 From the Dean
Dear friends,
"Turn your face to the Sun, and the shadows fall behind you" ~Anonymous
Thumbing through a book on Celtic Christian spirituality the other day, I found a little story that charmed me. It was about the old men of the Outer Hebrides Isles in Scotland. It was reported that when they first saw the Sun come out in the morning, they would uncover their heads and hum an old hymn. The authors tracked down the fragments of that hymn and put them in their book:
The eye of the great God, the eye of the God of glory,
The eye of the King of hosts, the eye of the King of the living,
Pouring upon us at each time and season
Pouring upon us gently and generously.
Glory to thee, thou glorious sun.
Glory to thee, thou sun, face of the God of life.
Once this past winter was over and done, I found myself increasingly grateful each day for the warmth of the Sun. I tried to get a face full of morning light while driving east to Grace Cathedral, and then home again west at the end of my day. Finally, Easter came, and it was at the moment of sunrise that we gathered near the "marvelous and holy flame" of the new fire and the paschal candle.
Then, of course, this week, the brief disappearance of the Sun. In our neighborhood, looking up as the moon crossed the face of the Sun, the light around was a suffused lavender, and a bird that only calls at sunset started up, sounding confused. On my TV, crowds gathered at points of totality gasped as day became night. The phones came out. They Facebooked. They tweeted. They hugged and kissed. Then, when it was over and the crest of the sun reappeared, they clapped, relieved, greeting the Sun – Hail, brother, and welcome back.
Easter is the love of God made manifest in a miracle outside our understanding. Dante called it "the love that turns the Sun and the other stars." Remember to look up today and greet what you see, grateful for the life it provides and for the God who saw fit to put us here to enjoy it.
Dean Torey+ | | News from Cathedral Outreach Ministry | | Grace Cathedral's Outreach Ministry continues to see a significant rise in items for basic living. Committee member Steve Page commented during the April 6th distribution of sack lunches, Blessing Bags (shelf-stable food items) and Sharing Table (hygiene items), "The increased need we are seeing for food and Sharing Table items is overwhelming. There has really been a significant increase since last year." On that Saturday: 40 loaves of bread were made into peanut butter & jelly sandwiches by 10 a.m.; 36 Blessing Bags were gone by 10 a.m.; and the Sharing Table was practically empty by 10:30 a.m. The hours for Saturday distributions are from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
During the first quarter of this year the Sharing Table has provided 1,061 items to 147 people. We thank you for your continued generosity toward our neighbors!
Sharing Table Needed items: EVERYTHING
Gently used belts, shampoo, deodorant, bar soap/body wash, socks, band-aids, large or travel size toothpaste, dental floss, body lotion, sunscreen, can openers, pain reliever, combs, brushes, feminine products, Depends underwear female & male. | |  Silent film to feature live organ, April 15, 7 p.m.
The Kansas City American Guild of Organists presents the silent film, "The Kid" with organist Brett Valliant, at 7 p.m., Monday, April 15, at Grace Cathedral.
"The Kid" is a 1921 American silent comedy-drama film written, produced, directed by and starring Charlie Chaplin, and features Jackie Coogan as his foundling baby, adopted son and sidekick. This was Chaplin's first full-length film as a director. It was a huge success — the second-highest-grossing film in 1921—and considered one of the greatest films of the silent era.
This is a KCAGO event that is open to the public. Donations accepted. | | Organ aficionados claim that Maestro Hector Olivera is 'one of the finest organists in the world today.'
Born in Buenos Aires, Mr. Olivera began playing the pipe organ when he was three. At age five he played for the legendary Eva Perón; at twelve he entered the University of Buenos Aires and by eighteen had performed for heads of state and celebrities throughout Latin America. When offered a scholarship at the renowned Juilliard School of Music in New York, he moved to the United States. Three years later, Mr. Olivera's outstanding professional concert career was launched when he won the AGO's National Improvisation Contest.
Tickets for this concert are available in the Cathedral office, or online at this link. $25-General; $10-Students; 12 and younger free | |  The Grace Cathedral Youth Group cordially invites you to wear your poshest, fanciest hats and gloves to their Afternoon Tea Party on May 5, 2 p.m., in All Saints Hall. Enjoy an afternoon of delicious tea and delicacies all served on beautiful china, and a Springtime Market featuring perfect Mother's Day and teacher gifts created by the youth. Each attendee will take home a tea cup and saucer.
Tickets are $25 per adult, and $15 for ages 16 and under, and will be for sale each Sunday morning in the Common Room. Don't have a fancy hat? We have fancy fascinators available for sale each Sunday too!
This festive event is a fundraiser for the group's 2025 trip to England.
Afternoon Tea help
Do you have china and or tea service sets collecting dust in your attic? The Youth Group is looking for partial or complete tea service sets and sets of china to be borrowed or donated. Donated sets will be used as part of this and upcoming youth events. We are happy to come pick up items. Contact Kathy Smith, 785-430-8427, or knsmith@gracecathedraltopeka.org. | | Upcoming Adult Forum topic
Attention Seniors! On April 14 and 21, the Adult Forum will be for the Senior (Citizen) Class…seniors and senior citizens-to-be. Discussion will be around how to find happiness, good health and purpose during what can be the best time of our lives if we approach it properly.
Meet with Deacon Chubb in at 9:30 a.m. in All Saints Hall, arranged to facilitate better hearing, for ideas on how to make our senior years our best years!
Graduates anyone?
We would like to recognize Cathedral members who will be high school or college graduates in May. Please call or e-mail us with their names.
 Copies of Deacon Chubb's book still available
We still a limited number of hardback copies of Deacon Don Chubb's new book Resilient Heritage, The Episcopal Church in Topeka. They can be purchased at the Cathedral office during business hours for $35 (checks made out to Grace Cathedral or cash in the exact amount please), or you can purchase a paperback copy for $18 on Amazon. All proceeds go to the Cathedral.
Garden volunteers needed
Bethany House & Garden has two coordinated volunteer times each week when all are welcome to come and contribute some sweat equity to the gardens — Tuesdays, 4 - 6 p.m., and Thursdays, 8:30 - 11:30 a.m. Check the notice board near Bethany House, or see our gardener, Willie Madl or the Curate for Creation Care, Caroline Howard, to find out what work needs to be done when you arrive.
Episcopal Summer Camp — June 2-8, 2024
Camp Wood YMCA features a variety of activities such as horseback riding, archery, climbing tower, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, water slide, mud slide, arts and crafts, and sports. The volunteer Episcopal staff provides solid Christian education, featuring worship, music, small group discussions, and prayer. - When: June 2-8, 2024
- Where: Camp Wood YMCA, Elmdale, KS
- Who: Young people in grades 3-12 for 2023-24 school year (you must have finished third grade to attend)
- Cost: $525 through May 1, payment plans are available.
- Registration: https://edokformation.wordpress.com/camp/;
- priority deadline is Wednesday, May 1
- Scholarships: You can apply for scholarships on the registration form.
- Questions? Contact Karen Schlabach at kschlabach@episcopal-ks.org.
| | | Violence Reduction, Mental Health Crisis Services and Homelessness in Topeka will be addressed with researched solutions presented to local officials. Show them, by your attendance, that we are serious about correcting injustice in the lives of our neighbors. Our goal is to have 65 Cathedral members in attendance!
This assembly is all about "people power!" Become one of the "people;" Become one of the 1,500 people wanting action to correct injustice. | | Cloister Gallery artist in April
Paintings by Gweneth McClain
Cathedral member Gweneth McClain is the featured artist in month in the Cloister Gallary. The paintings in her exhibit have all been done in the past year. Some of the small canvases were painted outdoors. The larger works were painted in the studio, using photographs, plein air studies from the Flint Hills.
"What excites me when painting is to see the beauty in the world and capture that moment of time through creating. It stirs my heart, and causes me to see and be aware of the natural world. It creates a meditative state which may cause one to lose track of time. We truly live on an amazing, beautiful, mystical planet, surrounded by love."
— Gweneth McClain | | April 13
8:30 a.m., Saturday Sandwich Ministry (ASH kitchen)
April 14
8:30 a.m., Spoken Service of Holy Communion (Cathedral)
9:30 .m., Adult Forum (ASH)
10:30 a.m., Club Jesus for children (Sloan Hall)
10:30 a.m., Holy Communion with organ and choir (Cathedral)
5:00 p.m., Youth Group (Room 205)
5:30 p.m., Mission Vision Team meeting (Robyn Room)
April 15
7:00 p.m., Reader's Theater (Bubb Room)
7:00 p.m., "The Kid" silent film (Cathedral)
April 16
9:00 a.m., Morning Prayer (St. Mary's Chapel)
3:30 a.m., Staff meeting (Bubb Room)
5:30 p.m., Vestry meeting (Robyn Room)
April 17
3:00 p.m., EfM (Bubb Room)
April 18
7:30 a.m., Men's Study Group (Bubb Room)
9:00 a.m., Morning Prayer (St. Mary's Chapel)
9:30 a.m., Centering Prayer
5:30 p.m., Handbell rehearsal (Room 211)
7:00 p.m., Choir rehearsal (Choir Room) | | Worship opportunities with Grace Cathedral | | | In-person Services - We offer two Sunday services of Holy Communion: 8:30 (spoken only) and 10:30 (with music). Nursery care is available for the 10:30 service.
- Morning Prayer is held each Tuesday and Thursday, 9 a.m., in St. Mary's Chapel.
Live-streaming online service Our 10:30 Sunday service will be livestreamed on our website, Facebook page and YouTube channel: Compline Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 p.m., on the Cathedral's Facebook page: | | Find it on the website Here are some links to make things a bit easier to find on the Cathedral website: | | | | |
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