The eucharist is the family meal. It is the act of thanksgiving in which we receive the gift of God, the body and blood of Christ. It is the food of God which strengthens us to do the work of God. It is the heavenly banquet. It is communion with Jesus Christ.
Preparation for First Communion for children ages 7+ will begin soon, using the program Life in the Eucharist. An information meeting will be held in the Cathedral at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, 18 September.
Can you volunteer some time to assist? There will be a need for leadership companions for participants and prayer as we accompany our young people on this journey to the Table.
Learn more about First Communion at the Cathedral and contact Kurt Schmidt, Cathedral Director of Christian Formation, if you or someone you know wishes to be involved <formation at christchurchcathedral.com>.
August 31, 2022 marks the 169th anniversary of the consecration of Christ Church Cathedral, Fredericton.
The Cathedral was consecrated on August 31, 1853. Bishop Medley wrote in his journal on that day,
"The Cathedral, the corner stone of which was laid October 15, 1845, was consecrated this day. All praise be to God, who has enabled me, amidst many difficulties, to finish it. May the Lord pardon all that is amiss, and make it His holy dwelling place for evermore. Amen."
A description of the events was included in a history of the Cathedral published in 1910, during the episcopacy of Bishop John A. Richardson (1907 - 1938).
Photo from 1910 history booklet
The Consecration was of course performed by the Bishop of the Diocese. There were present also the Bishop of Quebec, Right Reverend G. J. Mountain, the Bishop of Toronto, the Right Reverend John Strachan, and Right Reverend Horatio Southgate, a Bishop of the Church in the United States, besides the Reverend Dr. Haight, of New York, Dr. Edson, of Lowell, Mass., Archdeacon Coster, Rector of Fredericton, Reverend Richard Podmore, Curate of St. Anne's Chapel, Reverend F. Coster, Rector of Carleton, and other Clergy of the diocese to the number of sixty. A procession was formed at 10 a.m. in which were several members of the Bench and Bar in their robes, Officers of the 76th Regiment, the Mayor, and other distinguished inhabitants of the city and neighborhood, attended by boys bearing banners.
The sermon was preached by Bishop Southgate from Ps. cxxii., v. 8, 9. It was an able and eloquent address, expressive of the deep joy felt by the members of the American Church in this event as an earnest of the wider extension of catholic unity.
The music at the consecration service was very fine, and included a beautiful anthem by Dr. George Elvey, organist of St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, and was well rendered by a large and efficient choir. The organist was Mr. S. A. Hayter, who had received his training at Salisbury Cathedral. The organ was built by Mr. Naish, who had served his apprenticeship with Walker, the great London organ builder, and who was brought out by the Bishop to do this work.
Photo from 1910 history booklet
The services connected with the consecration of the Cathedral lasted for a week; during which eloquent and appropriate sermons were preached by the Bishop of Quebec, formerly Rector of the Parish of Fredericton; by Dr. Haight, and by Dr. Edson. The Bishop held his first visitation, and delivered his first charge to his clergy on the Thursday of this week. Addresses were presented to the visiting Bishops and Clergy, and also to the Bishop of the Diocese from his clergy, before the proceedings terminated. The crowded congregations, the reverent demeanor of the worshippers, and the large amount of the offertory collections, showed that the great body of the people took a very hearty interest, and an honest pride, in their new Cathedral.
An updated history booklet was published in 1975, during the episcopacy of Bishop Harold L. Nutter (1971-1989).
Learn more about Cathedral history and explore the building virtually.
Christians around the world are invited to give particular attention to praying and caring for God's creation as part of the global Season of Creation, observed from September 1st to October 4th every year. General Synod 2019 passed a resolution adopting the Season of Creation in the Anglican Church of Canada as a time of prayer, education, and action and encouraging dioceses and parishes to participate. Resources and events related to Season of Creation may be found on the Anglican Church of Canada website to help you plan, at anglican.ca/seasonofcreation. Note: To avoid confusion it is worth noting that the Season of Creation is not a liturgical season like Advent or Easter but rather a time of intentional prayer and reflection. from McCausland's Order of Divine Service, Anglican Church of Canada p. 136
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many have become familiar with the concept of being muted in conversations. Many voices are muted in public discourse around climate change and the ethics of Earth-keeping.
These are voices of those who suffer the impacts of climate change. These are voices of people who hold generational wisdom about how to live gratefully within the limits of the land. These are voices of a diminishing diversity of more-than-human species. It is the voice of the Earth.seasonofcreation.org
The burning bush is the Symbol for the Season of Creation 2022. Today, the prevalence of unnatural fires are a sign of the devastating effects that climate change has on the most vulnerable of our planet. Creation cries out as forests crackle, animals flee, and people are forced to migrate due to the fires of injustice. On the contrary, the fire that called to Moses as he tended the flock on Mount Horeb did not consume or destroy the bush. This flame of the Spirit revealed God’s presence. This holy fire affirmed that God heard the cries of all who suffered, and promised to be with us as we followed in faith to our deliverance from injustice. In this Season of Creation, this symbol of God’s Spirit calls us to listen to the voice of creation.
In the Anglican Church of Canada, baptized children may be admitted to Holy Communion as provided in the August 1977 Memorial to the House of Bishops. In our diocese, Bishop’s Directive 3.1.2 outlines the process and requirements.
We’ll be offering “Life in the Eucharist” in the fall of 2022 for children (aged 7 and older) and parents of those who wish to participate. Children making Communion is an option and by no means required. Read the Pastoral Vision for “Life in the Eucharist.” An information meeting is scheduled for Sunday, 18 September following worship. Programme sessions are tentatively scheduled on six Sundays, 1-2:30 p.m. beginning 25 September 2022. Questions? speak to Kurt Schmidt <formation at christchurchcathedral.com> or the Dean <dean at christchurchcathedral.com>.
Information session for parents – 18 September 2022, following 10:30 worship, the Cathedral
“Life in the Eucharist” Six Sessions beginning Sunday, 25 September 2022, 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
From July 15-17, downtown Fredericton was filled with the sound of music from the Sweltering Songs music festival.
A tent on the Cathedral Green was set up for the music festival.
Christ Church Cathedral was pleased to be a strategic partner of the festival, permitting use of the 'Green', the Cathedral's waterfront land, for a performance tent.
A spin-off initiative of the long-running winter music festival, Shivering Songs, Sweltering Songs was designed as a multi-day summer folk festival and launched in 2021. This is the Cathedral's first year participating.
“Shivering Songs has long been known as ‘a cure for the winter blues' in Fredericton, but given the challenges with COVID-19 during the past two winters, featuring a summer edition has allowed us to prioritize supporting artists and small businesses locally, as we've always done,” said festival co-organizer, Zach Atkinson.
Performances were held in two tented venues in downtown Fredericton: one on the Cathedral 'Green', hosting programming Friday and Saturday morning; and one on Carleton Street Saturday and Sunday. Additional shows were held indoors at The CAP.
Sweltering Songs offered a mix of all ages, family-friendly events and licensed adult-only events, featuring 19 artists including: The Weather Station, Julie Doiron, Aquakultre, The Hypochondriacs, Motherhood, Les Hôtesses D'Hilaire, Cedric Noel, and more.
During the festival, the Calithumpians also performed family-friendly musical theatre on the lawn beside Christ Church Cathedral.
Our Summer Music Series returns with nine noontime concerts, held each Friday between 01 July and 26 August. Join us inside historic Christ Church Cathedral as we present a series of concerts featuring choral music, soloists, fiddle, guitar, viola, organ and piano. View the poster.
Each concert will run from 12:10 - 12:50 p.m. All welcome!
Face masks are encouraged as a way of showing care for others.
Free admission, donations encouraged. Proceeds will support the Organ Renovation Fund. Tickets are not required, but online donations will receive a receipt for tax purposes emailed immediately.
July 1
J. Thomas D. Gonder, organ
July 8
Natalia Lubimova, viola and J. Thomas D. Gonder, piano
July 15
J. Thomas D. Gonder, organ (unfortunately, the Metropolitan Choir School from London, Ontario is no longer able to attend)
July 22
Steven Peacock and Gerry Van Wart, guitars
July 29
Katherine Moller, fiddle and Tom Richards, guitar
August 5
New Brunswick Summer Music Festival ~ The Elm City String Quartet
August 12
Olivia Spahn-Vieira, soprano and J. Thomas D. Gonder, piano
August 19
Luke Noftall, baritone, and J. Thomas D. Gonder, piano
(unfortunately, Olivia LaPointe is no longer able to perform)
Thy Kingdom Come is a global prayer movement that invites Christians around the world to pray for more people to come to know Jesus. What started in 2016 as an invitation from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York to the Church of England has grown into an international and ecumenical call to prayer.
Join the global wave of prayer calling all Christians to pray between Ascension and Pentecost for more people to come to know the love and peace of Jesus Christ.
Christ Church Cathedral will participate from 26 May - 5 June 2022, with several group and individual prayer initiatives. View the Guide for Eleven Days of Prayer for information about events, resources for all ages, and readings to help you focus. Printed copies are available at the Cathedral and Hall. A Prayer Journal and Novena are also available to download for free on the Thy Kingdom Come website.
Thy Kingdom Come begins with Ascension and ends with Pentecost. Celebrate the Ascension of the Lord on Thursday 26, May at 7:30 p.m. in the Cathedral. Celebrate Pentecost on Sunday, 05 June at 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. in the Cathedral.
In the days between Ascension and Pentecost, it has been the habit of many Christians, for centuries, to make the focus of our prayers the same as those first believers. Christ’s last instruction to His disciples on the day of his Ascension is to ‘wait for the gift my Father promised’ (Acts 1:4).
Join us each weekday during Thy Kingdom Come for a local discussion (30 min) about the Archbishop of Canterbury’s series of reflections on 1 Peter. We begin at 5:15 p.m. 27 May, online via Zoom or in the Memorial Hall boardroom. Visit the calendar event for the Zoom link. This Novena seeks to enable you in your waiting for the gift the Father promised, by focusing on nine particular verses in the first letter of Peter – one of those present in that upper room. Each day we will take one of those verses and seek to be shaped by it. It’s a book which opens our hearts to God and lifts our eyes to the worldwide family of God.
Each weekday we also read the Daily Office in the morning (8:45 a.m.) and in the evening (4:45 p.m.) in the Cathedral. Join us for this prayer Monday - Friday. It takes about 15 minutes.
Thy Kingdom Come encourages every Christian to pray daily for 5 individuals to know God's love for them in Christ. We hope that you choose to participate in this global prayer movement.
Anglicans in Canada and around the world may find themselves singing some new hymns this spring. As this article was being written, Sing a New Creation, a supplement to the 1998 hymnal Common Praise, was set to be released- and was said to be already attracting interest both inside and outside the country. Read more.
Arranging flowers is a rewarding and creative activity, and working in the peace of the Cathedral creating something to the Glory of God and to enhance a beautiful building is a gratifying experience.
Mary Pugh is hoping to build a team of volunteers to look after the flowers in the Cathedral throughout the year. She proposes a workshop on 14 May (or another date suitable for the volunteers) to show a few techniques in handling flowers and what specifically is suitable for the Cathedral. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Mary as soon as possible so flowers can be ordered. Please indicate your preferred date. Email <Pugh at nbnet.nb.ca> or contact the Cathedral Office (506) 450-8500.
The eucharist is the family meal. It is the act of thanksgiving in which we receive the gift of God, the body and blood of Christ. It is the food of God which strengthens us to do the work of God. It is the heavenly banquet. It is communion with Jesus Christ.
