Dear friends,

This is the third is a series of seven stories on the Chronicle cover, brought to us by our Stewardship Ministry Team. As we prepare to pledge a portion of our financial resources for the ministry of the Cathedral in 2012, this third article on “Loving God and Our Neighbor” comes from a wonderful nurse, teacher and friend.

A New Bishop

St. Mary’s Guild

      The St. Mary’s Guild will hold its monthly gathering on Wednesday, October 12, at 2:00 PM in the Kendrick Room. All women of the Cathedral are warmly invited to attend.

Prayer Shawl Knitters

      On Saturday, October 15, all prayer shawl knitters are invited to gather in the Kendrick Room at 10:30 AM for a time of knitting, sharing and praying. If you’re interested in this ministry but don’t know how to knit, come on along – we’ll be eager to teach you and to share with you!

The “Tako and Bill” Hour

      Major life transitions can be either happy or sad. But they are always “traumatic,” in that the change in accustomed routines and behaviors bring mental and emotional stress. Recently, Canon Bill Dwyer and his wife Tako moved from their home of many years into a retirement community. While the retirement community is a wonderful one, and while Tako and Bill are deeply aware of how fortunate and blessed they are, nonetheless there is trauma in the major life transition of leaving a beloved home that is filled with memories.
      How can the Lord be a source of strength and assurance in all this? On Sunday, October 9, Tako and Bill will speak at the Adult Forum. We’re invited to join them in the Kendrick Room after the 10:00 AM service to think and talk and pray together about God’s grace being a sure foundation in the midst of the “changes and chances of this mortal life.”

Living with Dignity

      The Cathedral will be hosting a conference on Israel and Palestine on Sunday October 30th starting at 3PM. Seven other churches in the Diocese, along with Jewish Voice for Peace and the Islamic Society of Western Massachusetts will be co-hosting the event with us. We will have Palestinian musicians and peace activists from both Israel and the West Bank will tell us about their work. We will have the opportunity to share a fellowship mean and to conclude with the film "Budrus". Agendas and registration forms will be mailed shortly. If you would like to help out during the event, please contact Donna Barten at 860-668-6006 or barten.d.m@gmail.com.

A New Bishop

      The organizers of the search for the new Bishop of our Diocese want to make sure that every Episcopalian in the Diocese has an opportunity to contribute to what the “profile” of the new Bishop will look like. On Tuesday, October 18, all Cathedral members are encouraged to join with other area Episcopalians at a meeting at 7:00 PM at St. Paul’s Church in Holyoke. The search process will be outlined, and those in attendance will be invited to offer suggestions and opinions and views and hopes and fears and prayers.

Hispanic Heritage Month:
September 15-October 15

      Since 1968, this period of 30 days has been set aside as Hispanic Heritage Month. It is marked with many special events organized by Hispanic Communities involving celebrations, educational events, and official recognitions. This time was chosen because between September 15-18, seven Latin American countries gained independence from Spain; and because October 12 is remembered as "El Dia de la Raza," or "The Day of our Identity, or race." October 12 for many is Christopher Columbus Day – the discovery of the Americas. However, for the indigenous peoples of the Americas, the arrival of Columbus was the end of their cultures as they had existed before.
      However, the Latino community, while recognizing the loss of cultures pre-Columbus; this day is also the celebration of what resulted – a new culture and identity based on the blend of European, Indigenous, and African influences that give us the Latino culture that exists today.
The gift of the "Dia de la Raza" is the affirmation that life comes out of death; and that a mixture of heritages and influences produce something of great value. It offers us hope for a future of diverse gifts coming together to give birth to new ways of living together. This is the witness of Latino culture and a gift to our world

ACTS

      ACTS – Action Centered Tutoring Services – is a non-profit ecumenical organization that provides students with a caring and nurturing adult tutor. There are several ACTS programs in Springfield, including one here at the Cathedral. Our own Anibelka Reyes is the Director of the Cathedral program, and she is looking for tutors. If you are of high school age or older, would you prayerfully consider supporting ACTS this fall by spending two hours a week helping one child? There is an orientation session for tutors on Wednesday, September 21, and the tutoring sessions begin on September 28, from 5:00 to 6:30 PM. For further information, please contact Anibelka at 386-6722.

School Supplies

      The members of the Cathedral Junior Daughters of the King are collecting school supplies for the Springfield Rescue Mission. Would you be able to make a contribution to this good effort? Supplies that are needed are: backpacks, notebooks and notebook paper, pens and pencils and erasers and pencil sharpeners, highlighters and markers, calculators, pocket folders, plastic rulers, three hole punches, book covers, and crayons and colored pencils. Contributions may be dropped off at the Cathedral at any time. Thanks!

Discernment for
The Order of the Daughters
of the King

      To become a member of The Order of the Daughters of the King is to join a spiritual sisterhood. We are women at varied places in our spiritual journeys but we have all undertaken a Rule of Life – of Prayer and Service. We welcome all women to discern if they are called to this special ministry. There will be a discernment program offered this summer. Please see Mariana Bauman or call her at
722-1208.

Gleaning Your Library

      Feel lighter and freer in just three weeks! Reduce your book baggage and free up some space on your library shelves. Take all those books that you know you’re not going to read or use again and bring them to the Cathedral (minus the Danielle Steele genre).
      On Sunday, October 2, all of these books will be on display in the Kendrick Room – ready for you to peruse and perhaps find one or two to take home. It’s the Christ Church Cathedral Library-Gleaning, Overpacking-Overcoming, Traveling Lightly Experiment. Join us!

The Screwtape Letters

         The Screwtape Letters, written by C.S. Lewis, is a series of letters from a senior devil in hell who signs his letters as “your affectionate Uncle Screwtape.” The letters are mailed to a junior tempter on earth who is addressed as “My dear Wormwood.” Screwtape is advising Wormwood on methods of securing the damnation of a known as “the Patient.”
      In the body of the thirty-one letters that make up the book, Screwtape gives Wormwood advice on methods of undermining faith and promoting sin in the Patient. This book is a small masterpiece, full of humor and wisdom, about living out the Christian faith. It’s been read by millions since Lewis wrote the first “Letter” to a newspaper during WW II.
      We’re going to get together to study these “Letters” for four Monday evenings this fall, beginning on September 19. Copies of the book are on sale at the Cathedral every Sunday – $10. Pray that our gatherings will be deeply blessed. The Screwtape Letters is a compelling encouragement to connect with a gracious God, full of mercy and love and hope.

A New Brooks Foyer Exhibit

     For the past two years, our Stewardship Ministry Team has presented a fall exhibit in the Brooks Foyer Gallery. These two exhibits have featured photographs of parishioners, accompanied by stories of their experiences of God’s faithfulness within the Cathedral family. On Sunday, September 25, this year’s exhibit will have its grand opening. Over twenty-five Cathedral singles and couples will be featured, with stories that focus on their approaches to financial stewardship. Please join us for this gala opening.

Christ Church Cathedral - On the Air!

      Every Sunday evening at 6PM, the Cathedral has a one-half hour radio program on one of the local Spanish stations - 1270AM, the most popular Spanish station in the area. The cost of this weekly program is born by a Diocesan grant and available Cathedral funds. The program includes our Spanish choir, Bible readings, prayers, a brief explanation of the Episcopal Church, announcements of activities, and a meditation by a Colombian priest in the US who does his own weekly radio program in Alabama. Our program is produced by our own Amaury Reyes. Please pray for this new venture!

Education For Ministry (EFM)

     Have you ever thought you might want to study the Bible in more depth (without going to seminary?). Have you considered taking the time to learn about our faith and its history with people who like to discuss, ask questions and probe? Perhaps you would like to consider Education For Ministry (EFM). This is a program, from the University of the South-Sewanee, designed for lay people.

      There are no papers, no grades, just reading and discussion in a small group with a mentor. If this sounds like something which interests you, please contact Mariana Bauman or Phyllis Larson.

Cathedral Choir Membership

Prayer Shawl Ministry 
Third Saturday
September 17
The Prayer Shawl Ministry will meet
to knit and pray
in the Kendrick Room at 10:30AM.
Everyone is welcome.

      The monthly gathering of prayer shawl knitters will be held on Saturday, December 18, at 10:30 AM in the Kendrick Room. All knitters are warmly invited. If you can’t tell a stitch from a twitch but would like to give it a try, come along – the knitters love teaching new folk how to do it!