Moving ahead for mission and growth

The Cathedral’s Strategic Plan had been passed by the Cathedral Board of Trustees in November 2005, with input from the Vestry. The Congregational Life Task Force was proposed at that time. The Task Force comprised of the Vicar of the Congregation, the two wardens, a congregation member at large and a Board of Trustee member would address some of the issues raised by the Congregation’s Self Study. Some of the questions to be addressed are; “What things are inhibiting the Congregation's mission, what may be needed to enhance the mission? What would a "strategic partnership with the Cathedral" look like?

The Self-Study revealed that one stumbling block to an integrated relationship with the Cathedral is the name of the congregation. Many have commented positively in our endeavor to integrate both our name and look into that of the Cathedral.

At the July 10, 2006 vestry meeting, the vestry unanimously approved the following; “Recommendation to the Congregational Life Task Force to create a viable d/b/a-name such as "Congregation at the Cathedral", and to bring to the members of the Congregation such recommendation at a special or general Congregational meeting, while retaining the original corporate name for legal and financial purposes. This vote was unanimously approved by the vestry.”

We are entering a new and exciting phase in our life together here at the Cathedral. The renovation will reveal the Cathedral in its original glory. A new playground will flank the south side and construction for the new residential building will begin on the south side. The congregation has gone through many changes. The idea of the congregation as an integral part of the development of the Cathedral has taken hold. In July The Reverend Canon Alan Dennis joined us a Vicar of the Congregation and Sub-Dean bringing with him vast experience at congregational development to continue the work already begun.

As we move forward it may be prudent to consider what changes would be the best for our life together as a faith community, as we seek to grow and serve others. Changing our name to the Congregation at the Cathedral may a first step toward living out the baptismal covenant more fully in growing our Congregation.

At the annual meeting in February we will have the opportunity to vote on the name change. In the meantime we would like to hear your ideas about growing the Congregation. Please email the Wardens directly

wardens@saintsaviour.org

Who am I?

The author in a snazzy outfit in her kitchen, now gone, in Astoria. Her sister is next to her and her mother doing dishes, of course.

I have been thinking a lot about identity. What defines a person? Is it our DNA, where we grew up, or is it the family we are born into?

I have written about growing up in Astoria. The rats bigger then cats, the major heroin ring run from a local diner, the porn ring exposed across the street. A Satanist lived upstairs for a bit and a minor league drug dealer lived next door. The local chicken joint was in trouble for using the more voluptuous river rats instead of fowl for deep fry. I was surrounded by factories and lower and middle class families. The apartment building where I grow up was already a hundred years old. It was one of the first apartment buildings built with gardens in the back. Originally it had gas lighting and no bathrooms. The bathrooms were added later and formed columns in the back of the building. There was no insulation to speak of and winters we chipped the ice from inside our windows. In some ways it was like living in the Wild West; rough and untamed. But it also was the place where I grew up. Behind the yards there used to be stables that my father worked in as a boy. Later he would plant a tree there just outside set into the sidewalk was a horseshoe marking the spot

A couple of weeks ago I brought my niece to see the building where her mother and aunt had grown up. Patrick Hammer was there too. He had wanted to see the river rats I written about in the Wild Angels classes. I had heard rumors the place may have been torn down. My old apartment took an active place in my dream life. At times holding all the fear I felt there and other times the memories. Often I would dream of my mother, sick and frail and my first dog Bella, living there alone and forgotten in the back room. In the dream I would live near by and with horror realized I had left them alone. I found them OK but could never get over the horror of forgetting them. The dreams began to change and suddenly this dark and desolate place began to shift and I was living there again. The apartment now nice and livable and my mother and dog finally at rest as they should be. The dreams prepared me for the rumors but the reality did not. We came upon a desolate landscape bordered by plywood walls. Nothing remained of my former home except a couple of scattered rocks. Even the tree my father planted as a child was gone. Not a root was left for me to dig up and take home. We wandered down to the river just a couple blocks away where friends and I would sit on the abandoned docks watching the river rats play and the green and foamy water of the East River slap against the shore. Even here time had moved on and the old pilings mostly demolished to form instead a nice walkway. A park had been constructed and the dock where we sat held equipment. The old Steinway factory building was still there and the familiar factory buildings still dotted the landscape. The memories and stories so anchored to a place were now dug up and rearranged. The flattened landscape was like experiencing the death of my parents all over again. Soon something new will be built on the ruins and other people will come, live and dream and create new memories.

Who am I? Where does the story of who I am live? I thought it resided in the wood and stone of an old building. Now un-tethered I struggle a bit to find my bearings.

I am struck by the question of what is an identity. Who are we without the people, places and things that surround us? Does my name define me, the place I live or the family I come from? Does my country or the planet define me? Who does God say I am? Will that answer suffice when all around me seems changed? Here I am wobbly, questioning and unsure of my place in the world.

Even at the Cathedral we ask the same questions. I can imagine as the first cornerstone was placed the question was considered. Some of us find our place here in different ways; through worship, classes, groups or fellowship. We may not come or even stay for the same reasons but we all end up here together. Together we gather and discover who we are. I look forward to it.

Email: wardens@stsaviour.dioceseny.org

Communities: Virtual and Otherwise and just as real

Email, the web, virtual communities........ the list of terms associated with communications technology and the rapidity with which it has become part of our everyday life is altogether remarkable. My work as a college professor has changed in dramatic and interesting ways as on-line courses have become more and more popular.

But, to stick with my teaching, for a bit longer: in many ways, my work hasn't changed at all. It is still a matter of me, and texts and students--all in the service of having students become more literate, more well-read, better writers, more analytical and reflective in their judgements. That work doesn't change because reading and writing are things we have to learn and relearn and practice again and again and again. The technology has given us some new tools; the work goes on.

Virtual community? Is there such a thing? Can email and related technologies help us in this work? We think so and we are along the way in helping that to happen. "Virtual community" as a term has a certaing ghostly quality. Is it a community or not? The answer, in my experience,is that it is one way for a community to be about its business. Clear channels of communication, clear, actionable agendas, focussed discussions--all of these serve to inform what we do, so when we do sitdown to talk we do not always have to start over, we are along the way.

Technology, I know, is never a neutral thing. People have a variety of takes on it, but as technologies go, email and the ways we can use it to be about our business is a "mitzvah."

Email: wardens@stsaviour.dioceseny.org

The World on our shelves

By Bob Carey

A few things to think about as we move forward in shaping the kind of programs that will extend the ministry of the Cathedral and provide space and time for the reflection and the periods of quiet and renewal that we all need in a society of distraction.

We tend to think of activity as our doing something--marching, petitioning, making calls, writing letters--about some issue that is not necessarily part of our immediate and daily routines, but that is something
we care about. Those routines and the issues that are "out there" seem,
at times, to move on different tracks.

But the world comes at us in a variety of ways, and if you look at the coffee in your cup in the morning, or the soap that you use to do the laundry, or the flowers that you gave or got for Mothers Day and ask:
Where did these come from? Who made these and under what conditions? Is there something about this product or that item that I should know about?

These questions have a way of making our lives and those issues "out there"
come together. Maybe you will write, call, petition, march. But then again, maybe if you know and act and buy different coffee, other flowers, different detergents, you will have done as much--maybe more.

We want to help create an environment, a place, a way of being a congregation that allows for lots of different activities and ways of being involved and the possibility of being a part of an on-going exploration about how we should be a community and in touch with the larger one to which we are joined.

Email: wardens@stsaviour.blogspot.com

Why Bother?

Photo - Morning at Holy Cross All right reserved - Sandra Lee Schubert

by Sandra Lee Schubert

Spiritual Development is one of those things I hope will just happen because I wake up every day. Because I attend Church faithfully. Because I devote so much time to church life. Immersion in church life does not necessarily lead to enlightenment. Every day you must deal with the same kind of emotional issues, people and predicaments as in every other area of life. Still we expect more when we enter a church environment. Our priests should be nice, our services uplifting, the sermons inspiring and the music perfect. And we want even more. There is an expectation for something deep and powerful to happen. We don’t expect disappointment. And sometimes we are.

At an early point in our congregation retreat this past March I realized I had enough of Lent. During the day I work fulltime for an Episcopal church. At night I work on congregation stuff and a variety of projects. Just before the retreat I had printed out almost 2,000 Easter bulletins, worked on the Wild Angels anthology and had done a variety of congregation related things. My weekends were booked until the middle of May. I was far removed from any kind of spiritual reflection and I was real close to the deep end. I had a brief conversation with Reverend Tom Miller who was leading our retreat. Reverend Miller made some simple suggestions for carving out some time to be alone for reflection and rejuvenation.

When I am sidetracked by the busyness of work, distracted by responsibilities and just plain tired I lose any sense of the divine. The question before me is, “Why bother?” That can be a difficult question. I must step back and think about it. I love the Church. The services feed me in ways I can’t really articulate. I am moved by the ritual, music, the company I keep. But it isn’t always so. Some Sundays it all feels dry. But even on those “dry” days I am anchored by something I can’t explain. It makes me think of how a compass point pulls to true north. I can’t help myself.

The task before me is to remember the divine, to take the time for quiet reflection and prayer. Individually and as a congregation knowing how to embrace all that comes with being human. The challenge is accepting it isn’t always the way we would like it to be. The work is how to welcome, nourish and journey with everyone who walks through our doors with their own set of expectations, disappointments and sorrows. How can we carve out time to be alone and in community? The continuing question is how can we take care of one another?

Email: wardens@stsaviour.dioceseny.org

What we can do. . . .

By Bob Carey

A major item of discussion in the vestry has been--and is--how the programs and "ministry" of St. Saviour supports and is part of the ministry of the Cathedral. Our ministry as a congregation happens through the committees we create and sustain and the work that they do. How might we then think about what they do in some integrated fashion? How might we begin to approach what we are called upon to do in ways that allow for people to finds ways of contributing time and talent to make our ministry happen?

One way is to see ourselves as part of a larger community, in this case, the Anglican communion of churches and connect with and work with parishes, peoples, cathedrals who themselves are working to ameliorate desperate conditions, to stand with the forgotten, the overlooked , the marginalized . One such program is the program that Bishop Roskam has been instrumental in developing, a program linking the Episcopal Diocese of New York and of Central Tanganyika. The dioceses will identify parishes that can enter into a "multi-year engagement" with New York parishes provides support for children to be able to get their education. The program is described in detail on The Episcopal Diocese Website--click on Congregational Life and Mission. It is concrete, focused, and very do-able.

This is a place where we can begin. But our efforts do not need to be exclusively focused on "those who are far off." What about those who are near? What communities should we reach out to, to stand with and welcome as we develop our congregational life and our capacity to create programs that can make a difference?

This might sound attractive in a large and somewhat flowery sort of way, but what we are in the process of developing and what we will be talking about in Crossing and in our several gatherings is quite concrete. We want to identify programs that we can contribute to and enlist the energies of those who want to contribute to make them happen. We want to collaborate with offices like Congregational Life and Mission and learn from Yvonne O'Neal who is the Commission Chairperson and others how our resources can best be used.

As this take shape, it will also inform the work of committees, so that our members--and others-can find ways of participating and supporting this effort. My expectation is that as we give this discussion shape and direction, it will be part of what we will be sharing with Canon Dennis when he arrives so that the several particulars that we want to deal with can be fully developed and inform the work of the coming year and beyond.

As they used to say in the old road side Burma Shave ads - Watch this space.

You can email us at wardens@stsaviour.dioceseny.org

The Pilgrims at Our Door

by Sandra Lee Schubert

Each year the Diocese hosts a Warden’s conference. It is an opportunity to meet with other Wardens, gain information and hear what is going on in other congregations. We have many things in common. How do we reach new members? How do we serve our community? How can we raise more money? But as a congregation of the Cathedral we are in a truly unique position. We don’t have the particular worries of most congregations; we don’t worry about the real estate or fixing the roof. We don’t finance a building maintenance staff. Many of the daily tedious tasks most congregations face are not ours. That is not to say we don’t worry about the wonderful space we inhabit. We want to support the Cathedral and indeed that is part of our mission.

"To build and nurture an active Christian community; to support the mission of the Cathedral; to offer opportunities for exploring and expressing spirituality, affirming the diversities that exist among us; above all, through worship, service, and example, to bear witness to Christ's healing and reconciling love to neighbors, pilgrims, and visitors."
Adopted by the Vestry April 24, 1993

Knowing we are a unique congregation is a challenge. We will never be a regular parish. Most congregations will not welcome thousands of visitors each week. But we are and can be a spiritual home for many, many people who walk through our doors. We are all pilgrims and some of us will stay for a short time and others will stay for a lifetime. Our welcoming table and coffee hour not only hosts the regular members but the visitors who may just be coming in out of the rain. Every person is an opportunity. “All visitors are guests of God.” How can we be welcoming to all and take care of each other on this spiritual journey?

Currently we have many programs in place that can support those who are here regularly. The Education committee program has a full roster of religious and spiritual education programs. Via Media brings people together to discuss questions of faith. The Stephen Ministry helps people one on one through difficult times. Healing ministers serve others during the 11 AM service. The Welcoming committee greets visitors, new members and those pilgrims who just stop by for more information. The Events committee hosts special gatherings. We communicate to a large audience through the newsletter, e-news and our website. Mission and Outreach provides us with opportunities to reach out to those outside our doors. The Stewardship reminds us it is just as good to give as to receive. We do so much not even mentioned here and we can do more.

As a unique congregation with a mission to support a large international Cathedral what else should we be doing? The following months we will be asking these questions with you and the vestry of the congregation. Tell us your thoughts and suggestions. We do want to hear from you. To help facilitate these conversations your wardens will head up different parts of this conversation. We will both be working with the committees already in place, as well as looking at new opportunities for us to pursue. Bob Carey will be working with the local and international mission and outreach opportunities and I will be exploring the spiritual side of parish life. You can email us at wardens@stsaviour.dioceseny.org

Welcome to the Congregation of Saint Saviour.

Welcome to the forum for the Congregation of Saint Saviour.

This space is an opportunity to discuss and exchanges ideas and thoughts. We look forward to a lively conversation.


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Email the Wardens of the congregation - wardens@saintsaviour.org