THE OPEN DOOR - Saint John`s Cathedral

Life at your Cathedral Parish
TH E O PE N DOO R
April 2012
From the Dean: Death, and Life
A couple of days ago, I ran into someone whom I have known for almost a decade.
We are not close friends, nor do wee see each other often, but he has been part of
the fabric of my life for a long time now, and we always catch up a bit when we meet.
So, naturally, I expected the usual chit-chat, and was quite unprepared for his news.
“Are you well?” I asked, in the usual way one opens a conversation like this.
“Well, no,” came his reply. “I have stage 4 lung cancer, and it is untreatable. So I
have decided not to undergo any radiation or chemo, which might extend my life by
a month or two, and not very pleasantly. In a couple of months I shall be moving to a place where I can be
cared for.”
After an exchange in which he said that the doctors have told him that, perhaps, he might live for another
eight months or so, he said, quite calmly and convincingly, “Actually, I am genuinely at peace with this. The
longing for God that I have felt all my life will at last be satisfied.”
It was a profoundly moving moment. “Death is a part of life,” as Forrest Gump’s mother used to say (and to
which Forrest remarked, “I sure wish it wasn’t”). In my priestly life I have attended numerous deaths and
presided at hundreds of funerals, so I know this well enough. Yet I have rarely witnessed such peacefulness
in the face of death. Here we were, in a place with which I have associated him for so long, and soon this
place will know him no more. The landscape will be changed forever, and I shall never return here without
remembering him and his quiet, gentle, faithful presence.
In these days since he told me his news, I have been filled with two overwhelming experiences. The first is a
flood of memories, of so many people whom I have known and who are now gone, and whom I carry within
me. To remember is a sacred act, and the memories of a lifetime tell our story. “When I look back at my life,”
wrote the late Michael Mayne, for a time the Dean of Westminster Abbey, “all the people I have known and
loved, and all the places to which I have ever been, are somehow still part of me.” Their names and faces fill
me with wonder and gratitude as I remember.
But then I have also asked myself, if I am ever given to know that my death is near, whether I shall be able to
face death with the same calm and the same trust that I see in this person. Will I be strong enough to know
the truth of my illness and be realistic about treatment? Will I fight for every moment of life, regardless of the
cost to me and to those around me? Or will I know when the time has come to stop clinging to this life, and
turn to preparing for death? Will I be at peace? Will I welcome the One whose love for me is stronger than
death? Will I long to see God face to face?
There are some things we cannot know until, and if, they are demanded of us.
The season of Easter is given to us as a time to deepen our trust, to lay the groundwork of the soul for life
now, and for death later. We cannot force a feeling, but we can, by grace, train our attitude and focus our will.
The God who raised Jesus from the dead assures us that God has not made us just to throw us away. We are
created with an indestructible personality and an eternal destiny, over which death, so apparently strong and
ruthless now, will not prevail.
This is the promise of the God in whom we place our ultimate trust. May we all come to know the peace that
comes with such trust.
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Staff and Vestry
Holy Week and Easter - April 1-8
Clergy
The Reverend Canon Martin Draper will be our guest preacher for Holy
Week. The nursery will be open for all evening services during Holy Week.
The Very Reverend Peter Eaton
Rector and Dean, Ext. 7721
Palm Sunday - April 1
The Reverend Canon
Andrew Van Culin
Sub-Dean, Ext. 7721
The Reverend Canon
Rebecca J. Crummey
Ext. 7704
The Reverend Blake Sawicky
Curate, Ext. 7731
Senior Staff
Kim McPherson
Director of Religious Education
Ext. 7729
Mike Orr
Communications Director
Ext. 7730
Stephen Tappe
Organist and Director of Music
Ext. 7726
Vestry
Tom Stoever, Senior Warden
Frank Scott, Junior Warden
Mary Ellen Williams, Treasurer
David Abbott, Clerk
Class of 2015
Susan Chenier, Larry Kueter,
Ned Rule, John van Camp
Class of 2014
David Abbot, Newt Klusmire,
Jim East, Mary Ellen Williams
Class of 2013
Scott Barker, Brad Case,
Jane Horn, Kaye Siemers
7:30 am, 9:00 am, 11:15 am
Solemn Eucharist, the Blessing of Palms, and the Passion
No Christian Education classes today.
6:00 pm The Wilderness
Holy Monday - April 2
8:30 am Morning Prayer
5:00 pm Evening Prayer
7:00 pm Eucharist and Address
Holy Tuesday - April 3
8:30 am Morning Prayer
5:00 pm Evening Prayer
7:00 pm Eucharist and Address
Holy Wednesday - April 4
7:00 am Eucharist
8:30 am Morning Prayer
5:00 pm Evening Prayer
5:30 pm Eucharist (Saint Martin’s Chapel)
5:30 pm Holy Week Family Service (Saint Francis Chapel)
7:00 pm Tenebrae
Maundy Thursday - April 5
8:30 am Morning Prayer
5:00 pm Evening Prayer
6:00 pm Parish Soup Supper
7:00 pm The Liturgy of the Lord’s Supper
9:00 pm - 8:00 am, Friday All night Prayer Vigil
Good Friday - April 6
8:30 am Morning Prayer
12:00 noon Good Friday Liturgy
5:00 pm Evening Prayer
7:00 pm Good Friday Liturgy
Holy Saturday - April 7
8:30 am Morning Prayer
5:00 pm Evening Prayer
7:00 pm Easter Vigil, Baptisms and Confirmations, and the First Mass of
Easter
Easter Day - April 8
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7:30, 9:00, 11:15 am Festival Eucharist of Easter Day
No Christian Education classes will be held.
6:00 pm The Wilderness
Sunday, April 1 - Palm Sunday, 10:10 - 11:00 am in Dagwell Hall
As Holy Week begins join us for our important Palm Sunday services and for refreshments in Dagwell Hall
between the 9:00 am and 11:15 am liturgies.
Sunday, April 8 - Easter Day
Between the 9:00 am and 11:15 am services today there will be an Easter Egg Hunt for the children on the
East Lawn and refreshments in Dagwell Hall.
Sunday, April 15 - The First Sunday of Easter, 10:10 - 11:00 am in Dagwell Hall
We shall celebrate the baptisms of new Christians today, and there will be time for refreshments and
fellowship for all in Dagwell Hall between our main services.
Sunday, April 22 - The Persecuted Church in Zimbabwe, 10:10 - 11:00 am in Dagwell Hall
The Very Reverend Farai Mutamiri, the Dean of Harare in Zimbabwe, who is with us for the Deans’ Conference
this weekend, will speak to us about the condition of the Church in Zimbabwe, where our fellow Anglicans
live and minister under tremendous pressure.
Sunday, April 29 - Living Vision 151+, 10:10 - 11:00 am in Dagwell Hall
As we look to the next chapter of our life and our congregation-wide conversations about what we hope
to accomplish as a Christian community, leaders of our Living Vision 151+ will outline the program that is
ahead of us.
From April 19 to 22, the annual conference of North American Deans will be meeting at Saint John’s
Cathedral. It has been many years since the conference last gathered here, and it will be good to welcome
the Deans back to Denver. Over 50 Deans and spouses will be here, including the Deans of Havana (Cuba)
and Harare (Zimbabwe), and will be meeting on the theme “Cathedrals in the 21st Century: From Mother
Churches to Mission Centers.” A number of speakers, including the Governor, the Mayor, Bishop O’Neill,
& Diana Butler Bass, will be raising critical issues with the Deans about the mission of the Church and the
special role that cathedrals can play in the life of the Church and the community.
Dean Stephen Carlsen our Visiting Preacher on Sunday, April 22 at 11:15 am
We are delighted that the Very Reverend Stephen Carlsen, our first Sub-Dean and now the Dean of
Indianapolis, will be our preacher at the 11:15 Eucharist on Sunday, April 22. Dean Carlsen is attending the
North American Deans’ Conference hosted by Saint John’s Cathedral.
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Volunteering at Saint John’s
Volunteers are needed for the Welcome Center Reception Desk. We have openings all week to serve,
Monday through Friday. To serve, contact [email protected] or call her at 303.577.7721.
Don’t forget to grab your burritos
after services! $3 for one, $5 for
two. Veggie or Sausage.
Our youth are pledging some of
the funds they raise through sales
to purchase the ingredients for
our Sunday Sandwich Ministry.
So, feed yourself and help feed
the hungry too!
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Book Club
Our next meeting will be on Sunday, April 15 at 10:10 am in the Library.
The book selection is Blue Nights by Joan Didion and Lou White will be our discussion leader. Amazon
says: “From one of our most powerful writers, a work of stunning frankness about losing a daughter.
Richly textured with bits of her own childhood and married life with her husband, John Gregory Dunne,
and daughter, Quintana Roo, this new book by Joan Didion examines her thoughts, fears, and doubts
regarding having children, illness, and growing old.”
For more information, please contact Susan Montgomery at 720.949.1815.
The Dean’s Bible Study, led by the Dean and the other clergy, on
Wednesday mornings will follow the 7:00 am Eucharist in the Library. Come
to the Mass and stay, or arrive after the service. Bring something for breakfast
and join us as we read the Gospel of Mark together. Newcomers and occasional
participants are always welcome. We begin at about 7:30 am and are done by
8:15 am; perfect for those on their way to work.
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Families are welcome at all Holy Week services found on page 2. Below are some highlighted
activities that are specifically designed for families. fi
Palm Sunday, April 1
There will be Children’s Chapel on Palm Sunday; children will gather on the East Lawn, process
behind the choir, and then proceed to Saint Francis Chapel, returning to the Cathedral in time for
Communion.
Holy Week Service for Families, April 4
Saint Francis Chapel, 5:30 pm
This service will take us on a journey through Holy Week, including Jesus’ Last Supper with his
disciples, the Footwashing (in which all are invited to participate), and ending with Good Friday and
the promise of Easter. This service is a Eucharist, and all are invited to a silent prayer time following.
Easter Day, April 8
Easter Activities Room, 8:00 am
Children (3 & up), please gather in room 103 for Easter activities prior to the 9:00 am service.
Parents, please sign in and take a Seat Saved sign for each child. Volunteers are needed for this hour.
You will get a Seat Saved sign as well! Please call Kim at 303.577.7729 to volunteer.
The Nursery is extra full on holidays.–Parents who use the nursery regularly (and are Safeguarding
God’s Children trained) are asked to help out as needed. Please check with Kim McPherson.
Easter Egg Hunt, 10:30 am
Eggs stuffed with candy, and plenty of friends to share the fun! Children will gather on the East
Lawn following the 9:00 am service for our Annual Easter Egg Hunt. Wee ones (Ages 0-3) will hunt
in the Nursery Play Garden (enter through the nursery, or the gate on Clarkson Street). Children
(4 & up) will gather just outside Memorial Hall for instructions so that the hunt begins when all are
gathered.
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No 10:15 am Christian Ed classes on Palm Sunday or Easter Day!
The Nursery will be open for all evening services during Holy Week, Monday - Saturday.
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: Nursery open for the 7:00 pm services
Wednesday: Nursery open for the 5:30 pm Families Service
Saturday: Nursery open from 4:00 pm through Easter Vigil.
Our nursery is a cheerful, safe and welcoming environment for our very youngest members. It is staffed by professional
caregivers as well as volunteers—all trained to ensure your child’s stay is safe in every possible way! Nursery Volunteers
begin the introduction to our Christian tradition through creative play and stories. During weekday or other offerings,
older children are welcome, too.
Sundays
8:30 am - 12:45 pm
5:30 – 7:30 pm for the Wilderness
Wednesdays
4:00 to 8:45 pm and during special services & events throughout the year.
When you visit us, parents are asked to fill out an information sheet and to alert caregivers of anything that might make
their child’s time in the nursery more pleasant. Please have your cell phone (on vibrate) handy in case we need to call you.
Sundays
9:00 am Children’s Chapel (Ages 3 & up) Saint Francis Chapel, 2nd Floor
The Children’s Chapel time includes a lesson with activity, confession, prayers, hymns, songs and involvement every step
of the way! Parents may drop off children or remain in Chapel.
10:15 am Godly Play (Ages 3 - 3rd Grade)
In Godly Play, we create a safe and beautiful space where children are deeply respected as they see, hear and wonder about
stories from the Bible or another part of our Episcopal tradition. Using hands-on materials and “wondering questions” to
reflect on the story together, children then choose from a variety of materials—art supplies, building materials, books,
etc —to make their own creative responses, and to help make the stories truly their own. Prayers and a feast (snack) round
out the session.
3-4 year olds: Preschool Godly Play, Room 101
K-1st Grades: Godly Play Class, Room 103
2nd-3rd Grades: Godly Play for Older Kids, Room 107
10:15 am SOWhAT (4th - 5th Grade) Room 204
SOWhAT stands for: Stories, Outreach, Wonder, Arts & Theology. At this age, children can begin to delve more deeply into
the meaning of biblical core stories, and to learn ways to respond that are more sophisticated. This year, we are working
with the creation story, delving into the mystery and meaning contained in each of the “days.” From creating pinhole
viewers to a meditation on thirst, this class will deeply engage in wondering, and in reaching out to people in need.
Wednesdays
4:00 – 5:00 pm Godly Play, Room 103. Ages 4-9.
Director of Christian Education, Kim McPherson leads this Godly Play class. Younger children and those attending choir
may be signed in to the nursery in advance.
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Children’s Stewardship
Thank you to all who have so generously supported our Kids Pledge, Too! program. Combining the Sunday offerings in the
arks, our children’s pledges, and the Living Gift Market, Saint John’s was able to support Heifer Project International to
the tune of $13,341.85 in 2011. And on our Pajama Sunday, we collected $548.35 to send to Denver’s Road Home! Our
children are helping us live into our mission: To know Christ and to make Christ known.
We provide a caring, peaceful, justice-seeking and fun community in which youth can engage their faith in relevant ways.
After the 9:00 a.m. service, all youth gather in room 300 for hanging out. Pool or ping pong, air hockey or cards, this is a
time for laughter and fun. Then they gather for consideration of a topic, and separate into middle and high school groups
(in rooms 208 & 209) for deeper conversation relevant to their age group. We encourage questions and conversation in a
trusting atmosphere, and will intersperse the year with a variety of spiritual practices.
Sundays
Sundays at 10:15 am. After the 9:00 am service, all youth gather in room 300 for refreshments. Conversation and activities
around a chosen topic follows. Sometimes Middle & High School groups break into smaller groups (rooms 208 & 209) for
age-relevant discussion.
Important dates for Youth
• April 1: 9:00 am, Passion Gospel (All youth participate!)
• April 8: Hide Easter Eggs! Following the 9:00 am service, youth help with the Easter Egg Hunt on the East Lawn.
• April 21: Potluck and Rehearsal for Rite 13 Ceremony
• April 22: 9:00 am service, Rite 13 Ceremony
• May 1: Cathedral Camp Counselor Applications are Due!
Confirmation for High School Youth
We have six youth members in the Confirmation class, to be confirmed at the Easter Vigil on April 7 at 7:00 pm. Dr.
Frank Scott and Kim McPherson, Director of Religious Education, have been leading the class and will sponsor these young
people. Please keep them in your prayers!
Rite 13 Ceremony
All youth and parents will participate in our RITE 13 Ceremony on April 22 at the 9:00 am service. This is a time for us to
mark the change when those turning 13 move from childhood into their journey to adulthood. We pray for their parents
and promise to walk with our youth on this journey. The prayers at this service were written by our youth members. Youth
in our middle school group who have turned 13 (or will in the coming months) and parents are asked to come to the
rehearsal and potluck on April 21.
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Meet the Parents
Join us Sunday, May 6 in Room 202 at 10:15 am. This is an especially good way to meet and get to know some other
parents. We come together to enjoy good coffee, doughnuts, and wonderful people. Please join us!
First and Third Tuesday Play Dates
April 3 & 17, Tuesdays, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm. Meet in the Nursery Play Garden (weather permitting). Another great
opportunity to get to know other parents, and for children to just play together. If the weather’s bad, meet in room 300.
Bring lunch or snacks.
Nursery Play Garden
We are making plans to transform the Nursery Play Garden into a wonderland for children. Everything we plant and
build will invite children to explore the wonders of creation. Would you like to help? Please contact Kathryn Darnell at
[email protected]
Serving
We would love to have you serve our children! For more information about our programs, or how you can help, please call
our Director of Religious Education, Kim McPherson at 303.577.7729.
Flowering Cross and Change for Change Collection
Please return the money you’ve collected during Lent for Change for Change on April 15. Children may bring their
containers of money up to the Flowering Cross at the 9:00 am service and receive a flower in thanks.
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CATHEDRAL MUSIC
All Music at Noon concerts are FREE to the public.
Visit sjcathedral.org for current concert and ticket information.
Music at Noon: The
Renaissance Project
Joyce Shupe Kull,
organist
Kantorei
Spring Concert
Music at Noon: Opera
Colorado Young Artists
Colorado Chorale
Bernstein and Britten
TUESDAY
4/10
FRIDAY
4/27
FRIDAY
Ars Nova Singers,
New Perspectives: Modern
Masterworks
FRIDAY
Christopher Houlihan,
organist. The Complete
Organ Symphonies by
Louis Vierne
FRIDAY
6/1
6/15
SATURDAY
6/16
5/4
TUESDAY
5/8
FRIDAY
5/18
Ticketed event
Evening concerts begin at 7:30 pm,
and doors open 30 minutes prior,
unless otherwise indicated. Concert
dates and times are subject to
change.
Cathedral Choir is Open!
Saint John’s Cathedral Choir opens to new membership after Easter. Please visit sjcathedral.org for more information,
or call Organist and Director of Music Stephen Tappe at 303.577.7726.
Tuesday, April 10, 12:00 pm – Music at Noon: The Renaissance Project – Cathedral
The Renaissance Project is an a cappella chorus of 24 voices based in Boulder that specializes in music of the
Renaissance. Audience members for this free concert in the Cathedral are welcome to bring a bag lunch and eat in
Room 101 prior to the concert.
Sunday, April 15, 3:30 pm – Evensong
Choral Evensong in the English Cathedral tradition, featuring the popular and unusual work Rejoice in the Lamb by
Benjamin Britten, and music by Charles Villiers Stanford and Francisco Guerrero.
Friday, April 27, 7:30 pm - Joyce Kull, organist
Joyce Shupe Kull is Director of Music and Organist at Grace Lutheran Church, Boulder. She holds a Doctor of
Musical Arts Degree in Organ Performance and Literature from the University of Colorado, Boulder. She maintains
an active performance schedule, teaches organ at Metropolitan State College of Denver as well as privately, and
presents lectures and workshops. Dr. Kull has published articles on Bach performance, American Guild of Organists
certification, and pedagogical topics in The American Organist. A former Director of the AGO Committee on
Professional Certification, in 2008 she was elected AGO National Councilor for Education and also serves on the
AGO Executive Council. This recital will include works by Alexandre Guilmant, J. S. Bach, Jan Pieter Sweelinck, and
Maurice Duruflé. Freewill offering.
Friday, May 4, 7:30 pm - Kantorei
Don’t miss Kantorei’s spring offering, featuring works by William Byrd, Richard Allain, James MacMillan, Rene Clausen,
John Ireland, Jean Langlais, Gerald Finzi, Leonard Bernstein, and others. This concert will include works for choir and
organ, showcasing Saint John’s newly restored Platt Rogers Memorial Pipe Organ. For tickets and other information,
please visit Kantorei’s website, www.kantorei.org, or call 303-316-0356.
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