Acts of Loving Service

The fastidious Pharisees and scribes of Jesus’ time get a bad rap through much of the New Testament, including in the gospel passage appointed for this coming Sunday. Jesus reacts to their carping about his disciples’ negligence in ritual hand-washing. Yet how many of us in our pandemic-ridden time could benefit from some pharisaic fastidiousness in hygienic hand-washing? Not to mention mask-wearing and getting vaccinated….

Likewise the letter of James has taken hits through much of Christian history, especially for the passage we’ll hear. The writer urges, “be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves,” prompting Martin Luther, for example, to brand the whole book “an epistle of straw.” The great reformer read it (or misread it?) as promoting works of righteousness, the notion that God’s saving love is a reward we must earn by our good works rather than an unmerited gift that in turn frees us to live lives of faith and gratitude in loving service to God and one another. Yet how many of us in our pandemic-ridden time could benefit from some James-like emphasis on good works—acts of loving service to one another and so to God? Such as mask-wearing and getting vaccinated….

Striking, isn’t it, how these ancient texts have a way of speaking to us now?

Join us this Sunday, any Sunday. The conversation can be lively.

In-Person Worship Resumes on Sunday

It is with great joy that we welcome you back to in-person woship this Sunday! After undergoing COVID-19 testing, we are relieved and thankful that our remaining staff have tested negative and resumed work this week in the Cathedral.

As a reminder, we are still operating under the regathering guidelines which require maks at all our worship services and limit attendance capacity to 75% of the Cathedral’s seating with social distancing requirements (approximately 80-85 people per service). For the safety of all our attendees, we ask that if you are feeling unwell or suspect you have been exposed to COVID-19, please worship online. We will continue offering worship online in addition to in-person.

READ OUR CURRENT GUIDELINES

Blessing of the Backpacks

SUNDAY, AUG. 29

As we regather again in-person, we welcome students to participate in our backpack blessing during our 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. services. Students of all ages are invited to bring their backpacks to church this Sunday so that we may joyfully send you off into the new school year!

Attention Strawberry Festival Volunteers!

SUNDAY, AUG. 29 FROM 7AM TO 2:30PM

If you’ve signed up to volunteer for the Strawberry Festival on Sept. 2, you can come pick up your free volunteer T-shirt THIS SUNDAY before and after each service in the Godly Play room. Be sure to wear your T-shirt next Thursday when you come to volunteer! Still need to sign up?

SIGN UP HERE

Strawberry Festival Volunteers Needed

THURSDAY, SEPT. 2 FROM 9AM TO 4PM

The Cathedral Women’s 55th Annual Strawberry Festival will take place on Thursday, September 2nd on Monument Circle, and volunteers are needed to help make it happen! Proceeds from the sale of our homemade shortcake with “the Works” are given to agencies doing good work in our community. Check out a list of agencies who benefitted last year here.

Please consider taking a shift to scoop berries, run ice cream buckets to lines, or cashier (you need a smartphone with unlimited data for this one)! You’ll get a free T-shirt, a coupon for a free shortcake, and depending on the amount of time you volunteer, a sack lunch. Please consider offering your time and talent to this beloved community event!! All volunteers must be masked and vaccinated.

SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER

Vestry Confirms New Clerk

We are pleased to announce that Merrill Grayson was confirmed as the new Clerk of the Vestry at the Vestry’s meeting this past Tuesday. The Clerk of the Vestry, a non-voting member of the governing board, is responsible for producing minutes of all Vestry meetings and the annual parish meeting. The clerk is elected by the Vestry for a one-year term.

Merrill has been a faithful member of CCC since his baptism in 1998. He currently manages the lectors for our English-language services, and in the last 20+ years, he has served in a variety of roles at CCC, including a previous stint as the Clerk of the Vestry. Merrill has been a Vestry member and has served on the Parish Life, Communications, Music and Nominating Committees in addition to leading a weekly Adult Formation discussion of the Sunday lectionary (among many other things). When he’s not working for CCC, Merrill is a data engineering manager for Rolls-Royce Defense in the Unites States.

Although we regret that Mallory Essig had to resign due to work-related scheduling conflicts, we’re confident Merrill will be an excellent replacement.

Pastoral Support Training for All

Are you a person with a caring heart and a good listening ear? Or do you believe you could be and would like to develop and grow in those qualities? Rarely has the need for such gifts been greater than now as we all struggle through the continuing COVID-19 pandemic and its variants.

At Christ Church Cathedral we can train you to be a Stephen Minister—to provide confidential, one-on-one support for people who are facing various challenges and stresses, whether confinement and loneliness; illness or grief over the death of a loved one; separation or divorce; job loss, relocation, or retirement; a new arrival or an empty nest; fear for your health or the well-being of loved ones during these trying times. Stephen Ministers model Christ’s love by being present with their care receivers—listening, empathizing, and encouraging.

Consider applying for training if you feel a call to this ministry. Training is interactive and intensive, challenging and rewarding, and teaches skills valuable in all human relationships. Commissioned care providers are then supported through regular, required supervision.

Classes will be conducted Monday evenings from 7 to 8:30 p.m. beginning Oct. 20, online via Zoom until in-person sessions are permitted.

Interested? Contact Canon Tom Kryder-Reid by Oct. 1.

EMAIL CANON TOM

A Morning of Prayer and Meditation

SATURDAY, SEPT. 4, AT 10AM

Jesus said to his disciples: “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a little while.” (Mark 6:31) As our Cathedral continues its Remember, Renew, Rise Season of Discernment about God’s call to us for our next chapter of ministry, we invite you to come away and rest with us at a Morning of Prayer and Meditation. We’ll gather at the Benedict Inn in Beech Grove to walk the labyrinth and discuss our experiences.

Labyrinth walking is an ancient practice used by many different faiths for spiritual centering, contemplation, and prayer. In the Christian tradition, labyrinths are often part of spiritual pilgrimages and quests for answers to deep spiritual questions and an answering to prayer. Our very own Michael Landon, a trained spiritual director, will guide us in exercises to learn how to use the labyrinth as part of deepening our individual practices of faith.

Masks and social distancing are required at all CCC events regardless of vaccination status.

RSVP BY FRIDAY, SEPT. 3

Apple Picking at Anderson Orchard

SATURDAY, SEPT. 11, AT 11AM

This annual outing, started more than a decade ago by CCC’s Latino community, is a crowd favorite! Bring a picnic and meet at the playground at Anderson Orchard in Mooresville. We’ll work our way through the orchard to find a perfect picnic spot by the lake. Pick a bag of apples for your family and/or to benefit CCC’s Sunday morning breakfast ministry for our neighbors experiencing homelessness and hunger.

RSVP NOW

Your Gifts Have Funded Another Grant

Now, more than ever, community organizations are working to meet the emerging needs of domestic violence survivors. Since the pandemic began, domestic violence homicide rates have increased by 113 percent alone. For that reason and more, we are grateful for your gifts that have funded another Covenant Grant to Alternatives, Inc.

Alternatives, Inc. supports domestic violence survivors in Central Indiana through the initial stages of crisis with the ultimate strategy of helping them achieve abuse-free and financially independent lives. Their services include housing, children’s services, food and transportation security, and other means of education and prevention. The agency was founded in 1978 by seven dedicated women who shared a common vision of peace in every home. Thank you for sharing your abundant blessings with the people of the diocese!

GIVE NOW

SAVE THE DATE! Waller & Maxwell Guitar Duo: Spanish Music for Two Guitars

SATURDAY, SEPT. 18, AT 6:30PM

Soundboard magazine wrote of Anne Waller and Mark Maxwell, “Great playing! This duo delivers the goods from moment to moment, and piece to piece.” As energetic proponents of duo guitar playing, Anne Waller and Mark Maxwell have toured the United States and Europe for over 40 years. Their unique programming of works for both 19th-century and modern guitars provides rare insight into the evolution of this captivating art. Their program will feature works by Fernando Sor, Joaquin Rodrigo, and Manuel de Falla.

CHECK OUT THE FULL CONCERT SERIES

Help Needed: Volunteer Music Librarian

CCC is searching for a volunteer music librarian. Working with the Director of Music, the music librarian prepares music for upcoming services and files music from past services. Come help in the behind the scenes work that keeps the choir humming all year long! This position requires approximately two hours of work per week on Tuesday mornings.

EMAIL CANON CARUSO-LYNCH

CCC Seeking Canon for Spiritual Formation

We often think of spiritual formation as “Sunday School” where we send children to learn Bible stories, but at CCC we believe spiritual formation is a lifelong journey and can be done anywhere at any time. Do you have a passion for building up faithful followers of Christ? Are you dedicated to enriching congregants’ inner lives so that they can go forth and manifest God’s love in the world? We want you!

CCC’s Canon for Spiritual Formation will work to renew and revitalize all aspects of the Cathedral’s formation and educational ministries, including our offerings for children, youth, and adults. In a post-COVID world, our new Canon is in a unique position to help us entirely reimagine formation in ways that are intergenerational, intercultural, bilingual, dynamic, experiential, and not necessarily experienced in a traditional classroom setting.

LEARN MORE AND APPLY BY SEPTEMBER 10

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