Time to Catchup: Confirmations, Lacrosse, an Interfaith Seder, a Newcomer Brunch, & a Walk for Unity

There are so many things to mention, that I am just going to list them numerically.

1.) Thank you to everyone who came to the Buffalo Bandits game. It was a lot of fun, and I am glad we had such a great turnout! A special thank you to Jennifer and Christopher who joined us for a 20s/30s event for the first time.

2.) Congratulations to Jayson who was confirmed at the Ascension Day Eucharist, and congratulations to Jim who was received into the Anglican Communion. It was quite the service, with over 25 people being either confirmed or received. I do not think the Cathedral has had so many candidates in quite some time. It was also good to see so many of your family members and friends here for the occasion.

3.) Thank you also to Jayson, John, Jason, and Deacon Bruce for accompanying me to the Interfaith Seder at Temple Beth Am. The Cathedral has a long history of participating in this event.

4.) Thank you to Kate, John, and James for their help with the Newcomer Committee and last Sunday's Newcomer Brunch. A very special thanks to James for sharing his faith journey at St. Paul's--a sign of major commitment considering he has only been at St. Paul's for one year!

5.) Mark your calendars. The National Federation for Just Communities is having their annual Walk for CommUNITY on Sunday, June 21. I know some of you are already walking for your employers; if you are not, I have sponsorship forms. They are expecting over 1000 walkers this year, and the gathering point is behind the Albright Knox Art Gallery on Lincoln Parkway. If you are not familiar with the NFJC, they do a lot of wonderful work in the Buffalo area, working for greater inclusion of all people into our community. Their many programs seek to eliminate all forms of prejudice and discrimination. If you are interested, let me know.

Thanks to each of you for everything you do.

In Christ,
Paul +

Easter Vigil Photos

Photos from the Easter Vigil Reception and the group's preparations.

Easter Vigil Writeup

The following article about the Easter Vigil has been submitted to Church Acts by the Cathedral.

It has become a 20s/30s tradition to host the Easter Vigil Champagne Reception at the Cathedral, and this year was another great success. Meeting on Good Friday morning at 7:00 am for some very plain oatmeal, the 20s/30s had their simple breakfast before fasting for the rest of the day—fasting while they started cooking! For all of Friday and all of Saturday, the group spent their time cooking in the Cathedral kitchen, while others set up the decorations in the Walker Room.

Almost everyone took Good Friday off from work to help, and when the Cathedral was short of ushers for the noonday Good Friday service, they even took a break from their efforts to fill in that gap! It was a real marathon, for from Maundy Thursday through to Easter Sunday, it was as if the 20s/30s Group had a Holy Week clergy schedule.

However, the hard work was rewarded. The Easter Vigil reception was a great success, with many people smiling as they tasted the vast array of delectable food. Grilled asparagus and prosciutto, gorgonzola and honey glazed apricots, raspberry and brie en croute, and portobella, red peppers, and fontina in filo were just a few of the items enjoyed by the crowd. The decorations were beautiful too—many colorful origami brightened the displays of willow branches throughout the Walker Room, magnified by mirrors placed throughout the buffet tables. Lots of hard work led to much Easter joy.

The 20s/30s Group at St. Paul’s gathers for a variety of activities throughout the year, but the Easter Vigil reception is their major event. More than anything, the group knows how to have fun, even when they are fasting on Good Friday. Other past events have included watching the Sabres at local pubs, field trips to Niagara-on-the-Lake, Haunted Allentown tours, Lenten book studies, and summer barbeques.

A Blessed Easter

Friends,

It is Saturday morning, and the church smells wonderful from all of the food the 20s/30s Group started preparing yesterday for tonight's Easter Vigil Champagne Reception. Thank you to all of you who took Good Friday off from work to begin the preparations. This promises to be a great Easter.

May everyone have a great Easter.

Paul +

Holy Week is here

Friends,

Thanks to everyone who hosted an evening of our Lenten study, and thanks to our leaders, Allie and Jason.

Many of you played crucial parts in today's Palm Sunday liturgies, whether it was serving on the altar guild, serving as thurifer, or reading this afternoon for our Lessons and Carols on the Passion Service (which by the way was one of the most beautiful liturgies I think I have ever experienced!).

Kate is in charge of the preparations for this year's Easter Vigil Champagne Reception. I know that many of you have taken Good Friday off from work to start the baking and cooking. It is not too late to volunteer to help--just let me or Kate know. The preparations for the reception are a two day event, beginning on Friday when we fast all day, meeting for oatmeal at 7:00 am, and ending on Saturday with the Vigil at 7:00 pm.

Be sure to check out the cathedral website for a complete listing of services--many of you have a tradition of coming to all of them, and that is great. I will see many of you for the next service this coming Wednesday at 7:00 pm--Choral Tenebrae.

In Christ,
Paul +

Our final Wednesday Study

Good morning everyone.

Thanks to Allie for hosting last night's study. Next week we meet at Drew and Janelle's. If you need directions or the address, please e-mail me. Everyone should have finished reading the book by next Wednesday.

Thanks to everyone who has made this such a Good Lenten study,
Paul +

This Wednesday at Allie's

Happy Midlent to everyone. This Wednesday we gather at Allie's for our continued study of the Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. Everyone should read up to chapter 26.

See you Wednesday,
Paul +