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C h r i s t ’ s C h u rc h C a t h e d r a l | T h a n k s g i v i n g 2 01 3

WARDEN’S WORLD

Soul Satisfaction

Hello & Goodbye

CHILDREN’S

MINISTRY

HARRRP’S NOT FALLING BEHIND

CATHEDRAL TREASURES

C h r i s t ’ s C h u rc h C a t h e d r a l | T h a n k s g i v i n g 2 01 3

EARTHY MYSTICISM

Fall Education Series

New choral group

FIND YOUR

NICHE

CATHEDRAL CHORISTERS

Summer Outreach

2

MUSIC AS

MINISTRY

p. 13

MORE LIKE

HEAVEN

p. 8

WHAT WE

DID THIS

SUMMER

p. 20

4 FROM THE DESK OF BISHOP SPENCE

One Month Down

6 CATHEDRAL CHORISTERS

Musical Outreach

7 WARDEN’S WORLD

Warden in Absentia

11 THEOLOGICAL MUSINGS ON

EUCHARISTIC HOSPITALITY

12 CATHEDRAL TOURS

Welcoming Cathedral Visitors

15 FALL UPDATE

HARRRP’s Not Falling Behind

18 CHILDREN’S MINISTRY

Sunday School

19 CATHEDRAL TREASURES

Marcus Blair Communion Set

24 3...2...1...CONTACT

Jette and Bill Thomas

26 SEATS IN PEWS

Generation X,Y,Z

27 FALL EDUCATION SERIES

Learning our Story

29 FINANCIAL UPDATE

Focus on Goals

30 FIND YOUR NICHE

All Souls Chapel

IN THIS

ISSUE

3

FROM THE EDITOR

I am the kind of person who likes to tackle “do it

yourself’ projects. There’s something so satis-

fying about making and fixing things. My Dad

was an engineer; someone with a logical, me-

chanical mind and a great woodworker and alt-

hough he generally thought girls were useless at

home repair projects, I still managed to pick up

some things from him. Tackling a project is al-

ways an adventure with many detours along the

way and countless trips to Home Depot (there

always seems to be some key part I forgot to

buy). Frequently I am a bit ambitious, biting off

more than I can chew and often have to ask for

help. I don’t like to give up on something and

will try many different solutions. Sometimes

I’m successful; sometimes a certain curly-haired

young man bails me out. But I always look for-

ward to the next project no matter how fraught

the last one was.

In our life together at the Cathedral we tinker

away at things, trying various approaches, going

at an issue from different directions, all in the

pursuit of trying to live out the gospel. We are

ambitious: a small band offering fellowship,

practical help and hospitality to visitors;

thoughtful: working through biblical passages

from a 21st Century perspective; creative: devel-

oping new musical offerings and talents; curi-

ous: taking advantage of learning opportunities;

fun-loving: partying the night away at the

HARRRP Garden Party, and attentive stewards:

looking carefully at our finances and making

informed decisions. And the great thing about

our community is that there’s always someone

ready and willing to help and a sense of a shared

purpose. No need to “do it yourself”. And

aside from each other, we always have a steady

guide and companion. Read all about our

shared ministries in this Fall issue of Contact.

Hope you can keep a secret - I’m at it again.

While a certain cleric is away, I have ripped the

bathroom apart. Now if I can only get it back

together again……

DO IT YOURSELF?

by Anne Harvey

Return to Table of Contents

4

1 MONTH DOWN!

A special place

by Bishop Ralph Spence

FROM THE DESK OF BISHOP SPENCE

I have now completed my first month at the Ca-

thedral. We can all wish Dean Wall a good sab-

batical – a time for him to renew and refresh

himself. Our prayers are with Peter and Anne

for this special time away.

Michaelmas was a joy! What fun—smoke, a

parade and our dear Sisters of the Church to cel-

ebrate their patronal festival. I am loving every

moment of my time on duty here at the Cathe-

dral. Our Cathedral holds a special place in my

life. I was confirmed, ordained, and consecrated

bishop in this holy place. It was to this Cathe-

dral Church that my grandmother and mother

came on their first Sunday in Canada from Scot-

land.

Carol and I have many happy memories of this

place and consider it a great honour to worship

with the Cathedral congregation. From mid-

week communions, pastoral visits, great music,

and wonderful people, we celebrate this ministry

we share on James St. North.

I am looking forward to the great fruits and fes-

tivals that approach us in the fall. What a thrill

to be at the Cathedral with many other helpers

when 9,000 plus came through our doors at Su-

perCrawl. Dare I say radical hospitality to the

City and community - a chance for us to show

off the building and tell people of the lively

ministry in the centre of the city.

My prayers and best wishes.

PASSAGES

MARRIAGES:

Patrick Johnston & Celine Ferguson June 22

Stephanie DeForest & Cesar Avelar July 20

Noel Khalek & Ryan Burne August 17

Angela Macaluso & Enzo Zona August 31

MARRIAGE BLESSING:

Renée Wetselaar & Deirdre Pike September 28

BAPTISMS:

April 28

Aiden Joseph Scime

Vincent Jonathan Michael Romvari-Pop

Brayden Colin Smith

September 15

Lauren Claire Spence

DEATHS:

Lorna Hostein June 28

Fred Luchak August 24

Emily Knapman September 22


5


6

MUSICAL OUTREACH

Sunday afternoons and

special concerts

by Michael Bloss

CATHEDRAL CHORISTERS

For many years the Cathedral and its community

have been well served by committed, hard

working and talented singers – The Cathedral

Choir – who meet weekly for rehearsal and for

the morning Eucharist on Sundays. It is a sizea-

ble commitment of time and energy and many

manage an almost perfect attendance record.

An important ministry, this ensemble will con-

tinue to provide fine choral music for some time

to come.

Vital musical outreach is an important compo-

nent of the Cathedral’s music ministry. This is

no more evident than during Art Crawl and Su-

percrawl when many thousands of visitors en-

counter the music of the organ and, most recent-

ly, the sounds of choral singing. Consequently,

as cathedrals relate their history and tradition to

the world around them as cultural ambassadors,

special concerts of choral and instrumental mu-

sic expand the scope of this ministry to present

music outside the regular liturgical schedule.

While Christ’s Church Cathedral serves as a

parish church, it also fulfills the role of Cathe-

dral of the Diocese of Niagara. In this role, lit-

urgies of Confirmation, Ordination and Choral

Evensong are a vital musical outreach.

By definition therefore, a Cathedral is a very

busy place with diverse and numerous musical

offerings. Accordingly, the time has come to

introduce another choral ensemble, The Cathe-

dral Choristers. Complementing the existing

Cathedral Choir, this new group will draw on

another body of volunteer singers, largely from

outside the cathedral attendees, but also wel-

coming of people from the Cathedral communi-

ty for whom this choir’s schedule would be ap-

pealing.

The Cathedral Choristers will sing many of the

cathedral’s afternoon liturgies in addition to pre-

senting a modest concert schedule of its own.

Opportunities are also planned for joint singing

of both choirs at the high festivals of the church

year.

The Cathedral Choristers had its debut at Cho-

ral Evensong on October 6 and will continue

with a presentation of the Requiem by John Rut-

ter for All Souls on November 1. A concert en-

titled A Baroque Christmas on December 22

will include such favourites as Vivaldi`s ever

popular Gloria.

Wednesday evening rehearsals in Myler Hall

and a Sunday afternoon service/concert sched-

ule, provides the surrounding musical communi-

ty an opportunity to sing music not always expe-

rienced in their own parish choirs. An excellent

venue for further musical outreach!

Please contact me with any questions you may

have. Come to a few rehearsals! If you have

ever wondered what it might be like to sing in a

choir, the time is now!


7

Paula Esteves invited me to write for this issue of

Contact and suggested that I write about “my rela-

tionship with the Cathedral during the hell of a

time” (her words) I have had since being hit by a

motor vehicle a year ago. At first I thought this

was an odd if not difficult topic, but after some

reflection I had many thoughts bubble to the sur-

face!

In general, one of the major things that I have been

learning these months is how to rely on the abili-

ties, experience, and expertise of others. On more

than one occasion I have said to my family physi-

cian and a litany of other professionals, “I will do

what you are instructing”, or “I will agree to vari-

ous types of treatment and medications etc.” even

though I cannot understand the usefulness or pic-

ture the positive outcome. I have been learning

(albeit very slowly) to let others manage, be in

control, take action or “be in the know”… some-

times in life I am required to let go, trust and be a

passive participant as others “do their thing” on my

behalf.

So what does this have to do with my relationship

to the church? Well simply put, there are times

when being a passive participant in the active life

of the church is necessary and spiritually healthy.

Sometimes personal circumstances limit or dictate

how energy and time is spent, yes even with

“church” (contrary to the dictates of my type “A”

theology and personality).

In my brief years of being in the Anglican fold, I

have come to appreciate the reality of the church

“catholic”…in

the sense of bigger, broader, stronger, and more

effective than merely my own personal faith in Je-

sus (or lack thereof). At the parish level Worship

happens - the Liturgy is said, the Music is per-

formed, the Scripture is read, the Gospel is

preached, the Bread is broken, Souls are fed, the

James Street Community is ministered to…

faithfully, ongoing, day by day and week by week.

Whether I am physically present or not in any one

of these “actions” is immaterial—I derive soul sat-

isfaction from the mere fact that they happen!

Among many other things they are a meaningful

expression of “my faith” and form a very im-

portant part of my “relationship with the church”.

Both Tom and I certainly have felt connected to

the congregation through the personal interest and

support of members of the parish – inquiries,

cards, visits, phone calls, the prayers – and those

individuals who have willingly picked up the slack

when and where I have chosen to let go. Above all

I have valued the quiet sense of permission offered

to me to just do what I need to do (or not) relative

to functioning in the activity of the church...no

guilt trips, no pressure, and no expressed judge-

ment. This has been and continues to be spiritually

freeing for me in a very profound way!!

I am reminded of the words of the Apostle Paul...

“In the same way the Spirit also helps us when

we are weak; we have difficulty praying, but the

Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings

too deep for words…” And so too the Spirit

works through others even on my behalf…it is all

part of the wonderful “mystery” of being the

church!

WARDEN IN

ABSENTIA

Soul satisfaction

by Michael Hannigan

WARDEN’S WORLD


8

THE RISK OF

DISCIPLESHIP

Context matters

by Bill Thomas

MORE LIKE HEAVEN

Editors Note: What follows is the text of a ser-

mon delivered by The Rev. Canon Bill Thomas

on Sunday, September 8. We were stirred by his

message and requested permission to reprint it

in Contact for those of you who weren’t able to

hear it in person.

P16C (Prp 23)

May the words of my mouth and the meditations

of our hearts be now and always acceptable in

your sight, my strength and my redeemer.

“None of you can become my disciple if you do

not give up all of your possessions.....”

What a statement to greet you with on

“Welcome Back Sunday”. Not what I was ex-

pecting to hear as we return to our usual pattern

of worship and activity after a more relaxed

summer. But then again, NOT returning to our

“usual pattern of activity”. Is what we have

been hearing Jesus saying in the portions of the

gospels being read every Sunday this summer.

Jesus was highly critical, not only of the secular

rule of the Romans, but of the way the Saddu-

cees and Pharisees, had become so focused on

the right rules for practicing the faith that had

been handed on to them, that they in fact were

leading people away from an intimate relation-

ship with God.

If one wanted to truly live the life of faith, a life

that would result in a world becoming more and

more like heaven than like hell, Jesus consist-

ently argued that one needed to be free to re-

spond to those “holy moments” when the Spirit

moved strongly. Living that kind of life of faith,

however, means that it’s going to be unpredicta-

ble.

So what prevents us from living that way, from

becoming real disciples, convinced that the way

we choose to live can change this world, and the

people in it, for the better?

In part, for many of us, it’s our possessions, or

as George Carlin put it in one of his most fa-

mous routines, our stuff. For those of you

who’ve never heard it – George’s thoughts are

still available on the web. For those who have

heard it – a little reminder of what he said. And

I quote...

“all you need in life, is a little place for your

stuff, ya know? I can see it on your table, every-

body's got a little place for their stuff. This is my

stuff, that's your stuff, that'll be his stuff over

there. That's all you need in life, a little place

for your stuff. That's all your house is: a place

to keep your stuff. If you didn't have so much

stuff, you wouldn't need a house. You could just

walk around all the time.”

George then went on to provide illustrations of

how, no matter how temporary the change might

(Continued on page 9)

be – a long vacation, a shorter visit, a possible

overnight stay, WE NEVER ABANDON OUR

STUFF. We just package it smaller and smaller.

And if he were alive today, he’d probably talk

about how we get our whole lives packed into a

Smartphone, and become immobilized without

it.

But to give up our possessions, hate our fami-

lies, even hate our life, and carry the cross, in

order to become a disciple? That just seems so

wrong, on so many levels.

And thinking that way is one of the consequenc-

es of approaching the Bible out of ignorance, or

with the unconscious assumption that God wrote

it in the language you’re reading it in, and in the

context of the way you view the world today.

In some respects, one can argue that the world

today is not much different from the world con-

fronting Jesus in the first century – but our abil-

ity to do serious harm to each other is much

greater. What hasn’t changed from the time of

the psalmist, is the destructive power of unsub-

stantiated gossip today magnified by the use of

Twitter and Facebook.

Another thing that hasn’t changed is the desire

of people in positions of power and influence to

hold on to those positions at any cost – witness

what’s happening in Syria – or Russia, or Zim-

babwe. Or for that matter in Canada and the

U.S.

But the most significant thing that has thrown

the world back into a parallel with the first cen-

tury, is the rise of fanatical and intolerant fac-

tions, and the triumph of belief over reason. We

are truly being thrown back into the kind of bat-

tle, as the apostle Paul puts it, in his letter to the

Ephesians: “against the rulers, against the au-

thorities, against the cosmic powers of this pre-

sent darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil

in the heavenly places”.

So, how then are we to understand these “hard

to hear” sayings of Jesus, such as we heard in

this morning’s gospel? Well there is a clue in

the Bible itself, at least in that portion of it that

we Anglicans include. In the prologue to the

Book known as “Ecclesiasticus”, or nowadays

as “the Wisdom of Jesus ben Sirach” we find

this comment :

“For what was originally expressed in Hebrew

does not have exactly the same sense when

translated into another language. Not only this

book, but even the Law itself, the Prophecies,

and the rest of the books differ not a little when

read in the original.“

Two biblical scholars, John Pilch and John

Dominic Crossan, have done considerable work

in discerning what life was like in the context of

Israel in the 1st Century. In examining how cul-

ture, cosmology, and faith influenced the use,

and understanding, of local languages, they have

offered new and valuable insights into what is

contained in the books and letters of the “New

Testament”, and what I’m about to say about

today’s gospel is based on their work.

First – that comment about “Hating one’s

family...”

That remark was made in the context of Jesus

having been invited for a meal at the home of a

leading Pharisee (Lk 24:1). The cultural world

of Jesus required that people—especially the

elite like the Pharisees— “eat with their own

kind, within their own class”. It is this Middle-

Eastern understanding of “meals” that helps

“foreigners” like us to understand Jesus’ com-

ments on discipleship in today’s reading. A fol-

lower of Jesus who ceased “networking” by

means of meals, would jeopardize a family’s

very existence.

So the disciple in the 1st Century must then

choose between allegiance to their family and

allegiance to Jesus.

Choosing Jesus was equivalent to letting go of

one’s family, or as Luke put it “hating” one’s

(Continued from page 8)


10

family. Pilch and Crossan both suggest that the

word used by Luke is more suitably translated

“prefer,” than “hate” that is, one who “hates”

family actually prefers another group to their

family.

And here’s where the idea of family differs

greatly between then and now. The tight-knit

nature of the Middle-Eastern family of Jesus’

time was very stifling, very suffocating. The

ideal marriage partner then was a first cousin.

Sons, married and single, remained with their

father. Everyone “controlled” one another. So

following Jesus and joining a new family with

Jesus as its head would be very liberating and

exhilarating.

In today’s context then, we would hear Jesus

saying:

“If you want to be my disciple, you can’t allow

yourself to be held prisoner or smothered by

your family’s expectations and demands.”

That’s very different from “hating” your family.

Second—that comment about “Carrying The

Cross”...

There is, of course, a price to pay for such free-

dom. Our problem is that we see a cross in the

light of 2,000 years, associated with Jesus life

and resurrection. But for the people of Jesus’

time, the cross was not only a barbaric and pain-

ful punishment. it was a mark of colossal shame,

not only for the person, but for their whole fami-

ly as well. In the Middle East of the 1st Century,

the main rule of behavior was—family first! A

disciple who deliberately cut ties with family

and their social network would lose the ordinary

means of making a living, and suffer extreme

shame. This was the “cross” – an economic and

reputational one, the disciple would have chosen

to carry.

No longer able to make claims to a livelihood

based on blood ties and the related advantageous

social network, members of this new family of

disciples would have to rely on “hospitality,”

which in the 1st Century was extended exclu-

sively BY strangers TO strangers (see Lk 9:4-5;

10:3-12). So this risk-filled option was quite a

cross to carry.

In today’s context we would then hear Jesus

saying:

“If you want to be my disciple, you won’t be

able to count on wealth to keep you secure,

you’ll continually wrestle with the ethical

strings that come attached to receiving other

people’s generosity, you’ll have to take the first

steps in building trust, and some people will

betray that trust, and you will be hurt.”

In short, you’ve got to be prepared to get hurt

for behaving differently.

Third—that comment about “Giving Up All

Possessions”…

Clearly, a disciple who had accepted Jesus’

challenging exhortations would effectively have

given up everything.

Therefore, a would-be disciple must seriously

calculate the costs. Jesus used two brief parables

(about construction and waging war) to drive

this point home. Anyone who weakened and

abandoned their determination to become a dis-

ciple would become the butt of ridicule and

shame. So a disciple must remain firmly com-

mitted.

In today’s context then, we would hear Jesus

saying:

“If you want to be my disciple, you can’t have

your cake and eat it too. Following me will

mean burning your bridges behind you.”

The behavior that Jesus proposes is liberating

and heroic but costly.

We do not live in 1st Century Israel. Our lan-



11

THEOLOGICAL

MUSINGS ON

EUCHARISTIC

HOSPITALITY

One raises at one’s own peril the topic of extend-

ing holy communion not only to all baptized

Christians regardless of denomination, which the

Anglican Church in Canada does, but also to

those among us who are not baptized, about

which Anglicans are not unanimous.

The ancient rule has always been that Eucharist is

reserved only for those who belong to the Church

through baptism (and for a while Anglicans, ille-

gitimately to my mind, required also the interme-

diate sacramental sign of confirmation). But it

occurred to me not very long ago that for the

Passover Seder, an observant Jewish family will

often invite, some feel actively compelled to in-

vite, non-Jewish guests to share the meal with

them. It seems to me that since the Eucharist re-

flects the Last Supper, which was a Seder, then

are we ourselves not compelled to welcome

strangers and guests who are not members of our

Covenant?

As the servants in Jesus’ Parable of the Wedding

Feast in Matthew 22 were compelled to bring any-

one they found, good and bad, the poor, the lame,

the stranger, perhaps even a Samaritan or two. Or

as in Acts 10, Peter discovered that the Holy Spir-

it is not restricted to the Church, but blows wher-

ever it goes, and our business is to discern and in

faith follow its lead. Surely these are models of

faithful hospitality. Perhaps the question is not

whether we should “fence the altar” (as it was

commonly said in the past) away from the unbap-

tized, but instead whether it might be our respon-

sibility to bring them to share the Eucharist with

us.

Eric Griffin

guage, culture, and cosmology are different, we

understand family differently. But we are none-

theless as much prisoners of our culture and tra-

ditions as were those who heard Jesus’ challenge

so long ago. Accepting Jesus’ challenge to fol-

low him does mean leaving behind the present

and stepping into an unknown future, with the

sure and certain hope, that you will be helping to

create a world that will become much more like

heaven, than like hell. But acting on that sure

and certain hope, will turn a blind belief, into a

real knowledge and awareness of God’s pres-

ence and activity in this world.

I am far from being a perfect disciple, yet many

years ago, in the hope that the promise of a new

and more abundant life would follow, Jette and I

chose to quit our jobs, sell our home, and move

to London with our three young children, so that

I could become a full time seminary student for

three years. Yes, we gave up a lot of “stuff”,

but our “family” grew immensely. We discov-

ered that the resources needed to carry on found

their way to us, and that promise of an abundant

life was, and continues to be, fulfilled.

During my journey of faith, I’ve become a little

more adept at recognizing those “holy moments”

when they appear, and more conscious of the

risks involved in responding faithfully to them.

All of which convinces me that when we are

willing to follow the example of Jesus, to be

willing to leave behind what we are for the hope

of what we might become, the world around us

becomes a little more like heaven and a lot less

like hell.

Amen.



12

Our current activity of providing tours of the Ca-

thedral had a modest beginning in the summer

program of opening the Cathedral during the

week in July and August for day-time visitors.

In either 2005 or 2006 it was suggested that we

open on the evening of the Art Crawl on James

Street, and were overwhelmed by 150 visitors –

probably as many as we greeted in a season dur-

ing the day-time. We, therefore, continued and

the numbers have grown with the popularity of

the Art Crawl. The next addition was to be open

on the Saturdays that Makers’ Market operated

in Bishopsgate, and initially we welcomed 150

people, but after a few sessions numbers settled

around 50 per day.

At some point numbers took off and it is hard to

say when this was. There is no doubt that the

move of Makers’ Market to Friday evening was a

critical element, because it gave a sense of com-

munity and hustle and bustle. Now we probably

welcome about 15,000 people each year. Last

September in eleven hours on the Saturday and

Sunday of Supercrawl we welcomed over 8,000

people. One fine Spring evening two years ago

John and Lori-Lin Bradley were confident of

handling the Art Crawl visitors on their own, and

we felt guilty when we heard that they had had

welcomed over 2,000 people that night.

Making the Cathedral open to visitors is more

than just numbers. We hear so many stories, see

how people revere the space, and see what peo-

ple do. One of the most moving was a young

man who had nowhere to sleep and was given a

chance twenty years earlier to sleep on a pew in

the Cathedral when he was homeless. He said

that he never felt alone, and has since turned his

life around. Others speak of simply being drawn

into the space. Some people come to every Art

Crawl, and we have become friends. Others re-

turn and bring friends and relatives. Some come

to pray or contemplate, whereas others want to

enjoy the beauty of what “one goes to Europe to

see!” Those of us who guide learn from our visi-

tors and from the questions they ask. We have

interesting conversations with those from other

faiths and from different branches within Christi-

anity in what are often seminars in comparative

religion – we are not always sure who the semi-

nar leader is!

We have to admit that we have our Thomases in

the congregation, because of the wear and tear on

the carpet or because the donations are so mea-

ger. I am not sure that Jesus worried about the

carpet or the take. We do see people in regular

services that we recognize from visitors, alt-

hough the numbers are not large. We are meet-

ing needs – we may be the only church open at

times of crisis when people want a place to think

or pray. So many people comment on the atmos-

phere and that something “pulls” them.

We continue to be well served by faithful tour

guides and others who help on some of the “big

weekends”. The regular opportunities for visi-

tors to come are Art Crawls on the second Friday

of each month, the Supercrawl in September,

Open Doors in May and the summer visit pro-

gram. In addition we provide special tours to

groups on request, and a full tour is typically for-

ty minutes. Those of us who guide have fun, and

it seems our visitors do too, because they keep

coming back and bringing others with them.

WELCOMING

CATHEDRAL VISITORS

Meeting needs by Sandy Darling

CATHEDRAL TOURS


13

ANNE MCCURDY

Anne McCurdy began her

liturgical musician’s jour-

ney in her teens as piano

accompanist in Edmonton.

She believes, however, that

she only started developing

as a singer in adulthood

while studying for a Certifi-

cate in Theology in Victoria. “My mentors, an

Anglican priest and a Roman Catholic Chaplain,

inspired my involvement with interfaith support

and dialogue through music. I studied voice part

-time while working with palliative care pa-

tients: chaotic, humbling, and cathartic”. She

then obtained her Certificate in Multifaith Pasto-

ral Care, and served as guest musician at several

Anglican, Baptist, and United churches.

Now that Hamilton is home, she looks forward

to mentoring as an Alto Lead at Christ’s Church

Cathedral and sharing her talents with the great-

er community. “I appreciate the space of the

Cathedral, how the sweet spots given to the

combination of contemporary and classical rep-

ertoire can give such broad voice and texture to

thoughts, feelings, and prayers that the church

may or may not express so well through other

means. Our community is so rich in this Spirit,

and so are we moved to share it with our neigh-

bours. We have the ability to reach out with not

only our joyful noises, but our sorrowful and

compassionate ones, too.”

TAYLOR WEBB

Being a university student

who is very engaged in the

Hamilton community is

definitely a dualistic life-

style; that is to say one


PERSPECTIVES FROM

THE CHOIR STALLS

Reaching out with

joyful “noise”

MUSIC AS MINISTRY

The Cathedral’s music ministry is particularly blessed by the commitment and vision of its choral leads.

Their role is about mentorship and vocal goal setting for the section as well as modelling a theological

framework for what the choral arts bring to our worship.

In this issue we introduce you to Anne McCurdy, alto lead, and Taylor Webb, tenor lead. Their obser-

vations and motivation come from a unique place and add so much to the fabric of the choir community

and the worship heart of this congregation.

Michael Bloss

14

must be inward looking in regards to developing

oneself, but also constantly integrate a changing

and growing environment into everyday choic-

es. As a musician, engaging in mentorship pro-

cesses is important to my own development, as

well as that of my colleagues and the momen-

tum of the field overall.

In my time at Christ's Church, I have been thrust

into a world of opportunities and potential that

originally resonated with me as a means to an

end - a channel to a desired destination in my

career - however, it has been the support of the

community at the cathedral, and the positive im-

pact that this work has had on the rest of my

life, which has continually strengthened my

commitment to the people and vision of the

church as I learn more about how to enjoy the

journey.

Ministry in music is taxing at times, since much

of the work involves assimilating an opinion-

based faith with technique and tradition-infused

musical practices, but this has proven to encour-

age balance in my work that can help me

achieve success in every avenue of life. Being a

leader in music at the church is strongly tied to

initiative and personal growth in the arts as well

as awareness of self when it comes to represent-

ing the aims of the Director of Music and Litur-

gical Team alike.

In a community of faith, it is integral that the

pillar of musical worship be driven by people

for whom trust is a constant principle in any

commitment or relationship.

October 20

4:00 pm DAS BACH II

4:30 pm Choral Evensong with guests St.

Mark’s, Niagara on-the-Lake.

Service: Stanford in B-flat.

Anthem: Cantique de Jean Racine – Fauré

November 1

7:30 pm All Souls Service.

Special Music: Requiem by John Rutter

November 17

4:00 Fireworks for Brass and Organ

with the Trillium Brass

4:30 A Hymn Festival with commentators

The Rt. Rev. D. Ralph Spence and

The Rev. Canon Bob Hulse

The season of Advent

Each week preceded by DAS BACH at 4:00

December 1

4:30 pm An Advent Procession. Choral

works and hymns for the season of waiting

December 8

7:30 pm Jazz Vespers with Jim

Sandilands

December 15

4:30 pm A service of Compline. A medi-

tative service for the close of the day

December 22

4:30 pm Baroque Christmas. A concert of

Baroque choral classics including

Vivaldi’s Gloria.


MUSIC AT THE

CATHEDRAL


15

As we say goodbye to summer and hello to fall,

we are all embracing and preparing for the

leaves and the snow. HARRRP is saying hello

and goodbye and thank you, to a few of our own

projects as well.

We want to start on a positive note with a big

THANK YOU to all those who came out and

contributed to HARRRP’s first Garden Party,

held at the Cathedral. It was a wonderful even-

ing with wine, food, and beautiful entertainment

provided by the vocals of Rev. Peter Wall, his

lovely daughter, Emily, and his son, Patrick.

HARRRP offers a special thanks to the Cathe-

dral for hosting this special event, and we appre-

ciate the hard work, dedication and contribu-

tions made by all.

Sadly, we say farewell to HARRRP’s James-

ville Breakfast Program. A successful under-

taking for more than 8 years with over 500 chil-

dren fed, we are all disappointed as HARRRP

staff and volunteers hang up the chef’s hat.

With the closure of St. Mary’s Elementary

School, the Hamilton Wentworth District Cath-

olic School Board has decided to discontinue

the school bus from this area. With the extra

time it takes students to walk to school, there is

not enough time for the Breakfast Club. We

hope though our efforts have educated our youth

on the importance of a healthy breakfast before

a long day of learning. HARRRP offers a spe-

cial thanks to all our volunteers from the Cathe-

dral throughout the years. This breakfast pro-

gram would not have been possible without you.

THANK YOU.

With goodbyes aside, HARRRP would like to

say hello to two very new and very popular

groups this fall at St. Peter’s: the “Hamilton

Sings” Choir and the Hamilton Table Tennis

Club. Both groups are new to HARRRP and are

very excited to be starting. There is no fee, au-

ditions, or experience necessary. Look to our

website for more details on each group!

HARRRP is also saying hello to the familiar

faces from our YOUth Create Program. A free

after school program for school aged youth in

grades 6-8, this program offers homework help,

a healthy snack, and an opportunity for youth to

engage in activities that they may otherwise be

unable to access. Always a successful program,

the youth are eager and energized to get this

year underway. Some of the year’s activities

will include: ice-skating, swimming, movies,

lazer tag, hip-hop dancing, and much more!

Please email us at [email protected] if

you are looking for ways to volunteer and get

involved!

Last, but absolutely not least, HARRRP is busy

preparing for our annual Dancing on Sunshine

Gala. To be held in February 2014, tickets are

$100 and include a four-course meal, silent auc-

tion, and a night of dancing and entertainment!

All funds raised go back into creating programs

for the community. For more information or

interest in assisting with the planning, please

check out our website harrrp.ca/

HARRRP wishes you all a happy autumn sea-

son!

HARRRP’S NOT

FALLING BEHIND

Hello and goodbye

by Bill Parkes

FALL UPDATE


http://harrrp.ca/

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

20 Holy Eucharist 8:30

Lectio Divina 9:45

Choral Eucharist 10:30

Das Bach II 4pm Choral Evensong

4:30 pm

21 Bible Study 10:30

Holy Eucharist 12:15

22 Holy Eucharist 7:30 am &

12:15 Meal Tickets 9:30-11:30


Prayer Shawl Knitting 1-3



26


Lectio Divina 9:45 Choral Eucharist 10:30




12:15 Meal Tickets 9 :30-11:30




November 1 Holy Eucharist 12:15

All Souls Service 7:30 pm

2

3 Holy Eucharist 8:30 Learning Our Story

8:45—10:15 Lectio Divina 9:45 Choral Eucharist 10:30 Order of Niagara 4 pm

4 Bible Study 10:30

Holy Eucharist 12:15 AF&F 6-8 pm


12:15 Meal Tickets 9:30-11:30





9


Lectio Divina 9:45





12:15 Meal Tickets 9:30-11:30




15 Community Sisters at

Mulberry Café 9:30


16


8:45—10:15 Lectio Divina 9:45 Choral Eucharist 10:30

Fireworks for Brass & Organ 4pm

A Hymn Festival 4:30 pm




12:15 Meal Tickets 9:30-11:30





23


8:45—10:15 Lectio Divina 9:45 Choral Eucharist 10:30

Order of Niagara 4 pm




12:15 Meal Tickets 9 :30-11:30





30 Holiday Makers’

Market at St. Paul’s Westdale 10am –4pm

October/November 2013

December 2013

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

December 1

Holy Eucharist

8:30 Learning Our Story 8:45—10:15 Lectio Divina 9:45


An Advent Procession 4:30 pm

2

Bible Study

10:30 Holy Eucharist 12:15 Aids Vigil 7 pm

3 Holy Eucharist

7:30 am & 12:15

Meal Tickets 9:30-11:30

4 Holy Eucharist

12:15

Prayer Shawl

Knitting 1-3

5 Holy Eucharist

12:15

6

Holy Eucharist

12:15

7 Holiday

Makers’ Market at CCC 10 am –4 pm

8

Holy Eucharist

8:30 Learning Our Story 8:45—10:15

Lectio Divina 9:45

Choral Eucharist

10:30 followed by Town Hall

Jazz Vespers 7:30 pm

9

Bible Study

10:30 Holy Eucharist 12:15 AF&F 6-8 pm

10 Holy Eucharist

7:30 am & 12:15


11 Holy Eucharist

12:15

Prayer Shawl

Knitting 1-3

12 Holy Eucharist

12:15

13

Holy Eucharist

12:15

14

15 Holy Eucharist

8:30

Lectio Divina 9:45


A Service of Compline 4:30 pm

16

Bible Study

10:30 Holy Eucharist 12:15

17 Holy Eucharist

7:30 am & 12:15


18 Holy Eucharist

12:15

Prayer Shawl

Knitting 1-3

19 Holy Eucharist

12:15

20 Community

Sisters Breakfast 9:30 Mulberry Café


21

22

Holy Eucharist

8:30 Lectio Divina 9:45 Choral Eucharist 10:30 Baroque Christmas

4:30pm

23

Bible Study

10:30 Holy Eucharist 12:15

24 Family Eucharist &

Crèche Blessing 4:30 pm Festal Choral Eucharist 10pm

25 Holy Eucharist

with Hymns 10am

26 No Service

27 No Service

28

29

(One Service Only)


30 No Service

31 No Service

18

SUNDAY SCHOOL

Encouraging spiritual growth

by Sue Channen †

CHILDREN’S MINISTRY

One of my passions in ministry is encouraging

spiritual growth. In that, I include deepening

our awareness of our transcendent God who is

also God-with-us; noticing moments that are

holy and giving thanks; and linking our stories

to God’s story of redeeming – completing – cre-

ation. (Growing up in an artist’s family taught

me that creation isn’t one of those things that is

ever “done”. Works of art merely become

“done enough” and then a new one beckons! So

I believe that Creation itself is still a work-in-

progress.)

There are many neat things about spiritual

growth. It is life-long: the challenges of illness

and aging can stimulate more growth than the

many years of accomplishment and smooth sail-

ing. God is the real teacher, but God recruits

some surprising teaching assistants: babies and

children awaken the tenderness of our hearts

and free us from domination by our clocks and

calendars. Strangers show us the love of God

and remind us of our shortcomings – showing us

what God expects us to grow into! Music and

the visual arts give us an awareness of God that

words cannot give. Spiritual growth may come

from solitude but also needs community: my

growth may depend on what you have to teach

me, and vice versa. It is a shared responsibility

of the People of God to nurture each other’s

growth in Christ.

And that brings me to the children’s ministry

here at the Cathedral. With very few children

here, we have to re-think the traditional “Sunday

School” where children learned bible stories,

hymns, and the moral and ethical standards

which many equate with Christianity. It is our

calling to love the children in our midst, to show

them what God is like (and to allow them to

show us what God is like!), and to walk with

them as we all follow Jesus.

Yet we also need to help our children under-

stand our faith and our worship. So we continue

to provide a separate form of teaching for them

during the first part of the service, the Liturgy of

the Word. We have been exploring what it

means “to be church” and will take some time to

“unpack” our worship. Beginning in Advent,

we will use the new Anglican Church of Canada

curriculum (www.anglican.ca/churchmice/),

which works with the readings each week. Mar-

ni Oram is coordinating the Sunday School;

Lori-Lyn Bradley, Derek Smith, and a variety of

clergy have been teaching. If you have any

nudge from God prompting you to this ministry,

please contact Marni at 905-308-1130. (A vul-

nerable sector security clearance will be re-

quired.)

“Peace be to the whole community, and love

with faith, from God the Father and the Lord

Jesus Christ.” (Eph 6:23)


http://www.anglican.ca/churchmice/

19

One of the delightful moments that took place

just before I left on sabbatical was a meeting,

along with Katharine Greenfield, with Neil and

Kaye Asbury, a couple visiting Canada from

Melbourne, Australia. Kaye is the great-great

granddaughter of Marcus Blair, who lived in

Hamilton in the days when the parish of Christ

Church (long before we were a Cathedral) be-

gan in the 1830s. Upon his death, Marcus left a

handsome home communion set to John Gam-

ble Geddes, the first Rector of Christ's Church,

the first Dean of Niagara, and Katharine's great-

grandfather. These pieces are displayed in the

beautiful inset box at the foot of the steps into

the Cathedral (adjacent to the lift).

We had a pleasant lunch together and Kaye

shared with us copies of drawings of various

Hamilton landmarks which Marcus had com-

pleted before his death. Probably the most in-

teresting aspect of this whole adventure is that

Kaye, who does a lot of genealogical work for

her own family, discovered our connection be-

cause a cousin of hers in New Zealand hap-

pened to see the issue of CONTACT online in

which Katharine had written an article about the

communion set. Imagine someone halfway

around the world simply 'happening' on CON-

TACT , and then noticing the article about her

cousin's ancestor!!!

Only on the internet - what an amazing thing!

So even though we may think that publications

like CONTACT are only read by 'us', this story

demonstrates the power of effective communi-

cation!!

COMMUNION SET

Linking Hamilton &

Melbourne

by Peter Wall †

CATHEDRAL TREASURES


20

For the record, I am not one of the most faithful

or most gifted of the many tour guides who vol-

unteer their time to give guests tours of our Ca-

thedral; I am just the one who got to write this

piece.

Yes, I did spend some afternoons this summer

lurking by our open doors, waiting for visitors to

drop in and have a look at the church. The visi-

tors we had often requested a tour, and their first

question was always, “How old is this

church?” (What a deliciously complex answer

we had for them!) Their second comment was

usually, “Wow, it’s beautiful!” – a sentiment

with which I heartily agree.

Often our visitors were the same people who

regularly come to the church for meal tickets

every Tuesday morning. No matter – it was still

a good opportunity to connect with the folks

who live near the Cathedral.

What’s in it for the guides? Well, it isn’t every

day that you get to show off beautiful architec-

ture and then add that oh yes, this church IS ac-

tive and very much alive, and why don’t you

come to see for yourself some Sunday (or virtu-

ally any other day of the week)? It feels good to

say this because it is so true. It would be selfish

to keep this wonderful cathedral locked up,

saved only for the regular parishioners!

What better way to spend a summer’s day?

SUMMER GUIDES

Lurking by an open door

by Kymme Sun

WHAT WE DID THIS SUMMER

Summer of 2013 was a busy one for your Outreach representatives. The gardens looked wonderful, Art

Crawl and weekday tours were staffed by dedicated volunteers, Makers’ Market thrived in its seventh

year with a friendly community of vendors, and the meal ticket program filled an important role since

many other providers take the summer off.

We are blessed with generous hearted people who give of themselves and their time to ensure that the

Cathedral reflects our mission. Some of them have written the following reports to keep you up to date

about the way in which your contributions are being managed.

Any one of these authors would be happy to help you to choose how you can volunteer. Your support,

whether it is by prayer, funds or presence is always welcome!

Blessings to you all,

Jenny Street,

Chair, Outreach Committee


21

“Do unto others as you would have them do un-

to you” (Luke 6:31)

The Salvation Army Meal Ticket programme is

a collaborative effort sponsored by The Salva-

tion Army, The City of Hamilton and Christ’s

Church Cathedral. The programme operates

every Tuesday morning from 9:30-11:30 am.

Our Cathedral is the largest distributor of meal

tickets in the city. During the summer months,

the need for our service increases dramatically

as we become the only distributor of Meal Tick-

ets in the area.

The Meal Ticket programme essentially has

three components to it. First, is the receipt of

the actual meal ticket itself, allowing the holder

to obtain a meal at the Salvation Army Booth

Centre on York Blvd. Second, recipients are

afforded the opportunity to have tea/coffee,

juice and treats while they mingle with friends

in and around the Church property. The third

component is that of a Resource Centre. Volun-

teers do their best to assist our guests with refer-

rals to other community agencies and resources,

pastoral counseling, or by simply lending an ear

to those who in many incidences have no other

person they can speak with in a trusting, non-

judgmental atmosphere. This can be challeng-

ing for the volunteers but at the same time, from

my own perspective, this is the most rewarding

component of Tuesday mornings. It is truly

amazing to see the rapid, almost instant transfor-

mation in the individual’s eyes, face and atti-

tudes by simply taking a few moments to show

some interest in the person, their lives, their sit-

uation. All of those who come through our front

door on Tuesday mornings are very appreciative

of our volunteers and in this service to our com-

munity.

The Meal Ticket programme is a very large

scale operation, in both its scope and need in our

community; the numbers are staggering. To

September 24 this year, our Cathedral issued

9,547 meal tickets or more clearly 9,547 meals

provided to men, woman and children in our

community. When you look that number from

this perspective that is truly an astronomical

number, an astronomical Outreach Service that

our Cathedral is providing in our community.

“Do not judge and you will not be judged. Do

not condemn and you will not be condemned.

Forgive and you will be forgiven”. (Luke 6:37)

Some may scoff at this programme and the cost

that goes along with it. Some are of the opinion

and stereotypes that these individuals are simply

lazy, alcoholics or drug addicts that need to get

their act together and get a job. The vast majori-

ty of the individuals who come on Tuesday

mornings are not in this situation of their own

making. In the majority of cases, it is society

that has failed these individuals. Whether the

issue is one of poverty, learning or physical dis-

ability, mental illness, physical, sexual or mental

abuse suffered at the hand of others, one truly

needs to look beyond the outer shell of the indi-

vidual. We need to seek and find what has tak-

en place in this person’s life. What is the true

cause, true rationale of their affliction or situa-

tion?


MEAL TICKET

PROGRAM Looking beyond

Stereotypes

by Michael Fitzpatrick

22

It is rare that our guests have only one barrier in

their life; they usually have multiple barriers,

not to mention the stigma, prejudice and stereo-

types that these individuals battle each and eve-

ry day of their lives. The one factor common to

all our guests is poverty.

In 2013, some eighteen years after massive Wel-

fare cuts in 1995, the actual dollar amount of

assistance paid to those in receipt of Ontario

Works is still 8.6% less than it was in 1995.

The most recent information released by Statis-

tics Canada shows that Canada’s inflation rate

increased by 40.1% during this same timeframe.

In November, 2012, the CBC printed an article

stating that there are approximately 90,000

Hamiltonians living in poverty, 35,000 residing

in the same electoral district as our Cathedral.

In a city the size of Hamilton, in 2012 Statistics

Canada pegged poverty as a single person with a

net income of less than $19,597 per year. A re-

cipient of Ontario Works, combined with federal

and provincial tax credits, receives approximate-

ly 42% of that amount.

Sadly, for both the individual and society as a

whole, the majority of our Tuesday morning

guests will never have the opportunity to escape

their situation or enjoy some of the simplest

things that most of us take for granted in our day

to day lives.

I am only one of ten dedicated volunteers of this

this Outreach Ministry. Each Tuesday we bring

our knowledge, our faith and our personal expe-

rience together. And together, we strive to carry

out what Christ taught us in the book of Leviti-

cus (19:18) “love thy neighbor as thyself”. I

myself am immensely proud and blessed to be a

part of this Faith Community.


A group of volunteers have met, usually on Fri-

day mornings, throughout the summer keeping

the Bishopsgate gardens bright. There are rarely

more than three or four of us available but the

following have shared their time and talent on

your behalf: Jo and Shirley Fricker, Audrey

Fleming, Jean Livingstone, Carol Spence, Steve

Varey, and Sandy Darling. The space is regu-

larly used by those who work in the building

and eat lunch there, friends from the meal ticket

program who socialise there, neighbours and

other visitors who sit in the garden and tell us

how much they appreciate the beauty of the qui-

et oasis in the busy city core. We regularly hear

words of appreciation for our efforts and thanks

for the importance our congregation puts on this

space and how it has helped to build community

and been part of the changes happening on

James Street North.

We also take care of the seven planters which

grace the north side of the building as you enter

from the parking lot. The two planters, which

were moved this time last year to the South alley

from Hughson, have made a difference in reduc-


LAY WEEDERS

A Riot of Colour

by Jeni Darling


23

2013 was another strong and successful year for

the Makers’ Market and our vendors. The ever

growing success of the Art Crawl has meant

new opportunities for the vendors of Makers’

Market. Clothing and visual-arts vendors share

space at the market with well-known Hamilton

food & drink vendors such as Cake & Loaf and

Red Hill Coffee. This new mix of vendors is

reaching out to an ever growing audience who

attend the monthly Art Crawls, which continued

to grow in attendance this year.

This past September, Makers’ Market took part

in the largest and most successful Supercrawl.

Our vendors worked tirelessly to offer high

quality art, artesian goods, clothing, food and

drinks to some of the 100,000 people who at-

tended the festival that weekend. While the

working days were long, many vendors spoke of

record breaking sales and are already planning

for next year’s Supercrawl.

With the end of summer, the last outdoor market

of the season took place during the Friday Oct

11th Art Crawl. The market will soon move

indoors for our annual Holiday market on Satur-

day, December 7th.

With a focus on the Art Crawls, Makers’ Market

continues to build strong connections between

the Cathedral and the community. Makers’

Market deeply values the place we have in the

Cathedral, and the role we have in helping to

build relationships with the people who live,

work, and play in downtown Hamilton.

More information can be found at Makers-

Market.ca or visit their Facebook page.

ing vehicular traffic from Hughson Street while

still maintaining a public right of way. All the

planters have really benefitted from the regular

watering provided by the desk staff. We hope

you enjoy the riot of colour that they have pro-

vided this summer.

There are times when a garden can be very de-

manding, when we learn from it how to make

the best use of the space. I am still learning

how to lead my trusty team. If you are interest-

ed in helping in the garden I am happy to talk

to you about opportunities.


MAKERS’ MARKET

Record Breaking Sales

by Matt Thompson


http://www.makersmarket.ca/

http://www.makersmarket.ca/

https://www.facebook.com/MakersMarketHamilton

24

JETTE THOMAS

Cross-stitching and

real Danish pastry

3...2...1...CONTACT

1. What is your idea of a perfect day?

No cooking, no chores, and good light

for my cross-stitching.

2. Why did you choose the Cathedral as

your spiritual home?

That is where my husband is an honorary

canon, and where my parents and son’s

ashes rest.

3. What is the one thing that you most

look forward to at the Cathedral?

The music – although by going to the

8:30 service, I miss a lot of it.

4. If you could change one thing at the

Cathedral, what would it be?

Holding evensongs consistently at the

same time and Sunday of the month.

5. Which living person do you most ad-

mire?

Queen Elizabeth II

6. What would be your desert island pick

for a book, a piece of music and food?

The Book – “In this House of Brede” by

Rumer Godden

Music – “Zadoc the Priest”

Food – Danish Pastry—any variety (Not

the North American “danish” )

7. Where would your dream vacation spot

be?

Either aboard the Queen Mary 2 or my

cousin’s summer house in Denmark.


25

1. What is your idea of a perfect day?

A quiet one with family and good friends

– including some time outdoors, a full

Danish lunch ( including stimulating

conversation, pickled herring, akvavit,

and ale!), and ending at fireside with a

single malt scotch.

2. Why did you choose the Cathedral as

your spiritual home?

It chose me – I was ordained Deacon

here in 1980, have been on the staff

since 1993, and enjoy both the people

and the liturgies – especially the festivals

and special occasions.

3. What is the one thing that you most

look forward to at the Cathedral?

The Easter Vigil and the following party

– alternatively the fellowship and food

after the Tuesday 7:30 am Eucharist.

4. If you could change one thing at the

Cathedral, what would it be?

The size and commitment of the congre-

gation (and the matching Endowment

Fund) – upwards!

5. Which living person do you most ad-

mire?

Normally I’m too critical to admire any-

one – but if I had to choose today it

would be a toss-up between Elizabeth

May ( the last principled politician in

Canada ) and Pope Francis – (who con-

sistently practices what he preaches).

6. What would be your desert island pick

for a book, a piece of music and food?

The Book – Matthew Fox “Original

Blessing” – a new religious paradigm

Music – anything by Loreena McKen-

nitt, especially “The Mask & The Mir-

ror” album

Food – see question #1

7. Where would your dream vacation spot

be?

A month travelling around New Zealand

( viewing Lord of the Rings sites), hav-

ing travelled there by ship.

3...2...1...CONTACT

BILL THOMAS

Herring, Matthew Fox

and Hobbits


26

I’ve lost all track of whether folks under 26 or

so are called Generation X,Y,Z, Millennials or

whatever, but regardless here is good advice

from one. (well known and acted upon by our

core Visitor Guides but good for all to be aware

of).

Comment was from Matt Thompson who is an

incredibly bright and well respected social

change guy who sits on our Outreach Commit-

tee.

He knows and loves CCC through Makers’

Market etc. At our last meeting he commented

on how good things like Art Crawl and Super

Crawl must be for getting attendance.

I quickly asked...”Matt, you know the under 30s

a tad better than me, what should we say to

them?”

He just as quickly replied:

1. “During your Tours, make evident early on

that you are “LGBT Friendly”. Don’t as-

sume that having an Aids Altar covers eve-

rything. Just say ‘CCC is LGBT friendly’.

Most guests are not members of the LGBT

communities, but being ‘friendly’ is the big

proxy for us not being perceived as same-

old, same-old.

2. Sure, talk a little about God but as much

about your active connection with the broad-

er community through all of your Outreach

and ministries.

3. Repeatedly remind folks that one need not

‘be Anglican’ or ‘be baptized’ or ‘know the

secret handshake’ to attend. Most people I

know are very surprised to hear that your

services are open to all”.

Good advice me thinks.

SEATS IN PEWS

GENERATION X, Y, Z

What should we say?

by Steve Varey


27

FALL EDUCATION SERIES

Tex Sample is the Robert B. And Kathleen Rogers Professor Emeritus of Church and Society at The

Saint Paul School of Theology where he taught for 32 years. He holds a B.A. degree from Millsaps Col-

lege, an M.Div. from the Boston University School of Theology, a Ph.D. from the Boston University

Graduate School. and a D.D. from Coe College. Boston University School of Theology gave him the

“Distinguished Alumnus Award” in 1999. Sample is a freelance lecturer and speaker in North America

and overseas. He has published 12 books and is also the author of articles in academic journals, maga-

zines, and books.

An ordained elder in The United Methodist Church, Sample is a frequent contributor to the popular

“Living the Questions” series on living faithfully in the 21st Century, and has done workshops with Ni-

agara Clergy and laity.

LEARNING OUR STORY

AND THE STORY…

...Through the Earthy

Mysticism of Tex Sample

with Bill Thomas

Sundays 8:45 - 10:15 a.m. The Niagara Room C.C.C.

Nov 3

Introduction to Storytelling

The danger of placing God’s story in another story

The danger of idolatry

“Roy Rogers and Jesus” (Matthew 5:1-14)

Nov 10

No session

Nov 24

The God Who Finds Us

Metaphors for God’s action in the world & in us

Forgiveness and change

“Everlasting arms AND legs” (Deuteronomy 33:27)

“I have the Authority” (John 20:19-23)

Nov 17

Getting the Story Right

In giving in to the temptation to conform to the

world, we fail to live faithfully in God’s story.

What story operates in our reading of Scripture?

“Everybody’s Doin’ It” (Romans 12:1-2, 9-18)

“On the way” (Psalm 119”105-112, Acts 19:1-10)

Dec 1

The Craft Tradition of Knowing

Our practices shape and form us

How church hymns & secular songs shape us

“The Plasterers” (2 Timothy 2:15)

“Stlle Nacht, Heilige Nacht” (John 13:12-17)

Dec 8

Witness

When neighbourhoods change

To what do the people we gather with bond us?

“Big Mart” (Matthew 28:16-20)

“Bull Dog” (Acts 2:1-13)


29

For the most part, our financial results to Sep-

tember 30th are in line with projections. Our

only item of concern is parishioner givings.

Why are we concerned? Two reasons: We’re

currently about 10% below budget and we’re

4% below where we were last year. With only

12 weeks remaining, it will take a special effort

on all our parts to meet our year end target in

parishioner givings.

The September 30th statements specify how

much a 2% increase means to each giver. Some

have already met or exceeded that goal. We’re

confident that others will meet that goal by De-

cember. We have always been and continue to

be a generous congregation and for this we are

truly grateful.

Our work in this community and as part of the

greater Anglican community is achieved by our

commitment and focus on all our goals.

FINANCIAL UPDATE

FINANCIAL REPORT

Focus on Goals

by Corporation

Sept 2013 Budget to

Sept 2013

Variance

to Budget Sept 2012

%

Variance

over 2012

Income

Parishioner Givings $ 203,903 $ 226,247 -$ 22,343 $ 212,839 -4.2%

Special Offerings $ 5,369 $

- $ 5,369

$

- 999.0%

Morris Endowment $ 18,750 $ 18,750 $

-

$

- 999.0%

Other $ 18,302 $ 14,025 $ 4,277 $ 16,005 14.4%

Total Income $ 246,325 $ 259,022 -$ 12,697 $ 228,844 7.6%

Expenses $

-

Salaries $ 171,775 $ 182,606 -$ 10,831 $ 150,702 14.0%

Property $ 71,251 $ 71,679 -$ 428 $ 69,700 2.2%

Administration $ 48,307 $ 47,343 $ 1,018 $ 28,983 66.7%

Total Expense $ 291,333 $ 301,628 -$ 10,241 $ 249,386 16.8%

Net Income -$ 45,008 -$ 42,607 -$ 2,401 -$ 20,542 -119.4%


30

FIND YOUR NICHE

Would you like to find your niche in the Cathe-

dral? There are ninety-nine new niches in the

All Souls Chapel Columbarium. Renovations in

the Columbarium and installation of the new

niches were completed over the summer. The

gates which were once in the middle of the

Chapel now enhance the west wall. The new

niches are on the south wall opposite the new

windowed door which creates a welcome entry

into the Columbarium.

All Souls Chapel is used throughout the year for

occasional services, as a place for devotions and

as a place of vigil and meditation during Holy

Week. The Columbarium is open for visitation

during Cathedral office hours and Sunday ser-

vices. Invitations are sent to niche owners or to

their families for the annual All Souls Service

celebration which includes our loved ones who

are inurned in the Columbarium.

The niches currently remain at the same prices

set in 1999: A double niche is $1800. A sin-

gle niche is $900. On January 1, 2014 the prices

will increase to $2000 for a double and $1000

for a single. Niches may be purchased by mem-

bers of the Cathedral, the Diocese and the com-

munity.

The additional costs of engraving the niche cov-

er and the verger’s fee for opening and closing

the niche for the inurnment service are billed to

the estate following the inurnment of ashes.

If you are interested in making an enquiry or in

purchasing a niche please contact the Cathedral

office at 905-527-1316 or Donelle de Vlaming

at [email protected].

ALL SOULS CHAPEL

A place for devotions, vigil

and meditation

by Donelle de Vlaming


mailto:[email protected]

31

To the Three Cantors (all four of them!)

recipients of an Honorary Doctor of Divinity from

Huron University College in London, Ontario

on Saturday, September 28, 2013

The Very Rev. Peter Wall, D.D.

The Rev. Canon Bill Cliff, D.D.

The Venerable David Picket, D.D.

Mr. Angus Sinclair, D.D.

CONGRATULATIONS!


32

Dean of Niagara and Rector of the Cathedral

The Very Rev. Peter A. Wall, D.D.

905-527-1316 Ext. 210

[email protected]

Interim In Charge

The Rt. Rev. D. Ralph Spence

905-527-1316 Ext. 210

Associate Priest

The Reverend Sue Channen

905-527-1316 Ext 250

[email protected]

Parish Administrator

Alison Meredith

905-527-1316 Ext. 240

[email protected]

Director of Music Ministries

Michael Bloss

905-527-1316 Ext. 220

[email protected]

Envelope Secretary

Janet Stirling

905-527-1316

Contact Editors

Anne Harvey & Paula Esteves

[email protected]

CONTACTS

Who’s who and how to contact them

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