The CATHEDRAL TIMES
The weekly newsletter of the Cathedral of St. Philip · Serving Atlanta and the World · January 12, 2025
SAND DOLLARS AND STARS
By the Very Rev. Sam Candler, Dean of the Cathedral
It’s been about a hundred years since the sand dollar looked like a dollar. Our dollars have turned from gold to silver, and from round discs to sheets of paper. Now, our dollars are figures on a check, or digits on a credit card, or maybe just a swipe of our smartphone.
But the “sand dollar” name persists. It is the name of a lovely shell, a skeleton, really, along the Atlantic coast, and in oceans around the world. Alive, the animal has little spikes, and thus is one of the echinoderm phylum of animals. The word “echinoderm” means “spiny-skinned.” The sand dollars that I find on the beach are flaky gray discs, with a beautiful five-pointed star pattern on one side.
That five-pointed star pattern is a good clue that the sand dollar is actually related to the starfish, or what we call the starfish. The true name of the starfish (not a fish, per se) is the sea star.
At the Feast of the Epiphany, we in the Christian Church pause to celebrate a star. It was the sign of a star that led wise men from the east to be searching for the one who would be messiah and who would shepherd God’s people. Those wise men found the child, Jesus.
That star, and stars in general, continue to be signs for us of the light of the world. Somehow, stars indicate a mysterious and powerful light, light that comes to us not just in one line, but in various rays. Light radiating out from its core, in several rays, is what we call a star. Often, we give five rays to a star, but there are obviously so many more.
One of the features of sea stars is that when an arm, or ray, is broken off, another one grows in its place. Its body is able to regenerate. (Echinoderms are known for their radial symmetry.) Such is the power of star light, too. It is able to regenerate!
When we look for light in our lives, we are looking for something powerful enough to regenerate, powerful enough to touch us again and again. We may be looking for something spectacular and heavenly, but the true lights of the world can come from most anywhere. True lights of radiating mercy can come from right beside us, in someone we know. Or from someone we don’t know. True lights of radiating mercy may even come from the ground below us, from the ocean mud and the sand.
True lights of radiating mercy can come to us in the form of a gray and flaking skeleton on the beach, a sand dollar. It may look like old currency, but there is something holy in it. It has carried the value of spirit in times past, and it can carry the value of spirit again.
During this season of Epiphany, I want to find the stars of heaven. Those stars may not be in the skies. They may be in the sandy beaches of our state. They may be in what the waves and water have washed up and left behind. With God, there is another chance. God wants to show us light, and God will regenerate that presence, again and again, if we need it.
I hope you find some of God’s sand dollars this year. They may not be at the beach. They might be in the very town you are in right now. They won’t buy you a thing at the shopping mall, but their value will be unsurpassed. They will have the ability regenerate life in us. They will have the ability to show us, again and again, that God’s light and God’s love are eternal.
This SUNDAY
JANUARY 12, 2025 · The First Sunday after the Epiphany, Year C Isaiah 43:1-7 • Psalm 29 • Acts 8:14-17 • Luke 3:15-17, 21-22
8:45 A.M., 11:15 A.M. AND 4 P.M.: IN-PERSON AND ONLINE CATHEDRALATL.ORG / THE CATHEDRAL OF ST. PHILIP APP / FACEBOOK / YOUTUBE
7:45 A.M. HOLY EUCHARIST, MIKELL CHAPEL
Celebrant and Preacher: The Rev. Canon Julia Mitchener
8:45 A.M. AND 11:15 A.M. BAPTISMS AND HOLY EUCHARIST, CATHEDRAL
Celebrant: The Rev. Salmoon Bashir
Preacher : The Rev. Canon Julia Mitchener
8:45 a.m. Cathedral Singers:
Harold Friedell (1905-1958), Jesus, so lowly
Marty Wheeler Burnett (b. 1961), Vidi aquam
11:15 a.m. Cathedral Choir:
Richard Lakey, Spirit of God, descend upon my heart
Harold Friedell (1905-1958), Jesus, so lowly
8:45 a.m. Baptisms:
Oluwanifemi Eleanor Aina, daughter of Ewalola Ijaduola and Olufemi Aina
Robert Patrick Emerson, son of Tate and Patrick Emerson
Evelyn Grace Haddow, daughter of Caroline and Ladson Haddow
Julian Arinze Knoblauch, son of Esther Udoji and Brendan Knoblauch
Abigail Byrd Scott, daughter of Elizabeth and Robert Scott
11:15 a.m. Baptisms:
Jackson Abraham Kertscher, son of Magdalena and Douglas Kertscher
Anna Louise Sirockman, daughter of Farley and Matthew Sirockman
Carter Lena Davidson, daughter of Alison and Charles Davidson
Sophie Marie Seewoester, daughter of Bethany and John Seewoester
Harlow Ryan McFall, daughter of Brin and Archer McFall
11:15 A.M. BAUTISMO Y LA SANTA EUCARISTÍA , MIKELL CHAPEL
Celebrant: The Rev. Dr. Thee Smith
Preacher: The Rev. Deacon Juan Sandoval
Bautismo:
Vanessa Hernandez, hija de Vanessa Larumbe y Obdulio Hernandez
4 P.M. CHORAL EVENSONG FOR THE FEAST OF AELRED OF RIEVAULX, CATHEDRAL
Officiant and Preacher: The Rev. Canon David Boyd
Cathedral Schola:
Margaret Burk (b. 1990), Preces & Responses
Ivo Antognini (b. 1963), Trinity Service
Herbert Howells (1892-1983), I would be true
Stephen Paulus (1949-2014), Pilgrims’ Hymn
ADULT Education
THE DEAN’S FORUM
Jimiyu Evans of Project Community Connections, Inc.
This Sunday, January 12 10:10 a.m., Child Hall
Please join us for a special presentation by Jimiyu Evans, Co-CEO of Project Community Connections, Incorporated, one of our Cathedral outreach partners and a participant in our annual Requiem for the Homeless. PCCI strives to find “solutions that end the homeless chapter, forever” by rehousing people as efficiently as possible—often within 30 days. One of PCCI’s most recent success stories is its Thrive Sweet Auburn community, which a group of Cathedral parishioners was privileged to tour last year. Mr. Evans will share about this and other efforts to combat the rising tide of housing insecurity in Atlanta and across the country and how we can help. He’ll also be discussing the inaugural PCCI 5K for Housing, Hope, and Resilience that the Cathedral will be hosting on Saturday, February 22.
WINE AND CHEESE MIXER AND DISCUSSION
Sunday, January, 12
5 p.m., Gould Room
Join us on January 12 at 5 p.m. in the Gould Room for a wine and cheese mixer with All God’s Children, the Cathedral’s community of LGBTQ+ members, families and friends. Come and gather for fellowship, and then Canon Julia Mitchener will lead a brief discussion on the feast of Aelred of Rievaulx, which coincides with the Evensong service right before.
SUNDAY AFTERNOON RECITALS
ANDREW SHERANIAN, ORGAN
Parish of All Saints, Ashmont Boston, Massachussetts
SUNDAY, JANUARY 12 — 3:15 P.M.
IN-PERSON AND ONLINE AT CATHEDRALATL.ORG/RECITALS
Louis Vierne (1870-1937), Symphonie IV, Op. 32
All God’s Children exists to welcome all people into the body of Christ, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. The Cathedral of St. Philip, the Diocese of Atlanta, and the Episcopal Church are welcoming faith communities, affirming that all people—including our LGBTQ+ parishioners —are made in the image of God.
All are welcome to join.
The CATHEDRAL of ST. PHILIP
The Very Rev. Samuel G. Candler, Dean
Dale Adelmann, Ph.D., Canon for Music
The Rev. Canon David E. Boyd III, Canon for Pastoral Care
The Rev. Canon Ashley Carr, Canon for Parish Life
The Rev. Canon George M. Maxwell, Jr., Vicar
The Rev. Canon Julia B. Mitchener, Canon for Mission
The Rev. Salmoon Bashir, Curate for Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations
The Rev. Deacon Linda Rosengren
The Rev. Deacon Juan Sandoval, Deacon for Hispanic Ministries and Pastoral Care
The Rev. Theophus “Thee” Smith, Ph.D., Priest Associate
Geoff DeLong, Senior Warden
Mary Hall Perrin, Junior Warden
CATHEDRAL TIMES SUBMISSION DEADLINES: FOR THE SUNDAY, JANUARY 19 ISSUE, THE DEADLINE IS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8. FOR THE SUNDAY, JANUARY 26 ISSUE, THE DEADLINE IS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15.
TO RECEIVE THE TIMES BY EMAIL: CONTACT LIZ AULL, LAULL@CATHEDRALATL.ORG.
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404-365-1000 | cathedral ATL .org pastoral care emergency line: 404-365-1003
WELCOME HOME PARTY
THE CATHEDRAL OF ST. PHILIP FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 2025
6:30 P.M.
The weekend’s festivities will begin with a party at the Cathedral of St. Philip where you will enjoy cocktails, dinner, and a live auction with exciting, one-of-a-kind experiences. Do not forget to buy your raffle ticket to win a trip to the Kentucky Derby in May 2025!
BEYOND THE FRONT DOOR: TRENDS IN DECORATING, LIFESTYLE,
AND ENTERTAINING
THE CATHEDRAL OF ST. PHILIP SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 2025
10 – 11:30 A.M.
Christina Dandar of The Potted Boxwood will return this year as the moderator for a panel discussion with three acclaimed interior designers, Ashley Gilbreath, Phoebe Howard and Melanie Millner, and renowned architect, John Plaster. Expect a lively discussion as they share their perspectives on bringing beauty to your personal home.
A JOURNEY THROUGH HOMES AND HOSPITALITY
TOUR OF HOMES
SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 2025
11 A.M. – 4 P.M.
Following the panel, you can visit four stunning estates in Buckhead where you will see these concepts brought to life. Insider details from the homeowners, designers, architects, and landscape architects will make this an experience you do not want to miss.
Cathedral Giving By Design is a two-day event, celebrating the joy of home and hospitality. Continuing a long tradition of philanthropic giving to the Atlanta community, we invite you to join us.
THE NEXT 100 YEARS
Originally built in 1925, architect and homeowner John Plaster carefully and lovingly renovated this historic home in Ardmore Park so that it will continue to inspire and delight for the next 100 years. The warm, modern interiors are a testament to John’s ability to seamlessly harmonize the past with the present. The verdant, shade-filled grounds, evocative of an English garden, are the perfect complement to this vibrant residence.
EFFORTLESS ELEGANCE
Nestled on a quiet street in Buckhead, this spacious residence offers abundant room for entertaining indoors and out. Inside this grand home, designer Melanie Millner’s vivacious use of color and whimsical touches draw you into each room as it unfolds. Expansive gardens, recently interpreted by Carson McEleheny Landscape Architecture and Design, thoughtfully engage the natural landscape, creating a series of distinct spaces outdoors.
CLASSIC REVIVAL ESTATE
This 1930s estate is a serene oasis nestled in the trees of Buckhead. Designer Phoebe Howard, with architect T. Blake Segars, completed the most recent renovations to reimagine this historic home for a young family of four. The inviting interiors are a testament to Howard’s mastery of balance in space, light, and proportion. The manicured gardens designed by Carson McEleheny Landscape Architecture and Design are the perfect complement to the indoor sanctuary.
ICONIC REGENCY STYLE
Everyone’s favorite iconic facade on stately Argonne Road beckons you inside this home. Designer and homeowner Lelia Pratt and architect T. Blake Segars collaborated masterfully to reimagine this Regency style home for an active family of five. Much like such a vibrant family, moments of drama balance the calming interiors, which are both dynamic and inviting. It is easy to immerse yourself in the blue-lacquer bar, that beautifully highlights the abundant natural light.
Photography: Emily Followill Photography
Buy your tickets now to support our beneficiary, Wellspring Living’s mission is to transform the lives of those at risk or victimized by sexual exploitation.
Their vision is to see a world where every victim of sexual exploitation has access to transformative care.
BEYOND THE FRONT DOOR: SPEAKERS
CHRISTINA DANDAR, Moderator
Christina Dandar is the founder of the interior design and luxury lifestyle brand, The Potted Boxwood. While pursuing a master’s degree in education at SMU, Christina began sharing traditional homes and eye-catching facades on her daily walks through the Park Cities on Instagram. Today, with more than 200,000 followers, Christina continues to share her love of timeless design with the world through social media, her blog, and chic home tours. Christina and The Potted Boxwood have become a go-to source for design inspiration, travel tips, and lifestyle trends. A beloved audience favorite, this is Christina’s third year sharing her passion and creativity with Cathedral Giving by Design.
ASHLEY GILBREATH
Ashley Gilbreath is a southern-based, awardwinning interior designer renowned for creating casually elegant homes where the family can gather to celebrate everyday living. Her fresh take on the industry can be seen in Southern Living, Veranda, House Beautiful, LUXE, Southern Home, Coastal Living, and more, and in homes from Florida to New York. Her work is thoughtfully and patiently designed to ensure memories are wrapped in a feeling of joy, comfort, and beauty. In 2010, Ashley launched Parish; her first retail store offering curated pieces found around the world. Ashley studied at Auburn University and the New York School of Interior Design. She is a two-time recipient of the Institute of Classical Architecture and Art’s coveted Shutze Award and has been nominated for ADAC’s Southeast Designer of the Year. Ashley’s bestselling book, The Joy of Home, was published in April 2023.
MELANIE MILLNER
PHOEBE HOWARD
In 1996, Phoebe and Jim Howard opened the doors to their first store, Mrs. Howard, in Jacksonville, Florida, hoping to demystify the decorating process for their customers. The goal was simple: to create a retail space that showcased Jim’s architectural and decorating talent, and Phoebe’s natural skills for buying, decorating, and merchandising. With equal parts of exceptional customer service and a well-rounded mix of furniture, antiques, and accessories, the store was an instant success. Now, the Howards have Mrs. Howard and Max & Company stores in multiple states. Phoebe’s work can only be characterized by its timelessness and her mantra to “keep it pretty.” Her work is encapsulated in her first book, The Joy of Decorating, published by Stewart, Tabori & Chang. She has also written a monthly decorating advice column for Southern Living Magazine and is well regarded for her business acumen and catering to clients and members of the design community.
Melanie Millner is an award-winning designer with a deep appreciation for art, architecture, travel, and meaningful experiences. She has earned a reputation for refined and beautiful interiors that focus on the comfort of home without compromising timeless style. Melanie continues to attract a loyal clientele who count on her synthesis of rich materials, beautiful color palettes, and unique, expressive interiors that create the feeling of home for each individual project. She attended The University of Texas at Austin, graduating with a degree in interior design. She moved to Atlanta and worked for an architectural firm until she started her own Atlanta-based interiors firm in 1993. The Design Atelier is regularly featured in publications such as Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles, LUXE Interiors + Design Magazine, House Beautiful, Interior Design Magazine, Maine Home + Design and others. She has participated in numerous Showhouses, and has served on the board of ASID and MODA.
RAFFLE
Join us for a chance to win an unforgettable experience at the iconic 2025 Kentucky Derby! You and a guest can immerse yourselves in the extraordinary excitement of one of the most celebrated horse races in the world.
JOHN PLASTER
During a particularly frustrating art class in elementary school, John Plaster announced that he was going to be an architect and never looked back. His passion for design drove him to complete degrees in both architecture and interior architecture at Auburn University. John spent his early career practicing at the storied firms of McAlpine in Atlanta and LSM in Washington, D.C., where he developed a passion for creating rigorous and romantic designs. Classically trained and modern at heart, John creates work that is as timely as it is timeless. His eye for detail and classic proportion imbue his work with a true sense of place, no matter the style. Based in Atlanta with projects throughout the Southeast, John brings nuance to his projects by forming a deep understanding of his clients, their home, and their community. John’s work has been featured in Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles, Metropolis, and Rural Studio at Twenty.
DONATE
Event proceeds from Cathedral Giving by Design will be used to construct at least three welcoming and healing tiny homes on the campus of Wellspring Living. Every donation makes a difference.
PRAYER List
FOR IMMEDIATE NEEDS: Darrell Boyette • Farley Jenkins, Sr.
FOR THOSE WHO ARE ILL OR RECOVERING:
LONG TERM PRAYERS: R. Huntley Allen • Lucy Baker • Ed Black • Ann and Frank Blackistone, Jr. • John Blair • Kay Bomgardner • Lawrence Booker • Cheryl Bryant • The Bryant Family • Elizabeth Coil • The Crossley Family • Rita Daly • Jerri Darnell • Debbie Dewees • Mary Wayne Dixon • Deborah Ellington • Paul Fekete • Phoebe Forio • Tom Frolik • Jenny Ham • Tory Hartness • Gena Inman • Jane Jones • Bennie King • Randi King • Lisa Krysiak • Bonnie Lamberth • Virginia LaMon • Liza Lanier • Ralph Lewis • Robert Lewis • Stewart Long, Jr. • Jill Mahaffey • Kit Mason • Tommy Mason • Floyd McRae • Sally Menning • Graham Mulling • Susan Myers • Jim Myrick • Charlie Neal • Lori Hegwood Owens • Marian Palmore • Jim Powell • Nancy Qarmout • Buddy and Sue Redd • Rubye Reid • Lorraine Reynolds • Barbara Rice • Bob Riggins • Tom Roberts • Agnes Elizabeth Robertson • Bill Roth • Kay Sanders • Nancy Sanders • Louis “Skip” Schueddig • Brandon Stephens • Tommy Truesdale • Susan Wilson • Jonathan Wright
FAMILY AND FRIENDS: Josephine Rose Adams • Kenya Anders • Steve Baker • Bettina Bass • Annette Bechtold • Ray and Pat Bell • Will Benton • Jason Borland • Scott Bouchillon • Jason Brady • Trip Bray • Darnell Brown • Chaz Brownfield • Anne Bumbak • Lila Jo Callaway • Roanne Chandraratna • Mika Chorey • Anna Clifford • Ava Corroon • Veta Durman • William Erb • Marilyn Epstein • William D. Estes • Kyle Garcia • David Garlock • Ann George • Nikki Greenaway • Kerry Gresham • Ryan Hamilton • Joanne Dopp Hamlyn • Carole Ann Harris • Davis Hatcher • Shirley Helmke • Lisa Hoybach • Jane Hunnicutt • Beth Ingle • William Irwin • LaTonya Jackson • Pat Jones • Delores and Lee Josephs • Jack Karch • Pete Livezey • Carolyn R. Lusk • Lauren Makhlouf • Elaine Metcalf • Nael McCarty • Iris Miller • Barbara Moate • Melanie Myers • Vonnie Nahill • Fred Neuschel • Linus Nickel • Stephen Pararo • David Raj • Peggy Reese • Hugh Ripps • Terri Robertson • Pierce Robbins • Jean Rudolph • Einar Sagstuen • Joe Salas • James Sands • Patricia Schooley • Lelia Sinclair • Don Smith • Michael and Kathryn Snider • Joe Spencer • Izzy Straus • John and Cleary Tanner • Pierson Thames • Leopoldo Velita • Pat Volpicella • Suzette Walling • Jay Whitten • John Wilmer • Cutler Woodfin • Hollis Youngner
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE DIED: Neal B. Littlejohn • Whit A. Wright
ST. VERONICA’S GUILD EPIPHANY DRIVE BEGINS
THIS SUNDAY, JANUARY 12
With the support of our St. Philip’s family, St.Veronica’s Guild has provided thousands of basic toiletry items to those who need them for more than 40 years. In order to underwrite the cost of this outreach this year, the guild’s 2025 Epiphany Season fund drive begins this Sunday.
Six times each year, St. Veronica members purchase and organize toiletries for distribution to Church of the Common Ground, Church of the Holy Comforter, Crossroads Community Ministries and Emmaus House. These four ministries then distribute these essential items to those who gratefully receive them.
Members of our guild will be in the Atrium between services January 12, 19 and 26, and we look forward to describing how your donation of any size can help us meet yearly outreach costs, now approaching $5,000. Donating is easy, you can scan the QR code or donate online at cathedralATL.org/toiletries.
ST. VERONICA’S GUILD THANKS YOU!
This sunday at a glance
7:45 a.m. Holy Eucharist Mikell Chapel
8:45 a.m. Baptisms and Holy Eucharist Cathedral
10:10 a.m. The Dean’s Forum: Jimiyu Evans Project Community Connections, Inc. Child Hall
10:10 a.m. YP Sunday School Room 368
10:10 a.m. Godly Play Parents Room 368
10:10 a.m. Youth Sunday School Room 382
10:10 a.m. Godly Play 3rd Floor above the Atrium
11:15 a.m. Baptisms and Holy Eucharist Cathedral
11:15 a.m. Bautismos y la Santa Eucaristía Mikell Chapel
1:15 p.m. Enjoy Biblical Greek! Room 239 and online
3:15 p.m. Sunday Afternoon Recital: Andrew Sheranian Cathedral
4:00 p.m. Choral Evensong for the Feast of Aelred of Rievaulx Cathedral
5:30 p.m. All God’s Children Wine and Cheese Mixer and Discussion Gould Room
6 p.m. EYC for Middle and High School Room 382
POSTMASTER: Dated Material. Please deliver by January 11, 2025
POSTMASTER
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FAITHFUL Politics
BRAVER ANGELS WORKSHOPS
With political change swirling around us, and the Presidential inauguration on January 20, we’d like to offer some opportunities for Cathedral parishioners, friends, and neighbors to explore how our Baptismal Covenant informs our civic and political engagement. Braver Angels is America’s largest organization that brings conservatives and progressives together on equal terms to understand our differences, find common ground where it exists, and help the country we all love find a better way. We have two opportunities in the coming weeks to explore how we “seek and serve Christ in all persons, …strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being.” Contact Canon George Maxwell, gmaxwell@cathedralATL.org, or Jeannie Mahood, jmahood@cathedralATL.org, for more information.
DEPOLARIZING OURSELVES
Saturday, January 18
12 p.m.–2 p.m., Room 316
Participants develop strategies for engaging in politics without demonizing the other side, and constructively intervene in conversations with like-minded peers. We begin at noon with lunch in room 316 (just upstairs from the main entrance). Pizza and bottled water will be provided. You are welcome to bring other food and drink if you prefer. We end at 2 p.m. Register at cathedralATL.org/JANbraverangels.
COMMON GROUND WORKSHOP ON IMMIGRATION
Saturday, February 8
10 a.m.–3 p.m., Lanier House (lunch included)
This Braver Angels Common Ground Workshop will bring together equal numbers of Conservatives and Liberals - Reds and Blues (4-8 of each) - for a structured deep dive into this issue of Immigration. Together participants talk about their connection to the issue and their opinion on solutions. By the end of the 5-hour event they have come up with jointly and unanimously held Points of Agreements on values, concerns and policies. You can join us as a participant or observer. Everyone will receive brief educational materials on immigration.
“Are you willing to listen to the other side, and are you willing to speak to the other side with respect?” If yes, please join us! Register at cathedralATL.org/FEBbraverangels.