On the 80th General Convention
April 19, 2024
Intercessions from Compline at the LGBTQ+ Gathering
April 19, 2024
Many of you may know about my bereavement work with parents as a chaplain at Baptist Hospital. What you may not know, is that prior to that I earned a master’s in early childhood education and worked in the public school system for 11 years as a kindergarten teacher. Teaching little ones is still something very dear to me.
In January, I began to have a chapel service with 3- and 4-year-olds at The Cathedral School. It is a joy to make Bible stories and Scripture come alive for them. When Father Mark arrived at St. John’s Cathedral in April, he joined me. He was amazed that his son Philip was the only child at the school whose family attended SJC worship services.
Later in June, Mark and I invited the children to come to the Cathedral for this chapel service. You should see their faces light up when they enter the Nave! We’ve had fun looking for figures in the stained-glass windows, discovering the carvings (called “whimsies”) on the altar rail. One morning when the children were here, Tim Tuller, Canon for Music, was practicing and gave us an impromptu demonstration at the organ. Amazing!
In August, we will begin having a weekly chapel in the Cathedral for the PreK 4’s. We will go to the school for the 3-year-olds every Thursday until they are ready to come to the Cathedral – it’s a big step for these little ones to travel across the street! Also in August, the school staff will meet at the Cathedral to plan for the new school year. We will host a worship service followed by a luncheon on one of those days.
Parents are always invited to attend the weekly chapel services. On Sunday, October 16, will be The Cathedral School Sunday. All school children and their families will be invited to the 10 a.m. service and the little ones will sing. Father Mark and I are committed to building relationships with parents at the school. I will invite moms to join a brand new First Sunday Moms group that will meet at the Cathedral Bookstore on Sunday evenings. Father Mark and I will be involved in the parent orientation this fall as well.
~Deacon Linda Rosengren
