Weeks Ahead
Episcopal News Service. July 20, 2005 [072005-1-A]
TORONTO, Canada -- The University of Toronto is hosting the third International Conference on Afro-Anglicanism, "Celebrating the Gifts of Afro-Anglicanism," from July 20-27, welcoming participants from Africa and the African diaspora to identify and celebrate their gifts and offer them to the wider church.
Afro-Anglican conferences began in 1985 in Barbados, when more than 200 black Anglicans from Africa, England, the United States, Central America and the West Indies assembled. Recognizing that they shared many experiences and concerns in ministry, they decided to hold similar gatherings every 10 years.
Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane of Cape Town will preach at the opening worship service. Issues to be discussed include indigenous spirituality, new forms of worship, the historical African church, new democracies and the challenge of human rights, post-colonial realities, slavery and reparations, and the challenge of being black in a multicultural society.
Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold is also in attendance. In addition to participating in the liturgy, Bishop Griswold will sit on a panel titled "The Anglican Communion: Our Global Village," along with retired Bishop Suffragan Barbara Harris of Massachusetts, the Rev. John L. Peterson, Canon for Global Justice and Reconciliation at Washington National Cathedral, and Ndungane. Further information: www.afroanglican.com/default.htm.
Coming up Thursday, July 21, 2005...
NEW YORK -- Bishop Mark Sisk of New York and Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbis, will hold a news conference at 10am on Thursday, July 21, on the front steps of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York, to present objections to a recent action by the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) that welcomed a consideration of divestment of investments from the State of Israel. Sisk will call for a time "to invest, not divest" and Rabbi Potasnik will declare his support for Bishop Sisk's actions. The full text of the ACC resolution can be found online at: http://www.aco.org/acc/meetings/acc13/resolutions.cfm#s36. Further information: Neva Rae Fox; tel 212.316.7520.
Cathedral of St. John the Divine, 112th St. and Amsterdam Ave., New York.
Coming up Saturday, July 23, 2005...
NEW YORK -- A tour of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, focusing on the architecture and the windows of the great nave, will be held at 12:45pm on Saturday, July 23.
The tour, titled "The Urban Cathedral: Spotlight on the Middle Ages" will explore what the cathedral shares with the great European cathedrals of the Middle Ages and how it departs from that tradition. Join cathedral guide John Simko. Price: $10 per person; $8 per student/senior.
On Saturday, July 30: A tour, "Breaking the Code: Spotlight on Architectural Symbolism," will be held at 12:45pm and will unravel the many layers of symbolism embedded in the Cathedral's architecture. The tour discusses the Cathedral as a heavenly city, sacred mountain and ship of salvation, touching on number symbolism and sacred geometry. Led by Senior Cathedral Guide Tom Fedorek. $10 per person; $8 per student/senior.
Coming up Sunday, July 24, 2005...
NEW BRUNSWICK, New Jersey -- The Serafini Brillanti Trio will present a varied program of works by Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Foster, Gilbert and Sullivan, as well traditional works by Correlli and Gounod, at 6pm on Sunday, July 24, at Christ Church, New Brunswick.
In January 2004, the trio premiered Bradley Detrick's "Three Hymn Tragedies" at Merkin Hall, New York, and performed Eric Ewazen's "To Cast a Shadow at the Juilliard School in February 2005.
Christ Church sponsors more than forty concerts annually, many of them featuring the church's excellent Richards, Fowkes and Company pipe organ.
For more information, call 732.545.6262, or visit http://www.christchurchnewbrunswick.org/. A celebration of the Eucharist follows each concert at 8pm.
NEW YORK -- Summer Festival of Sacred Music continues with 11am Choral Eucharist on Sunday, July 24, and Johann Sebastian Bach's Missa in G-Minor (BWV 235) at St. Bartholomew's Church, 109 East 50th St. (at Park Avenue), New York, NY 10022; 212.378.0200; http://www.stbarts.org/. William K. Trafka, conductor.
Bach's Missa in G-Minor scored for choir, soloists, strings and oboes, is the most serious of all of Bach's Masses but is by no means somber, with light coloratura writing for the choir and heartfelt arias for the soloists.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- State Day prayers this Sunday will honor New Jersey on Sunday, July 24, at Washington National Cathedral, Massachusetts and Wisconsin Avenues Northwest (Mount St. Alban), Washington, D.C., 20016; 202.537.6200; http://www.cathedral.org/. Next Sunday, July 31: a major State Day will remember Connecticut.
ANGLICAN COMMUNION -- Following the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, this Sunday (10 Pentecost) will give thanks for the Diocese of Peterborough (Canterbury, England). The Rt. Rev. Ian P M Cundy, bishop. The Anglican Cycle of Prayer can be accessed online at: www.anglicancommunion.org/acp/main.cfm.
Coming up Tuesday, July 26, 2005...
BEREA, Kentucky -- The Episcopal Youth Event (EYE), an annual conference which brings together young people from throughout the Episcopal Church, is meeting under the theme "Can You Catch the Spirit Off the Beaten Path?" from July 26-31 on the campus of Berea College in Berea, Kentucky.
EYE is "a celebration to inspire deeper faith in Jesus Christ and a renewed commitment to mission and ministry." Further information: http://www.eye2005.org/.
FORT WASHINGTON, Pennsylvania -- St. Thomas' Church, Whitemarsh, continues its 2005 summer concert series on Tuesday, July 26, with Robin Austin, carillon, at 7pm, and Suzanne Duplantis, Mezzo Soprano, and Jim Batt, Piano, at 8pm, performing works by Brahms, Strauss, Faure, Duparc, Debussy, Falla, Gershwin and Bowles.
Admission is free. Bring a picnic dinner, blanket, chair or listen from your parked car. For directions and additional information, call 215.233.3970 or visit http://www.stthomaswhitemarsh.org/.
St. Thomas' Church, Whitemarsh, is located at Bethlehem Pike and Camp Hill Rd., Ft. Washington, Pennsylvania 19034.
Coming up Tuesday, August 2, 2005...
CANTON, Mississippi -- The Mississippi Conference on Church Music and Liturgy will celebrate its 30th annual conference from August 2-7 at the Duncan M. Gray Conference Center meeting under the theme "The Church Musician as Pastor: Spirituality and Resources."
The conference was founded in 1975 by Leslie N. Casaday, Principal Parish Musician at St. Philip's Episcopal Church in Jackson, Mississippi. Begun as a weekend workshop for the St. Philip's Choir, the Mississippi Conference has, for more than twenty-five years, provided for the Church's musicians and clergy from all over the country a time away for spiritual renewal and professional development.
Most participants are not full-time musicians serving large congregations. They serve smaller communities on a part-time basis, earning their livelihood in other ways.
There are services daily, evensong to be held at St. Philips Episcopal Church, and the concluding service at the Cathedral Parish of St. Andrew in Jackson.
Further information: http://www.mississippiconference.org/.