Volume 1, Issue 16
April 03, 2019
THIS SUNDAY @ ST. JAMES
5th Sunday of Lent - April 7th
Isaiah 43:16-21
Psalm 126
Philippians 3:4b-14
John 12:1-8

8:00AM
Preacher: Dean Ryan
Celebrant: Dean Ryan

10:00AM
Ushers: Lozano Family
Lector: Jane Fisher
Eucharist Minister: Pete Cabbiness
Preacher: Dean Ryan
Celebrant: Dean Ryan

UPCOMING DATES
Lenten Worship Wednesdays
12:15 & 6:00PM - Eucharist
5:45PM - Evening Prayer
Chapel
Men's Breakfast
Saturday, April 6 - 7:00AM
Yosemite Fall Cafe

"Learning to Walk in the Dark"
Lenten Supper and Study Series
Wednesday, April 10 - 6:45PM
Fireside Room

Palm Cross Making
Sunday, April 13 - 9:00AM
Fireside Room

"Learning to Walk in the Dark"
Lenten Supper and Study Series
Wednesday, April 17 - 6:45PM
Fireside Room

60 YEARS AT CEDAR AND DAKOTA
April 5th, 1959 St. James Breaks Ground
by Emily Niblick
This Friday, April 5th, mark the 60th anniversary of the groundbreaking for the new St. James Cathedral and school at Cedar and Dakota.

In February of 1959, while dealing with shutting down and selling the church on N Street in Fresno (which had been condemned by the city), the chapter decided to invest in plans for a new cathedral building somewhere else in Fresno. There had been a real estate boom in the area of Cedar and Dakota and that same month Mr. Laurentzin had offered five lots at the corner of Cedar and Dakota for a $2,000 down payment, the balance of $23,000 paid over fifteen years at 5 percent interest. The cathedral had previously owned a property on Gettysburg, not far away, but decided to sell it for the Cedar and Dakota property, bringing in $15,000 to contribute toward the new site.

Also in February, drawings were presented by the architect, Robert Stevens, for twenty classrooms and a parish hall seating approximately 600 people. The drawings also called for a cathedral and an administrative building to be built in the future. Shortly thereafter, a bid was presented and accepted from Wendell Carr Construction to build the original complex for $215,000.

On April 5, 1959, Ground Breaking Ceremonies were held at the Cedar and Dakota site. This would be for the Parish Hall (which was designed to be a multi-use building) and the school. Among the participants were Rev. George Turney from St. Columba’s and Rev. Wayne Parker from St. Mary’s, Ben Hoblick, retired senior warden, turned the first shovel full of dirt. Dean Lee gave the welcome address. Charles Hamlin (senior warden), Mrs. E. A. Hamilton (president of the women’s group), Robert Meyer (president of the men’s group), Walter McKinsey (director of religious education and coordinator of youth work) and the Very Rev. James M. Maloch, Dean Emeritus, spoke to the crowd. The Very Rev. Harry Lee, Dean of the Cathedral gave the benediction.

The cathedral staff were listed as follows: the Right Rev. Sumner Walters, bishop; Dean Lee; Dean Emeritus Maloch; Rev. Lee A. Wood; Rev. Ernest Shapland; Rev. Alwyn Vickers (Canons); Mr. McKinsey; Arthur Luckin (organist); D.M. Killion (choirmaster); Mrs. Noreen Cleaves (secretary); Mrs. Ellen Campbell (accounting warden); and David Cleaves (sexton).
We invite you to join us for an amazing Holy Week and Easter at the Cathedral. To download a Holy Week Schedule, click here .
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Holy Week and Easter Opportunities
Holy Week and Easter are almost here! As we approach this profound time in the Church year, volunteers are needed for some crucial roles. On this Sunday, April 7th, there will be a variety of sign-up sheets at the entrance of the Cathedral.

Please take a moment to review the volunteer opportunities and sign-up. It is essential that we have these roles and responsibilities filled. Thank you so much!
PALM SUNDAY READERS
Next Sunday, April 14th, is Palm Sunday. At both the 8:00AM and 10:00AM, we will read the Passion Story of Our Lord as a congregation. The Passion recounts Jesus' final hours. The are 13 roles, mostly one or two lines. Both the role of narrator and Jesus have significant reading parts. Please sign-up to read a portion of the Passion Story. Scripts will be distributed next Sunday prior to the service. Bishop Rice will preside at the both services.
OVERNIGHT PRAYER VIGIL
On Thursday, April 18th, St. James will host "Watch & Pray: An Overnight Prayer Vigil." The vigil will begin with Compline at 8:00PM. All are invited to participate in holding any portion of the vigil. The sign-up sheet is available at the entrance of the Cathedral. It is vital that we have continuous coverage for the vigil. A security guard will be posted at the Cathedral entrance throughout the Vigil. The vigil will last until 11AM on Friday. 
EASTER FESTIVAL BBQ & EGG HUNT
Following our Easter Sunday Service, April 21st at 10:00AM, St. James will host a Easter Festival for the congregation. St. James will provide hot dogs, hamburgers, and drinks. We need volunteers to help with:

  1. Coordinating and barbecuing the food,
  2. Arranging an Easter Hunt for the little ones,
  3. Organizing arts and crafts and games for kids; and,
  4. Setup and clean up.

We are also asking the congregation to bring side-dishes to the Easter Festival (Examples: Salad, Fruit Salad, Chips/Dip, Deserts, Finger Foods).
EASTER FLOWER DONATIONS
Flowers for St. James Easter Services are made possible by the generous donations of our Cathedral family. This is a wonderful way to make the Cathedral look festive as we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord and to dedicate a gift in thanksgiving or in memory of someone. The deadline is Wednesday, April 10th by noon to be included in the Easter Program. 

To download a donation form, click here .
The St. James Youth Group will be meeting on Saturday April 27, 12:30PM-3:30PM in the St. James Gym (Zoe Eden).

Join us for an afternoon of fellowship, games, including basketball, volleyball, indoor soccer and board game challenges. We will also be engaging in lively and challenging conversation. There will be food!

Invite your friends, this free event is open to youth Junior High and High School age.

For information on the youth group or how to volunteer your time email sjyouth@stjamesfresno.org
Photos from Last Saturday's Youth Bowling Event
TAKE THE PLEDGE!
"May this Lent be the first day of the rest of your life, and new life for the world.” 

In his Lenten message to the Episcopal Church, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry has challenged Episcopalians to take a pledge to do more to love God's creation. This is a pledge that would begin in Lent, but continue for a long time. 

"I invite you to do some things that help to love the earth, that help to preserve the world," says Presiding Bishop Michael Curry. "Do some things that actually love the world that God loves."

“We hope people understand this is more than adding your signature to a petition,” said the Rev. Melanie Mullen, director of reconciliation, justice and creation care. “Pray with the pledge and the Reflection Guide during Lent. Think about what you love in God’s Creation, where your heart breaks over environmental injustice, and how you’d like to simplify your life – consume less, share more.”

Those making the pledge, affirm that they "long to grow loving, liberating, life-giving relationship with the whole of God’s Creation" and that they "pledge to protect and renew the Earth and all who call it home."

"This is an important and meaningful endeavor of the Episcopal Church," says Dean Ryan. "My hope is that many in the St. James Cathedral Family learn more about and sign the Creation Care Pledge."

To learn more about the Creation Care Pledge, click here.

To view the Care of Creation Reflection Packet, click here.
WEEK FIVE: REVELATION 22:1-2
by Deacon Terrance
Revelation 22:1-2: Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing through the throne of God and of the Lamb, through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for healing of the nations.

The river is full of water, and that water is the emblem of life: it is the beautiful symbol of life in its gladness, purity, activity, and fullness.

This week we are asked to reflect on ways our clothing purchases affect the environment. The Textile industry is dependent on water in virtually all steps of manufacturing. Dyes, specialty chemicals, and finishing chemicals used to produce clothing are all applied to fabrics in water baths. This means that huge amounts of water are used to dye, finish, and wash clothes. In India alone, the textile industry uses 425,000,000 gallons of water daily and approximately 500 gallons of water are used in the production of just one pair of jeans.

While the textile industry uses massive amounts of water in the production of goods perhaps a larger problem is resulting water pollution, particularly in the developing world. Because pollution is not accounted for in the cost of clothing the cost of a t-shirt will decrease while water resources become more and more unusable. The effects of this are seen primarily in developing nations, and areas where production occurs, this results in increases in global inequality- as the rich get wealthier and the poor simply get more heavily polluted water. 

A large amount of all discarded fabric and our own wardrobe ends up in landfills, increasing opportunity for chemicals from the materials to leak into our surface and groundwater supplies. Rather than being binned, textiles should go to textile banks for recycling, or clothing can simply be donated to charity shops for further usage. Some clothing companies are also supporting schemes to encourage consumers to bring in clothing for recycling or recycling fabric in their production. Encouraging movements like these are vital to ensure they continue, as well as getting more companies involved in this way of thinking.

Water is the emblem of life! You have the power as a consumer to support or make change to sustainable actions. If we begin to recognize these solutions and expand on them, we can save our precious ecosystems as well as the lives of those that depend on this water for their own survival.
 
To download the "Lenten Environmental Calendar (Less Plastic for Lent)" click on the image below.
FOOD BANK COLLECTION
Thanks to the generosity of the St. James community, our Food Bank guests are now enjoying peanut butter, oatmeal, and jelly.

Throughout Lent, we are asking our Cathedral Congregation to bring Bisquick. Thank you!
DONATION NEED: MEN'S BELTS
The Cottage Shop (Thrift Shop) and Food Bank are seeking donations of men's belts. On Sunday, there will be a box at the entrance of the Cathedral. Next week, the box will be located in the Cathedral Office. All sizes are needed. Thank you!
FORGET WALKING 100 MILES . . . DRIVE IT!
The Pilgrimage of Hope Needs Volunteers
So maybe walking 100+ miles is not your thing and you want to be part of the commitment and an integral part of making this “Pilgrimage of Hope” succeed. The Pilgrimage is looking for drivers to support the pilgrimage.

What is the requirement of the role?

  • You need to contribute a day of your time, your car that accommodates at least 3 people and a positive attitude.

  • On a specific day you arrive on time with a tank full of gas, at an assigned place on the route. You need a cell phone and perhaps a GPS or location App that you know how to use.

  • You will be one of at least two runner cars for the team that day.

  1. One car generally will stay with the walkers, providing whatever they need.
  2. One car will link short time walkers to or from the pilgrimage, or pick up items in towns as they are needed. It would be helpful if this person is local so they can find stores etc easily.

We need people who are dependable, flexible, willing to do or find unusual things, and have a ‘can do’ outlook on this adventure. You also need a current driver’s license, and an insured car.

Please join the Pilgrimage for the dinner, the program and service after the day’s walk. And then you can go back to your comfortable familiar bed in your own home.

If you want to do this every day, or just one day – we love you and Bless you for being a part of this amazing Pilgrimage of Hope.

To volunteer, click the button below or hard-copies of the volunteer application will be available this Sunday--see Deacon Terrance.
PILGRIMAGE OF HOPE:
A March for Immigrant Rights from Fresno to Sacramento
In the winter of 2017, the clergy and lay leaders began to dream of a pilgrimage...one where we, along with other faith communities and friends, would walk the diocese, engaging in formation and prayer along the way regarding the needs and concerns of our immigrant brothers and sisters. Now we are ready to make this dream a reality.  

Beginning May 4th, following Eucharist and a blessing at St James Cathedral in Fresno, pilgrims will begin their walk to Sacramento where they will converge with other faith communities, immigrants and concerned citizens on May 20th at the state capital to celebrate the gifts and contributions that our immigrant brothers and sisters bring to our communities, and to champion and advocate for immigrant rights. 

This will involve sixteen consecutive days of walking, praying, and reflecting. At stops along the way, walkers will gather with the local faith community to share the purpose of the walk, learn about local concerns of immigrants and pray together.

We invite you to join us in any way you are able:

Additionally, we ask you to consider making a financial contribution to help us make this pilgrimage possible. We are keeping our costs to a minimum, but do have some necessities to provide for our walkers and supporters: food, water, support for drivers who will travel with us, and educational and liturgical materials/resources for each hospitality stop in the evening.  
NEW CATHEDRAL PHONE SYSTEM
We are happy to report that this week a new phone system was installed in the Cathedral Offices. Whether it is day or night, callers will be able to navigate the system though an automated attendant, contact ministry leaders, and leave voicemail messages. Don’t worry, Tuesday - Thursday, 10AM - 2PM, our amazing volunteer, William Patterson, will still be answering the phone; but now, he will be able to transfer your call to the Dean, or Deacons, and others. It might take a week or two to work out any bugs, but the system is up-and-running. To reach the Cathedral Office, please call (559) 439-5011.
MEN’S BREAKFAST - SATURDAY, APRIL 6TH
The men of the Cathedral Congregation will gather on Saturday morning, April 6th, at Yosemite Falls Cafe (4020 N Cedar Ave.—across the street from the Cathedral). The breakfast will begin at 7:00AM.
HANSEL & GRETEL AT ST. JAMES
Under the direction of Sherah Moore Burdick
If you have any feedback, comments, or questions for the Midweek Missive Editors, please email us . Submissions to the Midweek Missive are welcomed and must be submitted to midweek@stjamesfresno.org by Tuesday at noon.