e-piphanies

One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism

This will reach you during The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. This annual observance always begins on January 18, the Confession of St. Peter, and continues until January 25, the Conversion of St. Paul.

Once we thought Christian unity meant all Christians should be organized into one big church. Today’s approach is summed up in a Latin phrase, In necessariis unitas, in dubiis libertas, in omnibus caritas, commonly translated as “unity in necessary things; liberty in doubtful things; charity in all things.” The phrase has often been attributed to 4th century bishop St. Augustine of Hippo, but has also been attributed to 17th century Croatian Bishop Marco Antonio de Dominis as well as English author and Puritan Richard Baxter of the same era. Regardless of who said it, it is worthy of contemplation as we pray and work for Christian unity.

St. Paul writes to the Corinthians, “I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose” (I Cor. 1:10).

I wish other groups of Christians could know the kind of unity that exists in our Cathedral community - an inviting unity of heart, mind, and purpose that is in contrast to the day-to-day conflicts that plague us. This unity is not based on agreement in everything, but is similar to what St. Paul described in another message he sent to the Ephesians, “I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all” (Eph. 4:1-6).

Perhaps there is some way it can be exported. Let me tell you about a place that did just that.

On November 14, 1940, much of the City of Coventry, England was reduced to rubble by German bombs. The Cathedral Church of St. Michael and All Angels, at the heart of the city, burned with it. In the terrible aftermath that followed, Provost Howard wrote the words “Father forgive” on the smoke-blackened wall of the sanctuary. Two of the charred beams that had fallen in the shape of a cross were set on the altar and three of the medieval nails were bound into the shape of a cross. The people of Coventry found the grace to overcome the anger they felt toward their enemies who destroyed their Cathedral and almost destroyed their entire city.  

After the war, they decided to share that grace with others. Crosses of Nails were presented to Kiel, Dresden, and Berlin, cities shattered by Allied bombing.  Out of those ashes grew a trust and partnership between Coventry and the German cities. The Community of the Cross of Nails came into being. There are now 200 Cross of Nails Centres around the world, including our own Saint John's Cathedral, all of them emanating from this early, courageous vision, and all working for peace and reconciliation within their own communities and countries. The Cross of Nails has become a powerful and inspirational symbol of reconciliation and peace.

The original Cross of Nails is now incorporated in the cross on the new Cathedral’s High Altar. The twisted arms of the High Altar cross symbolize the charred timbers from the roof of the original Cathedral, which were made into a cross to replace the original High Altar cross. The nails and twisted arms also symbolize Christ's suffering on his Cross. The Cross of Nails that was presented to Saint John's years ago normally resides in the clergy vesting room. I've asked that it be on public display in the Cathedral during this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

Give thanks to God for our unity and pray that we will be a light to others who seek oneness in Christ. Every shining example of a community of Christians living into the oneness for which our Savior prayed is part of the answer to his prayer “that they all might be one” and all prayers for unity among all God's children.

I’ll see you in Church!

 

 

 

 

The Very Reverend Ron Pogue
Interim Dean
Saint John’s Cathedral
Denver, Colorado

It's 2017! Let's get started.

Dear ,

Happy New Year! I hope your holidays were a blessed time and that you are ready to start 2017 with optimism and faith.

Saint John’s Cathedral is entering the final stages of the transition that began two years ago with the election of Peter Eaton as Bishop of Southeast Florida. The Interview Committee will present two or three names for the Vestry’s final consideration this month. The Vestry will then bring the final candidates and their families to Denver for interviews and, after a period of discernment, will meet to elect one of them as your next Dean.

In The Episcopal Church, the discernment process is a mutual one. That simply means that the candidates are looking at this Cathedral community just as the Interview Committee and Vestry are looking at them. What will they see?

It is my sincere hope that they will see the People of God in active pursuit of the Mission of God. There are many signs of that happening. I invite you to do your part in three specific initiatives that we launched at the end of last year:

Be One in a Thousand – Let us know how you are engaged in direct ministry with those who are living in poverty. Whether it is something you will do once, monthly, weekly, daily, or occasionally during 2017, we would like to record what you will be doing. That information will be shared with the final candidates and we will publish stories from those who are willing to share them. Use a One in a Thousand response card or go online to share how you are involved.

Balance the Budget – I will never ask a Christian to give to a budget. Tithes and offerings are gifts to God and for God’s mission. However, a church budget is a mission plan, the intent of which is to identify the work to be done and the resources that are necessary to do that work in a specific community of Christ’s followers. After months of discernment and hard work, your clergy and lay leadership have determined that we must stop deficit spending and that the new Dean should be handed a balanced budget. We’ve cut expenses and reduced the size of the staff and are still $353,000 out of balance. Six families have joined together to offer challenge gifts that will encourage the rest of us to increase the pledges we have made or to make a pledge in order to balance this budget. All of your clergy have increased our pledges in response to this appeal. We invite you to do likewise. Use a pledge card, send an email to Canon Charles LaFond, or go online to join this effort.

Invite a Friend – The fact that you are taking the time to read this message indicates that Saint John’s Cathedral meets important spiritual needs for you and your household. Why not share it with others? Seventy-five percent of those who visit a church for the first time do so at the invitation of someone they know – a friend, colleague, neighbor, or family member. People are more receptive to an invitation to a church in January, mostly because it is a new year. So, make a list of people in your life who may not have a spiritual home. Then, invite them to start the new year with us at Saint John’s Cathedral. Pick them up, meet them in the Welcome Center, take them out for a meal afterwards. It doesn’t have to be a worship service; it can be a concert, a fellowship event, or an educational opportunity. Just invite a friend!

Your participation in these three initiatives will strengthen our life together and help demonstrate how this Cathedral community is making the best use of this time of transition.

I’ll see you in Church!

 

 

 

 

The Very Reverend Ronald D. Pogue
Interim Dean
Saint John’s Cathedral
Denver, Colorado

 

 

The Word Was Made Flesh and Lived Among Us

It is a happy coincidence that the commemoration of St. Ambrose, the fourth century Bishop of Milan, occurs during the Advent season on December 7.  I say that because one of the chief contributions of Bishop Ambrose was his defense of Athanasian (orthodox) Christianity against Arianism.  Athanasians affirm that the Logos or Word (John 1:1) is fully God in the same sense that the Father is, while Arians affirm that the Logos is a creature, the first being created by the Father.  So it is appropriate that his feast day occurs during the season in which we are preparing for the coming of the Messiah because Bishop Ambrose helps us better understand what kind of Messiah we are talking about.

Ambrose may have written the Athanasian Creed (BCP p. 864), the first creed in which the equality of the three persons of the Trinity is explicitly stated.  Whether he wrote it or not, it is consistent with his theology:

And the Catholic Faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity, neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance.  For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost.  But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one, the Glory equal, the Majesty co-eternal.

The Messiah who came as a little child and died on a cross as a man is not just a messenger.  He is Emmanuel, God With Us in the flesh.  That was as incomprehensible a Mystery in the first and fourth centuries as it is today - the Word that was in the beginning, the Word that was with God, the Word that was God, “became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son; full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).  The proof of it is a matter of faith.  This Word Made Flesh, Jesus, the Messiah, matters so much to us because he is the ultimate expression of God’s eternal love for us.

His entire life demonstrates to us that God’s love does not shrink in the face of tragedy, injustice, exploitation, and alienation. Love Divine embraces everything that happens to human beings from birth to death. God With Us heals brokenness, overcomes oppression, and reconciles estrangement.  There is no love in the universe that is tougher or more tender!

A meditation attributed to Bishop Ambrose beautifully expresses what God’s love means to us in these words: “Lord Jesus Christ, you are for me medicine when I am sick; you are my strength when I need help; you are life itself when I fear death; you are the way when I long for heaven; you are light when all is dark; you are my food when I need nourishment.”

Enjoy this hymn attributed to St. Ambrose of Milan. I believe his theology is beautifully expressed in it.

I'll see you in Church!

 

 

 

 

The Very Reverend Ronald D. Pogue
Interim Dean
Saint John’s Cathedral
Denver, Colorado

Give Thanks to God

Our Thanksgiving Day service at Saint John's Cathedral will be at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 24. If you are in the vicinity, please join us. Come as you are, bring family, friends, or neighbors to this beautiful, inspiring place dedicated to the glory of our bountiful Creator.

Also, I want to encourage you to make your meal a true feast of Thanksgiving for those who gather with you around the table. The Book of Common Prayer of The Episcopal Church provides many resources to help us join together in giving thanks on our national day of thanksgiving. Our Hymnal also is filled with words and music to express our gratitude. I commend these worship resources to you and pray that you and those you love will enjoy a truly Happy Thanksgiving!

The Collect for Thanksgiving Day

Almighty and gracious Father, we give you thanks for the fruits of the earth in their season and for the labors of those who harvest them. Make us, we pray, faithful stewards of your great bounty, for the provision of our necessities and the relief of all who are in need, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Prayers for Our Country

Almighty God, you have given us this good land for our heritage: We humbly beseech you that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of your favor and glad to do your will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought here out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in your Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to your law, we may show forth your praise among the nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in you to fail; all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Lord God Almighty, you have made all the peoples of the earth for your glory, to serve you in freedom and in peace: Give to the people of our country a zeal for justice and the strength of forbearance, that we may use our liberty in accordance with your gracious will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

A Litany of Thanksgiving

Let us give thanks to God our Father for all his gifts so freely bestowed upon us.

For the beauty and wonder of your creation, in earth and sky and sea.

We thank you, Lord.

For all that is gracious in the lives of men and women, revealing the image of Christ,

We thank you, Lord.

For our daily food and drink, our homes and families, and our friends,

We thank you, Lord.

For minds to think, and hearts to love, and hands to serve,

We thank you, Lord.

For health and strength to work, and leisure to rest and play,

We thank you, Lord.

For the brave and courageous, who are patient in suffering and faithful in adversity,

We thank you, Lord.

For all valiant seekers after truth, liberty, and justice,

We thank you, Lord.

For the communion of saints, in all times and places,

We thank you, Lord.

Above all, we give you thanks for the great mercies and promises given to us in Christ Jesus our Lord;

To him be praise and glory, with you, O Father, and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.

 

Hymn 397

 

 

John Rutter's setting of Now Thank We All Our God performed by the Cambridge Singers

Words: Martin Rinckart (1586-1649); tr. Catherine Winkworth (1827-1878)

Music: Nun danket alle Gott, melody Johann Cruger (1589-1662); arr. John Rutter (1945-)

 

What Does My Pledge Mean?

 

For the past eight weeks, we have been engaged in a campaign to teach about stewardship. A key element in that campaign has been an appeal for members of the Cathedral community to make a pledge of financial support for 2017. Why?

First of all, a pledge of faithful stewardship of our money is a practice we recommend as one of the spiritual disciplines of our lives. According to the biblical story, human beings are created in the image of God and called by God to be stewards, managers of everything God gives us to sustain and enrich life on planet Earth. Along with that vocation, God has given human beings gifts and abilities that no other creature posses. A pledge of financial support is a tangible profession of our belief that our Creator has called and equipped us to be stewards of God’s bounty. Outward, tangible signs of our beliefs are woven into the fabric of the community of faith: Holy Baptism, Holy Eucharist, works of mercy, standing or kneeling for prayer, going to church, and reading the Bible are some of the other outward and tangible signs of our spiritual life.

In addition, our pledge is more about the giver’s need to give than about the Church’s need to receive. Certainly, as we grow in generosity toward God, the work of the Church benefits as a result of our giving. There are many worthy non-profit organizations. Christians are encouraged to get involved in those organizations and to support them financially. But the Church is not just another non-profit; the Church is of God and is God’s primary instrument for carrying out God’s work in the world. So, we give to God through God’s Church and we make that gift the first priority in all our charitable giving.

Also, our pledge is a reminder that everything we have, whether saved, spent, or given away is a sacred trust from God. When we make contributions to fulfill our pledge, we are mindful that we are stewards over what remains. It causes us to be more intentional about how we use our resources and helps us have a healthy relationship with our possessions so that we don’t rely on them more than we rely on God.

And, our Cathedral community, like the entire Church, is a covenant community. The God we worship has welcomed us into a covenant and calls us to live in covenant with one another. So, when I make any kind of pledge, promise, vow, in the context of my faith community, it is a tangible expression of my desire to participate in and be accountable to my sisters and brothers in Christ. All people are welcome to be consumers of the ministries of the Church. But the ministries of the Church are carried out by those who consider themselves members. The members are the delivery system. Our Vestry, Staff, and Finance Committee develop a mission plan each year. Our pledges give them a reliable estimate of the amount of funding available to carry out that plan. Therefore we have to be committed to one another in Christ’s mission. A pledge of financial support is one of the ways we are expected to demonstrate that commitment. Our pledge says to God and to God's covenant people, “You can count on me!”

Some have expressed concern that there are those who are waiting until the new Dean arrives before making a pledge. In truth, very few people are doing that. Most of our members at Saint John's Cathedral understand that faithful stewardship is about giving to God for the mission of God's Church, not giving to the Dean. And they understand that a pledge is not a bargaining tool for getting their way or a means of expressing satisfaction or dissatisfaction. In fact, if our people respond as generously as I believe they will, those who are discerning a call to be the new Dean will be impressed by this sign of spiritual vitality and maturity.

If you have made your pledge of faithful stewardship, thank you! I hope this reflection strengthens your resolve. If you have not made a pledge, please do so very soon and join us in growing in generosity in the coming year. If you have never made a pledge, please give it prayerful consideration. You may find, as so many of us have found, that the discipline can have a transforming effect in your spiritual journey.

I’ll see you in Church!

 

 

 

 

The Very Reverend Ronald D. Pogue
Interim Dean
Saint John's Cathedral
Denver, Colorado

 

 

Our Legacy of Faithful Stewardship

 

When studying a congregation, there are several aspects of the life of the congregation that are symptomatic of the spiritual health of the community and its members: hospitality, worship attendance, faith development, outreach to others, and stewardship. Those who are discerning a call to become the next spiritual leader of a congregation are especially interested in examining these practices in light of their own priestly gifts and vocational emphases. What will the candidates find when they look at us?

During the short time I have been with you, we have been exploring these practices and other areas of congregational health in a variety of settings and one thing has emerged as urgent. Saint John’s Cathedral is now at a crossroads when Christian stewardship must have our full attention. In many ways, how God's people relate to their possessions and how they express their generosity toward God touches every other aspect of personal spirituality and the common life of the congregation. When we practice the spiritual discipline of stewardship we become more generous. Generosity changes both the giver and the Church.

This is nothing new. St. Paul addressed this relationship with the members of the Corinthian Church: “You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us; for the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God” (2 Cor. 9:10-12). Jesus said it this way, “Strive first for the kingdom of God and God's righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Mt. 6:33).

I have been in conversation with leaders and staff regarding the pattern of giving in the Cathedral community. What I have learned convinces me that this is the perfect time for a transformation in the culture of giving at Saint John’s Cathedral.

The essence of the change that is needed is for parishioners to be less focused on the church's need to receive and more focused on the giver's need to give. It is possible that many members have not taken full responsibility for their own personal stewardship because the parish leans too heavily on the generous endowments of past benefactors.

Emphasizing the church's need to receive is a fund raising strategy. In contrast, emphasizing the giver's need to give fosters Christian stewardship. One is based on need; the other is based on God's bountiful generosity toward us. One is consumer-oriented, the other is God-oriented. One anticipates receiving something in return; the other is our response to something already received. Certainly, fund raising is necessary from time to time when an extraordinary need or opportunity arises. But in the Church, faithful stewardship of God’s bounty must be the foundation.

Your Vestry and Stewardship Commission have provided you with sound explanations and compelling reasons for the congregation's need to receive your contributions. They have offered you statistical information, budgets, audit reports, and comparisons of average levels of giving with other area congregations and with congregations of The Episcopal Church. Everybody knows it takes money to operate this Cathedral and you will continue to receive such reports.

These reports are useful indicators of spiritual health and they provide assurances about the fiscal management of resources. But they are not an adequate basis for Christian stewardship, have provided very little motivation for greater generosity, and certainly should never be an excuse for a Christian to withhold what belongs to God.

We give to God because of God’s central place in the stories of our lives. We give to God because God first gives to us. We give to God because we believe that all that we have, whether spent, saved, or given away is a sacred trust from God. We give to God because of our consciousness that we are the only creatures that are created in God's image and entrusted with the divine vocation to be stewards of everything God has provided. Giving to God is our birthright, privilege, and legacy!

Today's generation of worshipers at Saint John's Cathedral have inherited a legacy of generosity and stewardship from those who came before us. But I wonder if we have lost touch with the vision of being a leading parish of The Episcopal Church in our time? Is it possible that this legacy has somehow become a stumbling block instead of a steppingstone? Are we leaning on the endowment to balance our annual budget instead of allowing it to inspire us to new and more generous levels of stewardship?

A common question that is asked by candidates for the role of leadership in endowed congregations is, “How heavily do you depend upon your endowment to balance the budget for the ongoing mission of the parish?” The correct answer is, “ZERO.” At the present time the answer at Saint John's Cathedral would have to be, “Forty percent,” and that's too much.

Now, during this period of transition, this Cathedral community has the opportunity to take the step that will change the answer! The spiritual readiness is here. The resources are here. All that is needed is for the willingness to be stirred up.

That is the reason our Stewardship Commission is inviting us to increase our pledges by at least one percent of our household income. If every member will take this step as a matter of spiritual growth, it will make a remarkable difference in your life and also allow the Cathedral of The Episcopal Church in Colorado to reclaim the vision of leadership entrusted to this generation. Gay and I have accepted that invitation and made our increased pledge. So have others. Won’t you join us?

A great lay leader of another generation said,

The only way to have is to give,
The only way to keep is to share,
And the only thing worth finding is opportunity.

I recognize that some people find that talk in Church about possessions makes them feel uncomfortable. I understand that. But I hope that you will pray for the grace to live with that discomfort long enough to find in this challenge a priceless opportunity for spiritual growth, both for you and for the Church you love.

“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God” (Hebrews 13:16).

Click HERE to make your pledge today.

I’ll see you in Church!

 

 

 

 

The Very Reverend Ronald D. Pogue
Interim Dean
Saint John's Cathedral
Denver, Colorado

 

 

Claim the High Calling...

To have a vocation is to be called by God to do something. Some vocations are rather specific, such as a call to Holy Orders, a call to teach the Christian faith, a call to work for peace and justice from a religious perspective. All believers share a call to serve God and our neighbors as stewards of what God has provided to sustain and enrich creation. Each time we renew the Baptismal Covenant we promise to live by the implications of our Baptism.

In the biblical stories of creation, the vocation of stewardship is given to human beings alone. I think it is fair to say that the vocation of stewardship is one of the things that makes us human. No other creature is given such responsibility nor the ability to exercise such responsibility. Along with the call to be faithful stewards of God's creation, human beings possess the ability to act with purpose, to create, to communicate in complex ways through many languages, and to live in a conscious relationship with the Creator. Because the story of our faith says this vocation was given to humans by the Creator "in the beginning," I sometimes say that stewardship is in our DNA.

Last Sunday, I was reminded twice of the call to faithful stewardship.

At the principal service, our retiring hymn was "Come, Labor On." It's a hymn that stresses divine call and human response. The first part of one stanza got my attention; "Come, labor on. Claim the high calling angels cannot share." Not even the Holy Angels are expected to do what humans are called to do. To each order of creation is given certain roles that are not given to other orders of creation. Among the roles human beings are given is the vocation to serve God as stewards of creation. That responsibility does not belong to angels or any other creature. As beautiful, mysterious, powerful, and wondrous angels are, their vocation is different from that of humanity.

Later in the day, the Cathedral was full of the creatures with which we share the planet earth - dogs, cats, fish, snakes, ferrets, and other pets - that their human protectors had brought for our annual blessing of the animals. People have a special relationship with their pets. Pets bring a lot of joy to our lives. But as wonderful as these creatures are, they do not share the calling entrusted to their protectors. The Creator did not call them to do the things humans are called to do and they are not endowed with the same abilities and responsibilities as humans.

All this is to say that our annual emphasis on stewardship, which happens in many Christian churches in the fall of the year, is more than a fund raising campaign. It is an opportunity to celebrate God's call to be faithful stewards of God's bounty. It is an opportunity to take a closer look at our relationship with our possessions, our neighbors, and our planet. It is an opportunity to see how we can grow in generosity. It is an opportunity to invite God to use us more and more as instruments who move the world toward the vision God has for it. It is an opportunity to address our need to give as a central aspect of our humanity. It is an opportunity to celebrate the life God gives us through a new covenant to give to God in gratitude for what God has given us and to share our life and treasure with God's people.

Over half of the teachings and proclamations of Jesus have to do with possessions. I believe that is because he realized how easy it is for us to be possessed by our possessions. I believe he also understood that possessions are those things that are most likely to come between us and God, us and our neighbors, us and creation, and even to come between our selves and the selves we are meant to be, our spiritual identity. And, I believe Jesus wanted all people to be liberated from whatever enslaves us. The story of Jesus' encounter with the rich man who came to him seeking eternal life is recorded in all three of the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke). Jesus told the man that the only thing he needed to do was to sell his possessions, give the money to the poor, and follow him. Mark's version of the story is slightly different. Mark's version of the story reads, "Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (Mark 10:21). Jesus said what he did out of love. He knew the man was enslaved by his wealth and true liberty for him would not be possible until he ceased relying on his stuff more than he relied on God. He was inviting the man to be a faithful steward of God's bounty, to become fully human.

And that is the invitation that is annually extended to each follower of Jesus during the fall stewardship emphasis. That is why I look forward to this time of year. Every year, I hear from people who took the next step in pursuit of "the high calling angels cannot share." I hope you will be one of them this year!

I'll see you in Church!

 

 

 

 

The Very Reverend Ronald D. Pogue
Interim Dean
Saint John’s Cathedral
Denver, Colorado

 

Follow the example of the bees...

 

Labor Day, observed on the first Monday in September, celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers. We pause to remember and give thanks for those whose labor contributes to the quality of our common life. So many of the products we enjoy in this country are presented to us in final form in markets, stores, and showrooms that it is easy to take granted those who produced them. It is also easy to forget how our own work impacts the lives of others.

Our Book of Common Prayer provides us with fitting words of gratitude and intercession to God on this day:

Almighty God, you have so linked our lives one with another that all we do affects, for good or ill, all other lives: So guide us in the work we do, that we may do it not for self alone, but for the common good; and, as we seek a proper return for our own labor, make us mindful of the rightful aspirations of other workers, and arouse our concern for those who are out of work; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

We can also apply the petition, "...not for self alone, but for the common good" to our Cathedral community. During this time of transition, everyone is called to work for the common good so that the mission of the Cathedral remains strong and vibrant. The ongoing life and work of any community of faith is not about who's in charge; it's about remaining faithful and steadfast in the work to which God is calling us. When I think of an image of work “for the common good,” I think of bees. I have been observing the bees that live on the Cathedral campus. Every one of them buzzes about doing its part on behalf of the hive.

Throughout history, bees have served as a reminder to humans of how important it is for humans to work for the common good. Bees are helpful not only to their own kind, they are helpful to humans and other creatures that depend upon food that requires pollination. For example, did you know that one in every three bites you eat and 70% of America's food sources are pollinated by bees? That is one reason we should be concerned about and seeking solutions to the worldwide decline in the bee population.

The bee and the beehive have often been used in Christian art and architecture as metaphors for the Church and its members. St. John Chrysostom wrote: “The bee is more honored than other animals, not because it labors, but because it labors for others” (12th Homily). The honey produced by the bee is agreeable to the palate and symbolic of spiritual sweetness and religious eloquence. For this reason, the beehive is emblematic of St. Ambrose and of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, two Doctors whom the Church calls mellifluus and mellificuus, that is, with an eloquence as suave and sweet as honey.

Honeybee Democracy is a book written by Thomas D. Seeley, a professor of biology at Cornell University. He has devoted his career to the study of these amazing creatures and the way they work together for the common good. In the prologue, the author writes, “The story of how honeybees make a democratic decision based on a face-to-face, consensus-seeking assembly is certainly important to behavioral biologists interested in how social animals make group decisions.”

The more we contemplate the energetic work, cooperative nature, and fruitfulness of bees, the better we understand why others have seen in them an example of how Christians might work, pray, and give in unity. We can follow the example of the bees!

There is a place for healthy competition in the secular environments where so many people work. There is even a place for a little friendly competition within Christian communities. In attempting to inspire the Corinthian Christians to greater generosity, St. Paul introduces a little competition when he tells them how generous the poor Macedonians when they insisted on sending aid to the Church in Jerusalem (2 Cor. 8:1-7).

Perhaps we are doing the same thing when we compare the giving patterns of this Cathedral community with the giving patterns of the wider Church and other congregations nearby. It doesn't take a mathematician to recognize in these comparisons that there is room for improvement and lots of it.

But the key to a more generous spirit, I think, is not to be found in comparing ourselves with others or competing with them. God is not calling us to be some other church. Nor is God calling us to aspire to the average contribution level of Episcopalians across the country. (I would be a poor priest indeed if all I did was try to inspire the people of this parish to be average!) The key is to hear the call of God to each of us to be the generous creatures we were designed to be and to all of us to work together more energetically so that we can share God's bounty with others. When we do that, people are uplifted, transformed, and healed, and God is glorified.

St. Paul went on to tell the Corinthians, “You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us; for the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God” (2 Cor. 9:11, 12).

Jesus Christ, God Incarnate, is our greatest example of generosity. St. Paul referred to him as God's “indescribable gift.” Jesus’ method was to form a community and teach them by word and example. You and I are the descendants of that first community and now the message of Jesus and its meaning for our world today is entrusted to us.

Where are the places in the life of Saint John’s Cathedral in which you can work more energetically, pray more fervently, and give more generously for the spread of the God's reign on earth? Please pray about that.

I’ll see you in Church!

 

 

 

 

The Very Reverend Ronald D. Pogue
Interim Dean
Saint John’s Cathedral
Denver, Colorado

 

The Foundation for Christian Mission

 

The other name for the Episcopal Church is “The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society.”  As members of this Church, we're taught that each of us is a missionary. What is the foundation, the basis for our work as missionaries? I don’t mean to be overly simplistic, but I believe the Christian mission has its basis in the Great Gift, the Great Commandment, and the Great Commission:

•  The Great Gift (John 3:16-17) ~ For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

God’s greatest gift of Love surpasses all I possess, given not for condemnation but for redemption. The Gift of the Son of God to reconcile us to God and to others inspires, empowers, and motivates us in the work of reconciliation God has entrusted to us.

•  The Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-40) ~ You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Jesus' summary of the law is the guide for our words and actions. Everything else depends on these two commandments, like a door depends on its hinges. Demonstration of love for God and love for our neighbors are the highest values of the Christian’s life.

•  The Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) ~ All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Jesus gave this commission to the Church. He intends for us to be united in God's mission. What happens when we gather for worship, study, and fellowship is to prepare us to GO back into the world to be and to make disciples for the sake of the world. We are blessed not just to feel good about ourselves, but so that we may be a blessing to others.

How are we doing, Jesus?

I'll see you in Church!

 

 

 

 

The Very Reverend Ronald D. Pogue
Interim Dean
Saint John’s Cathedral
Denver, Colorado

 

Follow Him, Seek Him, Love Him

 

The chorus from W.H. Auden's Christmas Oratorio is on my mind today as I reflect upon my life and ministry and the people and places I have known:

He is the Way.
Follow Him through the Land of Unlikeness;
You will see rare beasts, and have unique adventures.

He is the Truth.
Seek Him in the Kingdom of Anxiety;
You will come to a great city that has expected your return for years.

He is the Life.
Love Him in the World of the Flesh;
And at your marriage all its occasions shall dance for joy.

(W H Auden – 1907-1973)

All of life is about transition, change, rebirth. The places to which we are led on the way, the truths we discover, and the people who enter our lives become part of our story. Woven into the story is the One who revealed himself as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The Word Incarnate holds all the places, discoveries, and people together in our experience and helps us to find meaning. In him, the unfamiliar becomes familiar, fears are transformed into faith, and life becomes joy. I am filled with gratitude.

This poem is set to two different tunes in The Hymnal 1982 of The Episcopal Church.  Here's a beautiful choral setting by Carson Cooman:  The Way, The Truth, The Life   (Royal Holloway Choir, University of London, Samuel Rathbone & Rupert Gough) I hope it will help you reflect on your own journey and feel deep gratitude for the difference his presence makes.

I'll see you in Church!

 

 

 

 

The Very Reverend Ronald D. Pogue
Interim Dean
Saint John's Cathedral
Denver, Colorado