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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Dear St. Paul’s family, At its January meeting, Chapter adopted the following Principles for Social Justice, proposed and crafted by our Peace and Justice Committee. These now form part of a foundation of essential values, along with the Baptismal Covenant, that underly our decision-making as a community. I hope you will adopt them for your … READ MORE…
Dear St. Paul’s family, After the City Council vote on January 28 to approve our construction project, there was a long series of posts on the neighborhood social media site NextDoor. With input from our consultants, I crafted this letter and posted it to correct some of the misperceptions. You might find it useful in … READ MORE…
Dear St. Paul’s family, From time to time I want to share with you what some of our lay ministers do behind the scenes. As you know, over 300 people donate time and talent to the many ministries of the cathedral. Some ministries are more visible than others, but every ministry is valuable. Here is … READ MORE…
Dear St. Paul’s family, Here’s another in our occasional series of “Words of our Worship”. This one is about Laying the Table. When we lay the table for a dinner party we are careful to include the right forks, knives, condiments, place mats and dishes. The same goes for setting the altar for the sacrament … READ MORE…