The Cathedral Times - August 6, 2023

The CATHEDRAL TIMES

TELLING STORIES

By the Rev. Canon Julia Mitchener, Canon for Mission

Barbara Brown Taylor writes of the visits she used to make to residents of a nursing home. Each month, she celebrated the Eucharist on a care unit for people living with dementia. Many of these individuals slept through much of the service; others had their eyes wide open but in a way that made clear they were not fully present. Nonetheless, Taylor says, she tried to make the liturgy as engaging as possible. When it came time to read a passage from scripture, she liked to offer the congregation a choice. “What Bible story would you like to hear today?” she always asked. On one occasion, nobody spoke up; the room remained still and silent. After a long pause, Taylor began to run through some possibilities in her mind when, suddenly, a voice piped up from the very back: “Tell us a Resurrection story!”

Tell us a Resurrection story. What one of us doesn’t want to hear one of those? In a world where there is so much that is deadening and defeating, so much that evokes cynicism and despair, what one of us doesn’t long to hear a story about something hopeful and unexpected, a story in which death is not the end but, somehow, the beginning?

This is actually one of the most compelling reasons I know for coming to church—for the encouragement of hearing, week in and week out, the words through which Jesus breathes new life into people and situations everyone else has long since abandoned to the grave. The child is not dead, but sleeping. Lazarus, come out! Go in peace, your faith has made you well.

Of course, not all stories need words. Many of the best never appear in print or get spoken out loud, and yet they are still told quite powerfully. I know, because I see this all the time in the beautiful faces of the people of this parish. I see proof of Jesus’ life-giving work, of his victory over death and the forces of evil. I see it in the child who has been bullied at school but who finds welcome and acceptance in EYC or Choristers. I see it in the individual who is overcoming an addiction with the support of church friends, friends who she knows mean it when they say they are praying for her. I see it at a Braver Angels workshop in the Gould Room where people of varying social and political persuasions gather to learn ways to listen to each other instead of just seeing who can shout the loudest. I see it in the space made at the table when a stranger wanders over to a group of lifelong friends drinking coffee together after the 11:15 service.

I see it, too, as I go around Atlanta visiting some of the agencies the Cathedral helps support in bringing hope and healing to our broken and troubled world. I see it in the dignity afforded a parent who can select items he knows his children like to eat at a “client choice” food bank. I see it in the animated gestures of students from Emmaus House planning what they’ll do when they get to Camp Mikell and have a whole weekend to run and splash and play. I see it in the joyful exhaustion of a woman hammering nails into what will soon be her own home, thanks to the ministry that is Habitat for Humanity. All of these are Resurrection stories. They are stories of rebirth and renewal, and you, the people of the Cathedral of St. Philip, are helping to tell them, not only with your lips but in your lives.

I wonder what new stories we will tell at 2744 Peachtree Road these next few months? What stories will our lives speak to the world as we begin another program year? Whatever the plot twist and wherever their setting, I hope you’ll join in sharing them. There is a narrative of redemption that is uniquely yours, and our world longs to hear it.

The weekly newsletter of the Cathedral of St. Philip · Serving Atlanta and the World · August 6, 2023

This SUNDAY

AUGUST 6, 2023 · The Feast of the Transfiguration, Year A

Exodus 34:29-35

• Psalm 99 • 2 Peter 1:13-21

8:45 AND 11:15 A.M.: IN-PERSON AND ONLINE

• Luke 9:28-36

CATHEDRALATL.ORG / THE CATHEDRAL OF ST. PHILIP APP / FACEBOOK / YOUTUBE

7:45 A.M. HOLY EUCHARIST, MIKELL CHAPEL

Celebrant and Preacher: The Rev. Canon George Maxwell

8:45 A.M. AND 11:15 A.M. HOLY EUCHARIST, CATHEDRAL

Celebrant: The Rev. Canon Lauren Holder

Preacher: The Rev. Canon George Maxwell

Cathedral Choir (Tenors and Basses): Joel Martinson (b. 1960), Transfiguration

Zoltán Kodály (1882-1967), Tantum ergo, No.1

11:15 A.M. LA SANTA EUCARISTÍA, MIKELL CHAPEL

Celebrant: The Rev. Dr. Thee Smith

Preacher: The Rev. Deacon Juan Sandoval

STEWARDSHIP

JULY STEWARDSHIP UPDATE

Through the end of July, 850 households have pledged $3,756,081 (including matching gifts) to God through the Cathedral of St. Philip for 2023. Because of our Wildly Generous Parishioners, we have now met one part of our Wildly Important Goal of pledges from 850 households. Wow! This is incredible! Thank you! We still need a few more pledges to reach our other Wildly Important Goal of $4,050,000 in pledges. Please join me and others in making a pledge this year at cathedralATL.org/pledge.

Need more information? Contact David Rocchio at 404-663-2838 or drocchio@cathedralATL.org. Again, many thanks!

PRAYER List

FOR THOSE WITH IMMEDIATE NEEDS: Jim Gregory and Greg Hoyle

FOR THOSE WHO ARE ILL OR RECOVERING:

LONG TERM PRAYERS: R. Huntley Allen • Randy Allen • Lucy Baker • Lizzie Bicksler • Virginia Bicksler • Ed Black • Miguel BoazContreras • The Bryant Family • Don Cameron • Connie Chapman • Geraldine Charles • Lawrence Cowart • The Crossley Family • Terry Dornbush • Deborah Ellington • Paul Fekete • Joyce Egan Ferris • Phoebe Forio • Susan Frierson • Tom Frolik • Aidan Gray • Ken Griffiths • Elizabeth Groseth • D. Louis Gruver, Jr. • Suzanne Haerther • Jenny Ham • Karen Howard • Jane Jones • Earline King • Lisa Krysiak • Harry Lamon • Liza Lanier • Sally Llewellyn • Jill Mahaffey • Tommy Mason • Lee Moran • Susan Myers • Jim Myrick • Charlie Neal • Marian Palmore • Al Plummer • The Priestley Family • Rubye & Wayne Reid • Lorraine Reynolds •

Barbara and Joel Rice • Bob Riggins • Agnes Elizabeth Robertson • Betty Roper • Peter Sanders • Louis "Skip" Schueddig • Mary Mac Sirockman • Gail Morgan Timmis • Tommy Truesdale • Connie Vaughan • Ron Wallace • Jonathan Wright

FAMILY AND FRIENDS: Josephine Rose Adams • Elizabeth Alexander • Cinforosa Gómez Alonzo • Alison & Jeffrey Armor • Kaneez

Khanum Bashir • Shaista Bashir • Bettina Bass • Ray and Pat Bell • Jason Brady • Chet Brewer • Catherine Brinton • Calvin Burgart •

Lila Jo Callaway • Lois Chapman • Mika Chorey • Anna Clifford • Marie Corrigan • Ava Corroon • Apryl Roberts Cox • Bob

Crawford • Judy Crosby • Angela DeRuvo • Megan Dyer • Ron Dyer • Kenneth Farr • Harry Fifield • Peter Foster • John Gerding •

Scott Gregory • McKee Hamilton • Don Harp III • Gayle Higley • Jay Horton • Beth Ingle • Cami Jackson • Patty and Shannon

Jafolis • The Kelly Family • Robin Kemp • Tim Kirkbride • Dick Kustin • Herb Larrabee • Rachel Laurin  • Pete Livezey • Cakers

Long • Carolyn R. Lusk • Lauren Makhlouf • Susan Mendivil • Elaine Metcalf • Denise Mims • Betsy Moore • Sharon Morgan • Linus

Nickel • Linda Pace • Ronald and Clara Peters • Ginny Quinn • Einar Sagstuen • James Sands • Skip Saunders • Patricia Schooley •

Stacey Schuitema • Austin Scott and family • Don Smith  • Philip Gregory Smith • Michael and Kathryn Snider • Christy Strum  •

Harry F. Sutcliffe • John and Cleary Tanner • Pierson Thames • Donnie & Ann Waller • Cheryl Waybright • Jennifer Wright • Whit

A. Wright • Marjorie Young • Hollis Youngner

FOR THOSE WHO DIED:

Chris Bart-Williams • Redell DuBose • Marianna Webber

The CATHEDRAL of ST. PHILIP

The Very Rev. Samuel G. Candler, Dean

Dale Adelmann, Ph.D., Canon for Music

The Rev. Lauren R. Holder, Canon for Community and Education

The Rev. George M. Maxwell, Jr., Vicar

The Rev. Canon Julia B. Mitchener, Canon for Mission

The Rev. Catherine Zappa, Canon for Liturgy and Pastoral Care

The Rev. Salmoon Bashir, Curate for Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations

The Rev. Deacon Juan Sandoval, Deacon for Hispanic Ministries and Pastoral Care

The Rev. Theophus “Thee” Smith, Ph.D., Priest Associate

Ward Bondurant, Senior Warden

Melody Palmore, Junior Warden

CATHEDRAL TIMES SUBMISSION DEADLINES: FOR THE SUNDAY, AUGUST 13 ISSUE, THE DEADLINE IS WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 2. FOR THE SUNDAY, AUGUST 20 ISSUE, THE DEADLINE IS WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9.

TO RECEIVE THE TIMES BY EMAIL: CONTACT LIZ AULL, LAULL@CATHEDRALATL.ORG.

TO SUBMIT AN ANNOUNCEMENT REQUEST: CONTACT SARA CRAIG-GOODELL, SCRAIGGOODELL@CATHEDRALATL.ORG.

404-365-1000 | cathedral ATL .org

pastoral care emergency line: 404-365-1003

cathedralatl

Adult EDUCATION

THIS SUNDAY, AUGUST 6

Living Faith: Discovering Spiritual Growth with the Enneagram Room 239, 10:10 a.m.

The Enneagram is an insightful, spiritual personalitytyping system that offers another lens into Christian teachings and is a helpful resource for spiritual growth. Join Canons Holder, Mitchener, and Zappa as we explore what it means to live out our faith through conversation with scripture and tradition, contemporary books, and, most important, one another. All are welcome!

MUSIC

ORGAN DEMONSTRATION

This Sunday, August 6, between the 8:45 and 11:15 services, Organist/Artist-in-Residence Jack Mitchener will give a demonstration of the great Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ in the Nave. His talk will include an explanation of the mechanisms of the instrument, a brief explanation of how it works, and some aural examples! Please meet by the organ in the Quire area at 10:10 a.m. for an inside look at this amazing piece of musical technology.

SPIRITUALITY

SPIRITUALITY CONFERENCE:

DIGNITY AND THE AUTHENTIC LIFE

Beth-Sarah Wright, Ph.D.

October 21, 2023

9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

The culminating question in the Baptismal Covenant asks, “Will you strive for peace and justice and respect the dignity of every human being?” As core to the authentic Christian life, this question challenges us to look again and see the dignity in our neighbors and in our own lives. Dr. Wright will use the DIGNITY Lens, a seven-pronged transformative set of strategies inspired by this question to advocate for and address any barriers to authenticity in our communities and in our lives.

Beth-Sarah is the author of seven books. Her most recent book, The DIGNITY Lens Workbook: Implementing the Seven Strategies for Creating Authentic Community is a companion to her book DIGNITY: Seven Strategies for Creating Authentic Community. DIGNITY is a comprehensive lens through which to view and solve for insidious barriers to authenticity and narrow the gap between who we say we are and who we are in reality. For Wright, stories are the currency for dignity. More books and information can be found at her website, bethsarahwright.com.

Learn more and register at cathedralATL.org/spirituality.