Merry Christmas from the Cathedral

Brendan Murphy on December 21, 2020

Due to limited space available for social distancing, registration is required to attend all in-person worship services. Registration has reached capacity and closed for many of our in-person services, but you may still attend virtually, or watch them online later at your convenience. See the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Service Schedule for more information, or to register for services with availability.

Learn about our return to in-person worship and register for this week’s services.

The Cathedral Choirs Wish You a Merry Christmas

Though we are unable to provide music in person this year, the Cathedral Choirs, Cathedral Organist Daryl Robinson, Organ Scholar JJ Mitchell, and I want to be part of your Christmas celebration. Here is a present of all four virtual choir performances we have made since June, including our newest,What Child is this. We send them with our wish to each of you and your families for a joyous Christmas and a New Year filled with happiness and health. 

Robert Simpson, Canon for Music

 

Dear Cathedral Family,

Each Christmas season I reread a little book entitled, Christmas Eve: A Dialogue on the Incarnation, written in 1806 by German theologian Friedrich Schleiermacher. The setting is a city lane on Christmas Eve. A group of friends settles before the fireplace and lapses into a conversation about the meaning of Christmas. Finally, Joseph speaks: 

For me, all speech-making is too tedious and cold. … Christmas claims, indeed creates in me a speechless joy, and I cannot but laugh and exult like a child. The solemn wrinkles are smoothed away, the years and cares do not stand written on the brow. Eyes sparkle and dance again, the sign of a beautiful and serene existence within. I feel at home, as if born anew into the better world, in which pain and grieving have no meaning and no room any more. And so I have roamed about this whole evening, everywhere taking part most heartily. I have laughed, and I have loved it all. It was one long affectionate kiss which I have given to the world, and now my enjoyment with you shall be the last impress of my lips!

This Christmas at Christ Church, at the end of this most challenging year, I pray that the solemn wrinkles will be smoothed away and that we — with the Christ child — will be born anew into the better world. May each of us experience Christmas as God’s long, affectionate kiss given to the world, and be merry!
 
Grace and peace,
The Very Reverend Barkley Thompson
Dean

Every Member Canvass

Thank you to everyone who has made an Every Member Canvass pledge for 2021. We have come a long way in our EMC campaign, but we still have some distance to go. Your Cathedral vestry is in the process of preparing the budget for 2021.

If you have not yet made a pledge for 2021, know that there is still time! We invite you to make a financial commitment to the work of the parish for the coming year.

Ways to make your pledge:

  • Pledging online is easy.
  • Return the pledge card you received by mail to 1117 Texas Ave, Houston, TX 77002.
  • Make a pledge over the phone at 713-590-3338 or by email by contacting Karen Kraycirik, minister for stewardship.

 


Learn more about this year’s EMC at: christchurchcathedral.org/emc