This Week at the Cathedral!

Greetings,

We hope you will enjoy this issue of our weekly e-newsletter. Each week we'll keep you informed on what's happening here at St. Matthew's Cathedral - news from the week, what's coming up, and how you can be a part of it. This should reach your inbox by Friday giving you a heads up for the upcoming week. We hope this helps you plan your week, and maybe even provides a little inspiration to get you through it! Be sure to "Like" us on Facebook to stay in the know between emails.

A Message from the Dean...

Light and Darkness

Once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light .-Ephesians 5:8

The age we live in is like the beginning of A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times . . . it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair."

At a time when consumer confidence is up, the stock market has the highest growth in 25 years, and the NASDAQ (tech stocks) is experiencing its greatest growth since the dot.com crash, the majority of Americans are angry. An AP poll conducted in April 2016 suggests that 71% of Americans are "very angry" or "somewhat angry" about "the way things are going" in the U.S.

Negative talk is all around us. We encounter it all the time. Sometimes we ourselves are the source of it. (Yikes!) Public protests, even violent protests, are occurring in numbers greater than any time since the 1960s. (I am not saying that Christians should not give witness to justice concerns in public; we're talking about the anger among people.) Facebook is the new forum for political conflict, causing friends to "unfriend" each other.

As Christians, we are to be light in the world. The Prayer of St. Francis calls us, "where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon . . ."

Consider this: when you enter a dark room and turn on a light switch, is there a struggle for that light to spread? No, the darkness cannot remain when light enters the room. Darkness is the absence of light. Where there is no light, darkness abides. When light appears, darkness cannot abide; there is no choice in the matter because it is a universal dynamic. Light dispels darkness. Light does not cause darkness to flee: it causes it to dissipate. The brighter the light, the less there is of darkness. Shades of gray are not the diminishing of light but of the darkness dissipating. When you walk down the street at night, you don't see darkness shining into the buildings, you see light shining out into the darkness, absorbing it and causing that darkness to become light. Darkness has not, will not, nor will it ever overcome light. Darkness is absorbed or, it can be said, embraced by the light.

That is what we are to do as Christians.

Neal+

Hearing God: Developing a Conversational Relationship with God

Great Hall (stage end) 9:35-10:15 am

March 26: The Still, Small Voice

April 2: Hearing God in the Context of the Kingdom of God

April 9: Hearing God as a Life

This series will be a great companion to the Dean's Lenten study of Richard Foster's classic, Celebration of Discipline.


Adult Bible Study Sundays, 9:35 am 13 weeks, 13 chapters of Hebrews Starting Today, Jan 29th in The Lodge Come ready to be blessed with all the treasures of this New Testament book for your life today. (The Lodge is located through the black iron gate next to Garrett Hall).	"Encountering Christ in the Episcopal Church" Confirmation Class Garrett Parlor, Sundays 9:35-10:15 am For those interested in being confirmed, or received, or simply wanting to know more about the Apostolic faith and order.

Coffee Hour after 10:30

Service is back!

Please join us each week as food, drink and fellowship will be offered in the Gallery section of the Great Hall after the 10:30 service.


New Welcome Ministry Training Saturday, April 1 from 9am - 11am Come learn how we can be more inviting to our guests. Twice a month opportunities to welcome at the 10:30 service will be available. For more information contact Varita at [email protected] or 214-621-0379.	Baptisms will be held at the Easter Vigil Saturday, April 15th, 7:30pm Please contact Father David Miller at [email protected] or 214-803-1978 if you are interested in being baptized.

LENTEN SERIES

Wednesday Nights

6:00 pm - Stations of the Cross

6:30 pm - Light supper, Great Hall

7:00 pm - Lenten Program

Celebration of Discipline

March 29 - Corporate Disciplines

April 5 - Wrapping Up-Next Steps

April 12- Seder Supper

Youth Confirmation Classes, Children's Programming, and Nursery will be available March 8 - April 5.

PALM SUNDAY - April 9

8:00am - Holy Eucharist Rite I, Cathedral

10:30am - Holy Eucharist Rite II, begin in the Great Hall

WEDNESDAY-April 12

10:00am - Holy Eucharist and Healing Service, Oratory

6:00pm - Seder Meal

MAUNDY THURSDAY-April 13

7:30pm - Holy Eucharist Rite II & Foot Washing, Cathedral

9:00pm thru Noon Friday - Watch before the Altar of Repose, Oratory

GOOD FRIDAY-April 14

12:00pm - Liturgy of Good Friday, Cathedral

7:30pm - Liturgy of Good Friday, Cathedral

HOLY SATURDAY-April 15

10:00am - Holy Saturday Service, Oratory

7:30pm - Holy Eucharist Rite II, Cathedral Confirmations & Baptisms

FEAST OF THE RESURRECTION- EASTER DAY-April 16

8:00am - Holy Eucharist Rite I, Cathedral

10:30am - Holy Eucharist Rite II, Cathedral Children should bring flowers for the Flowering of the Cross

Calling all Cursillistas!

You know who you are! We are compiling a list of Cursillistas in order to redevelop the Cursillo community here at the Cathedral. If you have been to Cursillo, please contact Angie Hodges with the date of your Cursillo:

Angie Hodges at

[email protected]

St. Matthew's Crosses Available

These sterling silver crosses are meaningful and beautiful gifts for Easter or any occasion. They were designed from a sketch by a St. Teresa's Guild member and executed by James Avery. All proceeds on the sale of these crosses go the Guild's restoration projects for our wonderful old Cathedral. So, when you purchase a cross you are giving to St. Matthew and we thank you!

Contact:

Ann Sullivan - 214-533-9915

Joyce Graf - 214-533-0305

Jayne Brown - 972-771-4524

or any other Guild member


Honoring Graduates Sunday, May 21st St. Matthew's Cathedral will be honoring all of our 2017 High School and College graduates at the 10:30 service., followed by a reception in the Great Hall. Please contact Eileen Smith to let her know you have a graduate. This includes those who graduated in December 2016.	Cathedral Pride Spring Spruce Up Saturday, April 29th, 8:00am-Noon Save the Date for our Cathedral Spruce up day. If you would like to be a team leader for this event, please contact Jerry Tuhy at [email protected].

Pledging Made Easy

If you would like to submit your pledge card electronically please click here. The form provided is on secure site and all information is sent directly to the church office. For any questions please call us at 214.823.8134. If you are more comfortable with a traditional pledge card, they will be mailed out to you in the next week. Thank you for your continued support of God's work here at St. Matthew's Cathedral!

Breakfast Casseroles needed for Food Pantry Outreach

Many thanks to those who faithfully make breakfast casseroles for our food pantry neighbors. This is an ongoing ministry! Please, click here, to go to signup genius to sign up to bring casseroles. Pans and recipe are in the foyer. For more information contact [email protected] .