Dear St. Paul’s family, Since early April, when we announced our plan to right-size the budget, plans have been underway to provide for the continuation of our Spanish-language ministry and our formation programs, after we lose Fr Carlos and David Tremaine. In this letter I want to update you on the Spanish-language plans. I am … READ MORE…
Dear St. Paul’s family, In light of the recent tragedy in Poway, several people have contacted the Cathedral to ask about what we do to secure the campus and congregation. Our Director of Administration, Kathleen, recently briefed Chapter on our current and planned measures, and I want to share this information with you. Things we … READ MORE…
Dear St. Paul’s family, Last week many of you participated in the annual philanthropic exercise ‘Dine Out for Life”, supporting the important ministry of our local LGBT Center. Did you know that the Episcopal Church has its own dedicated ministry to LGBTQ+ persons? It’s called IntegrityUSA. IntegrityUSA and its local chapters have advocated for full … READ MORE…
Dear St. Paul’s family, Alleluia! Christ is risen! We have entered into the great 50 days of Easter, the “queen of seasons” which began at sunset on Easter Eve and ends with the day of Pentecost. Today all is joy and celebration, but we walked through some deep darkness to arrive at the light. I … READ MORE…
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…