VOLUME 1, ISSUE 32 AUGUST 28, 2019

12th Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 17) SCRIPTURE READINGS Sirach 10:12-18 Psalm 112  Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16 Luke 14:1, 7-14 8:00AM SERVICE Preacher: Deacon Terrance Celebrant: Rev. Jim 10:00AM SERVICE Ushers: TBD Lector: Jeni-Ann Kren EM: Jeni-Ann Kren Preacher: Deacon Terrance Celebrant: Rev. Jim

FOOD BANK 2nd-4th Wednesdays @ 2:30PM THE COTTAGE SHOP [Closed Wednesday during Summer] 1st-3rd Sat. @ 9:00AM-1:00PM FOOD BANK: TJ FOOD DISTRIBUTION Sundays after 10AM Service (White Room) YOUTH GROUP: SUMMER BLOCKBUSTER MOVIE NIGHT SAT. AUG. 31 @ 5:30PM Fireside Room PRESERVATION COMMITTEE SUN. SEPT. 1 @ 11:30PM Conference Room FOOD BANK STEERING COMMITTEE WED. SEPT. 4 @ 2:00PM White Room (Zoe Eden) MEN'S GROUP BREAKFAST SAT. SEPT. 7 @ 7:30AM Yosemite Falls Cafe BUILDINGS & GROUNDS COMMITTEE SAT. SEPT. 7 @ 9:00AM Conference Room LUNA'S BABY SHOWER SUN. SEPT. 8 @ 11:15AM Fireside Room CHAPTER MEETING SUN. SEPT. 15 @ 11:30AM Conference Room

GROWING OUR CATHEDRAL TEAM

Kourinthia Burton, Cathedral Administrator and Youth Director

Our Cathedral continues to resurrect and grow. More than ever, the Deacons, lay leaders, and I need someone who can skillfully assist in the administration of our growing Cathedral community. It is with great joy to announce the hiring of Kourinthia Burton as the part-time Cathedral Administrator and Youth Director. As many of you already know, Kourinthia is a talented young woman who is passionate about St. James and her service to God. In recent months, Kourinthia has exceled as the lead volunteer and convener of the newly formed St. James Youth Group. Kourinthia is an excellent communicator and thoughtful team-player who is interested in utilizing her gifts and skills, especially her organizational and leadership skills, to continue growing the Cathedral.  In her role as Cathedral Administrator, Kourinthia will provide administrative support to the Dean, the Deacons, and ministries of the Cathedral. She will be tasked with supporting the work of communications, finance, operations, facilities, events, and membership management. Tentatively, Kourinthia will be working Monday-Thursday approximately 4-6 hours each day.  Currently, the Cathedral Administrator role (as budgeted in 2019) is a part-time position—about 18-25 hours per week. However, candidly, the Cathedral Administrator role needs to be a full-time position in the very near future. As Chapter begins to build the 2020 budget, I do hope we can support the role full-time. In addition to Kourinthia’s role as Cathedral Administrator, we have officially added the duties of Youth Director. Throughout the year, Kourinthia has been serving in this role in a volunteer capacity. However, the Youth budget does provide some funding for a very part-time Youth Director role. Kourinthia is already doing the work with excellence and we have a great opportunity to cement the leadership of the Youth program moving forward.  We welcome Kourinthia to her new roles and look forward to being blessed by her service and leadership. Kourinthia is scheduled to begin her new roles next week.

I grew up in the Salvation Army church and was very active throughout my childhood and early teen years. As I got older and became more committed to my walk with Christ I struggled with certain aspects of doctrine within the church and eventually stopped attending when I started college at Fresno Pacific. I was originally recruited to FPU by Dr. Roy Klassen to study vocal performance but while taking a history class with Dr. Marshall Johnston my life took a different path. Eventually I completed my degree in history (while still active in the music department) and wrote my thesis paper on the Book of Revelation and the Sibylline Oracles. I found myself fascinated by the lives of people from long ago, the origins of the "church," and the context of Jesus' life. It was also from Marshall and Pam Johnston that I first heard of the Episcopal Church. In August of 2016, I stepped out of my comfort zone and joined Holy Family for a Sunday service and immediately felt at home. It was a simple google search of "LGBTQ + women pastor + episcopal" that brought me to church that Sunday. On April 1, 2018, Easter Sunday, I was baptized for the first time and was also confirmed within the Episcopal Church by Bishop David Rice. I have been so welcomed and loved by the church community first at Holy Family and now at St. James. Currently, I sing with the choir on Sundays (I'm usually an alto), conduct the handbell choir on special occasions, and lead the St. James Episcopal Youth Group which meets the last Saturday of every month. I love to talk about movies, music, and my two cats Spock and Othello.

Angela Lerena, Cathedral Curate

If you receive the Diocese's Friday Reflection email, you know that last week Bishop Rice announced the hiring of Angela Lerena as the new Diocesan Administrator. Angela will be a wonderful addition to the Diocesan team. The Cathedral will also be enriched by Angela's presence. As the Bishop wrote, "Angela Lerena [is also] a candidate for ordination to the transitional diaconate in the Diocese of Idaho... After much discernment on all of our parts, we have decided to create a unique situation with Angela as our Diocesan Administrator. Monday through Friday, she will serve as the administrator and my Executive Assistant, and on the weekends she will serve as a curate for St James Cathedral. This will allow Angela to continue her formation as she works towards ordination, it will continue to strengthen the cathedral's identity as a place of learning and formation." What is a Curate? A curate is a new member of the clergy who works under the supervision of a senior minister. A curacy allows the newly ordained person to begin transitioning into their new vocation and responsibilities with the support of mentoring clergy and an affirming congregation. Angela begins her role with the Diocese on September 9th. We look forward to welcoming Angela and her husband, Rico, to Fresno, to St. James, and to the Diocese of San Joaquin. To learn more about Angela, click here.

We invite you to join us to celebrate the birth of Baby Luna Rose born on July 21, 2019. Following the 10AM service on Sunday, September 8th, the St. James Family with host a shower for Luna, and her parents, Kathryn and John. The Cathedral will be providing dessert and drinks and we are asking members of the congregation to bring finger foods, appetizers, and/or small sandwiches to share with the gathered group. Please consider offering a gift to Baby Luna and family. As a new family, with a new baby, there are many needs: Baby Clothes (Size 1 and up) Diapers, wipes, Diaper Genie refills 4-6oz bottles and bibs Bath items: Baby wash cloths, towel, and lotion Baby carrier (i.e. Ergobaby, BabyBjorn) Gift Cards to buybuy Baby or Target Baby toys and books

Join St. James Episcopal Youth Group on Saturday, August 31st, 5:30PM to 8:00PM for dinner and a movie! We'll be watching Shazam! in the Fireside Room. Bring your friends ages 10-18 for a free movie to celebrate the end of summer. We'll have dinner, movie snacks, and drinks as well as an opportunity to win a Starbucks gift card. We'll see you there!

Thank you to The Reverend Spencer Hatcher, Director Diocesan Relations and Recruitment for Church Divinity School of the Pacific, for serving as last week's celebrant and preacher.

BREAKING BREAD WITH NEWCOMERS Luncheon extends gift of hospitality

Last Sunday, the Cathedral hosted its second Newcomers' Luncheon of the year. The event brings together newcomers to St. James and congregational leaders for fellowship and an opportunity to learn more about the Cathedral. "Ideally, we will host these luncheons once a quarter at St. James," says Dean Ryan. "These events are a wonderful way to welcome those who are getting to know our Cathedral community. It allows them to meet leaders in the congregation, hear about our ministries, and ask important questions. Ultimately, we hope that they will make St. James their spiritual home and it begins with us welcoming them with exceptional hospitality." Last Sunday's event was hosted in the 10th Street Building. It is the first time the building has been utilized for an event since the congregation returned to the Cathedral campus. All of the food was wonderfully and lovingly prepared and donated by the Cabbiness Family. "We are so grateful to the Cabbiness' Family for their generosity and commitment to the ministry of hospitality," says Dean Ryan. "Newcomers walk into our 'dining room', are welcomed with a home-cooked meal, and surrounded by new friends. It speaks volumes to our theology of hospitality and what we value as a Cathedral family."

The mid-week Bible Study returns on Wednesday, September 11th. The study is led by Emily Niblick and will meet weekly on Wednesdays, 10:00AM to 11:00AM, in the Conference Room. The study will explore the Book of Revelation--a mysterious and often misunderstood book of the New Testament. The study will delve into what is written and interpret the text's social and historical context, as well as what it means for our own spiritual journey and faith. Every single verse of Revelation will be studied by the end of the study. The primary text will be the New Testament, specifically The Book of Revelation. In addition, Emily will suggest books and commentaries for supplement reading. If you are interested in participating or need additional information, please contact Emily Niblick.

IN HONOR OF ST. JAMES' 140TH ANNIVERSARY AND THE UPCOMING CELEBRATION THIS FALL, THE PRESERVATION COMMITTEE IS OFFERING ARTICLES IN THE "MIDWEEK MISSIVE" HIGHLIGHTING THE HISTORY OF THE CATHEDRAL.

A DECADE OF CHANGE FOR ST. JAMES by Emily Niblick

On July 20, 1952, Fresnans were awakened by the rumbling and rolling of a 7.2 earthquake centered in Tehachapi. Damage seemed to be mostly light, with the only known fatality reported by the Fresno Bee to be an old hen who fell off her roost in a henhouse owned by Mrs. Carrithers at Belmont and Second. But, apart from cracks in walls or collapsed displays of canned goods in supermarkets, there were hidden, more subtle blemishes left behind by all the shaking. And those more severe damages were to hasten the move of the congregation at St. James Cathedral downtown on N Street to a new location. It wasn’t that a move hadn’t been thought of. In the very early 1950’s Fresno was growing rapidly, and so was the membership at St. James. Just a few years before, in 1938, there had been 400 members on the rolls of the cathedral; now, in 1952, members numbered 2000. The chapter had already come to realize that the congregation was outgrowing the facility. Sanford Hall, a new building which provided more space for gatherings, had been built and dedicated shortly before, but the cathedral itself, built of brick in 1910, was showing signs of age.

And then the earthquake hit. As with other old buildings in Fresno, damage wasn’t visible, and so the cathedral continued to function as always. In fact, because of earthquake damage to two buildings at nearby Fresno Junior College, some classes would be held in Sanford Hall at St. James for a while. In the meantime, plans were in infant stages at the cathedral. Should we just raze the existing cathedral and build here on N Street? Or should we move away from the downtown hustle and bustle?  As time passed, more and more repairs had to be done. By 1956, work had been done on the reinforcement of the wooden roof trusses, support of exterior parapet walls, and replacement of the steps at the rear of the building. The cathedral was getting old and costly. A sign that the building was no longer reliable came on Christmas Eve of 1954, when television cameras placed in the cathedral to broadcast the midnight service taxed the electrical wiring and blew the fuses, thus debilitating the organ! Still, the service went on and everyone agreed it was memorable. In 1956, chapter decided to begin action on a new plan. Realizing that the present building was not worth the cost of constant repairs, they began to consider what to do with five acres that had been partially donated some years before. This property was located on Gettysburg, just east of Cedar and somewhat near to Fresno State College. The chapter decided to work on a plan to build on that property, while keeping Sanford Hall as a downtown chapel.

But then the Bishop’s plans intervened. Bishop Sumner Walters had been envisioning the Missionary District of San Joaquin, as it had been since 1910, as the Diocese of San Joaquin. In order to do that, the district would have to raise money to show they could be self-sufficient. So Bishop Walters instituted a fund drive whose aim was to do just that, and St. James’ plans had to be put on the back burner.  Bishop Walters’ dream would be realized in 1961 as the District became the Diocese of San Joaquin. Bishop Walters’ drive was in full swing, with the cathedral participating, when very bad news came to the chapter. On March 31, 1957, the Fresno Fire Marshal condemned the cathedral as being unsafe. Something had to be done immediately, of course, and Dean Harry B. Lee suggested moving the pews into Sanford Hall where services could be conducted, and the Sunday School classes would move across the street to the Fresno Municipal Auditorium. That allowed church to continue on Sunday mornings.

Chapter got to work and asked seven architects to make proposed plans. Robert Stevens’plan was ultimately accepted. As 1957 continued, parish meetings were held to get ideas on what was needed and what should be done. A number of plans for action were drawn up—eventually, Plan E was the winner. It was decided that all the N Street property should be sold, the Gettysburg property should be sold, and that a new cathedral and Sunday School should be built at a site to be purchased two to three miles north and east of the downtown property.

The Site Committee, chaired by John E. Fennacy along with Burr Brown and Paul Leonard, brought a plan to purchase ten acres on the northwest corner of Cedar and Dakota for $48,000. The chapter voted to accept this deal on November 11, 1957. But all was not well. All through 1958, the focus was on money. Raising the money for building by arranging loans and getting donations was the main priority. The church finances had fallen into less than healthy status, with old buildings costing money and new ones even more.  In February of 1959, the cathedral sold the land on N Street to the Fresno Chamber of Commerce for $125,000. About that time, the owner of the land adjacent to the Cedar and Dakota property offered the cathedral five more lots for $25.000. Financing was $2,000 down and the rest to be paid off in fifteen years at five percent interest. Things were moving. That very month a sign was placed on the property: “Future Location of St. James Episcopal Cathedral." Two months later, in March of 1959, the construction contract was awarded to Wendell Carr for $215,000. At the same time, the Women’s Auxiliary asked that a farmhouse which had been left on the property be moved to the northwest corner of the cathedral land. They wanted it for a workplace where they could prepare for their rummage sales and the annual Christmas sale that was held at the Municipal Auditorium. That house now serves as the Cottage Thrift Shop of St. James cathedral. On April 5, 1959, church leaders and local dignitaries gathered at the corner of Cedar and Dakota for the ceremonial groundbreaking for the new cathedral and Sunday School buildings. The program was opened with prayer by Dean Harry B. Lee, followed by speakers Charles Hamlin (Senior Warden), Mrs. Arza Hamilton (President of the Women’s Auxiliary), Robert Myer (President of the Men’s Club), and Walter McKinsey (Director of Religious Education and Youth group). The closing prayer was given by Dean Emeritus James Malloch. How fitting that he was there. Having come to St. James as Dean in 1936, Malloch served nineteen years as Dean and was instrumental in making St. James well known throughout the Valley and even nationally. As he stood there, giving the closing prayer, it could perhaps be seen as the closing of his work on earth, In just ten months Dean Malloch would pass on to the greater life, in February 1960.

"LET THE LIGHT SHINE"

Last week, the windows were replaced on the east side of the Cathedral with clear glass.

CHOIR REHEARSALS RESUME Choir will resume rehearsing on Thursday evenings, 6:30PM-8:00PM, in the Chapel, starting on Thursday, September 5th. If you are interested in joining Choir, please come to rehearsal. For more information, please contact Sherah.

MEN'S GROUP The next breakfast gathering is scheduled for Saturday, September 7th, 7:30AM at Yosemite Falls Cafe (across from the Cathedral).

BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS COMMITTEE The next meeting will be Saturday, September 7th, at 9:00AM in the Conference Room.

PRESERVATION COMMITTEE The next meeting will be Sunday, September 1st at 11:30AM in the Conference Room.

SEPTEMBER CHAPTER MEETING The meeting is scheduled for Sunday, September 15th at 11:30AM in the Conference Room. Chapter Members please submit any reports and/or agenda items to Dean Ryan by September 11th.

Episcopal dioceses join lawsuit against border wall The dioceses of Long Island and Western Massachusetts, as well as Trinity Church Wall Street and Boston-based Episcopal City Mission, have joined a lawsuit that seeks to stop President Donald Trump from redirecting federal funds to build a wall on the United States’ southern border.

Congregation celebrates family’s reunion A Congolese asylum seeker who had been separated on the U.S. border from his wife and seven children and held in federal detention for nearly two years reunited with his family last week in California. On Aug. 25 they celebrated his release with the Episcopal congregation that has rallied behind Constantin Bakala and his family.

Prayer book for prisoners published A prayer book that was developed by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America with contributions from an Episcopal priest aims to bring hope and spiritual guidance to inmates in jail and prison.

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.

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