More than 100 parishioners attended St. John’s annual parish retreat at Camp Weed the first weekend in May. Participants enjoyed games, great food, campfire time, workshops on health & fitness, foot massage, yoga, time in the pool, long walks, and icon writing!

Some years ago, Stanly and Claudia Gordon chose to lovingly refurbish the nursery area.  Stanly was a well-known and respected architect.  Armed with Stanly’s architectural drawings for two little altars, Stanly and Claudia sought out expert craftsmen to build them so that the tiniest children could experience a meaningful worship service at St. John’s Cathedral.  Claudia’s carefully chosen paint color of Robin’s egg blue would eventually cover the walls and floors.  The altars were created in honor of Claudia’s father, Bion Hall Barnett, Jr., and Dan Packard.  Since that time the altars have been used as part of Godly Play.  Now one anchors the worship space in the Little People’s Chapel.

Marcia Dooley, premiere artist, also swept across the walls of the Little People’s Chapel with her magic paint brush, creating marvelous murals of angels capturing and replacing plummeting stars in heaven’s ceiling, as well as a children’s flower garden complete with smiling sun.  These along with a scene from Noah’s Ark brightened the walls, making the space inviting and appealing to children.

Most recently, the teachers of Little People’s Chapel began teaching a defined curriculum.  Their teachings now parallel what parents hear in “Big People’s Church” every Sunday.   Children gather round their teachers for praise and worship, beginning with songs and questions that lead the children right to the heart of the gospel lesson.

Although all these wonderful things were in place, there was still something missing.  One day someone said, “If only…if only we had little pews, this space would be complete.”  And that was when Harold Robeson, master artist and wood craftsman entered the scene.  “Certainly, I can make little pews,” he said.  “Just need to find some wood.”  And find wood he did!  He eventually located what was left of the cathedral’s great West doors in a storage trailer.  In a matter of weeks, he had transformed old wood into perfect pews, carved and polished to perfection.   The pews arrived at the cathedral in John Flynn’s truck, and Youth Group volunteers, aided by Allen Poucher, took them to their permanent downstairs location in The Little People’s Chapel.

As the transformation continues, there will be freshly painted walls anchored by Marcia Dooley’s murals.  There will be three faux stained glass windows above the worship area, bulletin boards and fresh white curtains to separate the Little People’s Chapel from the kitchen storage area.  How grateful we are to our St. John’s saints who gave so lovingly in so many different ways to make the Little People’s Chapel bright with the light of Christ.

Blessings,

The Rev. Jean Dodd, Deacon for Children and Families

On Thursday, April 26th, the cathedral offered its first healing service for women and men suffering from infertility. It was a part of National Infertility Week in which events were held all around the country. The culmination of events was hosted by Resolve, the local initiative for infertility awareness and support led by Deb Grissett.

Those who were there were grateful to share their common pain in a caring community and to draw inspiration and hope from each other. A litany of prayers were offered for those struggling with emotional challenges, their families and friends and the professionals providing their skills and compassion. The phrase at the end of each prayer, “Help us to remember that our hope is in You, O God,” anchored the service in the knowledge of the only One truly capable of providing it. Each prayed to know God’s purpose in their dark and barren places.

The Rev. Louise Hardman, deacon for The Center for Prayer and Spirituality, and parishioner Mary Malone planned the service, along with able resource Jenny Malhotra.

Plans for another service in 2013 are already under consideration. It is good that the Cathedral can create such safe and loving spaces for healing of all kinds.

The Rev. Louise Hardman also attended an interfaith prayer experience last Sunday, April 29th.  Also in attendance was the Rev. Beth Tjoflat. To see Mother Beth’s blog entry on the event, click here.

Happy campers!

Summer camp can be a truly beautiful experience. I remember going to camp every summer as a child and youth. Most years it usually started off with me being hesitant to attend. “I won’t know anybody” or “I won’t have any fun,” can be some of the typical excuses kids use when dragging their feet about going to camp. But as anyone can tell you, after a fun filled week at camp you will have too many new friends to count and fond memories that will hold you over until next year.

Making new friends are just the beginning. Christian summer camp also provides opportunities to learn more about God and ourselves. These “mountain top” spiritual experiences can become the fuel that young believers can run on all during the school year. Going to a Christian summer camp like Camp Weed is a great opportunity that can squeeze a year’s worth of Christian formation into a wonderful week in the woods of beautiful Live Oak, FL.

The Camp Weed summer schedule is divided up by weeklong sessions named after saints. Each session is specifically designed to host certain age groups. Every session has a different theme, deans and age appropriate talks and activities. The 2012 Summer Schedule can be found on the Camp Weed homepage here. It is my hope that every one of our youth and children here at St. John’s will be able to attend Camp Weed this summer. I know they’ll love it!

Aaron Mayeski
St. John’s Cathedral Youth Minister

The Right Rev. N.T. Wright

Author and theologian N.T. Wright will give two lectures and sign copies of his new book, “How God Became King” in Jacksonville on May 5 and 6. Bishop Wright is the former Bishop of Durham in the Church of England, and one of the world’s leading Bible scholars. He will speak Saturday, May 5 at 5 p.m. at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 4129 Oxford Ave., and on Sunday, May 6 at 5 p.m. at St. John’s Cathedral, 256 E. Church St. These events are free and open to the public. Each lecture will be followed by a reception and book-signing. In addition, Bishop Wright will preach at 9 and 10:30 a.m. at St. John’s Cathedral. Bishop Wright has appeared on ABC News, Dateline, The Colbert Report, and Fresh Air. He is the award-winning author of “After You Believe,” “Simply Jesus,” “Surprised by Hope,” “Simply Christian,” “The Challenge of Jesus” and more. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet this amazing Christian leader. (Click here for a NT WRight poster to publicize the event.)

Our Parish Family enjoyed an incredible Holy Week & Easter beginning with our Liturgy of the Palms in Hemming Plaza with five other downtown churches. New this year included a special Stations of the Cross for Children & Families. We baptized three adults and two beautiful babies at the 6 a.m. candlelit Easter Vigil. Bishop Howard was with us for the 9 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. Festal Choral Eucharists. The Lord is Risen INDEED!

St. John’s youth group, along with other members of the parish and guests came together on Saturday, March 31st and worked hard folding over 800 palm crosses in less than 2 hours! The rain did not slow us down one bit. We had a ton of fun!

This year’s theme: Healthy Bodies & Healthy Souls
The much anticipated, long-awaited wonderful weekend is coming soon!  The annual Parish Family Retreat will be held on May 4-6, 2012, at Camp Weed & The Cerveny Conference Center.  There is something for everyone of all ages. Lodging options range from motel rooms at the conference center to cabins to tents.  Select from wonderful workshops or relax in a rocking chair all weekend – your choice!

There will be special activities for the kids, swimming, kickball fun (beat the dads!), yoga class, canoeing, s’mores and lots more.  We close the weekend with a church service in beautiful Mandi’s Chapel.

It has been said that one weekend at a parish retreat is equivalent to about 500 coffee hours.  Parishioners report that their experiences and friendships made during the weekend is the turning point where they really felt like a seasoned member of the cathedral family.  Once you attend, you won’t ever want to miss another one!  Click here to download Parish Retreat info and registration 2012 forms. Deadline for signing up is April 15.  Contact Monica MacKenzie if you need more information.

See you at the retreat!

From Bo Parker and Anthony Oswalt:

Our mission team returned safe and sound from Cuba last week; (we didn’t drink the water), and discovered many things which will assist us in future visits.

Although the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Havana is our “sister” church, it is located directly beside the bishop’s home and the diocesan offices as well as spaces used by both the Diocese of Cuba and the cathedral.  The home of Dean José Gutierrez is also in the same church compound.  Therefore, projects we do for the cathedral usually benefit the diocese as well.  The bishop and dean of the cathedral view their relationship as a 50/50 sharing experience since people visiting the diocese worship in the cathedral, use their classrooms, fellowship hall, dormitory, etc.; and cathedral programs utilize diocesan classrooms, and offices as well.  The materials we took to Cuba or purchased while we were there were primarily for renovations in the dormitory on the compound, and one women’s bathroom.  We also did one day of painting grillwork around an open-air classroom shared by both the diocese and the cathedral.

In addition, team member Gary Dounson, a civil engineer, made a detailed inspection and evaluation of the water system, electrical systems concerns, dormitory needs including proposals for future renovation of the dormitory bathrooms, windows in the cathedral which have termite damage, the Bishop’s offices, the dormitory windows, and pressing needs in the Dean’s residence.  The perimeter security fencing is also in need of repair.   The cathedral and the diocese have an abundance of resourceful and skilled labor for the needed renovations.  What they don’t have are money and adequate tools.  They are incredibly grateful for any funds visitors may provide, and they encourage future visits involving retreats, workshops, conferences, etc.

We are grateful to everyone from St. John’s who donated money for us to give to the Cubans during our visit. The children were delighted with the many dresses which Judy Dearing made for them.  Other dresses she made will be sent to a mission church in the Cuban countryside. We all thoroughly enjoyed our times with Dean José Angel and his family, Bishop Griselda Delgado Del Carpio and her family, and the staff of the cathedral and diocese.  We look forward to future trips to our “sister” Cathedral in Havana.

God is making a difference in their lives and ours through this partnership.

Travelers on the mission trip included Bo and Anthony, Gary and his wife, Carol Barrantes, Selecia Jones, Donny Mackenzie and Pat Ellis. Dean Kate and her family will travel to Cuba on their spring break in just a few days. Please keep the cathedral in Havana in your prayers.