Category Archives: Worship

Level 2 Pandemic Restrictions 27 December

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New Brunswick Public Health has published the COVID-19 Winter Plan which informs all sectors of current restrictions and protocols. Visit the website for information about how the Plan will affect your activities.

COVID-19 Winter Plan - Alert Level Measures

Level 2 (revised) comes into effect at midnight, 27 December 2021. We continue watchful and will implement and communicate changes as needed. For faith venues, Level 2 introduces additional restrictions.

An appeal is being made to reduce the number in groups gathering in homes and elsewhere during the Christmas Season, reduced to a steady 10 in Level 2.

Most importantly, our capacity at worship gatherings is reduced to 50%, again requiring 2 metres of distance between bubbles and masks are required at all times. No corporate singing is allowed, which means that there will be no congregational singing but a soloist at 4 metres distance is allowed. We will continue to require proof of vaccination upon entry. Please be as understanding as possible with greeters as they are asking to see verifications in staying within Public Health requirements.

Groups and events at the Memorial Hall are also limited to 50% capacity, two metres of distance, masks at all times (except briefly when eating or drinking while seated), and proof of vaccination.

To review

Proof of double vaccination or medical exemption is currently required for anyone 12+ attending worship in the Cathedral or visiting Memorial Hall. Please remember to bring your vaccine record to worship and group events, and wear your mask. Leaders of groups holding meetings at Cathedral Memorial Hall will be responsible for checking proof of vaccination for those attending [details]. Individuals visiting during office hours please check-in at the Cathedral Office.

The current Sunday bulletin will continue to outline restrictions in place, including:

NO CORPORATE SINGING - the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus is proving to be quickly spread and readily airborne. Some studies have indicated that singing in groups can add an unnecessary risk of transmission if someone happens to be infected.

VACCINATION STATUS - Proof of full vaccination is required for all age 12 and up at the Cathedral. ID will be required for those not known to greeters. These requirements apply similarly to weddings, funerals, and events held in Cathedral Memorial Hall as per current direction by Public Health.

FACE MASKS - The Government of New Brunswick currently mandates wearing masks in gatherings.

As always thank you for your continuing cooperation as we care for ourselves and others.

Worship livestreams are available at worship times and as recorded on our YouTube channel. Audio podcasts are also available. Listen here. Get notification of new podcast episodes when you Subscribe here.

The Health Ministry Team is willing to assist members of the congregation with making appointments for vaccinations and answering health questions. Please contact Parish Nurse <nurse at christchurchcathedral.com>.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact the Cathedral Office <office at christchurchcathedral.com> or phone (506) 450-8500, or the Dean <dean at christchurchcathedral.com> or (506) 450-7761.

The Sunday Paper and the Sunday Paper Junior

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The Sunday Paper is a new resource at the Cathedral as of the First of Advent 2021!

Each week, check the Quick Links of our regular weekly Friday email for links to current editions (or bookmark these in your web browser for quick access). The content will change each Friday, updated for the upcoming Sunday and prior to sending the email announcing the Sunday bulletin. These can be viewed or downloaded to a device or printed for use at home. (We'll plan on having a few paper copies at the Cathedral on Sundays.)

The Sunday Paper
The Sunday Paper Junior

“The Sunday Paper is informal, whimsical, faithful to Scripture, and in dead earnest.  It is not condescending or cute.  It helps children to acquire a vocabulary of crucial Scriptural images, and to relate the Gospel to the Old Testament, the life of the Church, and their own lives.”

The original SUNDAY PAPER appeals to intermediate through junior high, and presents one lesson (usually the Gospel) as a two-line cartoon; the other readings, and the Psalm, are presented as single vignettes. The lessons are tied together with a short commentary.

THE SUNDAY PAPER JUNIOR is aimed at younger children (preschool through grade 3 or 4). The SUNDAY PAPER JUNIOR features one lesson only, usually the Gospel. THE SUNDAY PAPER JUNIOR offers big, bold artwork, a simple storyline, an activity page designed to stir children's imaginations and spirituality and that requires pencil or crayons only (no glue or scissors) and does not involve word games or other literacy-based activities. THE SUNDAY PAPER JUNIOR can be used in church, nursery, or classroom.

Visit the Sunday Paper website or Facebook page for more information and other resources from many sources for providing formation experiences, especially with children.

2021 ADVENT-ures

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Listen to Kurt Schmidt speak on Sunday, 28 November 2021 about the 2021 ADVENT-ures.

Happy New Year! — The new Church year is upon us!

 Why not add something to your devotional life to mark a fresh start?

Choose from the following list of diverse opportunities on the Advent weekdays to deepen your prayer or study or worship.  You are encouraged and invited to add at least one new Advent-ure to your schedule!

MONDAYS

    • Christmas—The Day God Took off the Mask: Video series with Bishop Bill Hockin and friends. Talks & music, made available beginning at 12:00 noon on each of the first three Mondays of Advent. Details and YouTube link at billhockin.ca.
    • Waiting for God: Reflective study of Simone Weil’s essay, “Forms of the Implicit Love of God,” led by Alan Hall. In person, 7:00-8:00 p.m. in the Cathedral Sacristy. Please RSVP to Kurt Schmidt.

    TUESDAYS

    THURSDAYS

    • Taizé worship: A simple and contemplative half hour of prayer, song & silence. 2 & 16 December on Zoom,  9 & 23 December in person and livestreamed in/from the Cathedral. 5:30 p.m. start. Link through the Cathedral Calendar or from Kurt.

    FRIDAYS

    • Advent Lessons & Carols “miniseries”— UPDATE: The in-person versions scheduled for 10 and 17 December have been cancelled due to scheduling conflicts with our performers. View recordings from 2021 and 2020 on the Cathedral YouTube channel.

ONGOING / DAILY

  • Honest Advent: “Advent stations” art exhibit in the Cathedral, available for personal reflection & devotion,  Monday - Friday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. and Sundays 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon. Images by Scott Erickson which consider the seasonal theme of the vulnerability of incarnation, and which respond to the question, “Is Christ’s incarnation still happening in our midst?”
  • Divine Office: Regular (and short!) weekdaily prayer opportunity in the Cathedral. Morning Prayer at 8:45 a.m., Evening Prayer at 4:45 p.m.
  • Holy Eucharist: Wednesday mornings, 10:00 a.m. in the Cathedral.

Questions or expressions of interest can be communicated to Cathedral Director of Christian Formation, Kurt Schmidt by email or by phone/text to (506) 259-3711. Thanks & Blessings!

The Cathedral Branch of Mothers' Union has advent wreath candles available for purchase again this year. Contact a branch member or the Cathedral office by email or phone (506) 450-8500.

 

What is reverential capitalization?

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Someone has asked: What is reverential capitalization?

Reverential capitalization refers to the practice of capitalizing words referring to the Divine in religious texts. Wikipedia defines it as “capitalizing religious words that refer to deities or divine beings in cases where the words would not otherwise have been capitalized.”

Interestingly, it was very popular in the last century, mostly in the 1960's and 70's and somewhat more so among Protestant Christian denominations but has fallen out of use in most formal publishing since then. We might note that most biblical translations do not employ reverential capitalization in their texts including the King James, the New International and the New Revised Standard (the preferred translation in most of the Anglican Church of Canada).

The Anglican Church of Canada 1938 Hymn Book did not utilize reverential capitalization for pronouns (eg he) or possessives (eg his) but often applied it to names referring to God (eg Master, Friend, the King, the Crucified). By the time of the publication of the current Canadian Anglican hymnal, Common Praise, 1998, the choice was quite obviously made not to reverentially capitalize and generally uses capitalization sparingly, more in line with the now more common practices of the bigger publishers.

... more does not necessarily mean better

The Book of Alternative Services (1985) has this to say:

The use of capitals in English sentences (except in the opening word) has diminished steadily during recent centuries, not least in words of sacred reference where the process has accelerated in the last few decades. In a compilation such as this, which draws on a number of sources representing different stages of linguistic development, some inconsistencies may appear. In general the following standards apply: the names of rites are not capitalized except in their titles and in references to their titles; in liturgical texts appropriate words in the titles of sections of liturgies are capitalized, but the functions they contain are not; Word is capitalized when it refers to Christ as the incarnate Logos, but usually not otherwise; traditional titles of Christ are capitalized, but metaphors applied to God, either as titles or attributes, usually are not, except in forms of address. Spelling in the Psalter has been adapted to the standard of the Concise Oxford Dictionary. (B.A.S page 928)

The logic behind not using it is that more does not necessarily mean better. The question should be: what results in more effective communication? Simpler style is often preferred for clarity. If half of a hymn or songtext, for example, is reverentially capitalized, the overuse of capital letters actually makes the text less readable and does little if anything to improve or make it more understandable. One author points out that “not using capitalization does indicate lack of reverence and that capitals do not mean respect in English anyway.

When the name of God is used, of course, it is still proper and preferred to use a capital letter as it is with any proper name. Many linguists and language scholars confirm that there are no firm rules in English and that it continues to be mostly a matter of style and primarily the preference of the writer.

My preference, if asked, is simpler style.

GMH

Halloween… All Hallows’ Eve — A Christian’s Choice

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One of the less understood festivals of the Church is celebrated in the public participation of our children. Halloween sees children and adults carving pumpkins and placing them in living room windows, lighted by a candle. Halloween sees children, younger children especially, rummaging through cardboard boxes of old cloths, or trying on their parents’ clothing. Imagination takes over and really quite remarkable creations take life!

All SaintsWith a pillowcase in hand (I always used a big pillowcase myself), and a mask or some make-up to obscure recognition, children escape into the dark of the street. Accompanied by a parent, or in the company of friends, they begin their exploration of their neighbourhood. Doorbells are rung. A door is opened. Perhaps the person who answers will call them by name. And it’s great fun not to have been recognized! Especially if they have called the occupant by name, and they still weren’t recognized! They retreat down the walkway and head up the street to find another doorbell. With good and generous neighbours, pillowcases might end up half full by the end of the evening. Enough sweets to last a week or even longer, with careful management!

Tired after the excursion, the sorting of sweets, and perhaps the shrewd trading with brothers and sisters for favourites, ghosts, ghouls and hobgoblins turn in for the night, thinking that it’s all over.

It isn’t all over.

All Hallows’ Eve is the beginning of the observance by the Church known as All Saints’ Day. As a community of faith, we remember those of our number who have died, and as Christians have given us a focus in what we know as the Communion of Saints. The Scriptures proclaim, and the Creeds affirm, and we believe that those who have died in the faith of Jesus Christ continue in the fellowship we enjoy with God. In the Communion, we say that we join the company of “angels, archangels and the whole company of heaven.” In the most ancient of Christian hymns, we join our voices to sing, “Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.” The Book of Alternative Services explains that the whole company of heaven means “all your saints who have served you in every age.”

It isn’t all over.

That includes the saints we know from early times, of course. But it also includes many more that remain unknown to us. There are, however, many saints who have served God in our age. They may include our grandparents, our parents, possibly our sisters and brothers. They may include our neighbours and our friends. Certainly, they include all that have been baptized and have died. Is it small wonder that they unwittingly wear their parents’ clothes? Is it small wonder that they search the trunk holding spats and dresses and wide lapel suit jackets; old felt hats and hats decorated with feathers? The joy and glee of costumed youngsters helps us reflect on our baptism and the special relationship and grace that are ours as God’s gift to us.

When we mistakenly limit the scope and the self-consciousness of Halloween and attribute the festival to the forces of darkness, we celebrate ignorance. Certainly, there are those who do not know the association of the Communion of Saints with the stealth of neighbourly visitation. It is our opportunity and responsibility to inform others that God’s grace fills our lives, and the lives of those who have gone before us, with the generosity and largesse mirrored by the pillowcases filled by neighbours.

We can choose to be superstitious. And that choice is made by many that wish to exalt the power of darkness. However, we have another choice: the recognition of the fellowship that is held up by Paul, when he wrote to the Church in Rome. “I am persuaded,” he wrote, “that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-40

Copyright © James T. Irvine
Used with permission

Canon Jim Irvine is a retired priest in the Diocese of Fredericton.

Prayers for Truth and Reconciliation

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Thursday, 30 September is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Join us at 5:30 p.m. on our YouTube Channel for Prayers for Truth and Reconciliation

The Order of Service is HERE

 

You might also find the following of interest:

 

 

Worship During the ‘Green’ Phase

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With the pandemic mandatory order restrictions lifted as of 30 July 2021, please be patient as we again adjust to new ways of being in community. Our goal will be to maintain that which helps assure community health and safety. Above all we need to accommodate one another as we transition.

See the Diocesan COVID-19 page for links and resources.

All of what follows pertains to both the Cathedral memorial Hall and the Cathedral during worship. Items 6-7 are specifically concerned the Cathedral itself during worship or concerts.

Details about what we will continue, in practice, include:

  1. Self-monitor. If you have any reason whatsoever to believe that you have an illness, please stay at home.
  2. Entering and exiting. Please be understanding of those who may wish to maintain some personal space as we adjust to new normals of interacting with one another. Keeping personal traffic flowing at entrances will be helpful.
  3. Hand sanitation. Please continue to be attentive to frequent hand washing and the use of hand sanitizer, especially before and after contact with high-touch surfaces.
  4. Face masks. Those who wish to wear a face mask are certainly welcome to do so. Please accommodate both those with and those without.
  5. Seating. Greeters may be able to help you find suitable seating in the Cathedral, especially if some personal space will help to make you more comfortable. When setting up chairs for a group event, please keep in mind that personal space may help to make participants more comfortable.
  6. Communion. We’ll continue with Communion in one kind for the foreseeable future. At Communion, please continue to approach in one line up the center. The host only will be safely delivered to your hands. Return by way of a side aisle.
  7. Offering. The offering will still be received with a plate near the back of the Cathedral and collected by greeters following worship.
  8. Operational Plan. The current operational plan will be suspended but available for modification and implementation if circumstances require it.
  9. Contact Tracing. Attendance logs are no longer required by New Brunswick Public Health. If, however, someone who tested positive for COVID-19 was in our building, please inform the Cathedral Office so we can ensure a thorough cleaning. Thank you.

New Brunswick Summer Music Festival

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The New Brunswick Summer Music Festival is coming to Christ Church Cathedral. The annual classical music festival will host its main series, four evening concerts between 11-14 August, inside the Cathedral.

The festival, now in its 28th year, will run over a two-week period and include a variety of musical events, such as concerts, educational components, mentoring opportunities for young artists, free public events, lectures and exhibits.

The 2021 theme will reflect the difficulties of the past year, showcasing music from composers that were affected by previous pandemics. According to the festival website, “From the Influenza in 1918-19 back to others throughout the nineteenth century, several important composers were adversely set back as a result of the health issues of their day. But their lovely music transcends the difficult circumstances, and we will weave their stories with the music. Featured will be compositions of composers such as Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff and others.”

Tickets for the evening concerts in the main series of the festival must be purchased in advance from the NB Summer Music Festival. Ticket prices range between $14.81 – $27.54. The main series will feature well-known performers: David Adams, violin; Sonja Adams, cello; Peter Allen, piano; Christopher Buckley, viola; Sally Dibblee, soprano; Nadia Francavilla, violin; and Richard Hornsby, clarinet. Details about the schedule and performers can be found on the festival website.

An additional event, a free noontime concert on Friday, 13 August, will be held as part of Christ Church Cathedral’s Summer Recital Series, and will showcase a sample of music from the New Brunswick Summer Music Festival. Donations at this concert will be collected, with proceeds supporting the Cathedral Organ Renovation Fund. Please reserve tickets for the noontime concert through the Cathedral website.

2021 Summer Recital Series

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Music at the Cathedral is back!

The Summer Recital Series returns with nine noontime concerts, concerts, held each Friday until August 27. Join us inside historic Christ Church Cathedral as we present a series of concerts featuring cello, viola, bassoon, organ, guitar and vocalists. View the poster.

Cathedral Director of Music, Thomas Gonder, is excited to host the summer series, his first since stepping into the position in January 2020. He is enthusiastic about the program, saying, "It's my hope that Frederictonians will appreciate, enjoy and be inspired by hearing the abundance of local talent in an outstanding venue. We are blessed to be able to revive this series!"

Learn about the Cathedral, past and present, and visit the online 360 tour for a look at the interior of the building.

Seating is limited, so reserve your ticket now to secure your space. Tickets are free but donations encouraged. Proceeds after expenses to the Cathedral Organ Renovation Fund. Online donations will receive a receipt for tax purposes immediately.

Attendees are welcome to wear face masks, and all are asked to be respectful of others' preferences regarding personal space.

Reserve your ticket online at the links below.

August 27
Sally Dibblee, soprano and J. Thomas D. Gonder, organ/piano - Tickets

 

The Joy of Music

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Throughout the pandemic, Christ Church Cathedral has been able to safely host a variety of musical performances, both public and private, under its COVID-19 operational plan.

After months of small groups of singers and no corporate singing, it is a blessing to hear voices lifted high in worship once again. Under the current Yellow Phase of the operational plan, members of the Cathedral congregation may now also sing during worship, wearing masks and maintaining two metres of physical distance between ‘bubbles. The choir and band continue to lead music, also maintaining appropriate distancing between performers. During Easter worship, an expanded choir was accommodated by using the sanctuary to spread out. The choir met in advance to rehearse and work out the 'choreography' and seating chart required to ensure physical distancing.

A variety of Fredericton musicians have also been welcomed into the Cathedral throughout the pandemic, with safety precautions such as attendance limits, sanitization, physical distancing, and masks for attendees (under public health guidelines, performers may remove their masks while singing if they are able to maintain appropriate distancing).

Public concerts at the Cathedral have included: the Elm City String Quartet; the Fredericton Symphony Orchestra and Atlantic Sinfonia; a concert featuring soprano Sally Dibblee, baritone Luke Noftall, and organist Thomas Gonder; as well as a solo organ concert by Cathedral Director of Music Thomas Gonder. Each of these concerts has been well attended by members of the community, who shared appreciation for the opportunity to listen to live music during this distressing time. We were honoured by the presence of Lieutenant Governor Brenda Murphy and her spouse, Her Honour Linda Boyle, at the Elm City String Quartet performance.

Christ Church Cathedral has wonderful acoustics which have been appreciated by several Music Festival participants, who were able to film their performances in the Cathedral with the assistance of their voice teacher, critically-acclaimed soprano Sally Dibblee.

Muriel Falkenstein will be advancing to the Provincial Music Festival at the Intermediate level. / Landon Garrett performed a song from the musical Hamilton in the Music Theatre class. / Muriel Falkenstein and Anne Marie Murphy. / Gillian Butler is one of two singers from Sally's studio chosen to represent Fredericton in the Junior Vocal Solo category at the Provincial Music Festival.

A mother-daughter pair dressed up for two themed rehearsals of the Fredericton Ladies' Choir.

The Fredericton Ladies Community Choir has combined technology and live performance in their practices. The choir been practicing online using Zoom during the pandemic, but this spring the choir, under the direction of Sally Dibblee, began livestreaming its rehearsals from the Cathedral. With the assistance of Cathedral audio/visual expert Peter Jacobs, physically distanced duos and trios were filmed to help the at-home singers follow along with their vocal parts. Choir rehearsals sometimes included costumes, such as a theme of ‘dress as your favourite choir song’, and a formal evening.

The Cathedral welcomes members of the community at worship and throughout the week. Inquiries about rentals can be directed to the Cathedral Office by email or phone (506) 450-8500.

Organist Thomas Gonder

Luke Noftall, baritone and Sally Dibblee, soprano