1. Christ’s Church Cathedral | Thanksgiving 2013
WARDEN’S WORLD
Soul Satisfaction
Hello & Goodbye
CHILDREN’S
MINISTRY
HARRRP’S NOT FALLING BEHIND
CATHEDRAL TREASURES
Christ’s Church Cathedral | Thanksgiving 2013
EARTHY MYSTICISM
Fall Education Series
New choral group
FIND YOUR
NICHE
CATHEDRAL CHORISTERS
Summer Outreach
2. 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. 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
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4. 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
Return to Table of Contents
6. 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!
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7. 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
Return to Table of Contents
8. 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)
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)
(Continued on page 10)
10. 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-
(Continued from page 9)
(Continued on page 11)
11. 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.
(Continued from page 10)
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12. 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
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13. 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
(Continued on page 14)
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. 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.
(Continued from page 13)
MUSIC AT THE
CATHEDRAL
Return to Table of Contents
15. 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 stpetersharrrp@gmail.com 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
Return to Table of Contents
17. 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
Choral Eucharist
10:30
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
Meal Tickets
9:30-11:30
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
Choral Eucharist 10:30
A Service of Compline
4:30 pm
16
Bible Study
10:30
Holy Eucharist
12:15
17
Holy Eucharist
7:30 am &
12:15
Meal Tickets
9:30-11:30
18
Holy Eucharist
12:15
Prayer Shawl
Knitting 1-3
19
Holy Eucharist
12:15
20
Community
Sisters
Breakfast 9:30
Mulberry Café
Holy Eucharist
12:15
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)
Choral Eucharist
10:30
30
No Service
31
No Service
18. 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)
Return to Table of Contents
19. 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
Return to Table of Contents
20. 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
Return to Table of Contents
21. 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?
(Continued on page 22)
MEAL TICKET
PROGRAM
Looking beyond
Stereotypes
by Michael Fitzpatrick
22. 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.
(Continued from page 21)
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-
(Continued on page 23)
LAY WEEDERS
A Riot of Colour
by Jeni Darling
Return to Table of Contents
23. 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.
(Continued from page 22)
MAKERS’ MARKET
Record Breaking Sales
by Matt Thompson
Return to Table of Contents
24. 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.
Return to Table of Contents
25. 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
Return to Table of Contents
26. 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
Return to Table of Contents
27. 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)
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29. 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%
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30. 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 ddevlaming@cogeco.ca.
ALL SOULS CHAPEL
A place for devotions, vigil
and meditation
by Donelle de Vlaming
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31. 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!
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32. 32
Dean of Niagara and Rector of the Cathedral
The Very Rev. Peter A. Wall, D.D.
905-527-1316 Ext. 210
peter.wall@niagaraanglican.ca
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
sue.channen@niagaraanglican.ca
Parish Administrator
Alison Meredith
905-527-1316 Ext. 240
alison.meredith@niagaraanglican.ca
Director of Music Ministries
Michael Bloss
905-527-1316 Ext. 220
michael.bloss@niagaraanglican.ca
Envelope Secretary
Janet Stirling
905-527-1316
Contact Editors
Anne Harvey & Paula Esteves
ccc.contact@gmail.com
CONTACTS
Who’s who and how to contact them
