THE CLERGY COLUMN
Friday, October 10th, 2025
The Very Rev'd Kristina Maulden
As we enter into the Fall, it is tradition that we also begin our annual stewardship campaign. I wanted to share with you some thoughts on stewardship as well as our current financial situation at the Cathedral.
Let’s talk about stewardship. Stewardship is a practice of caring for something that we have been trusted to look after. We have been entrusted as stewards over many things in God’s kingdom. We are entrusted with taking care of each other, emotionally, physically and spiritually.
God made us stewards of this planet earth which sustains us by its beauty and its bounty. We are blessed with material things and asked to share with those in need. At the Cathedral, we are given the additional task of maintaining ministries, supporting our members and caring for our historic building. Being a good steward means accepting responsibility for that care, and working to ensure the long-term integrity and sustainability of what has been entrusted to us. Giving to each other and giving back to God is a vital part of our spiritual life.
There are a variety of ways to live into this call for being a good steward. I know not everyone has the capacity to give financially. We have many members of the Cathedral who give generously of their time and talent beyond the ability to give money. The ministry of the church could not continue without all of these gifts. I give thanks for all of you who give so much to this congregation. However, I do need to emphasize our current financial situation. We are experiencing a turning point when it comes to giving. I imagine you would not be surprised to know that the demographic group that gives the most financially to the Cathedral are those who are above 70 years old. Most mainline churches are seeing this pattern as well. Younger generations do not have the same giving capacity or savings potential as older generations. In essence, do to loss of parishioners to death, we are at an operating deficit when it comes to fully financing the Cathedral.
We entered 2025 expecting a significant deficit budget. We have been careful in our spending and have consolidated some of our staff positions. Fortunately, we had the generous gift of Sunny Cory’s Estate as a bequest to the Cathedral in 2024. That money has been a buffer to us this year, allowing us to keep to the pledge of not drawing from our endowment. We would like to move into 2026 with a smaller anticipated deficit. We cannot do that without your help.
The Cathedral has three main streams of income:
Rental income from our Annex building
Shared expense income from the Diocese of the Rio Grande.
Biggest Stream: Pledges made by Cathedral members
Unfortunately, as we enter into 2026, we are faced with the loss of income from the Annex building as our current tenant, New Mexico Re-entry, is vacating the building in October of this year. The Vestry is looking at ways of leveraging our property to create new, more reliable sources of income. But, this process could take a few years to realize. We have also launched our 1882 Legacy Society to encourage other gifts like that of Sunny Cory. We are attaching below our brochure of Frequently Asked Questions regarding our finances. Please take some time to read and reflect on the information in the brochure.
Dean Kristi Maulden
Friday, October 9, 2025
The Rev'd Canon Dr. Robert Lewis
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
-Horatio Spafford, vs. 2 of It is Well with My Soul (1873)
The Dean and I have noticed that this week we have been running into a lot of folks with anxiety. People are troubled. I really want anyone reading this to know that God completely understands anxiety, and whenever you find yourself troubled, know that God is already there.
That being said a number of folks find it difficult to reach out for help or tools when anxiety is complicating your life or faith journey. Sometimes it is brain chemistry, but often it is a very real problem, unprocessed emotions, life stressors, or family friction. Here are some steps to help you meet the challenge ahead – remember, God’s got this:
Bring Your Anxiety to God – We often have problems that we have not released in prayer. While God certainly understands all of our issues before we ask, he wants to be brought into the conversation. It is a very different thing to be mulling something over in your mind than to seek the mind of God in prayer. Philippians 4:6 reminds us to “rejoice in the Lord always” (even in our darker times in life). One of our comfortable words in Rite One is to remember to find rest in him when we are weary (Matthew 11:28). In many of these cases, when I have parishioners or friends that cannot comprehend that God understands where they are, I ask them to take up reading the Psalms – every human emotion is found there. (even the ones we don't want to admit we have).
Engage in Spiritual Practices - Seek out an intercessor: ask a trusted friend or fellow believer to pray for you. You might also avail yourself of a pastoral conversation with the Dean or myself. If the anxiety is caused by a past failure, seek us out and we will hear your confession. If it is caused by a medical issue, we can offer you the sacrament of anointing.
Surrender your fears in worship - Regular worship may help you to shift focus from internal fears to God’s presence and purpose. When we worship, we find God big to act, and our struggles as part of a long history of how God has worked in others’ lives throughout salvation history. Sharing honestly with trusted church members or small groups also helps as isolation often amplifies anxiety.
Practice Self-Care as Stewardship - Some very basic things figure into our mental health: sleep, nutrition, and recreation. Arguments can be made from scripture for all three as an act of stewardship. (See Psalm 4:8, Psalm 127:2 or Proverbs 3:24 for reflections on rest. See Romans 12:1 or 1 Corinthians 6:10 for reflections on nutrition, and Mark 6:31 or Psalm 23:2 for reflections on recreation)
Seek Professional Support – sometimes we cannot think or pray ourselves out of anxiety. That is often a sign that we need a mental health professional. Please know that there is no shame in asking for help. Mental health issues are no different than any other medical issue. Ask for help. If your employer or health insurance offers a helpline, that is a good place to start.
Nearly every person faces anxiety at times. Use the resources of our community and remember, you are not in this alone – we love you and are here to help.
Canon Robert+
Friday, September, 9, 2025
The Rev'd Canon Dr. Robert Lewis
Celebrating 1,700 years of the Nicene Creed
This year is special. It is the anniversary of the council that began the work of defining our faith. The Creed is a gift – a way of keeping the church on the rails even though individual members, or even clergy might occasionally forget or oppose its teaching and fall off the rails. The Creed presents to every believer a cogent way to know what truly is the faith of the Church.
The Nicene Creed, first formulated at the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, and later refined at the Council of Constantinople in 381 AD, has a profound and enduring legacy in Christian history and theology. The Creed is the first universal statement that was agreed upon by the whole church. (*Granted, one addition was added by a local council that forever altered one line of it in the West)
The Creed crystallizes what the Church means by the Trinity. Consider the following ways in which the Creed keeps us safe from variants of Christianity that do not add up with the Scriptures or the teachings of the Early Church. Most importantly, it dealt with the concept that Jesus was not a created human being but was of one substance with God the Father.
At the time of the calling of the Council of Nicaea, 17 of the bishops who gathered affirmed (at least partially) a heretical way of understanding Jesus. Due to the teaching of a priest, Arius, the ontology of Jesus had been warped. Bishop Athanasius of Alexandria, Bishop Nicholas of Myra, and others promoted the orthodox view that Jesus could not be reduced to a mere human – He was, in fact, just as much God as God the Father - God from God, light from light, true God from true God…
After the council, the Nicene Creed became a unifier. Diverse Christian communities were given a clear framework for dealing with the problem of rogue teachers, and locating the Creed immediately after a homily or sermon gave the average person the litmus test of comparison in the off chance the homilist misspoke, or actually intentionally taught heresy.
That word heresy gets thrown around quite a bit too. In many cases the word is not used correctly. It is not heresy to disagree about an issue on the periphery. For example, many people have various views on hot button topics, but unless it is addressed in the Creed, it is not a matter of orthodoxy. To teach something heretical means you must teach against the Creed. Most disagreements in the church do not go that far.
The legacy of the Nicene Creed lies in its role as a definitive, unifying, and enduring statement of Christian orthodox faith. It resolved every early Christological controversy, has served as a benchmark of Christian worship and doctrine, continues to encourage dialogue between branches of the Church, and profoundly shapes our identity, theology, and liturgical practice 1,700 years after the issues were presented in council.
Consider how the Creed has battled wrong theological understandings:
"I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth"
Refutes: Polytheism and Gnosticism. This line establishes monotheism, affirming that there is one God who created all things, in opposition to beliefs that proposed multiple gods or demi-gods responsible for creation.
"We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God"
Refutes: Arianism. This counters the Arian claim that Jesus was a created being, emphasizing Jesus as the only-begotten Son, fully divine and distinct as such.
"eternally begotten of the Father"
Refutes: Arianism and the belief that Christ was created at a specific point in time. It asserts the eternity of Christ, indicating He coexists with the Father outside of time.
"God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God"
Refutes: Subordinationism. This line clearly states that Jesus is truly divine, equal to the Father, which rejects any notions that He is a lesser deity or subordinate in essence.
"Begotten, not made, of one being with the Father"
Refutes: Arianism and any teachings that imply that the Son was made (created) rather than begotten (generated from the same substance). The essence of both the Father and the Son is affirmed as being identical, rejecting heretical claims of division in deity.
"through him all things were made"
Refutes: Docetism and other beliefs that minimize Christ's role in creation. Affirms the active role of Christ (the Word) in the creation of all things, opposing the idea that Christ was merely a moral teacher or spirit.
"Who for us and for our salvation came down from heaven"
Refutes: Gnosticism, which often viewed the material world negatively. This line emphasizes the Incarnation as a purposeful act for humanity's salvation, countering notions that God's involvement with creation was irrelevant or dismissive.
"by the power of the Holy Spirit,
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary and was made man."
Refutes: Docetism, which claimed Christ only appeared to be human. This affirms the true humanity of Jesus, central to salvation's work, emphasizing that He was fully human.
"For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; He suffered death and was buried"
Refutes: The belief that Christ's death was illusory, affirming the reality of His suffering and actual death, rejecting any notions that He did not truly experience physical death.
"On the third day He rose again in accordance to the Scriptures"
Refutes: The belief that resurrection is merely metaphorical. This affirms the bodily resurrection of Christ, a cornerstone of Christian faith maintaining that His resurrection was a real, historical event.
"And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father"
Refutes: Arianism and heresies regarding Christ’s authority and position in the Trinity, emphasizing His exalted status and ongoing divine authority.
"And He shall come again, in glory, to judge both the living and the dead"
Refutes: Any belief in Universalism or denial of final judgment. This asserts the Christian belief in a coming judgment day where all will be held accountable.
"And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life"
Refutes: Pneumatomachianism (the belief that the Holy Spirit is not divine). This establishes the Holy Spirit's full divinity and role within the Trinity.
"Who proceeds from the Father (and the Son*)"
Refutes: Arianism and the view that the Spirit is subordinate or a lesser being. This affirms the Spirit's equality within the Godhead.
* This phrase, called the Filioque clause, was added by the Western church at the Third Council of Toledo (589 CE). And this addition, added without the calling of the whole church to ecumenical council, largely separating the West (Catholicism) from the East (Orthodoxy).
The next time you stand and say the Creed. Realize that it is a gift – a treasure passed on from the Early Church. May we use it, ponder its teaching, and use it as a safeguard from theological error.
Canon Robert+
Friday, September 4, 2025
The Rev'd Canon Dr. Robert Lewis
In light of our efforts to re-establish the Society of Mary here at the Cathedral, I thought it might be a good time to look at the role of Mary in the Episcopal Church. This has been a subject of much debate in bygone years. I will give you the official position and also some of the more nuanced positions of individuals who take their devotion to her a bit further.
In Anglicanism, Mary is honored as the Mother of Jesus, the Theotokos ("God-bearer"), a profound model of faith and obedience, yet doctrines about her are approached with reverent diversity rooted in Scripture, tradition, and reason.
Episcopalians affirm Mary’s key role as the mother of Jesus Christ, who is both fully God and fully human, thus embracing her title ancient title Theotokos, meaning "God-bearer." This was affirmed in the early Church at the Council of Chalcedon (421 AD) and remains central to Anglican doctrine, emphasizing the Incarnation and union of Christ’s divine and human natures.
However, Anglicanism does not have specific marian dogmas as our Roman Catholic cousins have. For example, the Roman doctrines of the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption are largely rejected due to a lack of clear biblical teaching. (Ironically, these teachings were the only things “infallibly” taught by popes, causing a bit of a rift in our interfaith dialogue.) Instead, Anglicans celebrate Mary’s purity and perpetual virginity as historically held beliefs but in standard Episcopal form, they are not overly dogmatically defined. Her role is always placed within a Christ-centered framework, with Jesus as the sole mediator between God and humanity.
Historically, devotion to Mary in England was strong before the Reformation. The English Reformation led to a re-evaluation of Marian doctrines, tempering earlier folk-customs by re-focusing on scriptural foundations and Christ’s mediatory role. Anglican liturgies regularly honor Mary through feast days like the Annunciation (March 25th), the Visitation (May 31st), and the Purification (February 2nd), and include her in the Magnificat canticle at every service of Evening Prayer.
In the 1840s, The Episcopal church (and Church of England) began re-examining its more protestant understandings of the role of Mary in our faith. The Oxford Movement (commonly called the Tractarians) revived interest in Marian devotion, including practices such as the Rosary and veneration in Lady Chapels. Also at this time, Anglicans rebuilt the shrine at Walsingham (The English equivalent to Lourdes or Fatima). It had been destroyed during the Reformation.
Mary exemplifies faithful obedience and humble acceptance of God’s will, as seen in her faithful response to the Archangel Gabriel: "Let it be to me according to your word." (Luke 1:38) Anglicans honor her as a spiritual mother and whose life encourages believers to trust God fully. There is a rather nuanced difference between praying to a saint, and praying with them. Whether with Mary, another saint with whom you find a connection, or your saintly Aunt Mabel, asking for their intercession as part of the "communion of saints" is a foundational part of the Christian experience.
One might even say, isn’t devotion worship? Quite simply, no. Again this is one of the ways in which looking at Greek, the original language of the Christian community, helps us. The saints were given proskynesis, or veneration. This is the same way we revere our elders, leaders, or ancestors. Worship due God alone was called latria. While the saints all participate in salvation history (as we do too), they are fellow worshippers on the journey, a distinction that has not always been made clear.
A joint Anglican-Roman Catholic statement, Mary: Grace and Hope in Christ (2005), reflects ongoing dialogue affirming much common ground on Mary’s role as a model of grace and hope, while recognizing ongoing differences about how we define the role of Mary. This document emphasizes Our Lady’s unique vocation and her place in salvation history, inviting both church bodies to deeper mutual appreciation.
In the upcoming weeks, we will begin looking at the way in which our reimagined Society of Mary might add to our life here at the Cathedral. If you are curious, please reach out to me.
May we all join in Mary’s words of self-oblation, “Be it to me according to your word.”
Canon Robert+
Friday, August 29, 2025
The Very Rev. Kristina Maulden
Love makes us run through fear. -Derek Mosely
Children and young people all over the country have headed back to school for the fall term. This should be a time of excitement, not fear. I am thinking that in contrast to today, the scariest moment I had while in K-12 was when we had to take cover for a tornado.This week my heart has been crushed by another school shooting. This time in Minneapolis at Annunciation Catholic School while children were praying. How do we even respond? I remember the chilling moments when one of my sons would text from school saying that they were on lock down because of a suspected bomb or shooter on campus. Then I would hear nothing until they got the all clear. Life freezes in those silences. I don’t remember breathing. These horrific scenarios should be non-existent. It is a tragic reality that we have to count our kids lucky when they have not had to endure an active shooter at their school. We know that the pain, injury and loss of those terrible events linger on for years after the bullets have stopped.
This “not knowing” how to respond leaves me feeling helpless, anxious and scared. Scared for my sons. Scared for all our children. We can blame politicians. We can point at a culture that loves guns. We can look at the reasons for the hate. We can comment on how people have become disenfranchised or how they were bullied or wonder who or what motivated their actions. We can criticize video games and violent song lyrics. But analyzing and blaming does not stop the violence. There is a deep, evil shadow on the human soul, I feel, whenever a person becomes a killing machine. How do we combat an evil that is so insidious and pervasive because its roots are hidden within the mind and souls of the shooters? How do we push back at the cultural forces that are guilty of aiding and abetting our epidemic of death?
Every time we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Some days, maybe most days, it may seem impossible that our prayers could change our world. But prayers paired with action absolutely impact our reality, in ways tangible and intangible. So we pray that hearts would be moved and be courageous, starting with our own. We pray for an end to all forms of discrimination. We act by speaking out to those who have the power to change laws. We pray that children and teachers will be safe. We pray for healing of the psyche for those who are mentally ill or unbalanced. We intervene when we witness or suspect abuse. We act by sharing our resources with those in need to help prevent situations that lead to resentment fueled by despair. Some of us, when called, act by becoming foster parents or policy advocates or mental health counselors or pastors and teachers. We act by learning the warning signs and red flags of pending violent behavior. We act by following through if and when we see those signs. We support biological parents, adoptive parents and foster parents by our love, our prayers and our presence. We listen. But we do not lose hope.
There was a picture of a woman running barefoot with her shoes in hand in the news this week. She was running towards Annunciation Catholic School. I came across a reflection on that photo written by Derek Mosely posted on Facebook. I wanted to share it with you:
To the mom in Minneapolis yesterday who ran barefoot toward the school — shoes in hand, fear in her heart — millions of moms around the world were running with you. We may not know your name, but we know your soul. Because every mom saw themselves in you today.
The desperate sprint. The shaking hands. The prayer that their child is safe. You ran toward the unthinkable because that’s what moms do — love makes us run through fear. And while you carried your shoes, you carried the weight of every parent who has ever whispered, “Please, not my baby.” We shouldn’t have to run like this. Not in our neighborhoods, not to our children’s schools. Yet here we are — another day, another headline, another broken piece of our hearts. But please know this: you weren’t alone. Every mom, every dad, every human who still believes children deserve safety and innocence — we were running with you.
Praying that while we run with patience this race that is our life of faith, there will come a time when we do not need to run this particular lap.
All Saints Have Shadow Sides
Canon Robert Lewis from August 22, 2025
Support for New Ministries
Dean Kristi Maulden from August 15, 2025
Ministry: Where Your Gifts and Joy Intersect
Canon Robert Lewis from August 8, 2025
How Can I be a Faithful Christian When...
Dean Kristi Maulden from August 1, 2025
Vacation Bible School Reflections
Dean Kristi Maulden from July 18, 2025
Why I preach at Funerals
Dean Kristi Maulden from June 6, 2025
Wh
Last Sunday, I left with a sense that I had not completed my sermon. I had spoken of the saints of old, their challenges, their perseverance, and how, even today, some still fall into the category of those who will see the promises of God come to fruition. Still others will hold on to the promise that God will answer those prayers after they have long gone on to their eternal reward.
The part I omitted—though I seriously debated including it—was this: many of the saints mentioned in Hebrews 11 (or featured in our calendar of saints) had shadow sides.
Take Abraham, for example. He is the father of nations and a hero in the stories of all three monotheistic religions. But when his faith was tested, he took matters into his own hands, fathering his first child by a slave woman who was not his wife.
Or consider Isaac. The favoritism he and his wife Rebekah showed toward their sons pitted them against one another and caused deep division. And then there's Jacob, a thief and a cheat, who defrauded his own brother to take his inheritance. King David, considered the monarch at the high point of Jewish history, was indeed a “man after God’s own heart.” But he was also a deeply flawed father. His family line continued through a union we would now recognize as an abuse of power and sexual assault, followed by a proxy murder to cover it up.
In the New Testament, the saints had similar struggles. Paul, once a zealous Pharisee, consented to the murder of Stephen. In his own shortsightedness, he even advocated that slaves remain in their condition (Titus 2:9). Apparently, that same shortsightedness was shared by Peter, who wrote similarly in 1 Peter 2:18. Surely we can agree that advocating slavery is hardly a Christian virtue. But we must remember, they believed Jesus would return in their lifetimes.
No doubt, the saints in your own lives have shadow sides too. Perhaps there was an uncle who loved Jesus and provided well, but who became difficult to manage when he had been drinking. Maybe there was a sister who was as close to a Proverbs 31 woman as one could find, but who had a temper that could make anyone afraid. The point is this: saints are not perfect. They are not flawless. They are examples of people who actively engaged their faith, but who carried the same imperfections that we all must work to refine.
I had also thought about saying that saints are not superheroes. But the more I considered it, the more I realized they actually share many characteristics. Superheroes, too, have both positive and negative impacts. They can inspire creativity, promote physical activity, and teach noble values. Yet they can also glorify violence, reinforce gender stereotypes, and promote unrealistic body images. But here’s the key difference: superheroes are fictional, and saints are real.
Still, I do believe children and adults need role models. Perhaps that’s the crux of the matter. Our journey toward sanctity requires examples, just as the writer of Hebrews knew his audience needed to see those who had run the race that was set before them with endurance.
So, I encourage you: find those people you can look up to. Glean from them a strategy for growing in Jesus. But remember, every saint has a shadow side, just as we do. Perhaps they spent their whole lives trying to overcome it, only to find it the promise they held onto when they went into glory
May we still seek their prayers and support, and may we work diligently to confront and resolve our own shadow sides, this side of eternity.
Canon Robert+
Support for New Ministries
The 2025–2026 program year is beginning! We have already launched our return to three Sunday morning services. Sunday School is back in session, and Forum is once again meeting at 10 a.m. The choirs will return in September, along with several new Christian Education classes. I will be leading a course on Parables starting September 16th, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. Canon Robert continues to lead the Adult Forum, where they are exploring non-canonical scripture texts. Even more exciting, a number of laypersons are developing a wide variety of new ministries. Here are some highlights of these nascent efforts:
Loaves of Love
Julie Hammond felt a nudge from the Holy Spirit to take up baking. This is quite a story, as Julie was never one to bake! She began baking loaves of bread and distributing them to the unhoused. Now, she bakes for Church Unbound, our street ministry, almost every week. The people who attend Church Unbound affectionately call her the “Bread Lady.” She has melted hearts and broken down walls of suspicion simply by offering bread to strangers.
Julie would like to expand this ministry so that even more people can receive this gift. She is looking for fellow bread bakers—no experience necessary—to join her on Friday mornings at the Cathedral to bake together. If this ministry interests you, please contact Julie at juliehogghammond@gmail.com.
Cathedral Knitters
There have been previous versions of a Knitter’s Guild at the Cathedral. This is a resurrection, of sorts. Drew Austin is leading the charge to restart a gathering of knitters and crocheters to create scarves, hats, blankets, and more for various charities throughout the Albuquerque area.
Drew is an amazing knitter and a wonderful teacher. She invites anyone interested, experienced or not, to join her on Tuesday evenings from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. This will be a lovely time not only to enjoy the creative process, but also to build community in a small group setting. For more information, please contact Drew at drewellenaustin@gmail.com.
Parenting Group
Becca Lewis, mother of little Michael and wife to Canon Robert, is putting together a group specifically for parents of small children. Becca has a deep faith and brings a wealth of knowledge from her career as a nurse.
This group will begin gathering soon to discuss their plans for the fall. Meetings will likely take place on Sunday mornings between services. If you would like to be a part of this group, please contact Becca at paquette.r@gmail.com.
Buildings and Grounds
Dan Ashton, our Junior Warden, is looking for volunteers to help with maintenance and care of the Cathedral grounds. If you’re interested in lending a hand, please reach out to Dan directly.
Weekday Worship
Weekday service opportunities are expanding to include Wednesday evening in-person Vespers, led by Erin Donegan. More information, including the start date, will be published in the coming weeks.
Dean Kristi+
Summertime is soon to be a thing of the past, but before it fades into memory, it’s a good time to pause and take stock of how well we are living into our callings. Each of us, by virtue of our baptismal promises, is a missionary – called to proclaim the Good News of God in Christ through both word and example. How we live out that calling is as individual as a fingerprint.
I’m fond of saying that our individual ministry lies where our gifts and our joy intersect. If either is missing, then that’s not the place where God is calling us to serve. Perhaps you love the idea of music but can’t carry a tune. Well, I suspect the choir would be quite relieved if you didn’t try to join them! Conversely, if you sing beautifully but find the idea of singing in a group torturous, that likely isn’t your ministry either.
Instead, consider John, a man who served faithfully in a prior parish of mine. He was a skilled carpenter, especially when it came to finish work. Across from the church was a local Habitat for Humanity that we occasionally partnered with. I introduced John to their executive director. What started as a simple introduction, led to the parish sponsoring a build each year. John became the parish coordinator, and each year, a family received much-needed affordable housing. John got to teach his craft to those eager to learn, and the community came to see that the parish was invested in real solutions to the housing crisis.
People like John aren’t the exception. They fill our pews Sunday after Sunday. Many don’t even realize that ministry should feel normal, even energizing—like being “in their zone.” Your clergy love helping you discover your ministry—it's where your gifts and joy intersect.
Are you unsure what ministry God may be calling you to? Don’t worry. One of the privileges of ordained life is that we are called, as Ephesians 4:12 reminds us, “to equip the saints for the work of ministry.” That means the Dean and I find our own joy in helping you utilize your gifts to serve here at St. John’s !
As summer draws to a close, maybe it’s time to talk with one of us about finding the ministry that’s just right for you.
Canon Robert+
What does it mean to be a Christian these days?
I wanted to reflect on a conversation I had with a young woman. She is not a member of our Cathedral. She visited one Sunday and wanted to talk about what it is that we do here. We talked for over an hour about her faith journey and what she was seeking. She asked some pretty deep questions. I feel that it is very important to ask these kinds of questions. Maybe you have been asking these too.
How are we to live as Christians while attending a church that excludes people that we consider friends?
This gets as the heart of Jesus’ time on earth. Jesus spent most of his time with people who were excluded from the Temple. He hung out with tax collectors, prostitutes, lepers and foreigners. He made a point of going to the homes of the outcasts. He healed and brought back into fellowship those who were judged as unworthy. As faithful Christians, this is the way of love. I am so grateful that the Episcopal Church and this Cathedral make it a point to welcome and include everybody. We, as a church, have struggled to get where we are now. The process for ordination is open to all people regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. These things have happened in my lifetime. When I was baptized as a baby, women were not yet allowed to be priests. I am glad to belong to a church that asked itself those tough questions.
What do I do when I love the people at my church but I do not believe like they believe? Should I stay there or find another place to worship? This is tough. It is a journey of discernment. Do you still find peace when you worship at your current congregation? Is God calling you to go where you will be more comfortable with the values of a different church or is God nudging you to help your current church have those difficult conversations? People in any congregation will disagree on any number of topics. We all have passions and convictions that are sometimes at odds with our fellow church goers or our clergy. Often churches are bound as well by denominational constraints when it comes to inclusion regarding who can lead or teach. Are we called to be change agents? Is it time for a season of growth or a season of rest?
What are we doing here that makes a difference? Tell me about Church Unbound. Why does your church support that? What else do they support? Many people are looking for a church that makes an impact into the greater community. I think we do this in a number of ways. For years, the Food Pantry has helped our downtown neighbors with food insecurity. The Thrift Shop donates thousands of dollars to organizations who help the unhoused. They also support under-resourced elementary schools and underwrite the costs of the Cathedral’s Food Pantry. Church Unbound’s mission is to bring the love of Jesus to those who have no place to go. It is a ministry that does not judge or discriminate. Those who serve at Church Unbound bring food, prayers, communion, clothes and Bibles to our neighbors who rarely feel the love of God otherwise.
The Cathedral impacts our neighbors in other ways. Many of our small churches in this diocese do not have the ability to offer Christian Formation classes. We offer hybrid Christian formation classes that are available to anybody-you don’t even have to live in New Mexico. Our music program offers music education (for free!) for children and youth in the Albuquerque area. We are a place where people can enjoy beautiful, inspiring music throughout the year through worship and through afternoon concerts and special services. We connect to our neighbors through community events like Breakfast with Santa, the Children’s Messiah and Trunk or Treat. We live our faith through action.
How can I be faithful to Jesus when I have so many questions? To be a follower of Christ is to live with the questions. We walk by faith and not by sight. There are days when we believe and God feels so close. There are other days when we wonder if God is even there. Does God even care about my troubles? Where is God when there are floods and earthquakes? Where is God when there are people starving? Any one of us cannot fix all the things that go wrong-either through natural causes or through human hands. But, as Christians we are called to be sources of light and love. There will always be moments of darkness in our lives. Being faithful means we don’t give up. Being faithful means that we hold fast to the joy that is in us. Being faithful means we keep showing up.
Dean Kristi+
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Dean’s Column
Reflections from 20 years of doing crafts and art at Vacation Bible School
I have spent many years designing crafts for kids for Vacation Bible School or Breakfast with Santa or Sunday School. Overall, most children love to do arts and crafts. So do I. In fact, I may get more energy out of researching, designing and doing the project myself than in actually leading it. But, there is a tremendous variety in how kids, as individuals, approach any given project. I love to see their creativity! Watching how children interact with materials and guidelines has caused me to let go of any desire to direct the outcome. It is better that way. And, they do give me a glimpse into the diversity of how we live our lives outside of art class. I think how we do art points to how we do everything. I want to share some of those reflections.
In every group of kids, there are the rule followers. In fact, it is seems totally reasonable to start with them. They pay attention to the instructions. They make a plan. They are the ones who will color in the lines with the appropriate colors. They cut things out carefully and don’t use too much glue. If we are talking about boats, they draw something with a boat. They come out with projects that are lovely examples of how it should be done. They would like an A even when there are no grades.
Then, there is that one kid who takes forever to finish. No matter what the craft is, painting or drawing, God’s eyes or felt figures, they will add their own special touches. When everyone else has moved on to snack, they can be found back at the craft table, intent on what they are doing, oblivious to the rest of the world. When they are finished, they have created art that incorporates facets of themselves. They are the ones that are never satisfied with the status quo.
We also see the kids who take, for example, the palette of colors given to them and decide that the selection is lacking. With these colors they are not satisfied. In fact, it is in the mixing of the colors to form new ones that they find satisfaction. Oh, were they supposed to use them to do the project? Totally secondary. If they do the project, they produce art that explores ways of taking the ordinary and making it completely new. Often they are the ones that also have drips and splashes of their palettes all over their clothes and person. If you are looking for completed art from this group to hang on the wall, just forget it. The process is what matters to them.
I have known kids (and adults) who are the perfectionists. They look at art as a challenge. It must be absolutely as they envision it in their heads. It must turn out beautifully. Be the best in the room. There is nothing random to the paint used or the ribbon curled. They are similar to the rule followers, but with more angst. They get stuck on a skill until they get it right. Or, they throw the object of their angst away, in disgust. This is easier to do with a craft project, of course, than the things that life throws our way.
Inevitably, there are those who I will term the heavy onlookers. Maybe they feel insecure in their own abilities. Maybe they don’t trust their own imagination. Or, they are looking for belonging or approval. They are the ones that look to the left and to the right, watching what the other kids are doing. And then they copy them. I remember early on when I was leading a communion class and we were decorating chalices. Funny how patterns and color choices were duplicated by those sitting next to each other. You can get away with this in art class. This is highly problematic in other types classes, say Algebra. And, of course, simply copying and pasting other people’s thoughts and behaviors into our own lives may lead to an unimaginative and unreflective spirit.
Then there are those that are quick to finish. Art is a job to be done. They do the job as quickly as possible then move on to something else. Art is not something that absorbs them. These are the ones that cause us teachers of kids to have back up plans. They are the ones that rush to the “what are we doing next?” They are the ones who get bored and want to know when there will be snacks, or games, or just anything else. Perhaps, with any of us, there are those parts of life that we rush through. Maybe we are not into reading or playing sports or doing housework. Maybe we don’t take our time in forming relationships or developing our faith. I wonder what we miss in our rush.
I am totally fascinated by “Those who are oblivious to mess”. I have watched kids make incredible pieces of art (that have nothing to do with what we were intending) by letting water seep and colors run together. Their work is chaotic and messy. They might even drip on another’s work and not even notice. They use too much glue and don’t care that it will never dry. I think I learn the most from those who are the opposite of me. These kids would be them. I thought of this as I watched one child use watercolors by drenching the paper with water and dripping color from brushes laden with paint onto it. This child watched the colors merge and move. The paint was not contained by the paper. And there was great satisfaction.
Are you a mixer of color? Are you driven by rules or by perfection? Are you a mess maker or a careful planner? Whoever you are, it is okay to paint or color outside the lines. Just remember, there are people who approach life in all these ways. We can be annoyed or we can learn.
Dean Kristi+
Why I preach at Funerals
One thing is certain: we all will die. This mortal body will wear out at some point. We all know this. But death seems to come as a shock to the system, always. There is no easy goodbye, even if we know that someone we love has been on hospice for months. Preparing for loss is troubling and often incomprehensible. What we experience of the people we love is physical presence, intellectual connection, emotional response, and soul shaping memory. So, when we lose someone to death, our minds cannot make sense of it. This is one reason I always preach at funerals, even when I didn’t know the person who died.
Making sense of death and dying is a universal human struggle. I know from walking alongside many who grieve that how we die is also an important part of this struggle. The violent or sudden death of someone we love leaves us immersed in anger, depression, and anxiety as a heavy layer on top of our grief. Questions of why or how could this happen or if only, circle in our thoughts, again and again. There seems to be no answer to these endless questions. We want someone to blame. We blame other people, ourselves and God. How could God allow this to happen? Where was Jesus for my aunt, my child, or cousin, or father or brother? People use death as a reason to pull away from faith. Sadly, these times of deep emotional hurt are exactly when we need to be drawing in closer. This is also why I preach at funerals.
It is good when we have time to say goodby. It is helpful when the ones we love are at peace with dying. I have been present for many gentle deaths. Even there, grief can take us far from the One who made us. We need to hear of hope. As Christians, we have a great hope: we know that this body is temporary and that there is a resurrected body waiting for us. Death is not the end of the journey-it is the beginning of a new one. It says in 2 Corinthians 3:8, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed from one degree of glory to another.” The disciples saw this transformation in the face of our resurrected Lord Jesus. We are inheritors of that promise. There is so much more to come! But we walk by faith and not by sight. Another reason to preach at funerals.
Not all church funeral services offer grace and resurrected hope. Sometimes what people hear at funerals are threats of hell if they don’t repent and turn to Jesus. I do not believe we serve a God that desires our allegiance out of fear. I know God desires the best for us, in this life and in the one to come. I believe that path is one filled with love and forgiveness. One of our prayers for mission in our Book of Common Prayer (pg 101) states that “Christ stretched out his arms of love on the hard wood of the cross so that all might come within the reach of his saving embrace.” God’s embrace is loving, joyous, gentle and gracious. God’s desire is for all to be included in the promise of heaven. God understands the human heart. We are not left comfortless. There is far more good news than bad! Offering an alternative approach to God: also why I preach at funerals.
Many people who attend funerals are not regular church goers. Maybe they have never been to church. What they see and hear at a funeral may very well be their first introduction to God. I believe there is a longing in every person to connect to God. They may not have the language for this feeling or this ache. Humans are very good at finding alternatives to connecting to God. We worship at the altars of money or addictions or immerse ourselves in hobbies, sports, or other fun things. However, nothing on earth can take the place of our relationship to God. If it is at all possible, when a non believer or a former believer, sits in the pew of our Cathedral, whatever the occasion, I hope they experience grace. I pray that the words of our liturgy, the beauty of our music, our sacred space, the kindness of our people, the message we give, touches the hearts of those who are lost, lonely, angry, grieving, apathetic, or cynical. Transformation happens all the time. I will always preach at funerals.
Dean Kristi+
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