Budget Updates from Community Life Council

Dear St Paul’s family, This letter follows up on the Community Life Council meeting held on April 9. The meeting was very well attended and I am grateful for all those who participated. Of course there are many more cathedral members who couldn’t be there, so, in the interest of transparency, this letter contains the … READ MORE…

Dean Letter: Spiritual Direction

Dear St. Paul’s family, In this holiest of seasons I want to encourage you to spend time in prayer and to consider ways to deepen your connection to God. One way is to adopt a classic form of spiritual discipline. Are you familiar with the term “spiritual direction”? Maybe you have read Susan Howatch’s novels … READ MORE…

The Sunday Sermon: Of Love and Death

A dinner party among beloved friends, drawn closer together by a shared experience of loss and renewal. An unexpected and embarrassing interruption, an over-the-top gift, an acting out of unconditional love, an unwelcome reminder of a long shadow that looms over the gathering. I wonder if you have ever had something like this experience? Most … READ MORE…

Dean Letter: About Decision Making

Dear St. Paul’s family, In any institution decisions have to be made by someone. So, how do we make decisions in a community like St. Paul’s Cathedral? The congregation elects Chapter members to take this responsibility on their behalf. The responsibility includes the creation of a budget and the responsible stewardship of resources. Because we … READ MORE…

Dean letter: DHS Security System

Dear St. Paul’s family, One of the perennial conversations cathedral staff engage in concerns the safety and security of both staff and parishioners during Cathedral events and during the week. We are all too well aware of recent terrorist attacks on houses of worship, not to mention the chronic security challenges posed by mentally unstable … READ MORE…

Dean Letter: Chancel Cross

Dear St. Paul’s family, If you are reading this in church, look up and take a good look at the cross hanging in the chancel over the altar. It’s a wood sculpture of a traditional image of the risen Christ, known as the Christus Victor or Christus Rex, with a king’s crown and priestly garments. … READ MORE…

Dean Letter: Seasons and Colors

Dear St Paul’s family, On Sunday we held our quarterly newcomers’ brunch and one of our guests mentioned that he had noticed this week that our worship went through some changes. He wondered why. So here’s a primer on the seasons of the church year and how we mark them with color. The first season … READ MORE…

Dean Letter: Social Media Behavior

Dear St. Paul’s family, We live in a world where we often get news of friends and family through social media such as Twitter and Facebook. We also live in a culture that exerts pressure to share news and information immediately. When something terrible or wonderful happens, it is very tempting to share it right … READ MORE…

Altar Guild Chat

Sunday, March 3rd Altar Guild Chat I am Kris Hatch, a long time member of St. Paul’s and a Sacristan on Altar Guild. Mary, Martha and Lazereth of Bethany were siblings. In Luke 10, Mary sat with the followers to listen to Jesus and was known as a disciple. Martha, more concerned with service, was … READ MORE…

The Sunday Sermon: coming down from the mountain

There once was a man who, when filling out a form for a job, came to a question which said, “What is your church preference?” The man thought about the question for some time because he really needed the job. He wanted to impress the employer and answered very confidently, “I prefer a red brick … READ MORE…