e-piphanies

Ron's Farewell Discourse

As I draw closer to the completion of my ministry among you at St. Andrew’s Cathedral, I’m mindful of so many things I need to do and say. Was this how Jesus was feeling during the time leading up to the Ascension? He sure took the time to give some instructions, provide some reminders, and make some promises before saying goodbye. I think I will too.

My last Sunday will be June 16. I’ll preside over the Vestry one more time on June 17. My first event at St. Andrew’s was the Dean’s List and so it will be the last on June 18. Then, on June 19, we will head for our house in Arlington, Texas. I’ll be on vacation for the rest of the month. Anne Maxwell will become your Dean on July 1 and you will soon begin to experience an entirely new transition. You’ve had time to “practice” on David Elliott and me for almost three years. I hope you’ve experienced some things that will help you step into a new era of mission with a new spiritual leader.

Here are a few things that are on my mind as I prepare to leave you:

•   We’ve emphasized involvement, created or revitalized groups to pursue God’s mission, and developed charters to guide their work. There's a healthy process in place to help a lot of people do a lot of good. If you are involved, thank you. If you are not, take some time to discern how God may be calling you to get involved. HERE is a pretty complete description of how things are organized at this time. Where might you connect and express the gifts God has given to you?

•  There’s a new online pictorial directory. Have you logged in and provided a photo? Your new Dean will want to get to know you, know how to find you, and recognize your face. If you have not already signed up, please take a few minutes to do that. HERE is the information you will need.

•  Another way you can help your new Dean (and fellow communicants as well) is to wear a nametag. We’ve placed blank ones and Sharpies at entrances and gathering places. If you have a permanent name tag that you bring to the Cathedral with you, that’s great. But if you forget it, these are always here.

•  Invite / Welcome / Connect. Don’t be shy about inviting others to St. Andrew’s. It doesn’t have to be to a worship service. Almost any event can be an entry point for newcomers. And, don’t be shy about speaking to people. Introduce yourself, show newcomers the way to Coffee Hour, help them navigate our beautifully complex liturgy, and be the “Face” of St. Andrew’s. Also, don’t be shy about connecting people to others in our loving Cathedral community. They very well may be looking for a community like ours.

•  Set the example as the Cathedral Church of the Diocese of Mississippi. The diocese is looking to St. Andrew's for leadership, encouragement, resources, and hospitality, all of which are here in abundance. Join the Cathedral Guild. Serve in a diocesan role. Look for opportunities to be a representative of the Cathedral in the City of Jackson and beyond. St. Andrew's is not just another big church; you are the Cathedral Church, serving the diocese and the Bishop.

•  Pray for your Bishop, Dean, Canons, Staff and the leadership of the Cathedral. Prayer has made a difference during the past three years. It will continue to be the one thing we all have in common. (Get it? Common Prayer?)

•  Show up. Your presence matters. It matters to you, when you didn’t feel like coming and something happens that changes your life. It matters to others, when the room is full of singing, praying, loving people and when the smile on your face or the sound of your voice is exactly what someone else needs to get through another week. It matters to God, who calls you to worship and service and dwells among God’s own people.

•   I have invited you to view Christian stewardship as a spiritual practice, which, like prayer, strengthens your faith, hope, and love. You have responded in amazing ways and I pray that you have found the practice to be everything I told you it would be and more. “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. 9:12-13)

•  Remember that Gay and I love you and will think of you often wherever we may be. Our time with you has enriched and changed our lives. We are grateful for your lavish hospitality and generous friendship.

The best days, the golden years, of St. Andrew’s Cathedral lie just ahead. God’s promise to Israel is yours as well: “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me, says the Lord…” (Jeremiah 29:11-14).

I’ll see you in Church!

 

 

 

 

The Very Reverend Ronald D. Pogue

Interim Dean

St. Andrew’s Cathedral

Jackson, Mississippi

He Ascended into Heaven

Have you thought about the fact that, while the Ascension Window in the rear of the Cathedral Nave is our largest window, we hardly ever talk much about the Ascension other than when we're reciting the creeds?

Perhaps the reason the Church has neglected the Ascension in its preaching, teaching, and liturgical life is that it is so easy to let issues such as the location of heaven, behavior of clouds, and laws of gravity obscure the central theological affirmations of the event. I invite you to look beyond the literal description of the event with me and consider those affirmations.

The first affirmation is that it rings the curtain down on the earthly ministry of Jesus.

He had walked with them and talked with them about the Kingdom before and after the resurrection. He had walked the way of the cross. He had journeyed with them along the road to Emmaus and appeared to them in the breaking of the bread. He stood among them in that fear-filled room in Jerusalem and restored their courage and their faith. For forty days he had shared with them his risen presence. He had prepared them for his going away and promised them that he would send the Comforter, power from on high, and that because he was going to the Father, they would be able to do even greater works than he had done. Now it was time for the earthly part of his ministry to cease.

The Ascension was a farewell scene. They needed a transition and this was the event that made it possible. We know the need ourselves. His departure points to a new day in God's Realm, a new relationship with his followers, and a new responsibility for his work. So, the Ascension affirms that his earthly ministry has come to a close and his work in the world is now to be done by those whom he has chosen and empowered.

A second affirmation of the Ascension is a broadening understanding of the purpose and mission of the Church.

The figure in white asked them, “Why are you standing there looking up into heaven?” That may be another way of saying, “You have been told what you are supposed to do and it is NOT to stand there looking up into the sky. Jesus told you he’ll return but he didn’t give you a schedule. You have things to do. Go and do them!”

The challenge to the Church now as then is, while we expect his return at any moment, we are not to spend our waiting time looking up into the sky and meditating on the past but moving into mission in the world. Theologian Leslie Newbigin once observed, “The Church is unique in that it exists not for its own sake but for the sake of those outside it.”

We are not to become so caught up in gazing in wonder that we fail to capture the vision of the mission field at the doorsteps of our churches into which we are sent at the end of every service. We must not be so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good in advancing the reign of God in our part of the world!

The third affirmation of the Ascension is that Jesus, the suffering and crucified One, is now with the Father.

What does that mean? I am reminded of Luther’s debate with Zwingli during which Zwingli was challenging Luther’s perspective on the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Zwingli declared, “He can’t be in two places at once, and the scripture says he’s at the right hand of God.” Luther responded, “The right hand of God is here, there, and everywhere.”

The right hand of God is not a geographical location you can Google, but rather the power bestowed upon the Son by the Father. He brings God’s power to us. It means that the One who has been given all power and authority has been touched with the feeling of weakness, knows our pain, has wrestled with temptation. His incarnation, which began with his Nativity and concluded with his Ascension, has brought something of our humanity into the very life of God.

It means that he is Sovereign of the Universe. All that is left is for the universe to acknowledge that truth.

And, it means that the ultimate outcome of history is no longer in question. The Kingdom, the power, and the glory are his now and forever. He has triumphed and, we who are his sisters and brothers through Baptism are heirs of all that he has won. His victory is our victory. You might say that his victory is hidden in our history, to be perceived only through eyes of faith. What do you see when you look around? Look again!

In the Letter to the Ephesians, we are told that the world should be able to get a glimpse of God's Reign when it looks at the Church, his Body. We have to confess that is not always what the world sees. It’s not always what we see either. But he’s probably doing more with us than he’s getting done with any other group on this planet. The Church is still alive and at work in human lives, bringing compassion, healing, purpose, and victory to people of all types in all places.

Almighty God, whose blessed Son our Savior Jesus Christ ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all things: Mercifully give us faith to perceive that, according to his promise, he abides with his Church on earth, even to the end of the ages; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.  (BCP)

I'll see you in Church!

 

 

 

 

The Very Reverend Ronald D. Pogue
Interim Dean
St. Andrew’s Cathedral
Jackson, Mississippi

P.S. This Charles Wesley hymn about the Ascension is a favorite of mine.

 

Nurturing Our Life Together During Easter

 

What a glorious Easter we've had! Thanks to everyone who contributed to the beauty and the joy of our celebrations at St. Andrew’s Cathedral. As we enter the Great Fifty Days of Easter, we are especially conscious of the renewal of life. It seems like an appropriate time to address one of the important tasks of transition; taking stock of the present identity of the parish. Here are a few ways we can do that during this season.

Worship – Corporate worship is the heart of our life together. In worship, our faith is renewed and restored, lives are transformed, significant decisions are inspired, and God’s call to service is heard. If you have become less than regular in worship, I invite you to attend more frequently. For example, if you come about once a month, perhaps you could resolve to be in worship at least twice a month. If you are already a weekly worshiper, perhaps you might offer to serve as an usher, a greeter, a lector, or in some other capacity that contributes to our worship. Give it some prayerful consideration.

Membership Information Update – We have placed notebooks with current membership information in the Rotunda, St. Francis Hall, and the Parish Hall. Please take the time to check to be sure we have up to date and accurate contact information, birth dates, anniversary dates, baptism dates, and names of everyone in your household.

Communication – Effective communication is vital to every family, community, and organization. We have begun using our new Realm program for membership information and internal communication. Also, if you are responsible for informing the Cathedral community about an event or something your ministry group is doing, please work closely with our Communications Director Josh Geter to ensure that our messages and graphics are consistent.

Involvement – There are places of purposeful service in our life together. Many of you indicated interest in beginning or exploring new places of service through the recent “I Will, With God’s Help” survey. All of that information has been shared with leaders of various ministry groups and they are in the process of making contact.

Short Range Planning – This is a very active parish. Quite a few things need to be accomplished during the coming months as preparations are made to welcome a new Dean. The staff, commissions, committees, guilds, and others are in the process reviewing plans, assignments, and objectives to ensure that the momentum continues.

As Easter People, we are always open to renewal and this is one such opportunity. We are going to need everyone’s attention and assistance as we nurture our life together. Please watch for communications and participate at every opportunity. One reason St. Andrew’s is such a vibrant and healthy community of faith is the level of participation. We want that to continue! Think of this as something like an annual checkup to sure everything is working and that nothing is being overlooked.

I’ll see you in Church!

 

 

 

 

The Very Reverend Ronald D. Pogue
Interim Dean
St. Andrew’s Cathedral
Jackson, Mississippi

Every Member is a Minister

One of the most important tasks we’ve undertaken during this time of transition is to foster the engagement of the members of the Cathedral community in one or more ministries. Why is this important?

•  “Every Member is a Minister” is the teaching of The Episcopal Church.

The Catechism of The Episcopal Church can be found on pages 844-862 in The Book of Common Prayer. This brief summary of the Church’s teaching, grounded in Scripture, is also known as “An Outline of the Faith.” Among the teachings we find in the Catechism is a description of how the mission of the Church is carried out and by whom:

Q. Through whom does the Church carry out its mission?
A. The Church carries out its mission through the ministry of all its members.

•  “Every Member is a Minister” is a characteristic of fruitful congregations.

Fruitful congregations understand that every member is a minister, called by and connected to Jesus Christ and engaged in one or more ministries. At St. Andrew’s, these ministries are carried out with assistance of the clergy and staff under the leadership and engagement of our commissions, committees, guilds, and various ministry groups. Some of our ministries that had become dormant have been revitalized. Others have been strengthened. Still others are new initiatives.

•  “Every Member is a Minister” describes a church that is ready to enter the next era of mission.

Soon, a new Dean will arrive, ready to lead you into a future where God is calling you. He or she will expect to have a well organized, active, involved laity with whom to work because that’s how the profile you helped develop describes St. Andrew's. To have all the ministries populated with people, sleeves rolled up, called, equipped, and empowered will make a big difference.

•  We’ve come a long way but there is room for more.

Several weeks ago, we sent out an invitation to participate in a time and talent survey called “I Will, With God’s Help.” The intent of that survey is to determine three things:

•  Places of ministry members feel called to explore or begin,
•  Places of ministry members wish to continue in the coming year,
•  Places of ministry where members are serving beyond the parish.

We've developed a document describing the ministries of the parish. It is entitled “Charters for Mission and Governance” and you may see it HERE. This document was prepared in collaboration with commissions and committees and finally approved by the Vestry in February of this year. Along with those descriptions, there are brief descriptions of just about every one of our ongoing ministries in the survey itself.

If you have already participated in the survey, thank you very much! If you have not, there is still time. Click HERE to participate.

As you consider this invitation, I encourage you to read again the words of St. Paul to the Ephesians. Read them as if they were written for this community of Christ's followers in this time and place.

But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knitted together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love. – Ephesians 4:15-16

I’ll see you in Church!

 

 

 

 

The Very Reverend Ronald D. Pogue
Interim Dean
St. Andrew’s Cathedral
Jackson, Mississippi

http://standrews.ms/iwill/

http://standrews.ms/charters-and-governance/

 

Congratulations! Keep Moving.

The Transfiguration of Christ by the hand of Gay Pogue

The official feast day for the Transfiguration of Christ is August 6. Since it is normally not on a Sunday, it doesn't get much attention. However, the planners of the Sunday lectionary have placed the Transfiguration on the Last Sunday After the Epiphany each year. You can read Luke's account here.

Peter, James, and John were with Jesus on the mountaintop when they saw this itinerant rabbi in a whole new light. It was one of the most powerful and numinous of all the manifestations of Jesus as the Messiah. They heard the voice of God confirming the divine nature and mission of the Only Begotten.

The appearance of Moses the Lawgiver and Elijah the Prophet assure us that Jesus was the One who had come to fulfill the Law and the Prophets. It was as if Moses and Elijah were passing their ministries on to Jesus the Messiah for him to complete. 

Peter's suggestion that they build dwellings and take up residence in the experience reminds us of our tendency to want to stop the procession. When something wonderful happens, we feel as if it can't get any better than this and we want to preserve everything just the way it is. But Jesus had to come down from the mountain, respond to human need, and face the cross. Mountaintop experiences have their place. But there is always more to be done in the mission to which we are called.

I once heard about a university commencement in which the president's lapel microphone remained on as he was presenting the diplomas to the graduates, broadcasting his voice as he said to each one of them, "Congratulations! Keep moving."

Perhaps that is a message for us when we have an epiphany, a mountaintop experience. It is an important and wonderful thing, but not an end in itself. We draw inspiration and derive courage from it and we keep moving toward new opportunities God is preparing for us to walk in. "Congratulations! Keep moving."

I'll see you in Church!

 

 

 

The Very Reverend Ronald D. Pogue
Interim Dean
St. Andrew’s Cathedral
Jackson, Mississippi

 

The Transfiguration of Christ by the hand of Gay Pogue

The official feast day for the Transfiguration of Christ is August 6. Since it is normally not on a Sunday, it doesn't get much attention. However, the planners of the Sunday lectionary have placed the Transfiguration on the Last Sunday After the Epiphany each year. You can read Luke's account here.

Peter, James, and John were with Jesus on the mountaintop when they saw this itinerant rabbi in a whole new light. It was one of the most powerful and numinous of all the manifestations of Jesus as the Messiah. They heard the voice of God confirming the divine nature and mission of the Only Begotten.

The appearance of Moses the Lawgiver and Elijah the Prophet assure us that Jesus was the One who had come to fulfill the Law and the Prophets. It was as if Moses and Elijah were passing their ministries on to Jesus the Messiah for him to complete. 

Peter's suggestion that they build dwellings and take up residence in the experience reminds us of our tendency to want to stop the procession. When something wonderful happens, we feel as if it can't get any better than this and we want to preserve everything just the way it is. But Jesus had to come down from the mountain, respond to human need, and face the cross. Mountaintop experiences have their place. But there is always more to be done in the mission to which we are called.

I once heard about a university commencement in which the president's lapel microphone remained on as he was presenting the diplomas to the graduates, broadcasting his voice as he said to each one of them, "Congratulations! Keep moving."

Perhaps that is a message for us when we have an epiphany, a mountaintop experience. It is an important and wonderful thing, but not an end in itself. We draw inspiration and derive courage from it and we keep moving toward new opportunities God is preparing for us to walk in. "Congratulations! Keep moving."

I'll see you in Church!

 

 

 

The Very Reverend Ronald D. Pogue
Interim Dean
St. Andrew’s Cathedral
Jackson, Mississippi

 

Nurturing the Most Important Relationship of All

Think of the most important relationships in your life. Who are the people who matter to you and to whom you matter? How do you nurture those relationships? Do you routinely show up for meals with them? Do you communicate with them? Do you celebrate special occasions with them? Do you check in with them on a regular basis? Do you go out of your way for them? Do you feel a sense of responsibility to them? Do you delight in their company? Do you lavish gifts upon them to express your devotion? Do you tell them what they mean to you? What would your life be like without them? Do you ever take them for granted? Would it bother you if you drifted apart.

Does your relationship with God matter as much? How do you nurture your relationship with God?

One of the consistent themes of the Bible is God’s desire for a relationship with us. God went searching for Adam in the Garden of Eden. God appeared to Abraham and made a covenant with him. The first two commandments God gave to Moses on the mountain have to do with putting God first. God in Christ said, “Follow me” to some strangers and formed them into a community of friends and disciples. They and their successors called to others to follow Christ and join that community, the Church, where we continue to work on that relationship today.

God wants to be first in our lives and promises to transform all other relationships. In an attempt to express the primacy of our relationship with God, the faithful do things like give the first tenth of their treasure to God and worship on the first day of the week. Because God matters, we show up for meals, communicate, celebrate special occasions, check in regularly, go out of our way, feel a sense of responsibility, delight in God’s company, lavish gifts upon God, and express what God means to us through prayers and praises. Life would not be the same without God and we don’t ever want to take God for granted.

God matters to us. But even more important is the message that we matter to God! Of all God’s creatures, human beings come first. We are the apple of God’s eye. Because this relationship is so important to God, God shows up for meals, communicates with us, celebrates special occasions with us, goes out of the way for us, feels a sense of responsibility toward us, delights in our company, lavishes gifts upon us, and tells us we are beloved. We matter to God and God never takes us for granted.

St. Augustine of Hippo prayed, “Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee.” We were created with a desire to live in relationship with our Creator as well as our neighbors. As we approach the Season of Lent, I pray that we will make a new resolve to open ourselves more fully to that relationship. This 19th Century hymn echoes Augustine's prayer. Take a moment to listen to this a capella rendition by Danny Byrum.

I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew
he moved my soul to seek him, seeking me.
It was not I that found, O Savior true;
no, I was found of thee.

Thou didst reach forth thy hand and mine enfold;
I walked and sank not on the storm-vexed sea.
'Twas not so much that I on thee took hold,
as thou, dear Lord, on me.

I find, I walk, I love, but oh, the whole
of love is but my answer, Lord, to thee!
For thou wert long beforehand with my soul;
always thou lovedst me.

I’ll see you in Church!

 

 

 

 

The Very Reverend Ronald D. Pogue
Interim Dean
St. Andrew’s Cathedral
Jackson, Mississippi

 

 

Every Member Has a Ministry!

The Calling of Andrew Window

The Feast of the Epiphany celebrates the manifestation of Jesus as the Messiah to the gentile world. In the season following the feast, we are reminded of various ways he manifested his messianic role – miracles, healing, preaching, teaching, and calling people to follow him.

He spent time with those who responded to his call, forming them into a community, equipping them to continue his messianic work in the world. Each follower of Jesus was given gifts for this work. Some were placed in positions of leadership to provide the formative experiences for others in the generations that followed. In this way, the community of followers of Jesus, the Church, is strategically ordered to advance his mission from generation to generation.

Writing to the followers of Jesus in the city of Ephesus in the first few years after Jesus ascended into heaven, St. Paul wrote of this way of ensuring the future of Christian mission:

“But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ” (Ephesians 4:7, 11-13).

Notice that the “work of ministry” is entrusted to “the saints.” Who are the saints? The saints are the members of Christ’s Church, the followers of Jesus. Our Episcopal catechism expresses it this way, “The Church carries out is mission through the ministry of all its members” (BCP, p. 855).

Larger congregations, like ours, have several members of the clergy and a number of staff members. It is easy to see the clergy and staff as the ones who carry out the Church’s mission. Sometimes even the clergy and staff begin to see it that way. However, when that happens, the saints are deprived of their missional opportunities. It is our responsibility to help each member discover his or her gifts and discern ways in which Christ wants those gifts to be used, with God's help, in the ongoing mission of Jesus Christ.

Some are called to serve primarily within the life of the Church. Others are called to ministries out in the world at our doorstep. Many are called to do both! Christ calls each of us to be engaged in his mission. Every member has a ministry! Vibrant, fruitful churches are filled with people who believe that and exercise their ministries to the glory of God, thereby building up the Church in pursuit of Christ’s mission.

So, during this season when we recall those whom Christ called to follow him during his earthly ministry, we reclaim and reaffirm our own vocations. Where are you called to serve Christ in his Church? If you know, your clergy and staff are here to assist you and support you. And, if you are not sure, we are here to help you find a ministry that is right for you.

Tomorrow, I will send out a message announcing this year’s engagement campaign, “I Will, With God’s Help.” Building on last year’s campaign, we are hoping once again to have strong participation in this effort to engage everyone in the ministries of St. Andrew’s Cathedral. There is a long list of possibilities in the survey we have prepared. Please watch for the email. When it arrives, I invite you, in the name of Jesus Christ, to take some time to review the opportunities and respond to the call to serve in one or more ways.

By responding to your vocation, your call, you give us the privilege of fulfilling ours! Please let us hear from you.

The Collect for the Sixth Sunday After the Epiphany is a good prayer to offer while you are considering your call to serve.

O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept our prayers; and because in our weakness we can do nothing good without you, give us the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments we may please you both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

I’ll see you in Church!

 

 

 

 

The Very Reverend Ronald D. Pogue
Interim Dean
St. Andrew’s Cathedral
Jackson, Mississippi

 

 

Networking

Next Sunday's gospel is Luke 5:1-11. It is the story of Jesus' encounter with Simon, James, and John on the shore of Lake Gennesaret (the Sea of Galilee). You might want to read the story here to refresh your memory of their miraculous catch of fish and how Jesus told them they would be catching people.

The Greek word zogron, which means “catching,” was commonly used of teachers: they “caught” their students and brought them new life. I remember an occasion at dinner with friends when my wife, Gay, who was a high school English teacher, was talking about a new data projector she had been issued by her school. It was a somewhat novel thing at that time. She explained how she could project a movie on an entire classroom wall for the students to watch and she described their response to a movie she wanted them to see. One of our dinner companions exclaimed, “You caught them!” That is what Jesus means when he says to Simon, James, and John, “don't be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.”

The sense in which the followers of Jesus are called to “catch” people has to do with inclusion in a redemptive, prophetic, community of faith. We are woven into a network. My salvation and yours are connected. My part of Christ’s mission and yours are tied together. When we are called into a relationship with Jesus Christ, we are called into life in Christ's community. We are woven into a network through our Baptism and cast out into the world to “catch” people with the love of God.

Someone has said, “Christianity is more easily caught than taught.” Another person expressed it like this, “We belong before we believe.” Our life and witness as disciples, students, followers of Jesus Christ is not done in isolation either from Jesus or from the community of faith.

The First Baptist Church of Austin, Texas is remarkable for its progressive faith and its architecture. It is one of the few Southern Baptist Churches with the pulpit on the side instead of in the center. A large communion table sits in the center, surrounded by seats. Rising above the table in a recessed area are about four stories of organ pipes. And draped in the opening in front of the pipes are two enormous fish nets. I don't know that I've ever seen a more powerful reminder of the network of disciples Jesus has called to carry on his work in the world.

As we live and grow in our relationship with him and with one another, we are woven into this amazingly strong and reliable net that the Lover of our souls casts out into the world so that his love manifested among us may catch others, draw them in, and give them life. This net really works!

In the next few days, we are going to extend an invitation to become involved in the network of disciples at St. Andrew’s Cathedral. We are hoping some will continue in the places of service in which they are now engaged. Some may feel called to some place of ministry that is new to them. We are also hoping some who have not been involved will respond to the invitation by finding a place of service. Watch for the invitation and let us know how you believe you are called to be woven into this Cathedral net to ensure that it continues to work on behalf of Christ’s mission in the world.

I’ll see you in Church!

 

 

 

 

The Very Reverend Ronald D. Pogue
Interim Dean
St. Andrew’s Cathedral
Jackson, Mississippi

One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism

This will reach you on the eve of 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 and 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.

I wish other groups of Christians could know the kind of unity that exists in The Cathedral Church of St. Andrew - an inviting, unity of heart, mind, and purpose that is in contrast to the day-to-day conflicts that plague us. It is not a unity based on agreement in everything, but is similar to what St. Paul described in a 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 160 Cross of Nails Centres around the world, all 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. It should come as no surprise that our own St. Andrew’s Cathedral is listed among the Friends of the Community of the Cross of Nails.

The original Cross of Nails is now incorporated in the cross on the Coventry Cathedral 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 the original Cross.

As a Friend, St. Andrew's also has a Cross of Nails. It is above the Chapel Altar. 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 Ronald D. Pogue
Interim Dean
St. Andrew’s Cathedral
Jackson, Mississippi

 

U Turn Only!

Yesterday, I took a wrong turn on a street in Jackson. When I got to the next intersection, I was frustrated to see a “No U Turn” sign. After several minutes of wandering around in unfamiliar territory, I finally managed to find my way to my destination.

It occurs to me that the message of John the Baptist (Luke 3:1-18), which we will be hearing again during Advent, is something like the opposite of a “No U Turn” sign.  John says in no uncertain terms that a U Turn is required. The Greek word metanoiete, which we translate “repent,” means to turn, to go in a different direction, to change perspective. 

There are countless biblical examples of how God's way is not always the shortest way, or simplest way, or our way.  God even admits it: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8, 9).  Certainly, God choosing to be born in a barn and die on a cross doesn't seem to me like the best way to establish God's reign. Do you remember when Peter tried to suggest a shortcut to Jesus at Caesarea Philippi? Jesus’ response to Peter was, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling-block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things” (Matthew 16:23).

Advent is an attitude adjustment time that invites us to step back, turn in a different direction, and get a different perspective that will allow us to receive the amazing news of the Incarnation. Like a required U Turn, Advent directs us to do something that seems counterintuitive in order to get our lives headed in the direction God needs us to follow as our spiritual journey continues. And, for some of us hard-headed and stiff-necked people, the sense of it is in the doing of it.

I'll see you in Church!

 

 

 

 

The Very Reverend Ron Pogue
Interim Dean
St. Andrew's Cathedral
Jackson, Mississippi