kristin Olson, oboe, Amanda Balestrieri, soprano, Marjorie Bunday, alto, Daniel Hutchings, tenor, and Adam Ewing, bass. For tickets and other information, please visit www.boulderbachfestival.org or call 303.776.9666.
Sunday, March 16, 3:00 pm - Evensong and Pre-Evensong Music
Pre-Evensong “recitals” feature local artists from 3:00 to 3:25 pm on the third Sunday of the month. Intended as an extended prelude to Evensong, these programs are an excellent way to prepare for this quiet evening service, and hear skillful music-making as well. Pre-Evensong recital by Bryan Dunnewald, organist.
Friday, March 21, 7:30 pm - New York Polyphony
New York Polyphony is recognized as one of the finest vocal ensembles active today. With “beautifully blended voices of individual distinction” (The Independent, London, U.K.), the all-male foursome delivers its signature fusion of historically informed performances in a range of styles, with repertoire ranging from austere medieval melodies to cutting-edge contemporary compositions. Their dedication to innovative programming, as well as a focus on rare and rediscovered works, has earned New York Polyphony critical acclaim and a devoted following. The ensemble has toured extensively, participating in major concert series and festivals throughout North America and Europe. Buy tickets now. Tickets also sold at the door on concert night; general admission $20 and $10 for seniors and students.
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Daily Worship at the Cathedral Don’t forget that there is worship every day at the Cathedral, and you are welcome to make this worship an occasional or regular part of your spiritual life. From Monday to Friday, there is Morning Prayer at 8:30 am, a 25-minute services of psalms, readings from the Scriptures, and prayer. From Monday to Friday there is also Evening Prayer at 5:00 pm, a slightly shorter service that usually also includes a reading from a spiritual classic. Also from Monday to Friday, we celebrate the Eucharist at 5:30 pm. This service usually lasts about 25 minutes. In addition, on Wednesdays there is an early morning Eucharist at 7:00 am, followed by Bible Study. During the program year, the 5:30 pm Eucharist on Wednesday is a sung service with hymns. On Thursdays, the Eucharist includes the Laying on of Hands and Anointing of the Sick. On Wednesday evenings at 8:30 pm, during the program year, there is the ancient and beautiful service of Compline, followed by Benediction.
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Holy Week and Easter - April 13 - 20 Preacher: The Reverend Dr. Benjamin King, Associate Professor of Church History, The School of Theology, Sewanee, Tennessee. The nursery will be open for all evening services during Holy Week.
Palm Sunday - April 13
7:30 am, 9:00 am, 11:15 am Solemn Eucharist, the Blessing of Palms, and the Proclamation of the Passion No Christian Education classes today. 6:00 pm The Wilderness
Holy Monday - April 14
8:30 am Morning Prayer 5:00 pm Evening Prayer 7:00 pm Eucharist and Meditation
Holy Tuesday - April 15
8:30 am Morning Prayer 5:00 pm Evening Prayer 7:00 pm Eucharist and Meditation
Holy Wednesday - April 16
7:00 am Eucharist 8:30 am Morning Prayer 5:00 pm Evening Prayer 5:30 pm Eucharist (Saint Martin’s Chapel) 5:30 pm Holy Week Family Service (Saint Francis Chapel) 7:00 pm Tenebrae
Maundy Thursday - April 17
8:30 am Morning Prayer 5:00 pm Evening Prayer 6:00 pm Parish Soup Supper 7:00 pm The Liturgy of the Lord’s Supper 9:00 pm - 8:00 am, Friday, All-night Watch of the Passion (Prayer Vigil)
Good Friday - April 18
8:30 am Morning Prayer 12:00 noon Good Friday Liturgy 5:00 pm Evening Prayer 7:00 pm Good Friday Liturgy
Holy Saturday - April 19
8:30 am Morning Prayer 5:00 pm Evening Prayer 7:00 pm Easter Vigil, Baptisms and Confirmations, and the First Mass of Easter
Easter Day - April 20
7:30, 9:00, 11:15 am Festival Eucharist of Easter Day No Christian Education classes today. Easter Egg Hunt for our children after the 9:00 am service. 6:00 pm The Wilderness Please note that the first service of the day on Palm Sunday and Easter Day is at 7:30 am, NOT 8:00 am.
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Our Intercessory Prayers
by Father Jadon Hartsuff
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Intercessory prayer is the technical name for our praying on behalf of others. Since coming to the Cathedral last summer I have been helping to collect prayer requests and keep our various prayer lists current. In doing so, I have noticed that lots of people think only of our Sunday morning prayer list when they would like the Church to pray for someone. One person told me that hearing her loved one’s name read aloud during a Sunday morning service was the only way she’s “confident that the prayer has been heard.” But in fact there is a whole range of we offer intercessory prayer as individuals and as a Cathedral community. There are as many ways to pray as there are prayers to offer! Because we are a large community, our Sunday morning prayer list is actually one of our more limited options. If we saved every prayer for Sunday morning, our worship would quickly become unbalanced; too many petitions and requests of God can overwhelm our worship of God in Word and Sacrament. So we must necessarily limit our Sunday morning prayer list to the seriously ill or recently departed who are widely known by the parish. But God hears the prayers of His people whenever and wherever they are offered. So here are four other specific ways you can find time and space to request or offer intercessory prayer on Sunday and every day.
“And those we name now, silently or aloud.” Most every time we gather for worship and prayer an invitation like this is offered, allowing everyone present to say the names or prayers on their hearts at that moment – and God hears every one just as loudly as if the priest or prayer leader had said it herself. In order to be a community of prayer, our communal prayer must actually be communal! We need not be hesitant about speaking up and adding our voices, one on top of another, as we lift our prayers to God during our worship.
Light a Candle Lighting a candle as a tangible symbol of prayer is an ancient practice. Praying with candles helps many of us to focus our intention while reminding us that the light of Christ can shine through any kind of darkness. Our Sunday evening Wilderness worship offers this kind of opportunity, and soon there will be a place in the Chapel for you to come at any time to light a candle and offer a specific intention in prayer.
Daily Prayer Every weekday morning at 8:30 am we gather in the Chapel for Morning Prayer, and all are welcome. It is a particularly opportune time to find quiet during a troubling moment and to settle into the ancient rhythm of daily prayer. We offer a much wider range of intercessions at daily prayer than we are able to on Sunday mornings – with specific prayers for the leaders of Church, City, and State as well as a broader range of friends and family for whom individual parishioners have asked us to pray.
Prayer Chain Some people have a special charism for intercessory prayer. Daughters of the King is an international organization of women who are committed to a rule of life of community and prayer, and the Cathedral’s chapter organizes a Prayer Chain of both women and men who offer confidential, private daily prayer for a wide variety of individual and communal intercessions. Contact me for more information.
How do I get a name on one of the prayer lists? You can always phone the Cathedral and ask to speak with someone about a prayer request, but an even better way is to submit your prayer request online at www.sjcathedral/prayers or send an email to prayers@sjcathedral.org.
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Library News
For many the years the Cathedral library has served as a place for meditation, research, discussion, and interaction. This tradition will be continued in the next few months with a Newcomers’ Reception in early February, followed by the usual series of classes, meetings and informal get-togethers which make this space so valuable. With the renewal of our Wednesday Cathedral Nite classes, parishioners are encouraged to visit the library, upstairs above Dagwell Hall. They will find a variety of resources, on display and available for checkout, to support classes being given on Prayer Book Spirituality, Celtic Spirituality, and Forgiveness and Reconciliation. The library is open on Sunday morning before and after services, and also during the week on Tuesday through Thursday. We now have over 4,500 books on the shelves, and we are delighted that so many of our parishioners have found the scope and variety of the collection to be helpful, whether looking for Biblical studies or materials on prayer, meditation, social issues, or Church history. All the titles and topics are available on the Saint John’s website—just look under Resources/Library. If you would like to reserve a book, or if you have a book checked out that you are still reading and would like to renew, please call the library at 303.577.7728 or email us at library@sjcathedral.org. We understand that it often takes quite a while to “read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest” a good book, and we want to give you plenty of time to do so.
Cathedral Book Club
The Cathedral Book Club meets on the second Sunday of the month at 10:15 am in the Wellspring Center. Our objective is to read books that enrich our spiritual lives. In February, we will be reading Yearnings: Authentic Transformation, Young Adults and the Church, a new book by our Sub Dean Robert Hendrickson. In March, we will be reading Men We Reaped, A Memoir by Jesmyn Ward who grew up in poverty in rural Mississippi and its pressure on men who can do no right and women who stand in for family where men are often absent.
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China Mission Pilgrimage June 2-20, 2014 This June, our Sub-Dean, Father Robert Hendrickson, will lead a mission-pilgrimage to mainland China in partnership with the Amity Foundation, an organization of Chinese Christians historically affiliated with the Episcopal Church. We will emphasize Christian service, encouraging participants to bear witness to their faith through their work together with Chinese churches, as we visit Nanjing, staying at Nanjing Seminary, and Beijing, where Father Robert lived for two and a half years. It is impossible to say how many Christians live in China today, but no one denies the numbers are exploding. The government says 25 million, 18 million Protestants and 6 million Roman Catholics. Independent appraisals all agree this is a vast underestimate, with conservative figures approaching 60 million. More Christians are in church in China on a Sunday than in all of Europe.
The Dongzhou Children’s Home provides homeless children—whose parents are in prison, were executed, or are unable to care for them—free access to basic needs, including food, clothing, shelter, social insurance, education, and play. The children are fostered and educated in a way that ensures a brighter future. We will have a chance to tutor the kids in English, have a great time getting to know them, and to see how the church is changing their lives for the better. In Beijing, we will tour local cathedrals and churches as well as have a chance to visit significant local sights such as the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and the Temple of Heaven. Cost Per Person (airfare, meals, and lodging included): $3,000. For more information, please contact Mary Beth Doubet at marybeth@sjcathedral.org.
The new converts include peasants in remote rural villages to the sophisticated young members of the middle class in China’s booming cities. We will focus our efforts in Nanjing, serving with the Homeless Children Project (Dongzhou Children’s Home).
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Communion Teaching for Families Children and parents are invited to come for this time to learn more about the Eucharist together. While giving children an understanding of this sacrament, it can also help parents to answer questions. We will use Godly Play stories, have a hands-on time with questions, and make special bread ‘In Remembrance of Him.’ • Communion is a reminder of the love that Jesus demonstrates for each of us. • Communion is a time when our gifts are blessed and shared along with Christ’s. • Communion is a time when we receive a Body and Blood that change who we are. • Communion is a time to gather as a holy, loved, and loving Body. • Communion is a time for those who have committed themselves by Baptism (or had parents make the promises for them) to walk the Way of Christ to share in his new life and for others to see something in us that draws them to Christ.
Here at Saint John’s,
we get very excited when we see parents and children growing and learning about Jesus together. It is our passion to partner with parents and provide you with as many tools as we can to help you lead your family and teach your children about a relationship with God. We believe that it is important for you to be involved in every aspect of your child’s experience at church, including in our Family Ministries programs. We realize you may have questions and we would be glad to help you. Please join us for this time of learning and fun together! Please join us March 16 at 4:00 pm in Saint Francis Chapel. To register, visit us online at sjcathedral.org/CTFF.
For more teaching resources for parents,
visit us online at sjcathedral.org/parents! There you’ll find helpful family tools for reflecting together on the stories your child is experiencing each Sunday.
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Welcome to Family Ministries at Saint John’s Children come to us full of wonder and joy, and already knowing something about God. Our task is to nourish the seeds of God’s love that have already been sown, and to help our children find ways to strengthen their relationship with God throughout their lives. We do this through the stories of the Bible and our Church, by encouraging their wonder and helping them discover their deep joy, by welcoming them fully into the Saint John’s community and by involving them in all that we do. Our children are full members of Saint John’s Cathedral, and we cherish their presence here. The goal of our youth program is to help our young people journey into adulthood experiencing the care of this community as they learn how to be the hands of Christ in the world. As they grow up, they also grow into ways of being involved, offering themselves to help others within and beyond this Cathedral and creating a circle of trust for one another.
Family Life eNewsletter
Please check the weekly Family Life eNewsletter for information about upcoming events and information about our programs for children, youth, and parents. If you are not receiving this important email on Mondays each week, please contact communications@ sjcathedral.org with your correct email address.
Cathedral Under the Stars All Parish Weekend Save the Date! August 1-3, 2014 at Cathedral Ridge
Your Chance to Help!
We need volunteers to love children in our classrooms on Sundays and during the week for a variety of projects. If you would like to get involved in any way, please call Kim McPherson at 303.577.7729. Thank you!
6 - 8: Godly Play Core Training at Saint John’s Cathedral for Saint John’s volunteers. For more information about volunteering, please talk to Kim McPherson at 303.577.7729.
4: Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper. Starting at 5:30 in Dagwell Hall. More information on page 10. 5: Ash Wednesday Family Service. 5:30 pm. Holy Eucharist with the Imposition of the Ashes in the Saint Francis Chapel. All ages welcome. More information about all of our Ash Wednesday services can be found on page 8. 8:
Safeguarding God’s Children Training. 10:00 am to 1:30 pm for Saint John’s volunteers. For more information about volunteering, please talk to Kim McPherson at 303.577.7729.
16: Communion Teaching for Families. 4:00 – 6:00 pm.
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Nursery Open Sundays from 8:30 am – 12:45 pm and 5:30 – 7:30 pm for the Wilderness. Wednesdays from 4:00 – 9:00 pm. The Nursery is also open during special services and events throughout the year. Our Nursery is a cheerful, safe and welcoming environment for our very youngest members.
Sunday Mornings 9:00 am - Children’s Chapel (Ages 3 & up), St. Francis Chapel, 2nd floor Children are engaged during the first part of the service (the Liturgy of the Word) in very child-friendly fashion, including lesson, prayers, confession and music. Parents may drop off children or remain in Chapel with them. Please sign in and make a nametag for each child. Chapel goers join their families in the Cathedral in time for Communion, and enter the front of the Cathedral on the East side. Children are invited to come forward at Communion to sit on the carpet and stairs.
10:15 am - Godly Play (Ages 3 - 3rd Grade) In Godly Play, we create a safe and beautiful space where children are deeply respected as they see, hear, and wonder about stories from the Bible or another part of our Episcopal tradition. Using hands-on materials and “wondering questions” to reflect on the story together, children then choose from a variety of materials—story materials, art supplies, building materials, books, silence materials—to make their own creative responses, and to help make the stories truly their own. Prayers and a feast (snack) round out the session. •
3-4 year olds: Preschool Godly Play, Room 101
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K-1st Grades: Godly Play Class, Room 103
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2nd-3rd Grades: Godly Play for Older Kids, Room 107
10:15 am - SOWhAT (4th - 5th Grade), Room 204 SOWhAT stands for: Stories, Outreach, Wonder, Arts & Theology. At this age, children are ready for more…more insight, more activities, and more sophisticated art projects. This 2-year class first explores the creation story in great depth, and exposes children to a variety of activities to help them find meaning, comfort, and joy in God’s beautiful creation.
Wednesday Evening Godly Play 4:15 – 5:10 pm, Room 103, for Ages 4 - 9. If you missed Sunday’s class, or if your child is a chorister and would like to come on Wednesdays, this time slot is perfect for you! Our Director of Religious Education, Kim McPherson, shares stories, wonders with the children and invites them to respond to the stories of our tradition through play, art, and other experiences. (Younger children may stay in the nursery, and older children may be signed in to the nursery in advance by parents who wish to attend yoga classes. Choir members will be escorted to rehearsal following class.) Wednesday Godly Play will not meet on March 5 or April 2.
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Sundays Middle School – 10:15am, Room 300 Middle School youth (6th-8th grades) gather in room 300 for refreshments and time together to play games, chat, and make sandwiches for the feeding ministry. A lesson follows; we encourage questions and conversation in a trusting atmosphere, and will intersperse the year with a variety of spiritual practices both during Sunday mornings and on seasonal retreats and lock-ins throughout the year. High School – 10:15am, Wellspring Center Senior Youth (9-12th grades) gather for weekly teaching and conversation with Fr. Jadon. This is an opportunity for older youth to learn fundamental aspects of Anglican theology in an atmosphere that encourages them to confirm both what they believe and what they struggle with as they encounter the challenges of living as Christian teens. The weekly meetings complement a number of seasonal “away days” that allow for even greater depth of community and spiritual growth. See also pages 34-35 for more information about upcoming youth events.
Serving in Worship
Our youth are ushers, acolytes, readers, and chapel greeters. Contacts to get involved: Acolytes: Liz Costello, liz@sjcathedral.org Ushers: Deanna White, deanna_white1500@hotmail.com Readers: Billy Baker, billyb@sjcathedral.org Chapel: Kim McPherson, kim@sjcathedral.org
Burrito Sunday
February 23. We need 8 dedicated workers! Sign up to help at 7:30 am at http://www.doodle.com/p6nasawhd43fzxvt
Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper
Help decorate on Sunday, March 2 and help with activities and serving on March 4 at 5:30 pm.
Palm Sunday Passion Gospel
It’s a long tradition for our youth to read the Passion Gospel at the 9:00 am service. Please let us know if you will read with the group, and which date works best for rehearsal: http://www.doodle.com/9z5cpmc9ra9d5kr5
Cathedral Camp, June 15 - 21 at Cathedral Ridge, Woodland Park For girls & boys ages 8-14. Cathedral Camp is a whole week’s worth of sleepovers! Make new friends and reunite with old ones. Play all day! Have a carnival, slide down the water slide, pray, hike, do crafts, sing, laugh and watch the stars at night. Camp is the best! Don’t miss out. Register online at sjcathedral.org beginning March 1! Camp fee: $475. Early registration (by May 1) $450. Scholarships are available; please contact Father Jadon. Youth 16 years + : We need counselors and we need a commitment early! Please contact Kim McPherson for counselor applications. Youth age 15: Wanna be a gapper? Applications will be online February 15.
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Y outh P r ogr ammi n g E n h a n c e me nts Of major and primary importance to any community of faith is the nurture and formation of its next generation. This is certainly the case for the Cathedral, and considerable time and energy has been spent over the last few months listening and talking to assess the strengths and weaknesses of our formation of children, youth, young adults, and their families. While we will continue to listen, discern, and tweak our programming, there are a range of steps that we are taking now to begin responding to what we have already heard from our youth and their families. To enhance the formation and care of our High School Youth, Canon Jadon Hartsuff has begun to offer a high school specific track of teaching and small group conversation on Sunday mornings from 10:15-11:00 am in the Wellspring Center. In addition, Father Jadon has planned a number of away times for our upper-aged youth during the next several months, to provide deeper opportunities for relationship, service, and spiritual growth. Confirmation Preparation is being integrated with this new high school program. These changes are providing immediate opportunities for our high school youth to engage in age-specific conversation and teaching that is planned, guided, and chaplained by a priest dedicated to their formation. Middle School programming will continue as currently planned, with Kim McPherson to coordinate these offerings on Sunday mornings at 10:15 am, along with Cathedral Camp, seasonal retreats, and other programming for youth and all the ministry she so expertly leads for and with our younger children – such as Godly Play, SoWhat, Children’s Chapel, the Nursery program, and so much more. These changes will enable Kim to develop and enhance these important areas of formation. These immediate changes to our programming mix are only “step one” of a process to enhance and improve our formation of children, youth, and young adults. We are assessing various needs while also bringing Canons Hendrickson and Melchionna into the development of young adult programming. As we continue this year of listening, please do not hesitate to reach out to us with your own thoughts and observations.
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1350 Washington Street Denver, Colorado 80203 sjcathedral.org
info@sjcathedral.org 303.831.7115