BEFORE STARTING TO READ THIS NEWSLETTER, PLEASE SCROLL DOWN UNTIL YOU SEE “VIEW ENTIRE MESSAGE” (OR SIMILAR MESSAGE) AND CLICK ON IT. THIS WILL OPEN THE CHRONICLE ON YOUR DEFAULT BROWSER AND WILL ENSURE THAT YOU DO NOT MISS ANYTHING.

If you wish to see something published in this newsletter, please either fill out the Communication Request Form (click to be redirected to the Cathedral website) or email your edited and proofed text to newsletters@thecathedral.ca by Wednesday at Noon. If you have any questions, please email us at newsletters@thecathedral.ca.

Please note that these are the only two communication channels used in the creation of this newsletter.

If you attend in person on Sundays, a special parking rate is available at the Park Place Parkade. The parking code for 2024 is 18932447. Rate details are available here.

You can watch past live-streamed services on our YouTube channel. Click on the button below and watch the ones you missed or rewatch the ones you enjoyed!

A big thank you to those who have already made a 13th month contribution to closing the Cathedral's budget deficit.

Also a big thank you to the British Columbia Regimental Association for their donation of the wine used for the Evensong and Lessons and Carols receptions and for the upcoming Voices of Gratitude celebration of Rupert Lang's ministry.

On Wednesday, November 17, 2024, Dean Chris was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal in recognition of his years of service to Canada through his ministry to the women and men of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Reserves. The Hon. Harjit S. Sajjan, PC, OMM, MSM, CD MP, and President of the King’s Privy Council, presented the medal during a ceremony held at the Beatty Street Drill Hall in Vancouver.

The ceremony took place in the presence of the assembled members of the British Columbia Regiment and the Leadership of the 39th Canadian Brigade Group (39CBG). Dean Chris, who currently serves as Padre for the British Columbia Regiment, has focused his ministry on supporting the spiritual, mental, and physical resilience of the troops. He has also extended his care to their families, ensuring they feel supported in the challenges of military life.

Dean Chris’s longstanding commitment to the CAF Reserves includes his previous role as Honorary Padre of the South Alberta Light Horse for nine years during his time in Edmonton. His dedication to service exemplifies the values of compassion, strength, and community, making this recognition richly deserved.

The King Charles III Coronation Medal is a commemorative award created to mark the coronation of King Charles III and recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to their communities or to Canada as a whole. Recipients of the medal reflect the values of service and leadership celebrated during the new reign.

An update regarding the December 15th Voices in Gratitude celebration due to the generous sponsorship by the Cathedral Choir, Voices in Gratitude has been changed to a free event. This is both to honour Rupert’s stellar career and to thank the cathedral community for their unwavering support and enthusiasm over the years.

Register through Eventbrite (click to be redirected) and please join us Sunday evening December 15th, at 7:00 p.m.

This gathering is for any who find the holiday season challenging. This gentle service is time and space for quiet and rest; for acknowledging loss; for sitting with sorrow; for attending to silence; for naming our longings; and for hoping in the peace, love, and true joy of the season. All are warmly welcome.

Celebrate the holiest night of the year in song. The Good Noise Vancouver Gospel Choir leads this music-filled, family-friendly service. Sing along to beloved Christmas carols, hear the Christmas story, and enjoy an all-ages reflection on what this night means.

Pre-registration is not required. There will be no tickets or wristbands.

Doors will open 30 minutes before the event. People with mobility issues may access the building 40 minutes before the event via the ramp that leads to the east doors, near the laneway.

The Cathedral must clear the building 15 minutes after the end of the event: guests will be encouraged to leave via the doors on either side of the nave, which open directly onto Burrard or Georgia Streets.

As stillness descends on the city on this holy night, celebrate the birth of Jesus with the Cathedral. Join in this traditional Anglican Eucharist service. The Cathedral choir fills the service with hymns that tell the story of this night. All are welcome.

Please be advised that incense will be used.

Doors will open 30 minutes before the service. People with mobility issues may access the building 40 minutes before the service via the ramp that leads to the east doors, near the laneway.

The Cathedral must clear the building 15 minutes after the end of the service: guests will be encouraged to leave via the doors on either side of the nave, which open directly onto Burrard or Georgia Streets.

This coming Sunday, December 15th, we will be collecting for Christmas decorations. Donations can be made after the 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services or by phoning through to the office and leaving your information with Vanessa.

Thank you for making our beloved cathedral so festive over the Christmas season!

When you watch our church services either in person or on Zoom, you have probably noticed the many servers who make the services work. We serve all year round in a variety of services, and we are looking for some new members. A great group of people to work with!

If you are interested, please talk to Megan Otton, Head Server, meganotton@gmail.com, or Claude St-Denis, Parish Animator, claude@thecathedral.ca.

December 4, 2024

Dear Cathedral Friends and Parishioners,

As 2024 comes toward a close, with the usual frenzy of Christmas preparations, I invite you to take a minute or so to reflect on this past year at Christ Church Cathedral. It may have been a year where the Cathedral was part of your everyday life or a year when your connection to the Cathedral was through a significant event, or the weekly email and occasional visits with friends.  

Was there a moment (or maybe many moments) that stood out for you? A moment where you felt an enhanced sense of belonging? A moment where you felt awe? Or a moment where you experienced the support of the community? Thinking of those moments, we invite you to consider how you might help us all to give that opportunity to feel awe, gratitude, or connection to someone else who is seeking the same by being part of the Cathedral community. 

Based on current projections for 2024, we expect the deficit will be higher than budgeted, making it difficult to plan for next year. Although expenditures and other income such as building use have been well managed, there is a significant revenue gap. Overall, donations from parishioners, visitors and friends are tracking below budget expectations by 10%, resulting in an anticipated deficit at year-end of $68,500. 

Know that prior to sending this letter, we approached Cathedral leadership asking for their help. We thank the 2023 and 2024 wardens and trustees and other ministry leaders who have already pledged and/or made additional donations to help address this situation.

In order to meet our 2024 budget, we are hoping you will prayerfully consider an additional gift, perhaps even a “13^th month gift”. Doing so will make a big difference to where we end the year and our ability to maintain our programming in 2025.

As we celebrate this year the 135 years of thoughtful and generous stewardship by earlier parishioners and friends, know that it is our generosity today, tomorrow and every day that ensures that the life of the Cathedral will continue for many more years.  

Our sincere thanks to you all for all the gifts of time, talent and financial resources, that you have offered throughout the year. We hope you enjoyed Carol Fest on December 8, and we look forward to seeing you at one of the many other Advent and Christmas services happening over the coming two weeks.

We extend our warmest wishes to you and your loved ones, as we all await the celebration of the birth of Jesus, and the hope filled wonders of the Advent and Christmas seasons.

Jane Osler & the Stewardship Committee

p.s. You can make a gift to the Cathedral in any of the following ways:

• E-transfer your gift to ar@thecathedral.ca. Make sure to put your name and address in the memo field so that we can issue a tax receipt.
• Cheques can be dropped off at the cathedral during a service or at the office during regular office hours.
• Credit card through Tithely on the Cathedral website. If you want to use a credit card but not through the website, please call Vanessa 604-682-3848 ext. 121 to make your donation. If you need to leave a message, please leave your name, phone number and reason for your call; please do not leave your credit card information.

Are you looking for a way to deepen your spiritual life? Every weekday morning at 9:30am the Cathedral holds Morning Prayer.

We will follow a simple liturgy with a Psalm, a Reading, Prayer and Silence. This form of regular, daily prayer is used in the Anglican Communion and a number of other church denominations. All are welcome to start the day in prayer with us.

Morning Prayer takes place online via Zoom. To join in, please email Morning Prayer for Zoom coordinates.

If you want to learn more about the Anglican Church, our history, our worship, and our community, join us for this 9 session series. This series will feature a variety of voices from our wider church community. We will meet in-person twice and online weekly for 8 weeks. 

Stay tuned for an in-person session which will contain an instructed Eucharist and Cathedral tour. 

Please join us if you are new to the Cathedral, preparing for baptism, confirmation or reception in the Anglican Church, or if you simply want to learn more about our tradition and faith!

We have an exciting new series of forums planned for 2025. Join us in the Park Room from 9.15am-9.55am to learn about the church, the people in our community and how our church engages with challenging social issues. The forums are an opportunity to get to know fellow church-goers, what matters to our faith community and to learn something new. We look forward to seeing you there!

If you have any questions, please connect with Rev. Areeta by email at areeta@thecathedral.ca.

In celebration of the changing seasons, Christ Church Cathedral’s labyrinth will be open next month from Monday, January 6th to Thursday, January 9th, from 10am to 4pm.

A special evening event, “Music of the Labyrinth”, will take place on Thursday, January 9th. Cathedral priest and harpist, Rev. Clare Morgan will perform original music to accompany “pilgrims” on their meditative journey, in the serene setting of Christ Church Cathedral. Music begins at 7:30pm.

People of all faiths and spiritual disciplines are warmly invited to experience a time for centering, contemplation, reflection and meditation.

Mixing Science and Celtic Mysticism: A four part series for the Season of Advent looking at Celtic theology as offered by several Celtic saints. Into this mix will be added some scientific thought and study, Celtic prayers and life experience. This will all be tied to the Season of Advent as we make time to prepare for the coming of Christ.

This series will be led by Bishop John Stephens (our diocesan bishop).

Nov 26, 2024 07:00 PM
Dec 3, 2024 07:00 PM
Dec 10, 2024 07:00 PM
Dec 17, 2024 07:00 PM

Rev. Dr. Harold Munn, former Dean of Edmonton, and former Anglican mentor at the Vancouver School of Theology, will be in Vancouver next year. Copies of the resource book will be available: “Faith in Doubt: how my dog made me an atheist and atheism made me a priest”.

[…]

The Christ Church building was completed and dedicated in February 1895 but one important feature was missing – a pipe organ. To that point the congregation had relied on a harmonium or reed organ, but funds were obtained and later that year an organ ordered from the firm of S.R. Warren & Son of Toronto at a cost of $4,000. Details are sketchy but the instrument was reported to have two manuals encompassing 61 notes, a further 30 notes in the pedals and a total of 44 stops. “The case is of chestnut and the front pipes are by far the largest on the coast.”  

[...]

(Image: The Cathedral's current Kenneth Jones Organ)

The colourful, artistic and informative 2025 Multifaith Calendar is a wonderful gift at this time of year for family members and friends. The theme of the 39th edition of this very informative resource is “Pathways to Peace”. As multiple conflicts rage across the world, the dream of true and lasting world peace is universal, yet elusive.

What will it take for people to finally set aside their deeply-felt differences and historical grievances to find a common vision for humanity? Learning more, day by day and month by month, about the spiritual observances of all the major religions around the world and around our neighbourhoods is a starting point. Spiritual leaders have posited that we cannot achieve global peace and unity until we realize peace within our communities and ourselves. 

The 2025 Multifaith Calendar – Pathways to Peace opens hearts to knowledge, understanding, and celebration.

For further information and to order calendars - $15 each and 2 for $25 contact Donna Wong-Juliani: donna@thecathedral.ca

STILL LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT? CAN’T DECIDE WHAT TO BUY?

At this time of year, folks are scrambling to find the perfect gift to buy for friends, family and co-workers. Maybe your boss? Nah. Time is running out, yet there are still decisions to be made. What to get? What to do? Do I still have time? HELP ME!!!

Fear not, dear friends, CATS can offer you a gift suggestion.

[...]

Sign up for the daily Advent reflection by the Very Rev. Ken Gray (former Dean and Rector of St. Paul’s Cathedral, Kamloops) and see updates about our Anglican World Relief and Development Fund.

We invite you to join the Cathedral leaders making a pledge for 2025. We hope you will commit to the future of the life of the Cathedral and its ministries by making a pledge. Packages are now being mailed out if we have your address.
 
And this year, for the first time, you can register your pledge on the website at https://www.thecathedral.ca/pages/give.  This is a new initiative for us and we welcome your feedback on how we can improve this process.
 
Finance is one element, along with time and talent, that makes up our gifts. All of these are important and we are truly grateful for all the ways this community gives. 

It is with heavy hearts that we share Winnie Nowell passed away on December 10th. Please keep Colin in your thoughts and prayers.

A date has not been finalized for Winnie's memorial service. More details to follow as they become available.

Gospel for the City | Tuesday, December 24 | 1:00 p.m. (In-Person & Live Stream)

Carols for the City | Tuesday, December 24 | 4:00 p.m. (In-Person & Live Stream)

Christmas for the City | Tuesday, December 24 (Christmas Eve) | 8:00 p.m. (In-Person & Live Stream)

Christmas for the City | Tuesday, December 24 (Christmas Eve) | 11:00 p.m. (In-Person)

Holy Communion | Wednesday, December 25 (Christmas Day) | 8:00 a.m. (In-Person)

Choral Eucharist | Wednesday, December 25 (Christmas Day) | 10:30 a.m. (In-Person & Live Stream)

135 Years Celebration - Final Event | Saturday, February 22 | 5:30 p.m.

Cathedral Week at Sorrento Centre | July 20 — July 26, 2025

The Cathedral office is open Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Staff contact information is available here. 

REGULAR SUNDAY SERVICES

Holy Communion | 8:00 a.m.

Choral Eucharist | 10:30 a.m.

Eucharist with St. Brigid’s | 1:30 p.m.

Compline | 8:00 p.m.
(from February until November)

WEEKDAY SERVICES

Holy Eucharist | Monday—Friday
12:15 p.m.

Holy Eucharist | Thursday
7:30 a.m. (with breakfast following)

Rite of Reconciliation (Confession) | 4th Wednesday
11:00 a.m.—Noon

Healing Prayers & Anointing | Wednesday
Following the 12:15 p.m. Eucharist

ONLINE

If you wish to worship with us online, click on the button below.

Those seeking prayers for themselves or others may email the Cathedral PrayerLink at prayerlink@thecathedral.ca to have their name added to the list.