For the week of May 24

CATHEDRAL CHRONICLE 252 James Street North, Hamilton, Ontario L8R 2L3 905-527-1316 ext 240

www.cathedralhamilton.ca WEEKLY PRAYER CYCLE Cathedral Services Parish Cycle of Prayer: Stephanie MacLeod, Paul Racher & As we are unable to worship together during the Amelia Racher; Judy Mark, Elaine Marshall. pandemic, we invite you to attend the following Cathedral services listed below. Anglican Cycle of Prayer: In the world-wide Anglican Com- munion we pray for all members of the Anglican Communion around the world, for the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Ascension Hymn Festival, May 24 Reverend Justin Welby, and all primates and , for mem- To access the order of service click here. bers of the Anglican Consultative Council, for the Secretary To access the audio click here. General, The Most Revd Dr Josiah Idowu-Fearon, for the staff at the Anglican Communion Office in London and the UN offices in Geneva and New York. In the Anglican Church of Canada we Evening Prayer - Easter 6, May 17 pray for John Chapman, Assistant Bishop , To access the order of service click here. the people and clergy of the Diocese of Ottawa. In the Evangel- To access the audio click here. ical Lutheran Church in Canada we pray for the staff of the Sas- katchewan Synod. In our partner diocese of Cuba we pray for the parish of San Andres in Manatí; The Reverend Gil Fat Yero, minister-in-charge and the people of that parish. In our we pray for our Bishop, The Right Reverend , St. John, Ridgemount, The Reverend Dan Bennett, Rector and the people of that parish.

As a community we pray for: Victims of domestic and family abuse and violence, especially women and children and those who help, support, counsel and care for them.

Those who have asked to be remembered in our prayers: Susan Andrews; Eric Mills; Jim Lawson; Susan Worrall; Paul & Barbara Clifford; Bob Snelling; Margit Kafka; Pam Blackwood; Jane Sinclair; Judy Robertson; John Passmore; Peter; Brian.

Cathedral Town Hall Meeting Thank you to all those who registered for the Cathedral Town Hall meeting on Zoom on Sunday, May 24 @ 11:30 a.m.

Specifically the agenda for our gathering is two-fold: 1) Report to the congregation on the work being done to clarify and strengthen the partnership between the Cathe- dral and Diocese in Cathedral Place. As we heard late last year Bishop Susan commissioned retired Archbishop Colin Johnson to review this partnership. His report to the Bish- op has resulted in a number of recommendations which the Bishop, cathedral corporation and senior diocesan leaders have been considering and pursuing in recent weeks. This is an opportunity for us to hear about that work. 2) Update from the Parochial Committee on the status of the interim and search processes and the Committee’s Cathedral Prayer Line continuing work. In these particularly difficult times, life can be over- whelming, family, friends, health concerns, relationships, financial problems. Could you use prayer?

Leave a confidential message at: [email protected] or 905-527-0432 or 905-527-1316 ext 240 To Louise van Woelderen who has been appointed to

serve as the PWRDF representative for Christ’s Oh, what peace we often forfeit; Church Cathedral. This appointment was made by the Oh, what needless pain we bear newly appointed PWRDF Diocesan Coordinator, Kerry All because we do not carry Lubrick and unanimously supported by the Cathedral Ev'rything to God in prayer. Corporation.

Centering Prayer Continues Centering Prayer is a practice of contemplative silence. Its purpose is to develop comfort and ease with reaching inward, listening to heart, opening to spirit. A group has met at the Cathedral to learn and to pray together since 2016. During COVID-19, we are continuing to meet via ZOOM. For more information, please contact Dale Guenter. PRAYER CORNER VIRTUAL COFFEE HOUR Loving God, You are invited to gather for Coffee Hour on whose peace passes all our understanding; Sunday, June 7th at 11am via Zoom. You can join as we face this present pandemic, by phone for an audio only participation if you and experience fear and anxiety, don't have or aren't comfortable operating with a camera may we hear your voice, and microphone on your computer, tablet or other digital bringing calm to the storms of our time. device. In order for us to cope with the many voices and get Strengthen those who work a chance to hear from everyone who wishes to speak, we to limit the spread of infection, will have a "managed" call, asking people to indicate by and those who seek to care for the sick, and keep us mindful of those most vulnerable. waving or using the chat function that they wish to speak. We will also be invited to share briefly something of what May we shape our living to protect one you are grateful for, how you are seeing God's love and another, and may our changing habits, practices and sacrifices, presence active at this time. If you would like to attend be for the greater love of please send an email to [email protected] and our community and all your people. instructions will be forwarded to you. Numbers are limited Amen. so please respond by Wednesday, June 4th. Don’t forget your coffee/tea! PENTECOST SUNDAY SUPPORTING THE CATHEDRAL WORSHIP - May 31st While we are not able to worship together, our staff continue to be paid and are working behind the scenes to ensure that we stay connected and that appropriate pastoral care is being provid- 10:00am - Prayers ed. Our new initiative of providing a safe place for those who have join Bishop Susan Bell no other available space, to come and rest and receive some re- freshment continues to welcome people on a daily basis, seven on the Diocesan Facebook page days a week. As a result of initiative and the on-going work of our staff, the Cathedral continues to incur many of our usual expens- 2:00pm - One in the Spirit es. Although we have experienced a drop in giving, we want to thank all of you who continue to use our pre-authorized monthly join The Most Rev. Anne Germond, giving, and for those who have recently signed up for pre- Metropolitan of Ontario authorized monthly giving. We also want to thank those who have click here been faithfully mailing their gifts to us. You can also donate through our web site, click here and click on the “Donate” button. You will have the option of making a donation by PayPal or by 4:00pm - One Family in Mission credit card. All of these various means are an effective way to join Bishop Susan Johnson, ensure our longer term health and continued presence in our community and beyond. Archbishop Linda Nicholls, and Thank you for your continuing support. Archbishop Mark MacDonald click here KEEPING INFORMED

Evening Prayer Service from Christ’s Click here to visit the diocesan Covid-19 resource hub to Church Cathedral click here find prayers resources, Bishop Susan’s Sunday services, a list of diocesan event cancellations and much, much more.

CATHEDRAL CONNECTIONS Thursday, 21 May 2020: Ascension Day The Ascension of Christ is the main theme of the east window. Only two of the gospels refer to the Ascension, and each devotes only one verse to the event. “He was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God” in Mark 16:19. St Luke says “And, it came to pass, while he was blessing them, he was parted from them and carried up into heaven” (24: 51). We have to turn to the Acts of the Apos- tles for a longer version, four verses (Acts 1: 9-12). In this account we learn that the location was Mount Olivet, that he was taken into a cloud, and angels spoke to the apostles.

The window was designed by Ballentine and Allen of Edinburgh (makers of the Suffer the Little Children window), and manufactured by McCausland in Toronto. The dedica- tion in 1885 made it to the newspaper, and in those days the newspaper reported on the sermons, which were prob- ably the major events of Sundays. OFFICE OF THE BISHOP OF NIAGARA Anglican Church of Canada

May 21, 2020

Dear Terry, Sharyn, Dan, and the Resting and Hygiene Centre volunteers,

Thank you so much for your work to ease hunger and bring peace of mind to some of the most vul- nerable people in your community during this unsettling time. Your commitment to be the hands and feet of Christ is truly inspiring and I am deeply appreciative of your dedication.

I am grateful for your compassionate response in supporting those who are in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you for your commitment to those who need it most by providing a place for people to come and experience care and compassion along with a hot cup of coffee, hy- giene essentials, and simply a place to relax away from the elements. Your commitment to the well -being of our neighbours is deeply appreciated.

I am pleased to share with you a gift of $750 from the Diocese of Niagara Pandemic Response Fund, a modest but most sincere affirmation of your good work to care for our neighbours. This gift is made possible by the generosity of so many people from all corners of our diocese who want to help by supporting your ministry.

With my deepest gratitude,

Bishop Susan Bell

The Right Reverend Susan J. A. Bell Cathedral Place, 252 James St. N., Hamilton, Ontario L8R 2L3 Tel: 905-527-1316 Email: [email protected] Twitter: @BishopSBell CHRIST’S CHURCH CATHEDRAL Diocese of Niagara

Cathedral Place 252 James Street North, Hamilton, Ontario L8R 2L3 Tel: 905-527-1316 Fax: 905-527-9247 [email protected] www.cathedralhamilton.ca

May 21, 2020 Ascension of the Lord

Dear friends in Christ,

Many years ago, I was taught (by a much loved friend and mentor, the late Venerable Dr. Stephen Hopkins) that thriving small group ministries included expressions of three “L’s” and two “D’s”: Liturgy, Learning, Loving, Deciding and Doing.

In recent months we have of necessity become many small groups in our congregation. Not able to gather in large group, in-person, services of worship, we are sometimes as small as a household of one, sometimes of many; sometimes of networks connected by mail, phone, email, livestream worship, audio-podcasts or Zoom calls; sometimes gatherings of family, friends, neighbours, liturgy teams, podcast leaders, staff, Corporation, Parochial and other committees, and, through the blessing of our Resting & Hygiene Centre, gatherings of strangers (i.e. new friends amongst visitors and volunteers).

In these small groups, we have been engaged in liturgy: live-streamed Sunday worship with our Bishop and wider diocesan family; audio podcasts of Cathedral evening prayer services with homilies; Zoom worship gatherings of members of a liturgy team; sampling on the internet the worship of other communities; praying for our parishioners, and for the wider church and world.

We have been learning through: using new (to us) digital technologies; the hymn festivals (including one on May 24 on Ascension hymns); the comprehensive and knowledgeable, virtual tour of the Cathedral on which Sandy Darling has so ably led us; and the Anglican Family Hub (see our and diocesan websites) providing for at-home Christian education for the entire family and youth group gatherings alike; and planning for a Cathedral families’ picnic in late June.

We have been loving: making phone inquiries about how people are coping with the requirement to shelter in place or who have been sick or in hospital; offering prayer and physically-distanced assistance; gathering for Zoom coffee hours (do join in on one on June 7) or, more Anglican yet, cocktail parties; sharing the agony of not being able to gather or be physically present to those who are sick or grieving; lamenting together the cancellation of graduations, and the delay of baptisms, confirmations, weddings, and even funerals; lamenting the announcement of the Rev’d Canon Dr. Sharyn Hall’s (second or third?) retirement from active ordained ministry, this time from her role as our Assistant Priest (on August 31), feeling deep gratitude for her devoted, faithful and sage leadership over so many years; launching a ministry of caring hospitality to those who are homeless or precariously housed in the daily Resting and Hygiene Centre operating in Myler Hall. [I learned moments ago of a new way in which we are in this venture together – the wider diocesan family is giving a Pandemic Response Fund grant to our Centre!]

We have been deciding to be true to our identity and values and to God’s call to mission: reflecting on our part in the diocesan Mission Action Plan, our partnership with the Synod in Cathedral Place, our sense of call for the future of ministry here and discerning with Bishop Susan the kind of ordained leadership which will be needed in the coming years. I look forward to this Sunday’s Cathedral Town Hall meeting when we will discuss a number of those matters.

And not in spite of the pandemic which has turned the world upside down, but also because of it, we have been doing what Jesus’ apprentices (disciples) are called to do: pray constantly; give generously; live gratefully; love sacrificially; witness boldly; worship whole-heartedly; seek justice; forgive freely and serve tirelessly. [My deepest thanks go to our lay leaders, staff & clergy who have worked so creatively and diligently to enable us to be who we are called to be!]

It is an interesting time in the church calendar, between the Ascension of the Lord and the Day of Pentecost. Jesus’ ascension witnesses that we will not see him in the same way as the disciples once did. But we are also not yet celebrating the Day of Pentecost, the birthday of the church occasioned by the sending of the Holy Spir- it. In some sense, this is a period of lonely waiting, knowing that what is not going to continue and yet not yet knowing what will emerge. It is an “in-between” time. Of course, in the unfolding of a global pandemic, we are also beginning to sense there will be a new normal for many aspects of our lives. What is also clear about this time in the church year is that the baton is being passed to us. The focus on Jesus ministry in the gospels is transitioning to the focus of the Acts of the Apostles – our ministry. The “apostles” in this case are us – we who have been sent with the message of God’s love for the world.

Many have expressed a deep ache for a return to common, in person, worship and to celebrations of the sacra- ments. I share those yearnings. Given the challenging times in which we find ourselves, there is a certain cruel- ty in the opening line of the biblical story of the sending of the Spirit. “When the Day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.” [Acts 2:1] We know full well that even as we hope to return to in-person worship, it is likely to be a very gradual process until we can all be “together in one place.”

So let us take some comfort in knowing that our expressions of small group ministries have a ring of authentic- ity while we “gather” in the one place – of the loving gaze of a God who blesses even at times when it appears as though God is leaving or absent. “While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven.” [Luke 24:51] The one place in which we are always found together is in the Spirit. And like the early apostles, we do not need to simply stand looking at a space where we last saw Jesus. “Why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus… will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven. [Acts 1:11] This Jesus is still among us even when only two or three are gathered together.

Yours in the risen and ascended Christ,

The Rev’d Canon Terry DeForest Rector in the Interim