(A) Building for Evangelism This is amazing. I can t believe this is in Salina. I ve always wondered what this place looked like inside. Every time I open the door of the Cathedral for someone new, I hear comments like these, which is hardly surprising: the Cathedral is, after all, a beautiful testimony of how craftsmanship and artistic expression can be used to the greater glory of God. What may come as a surprise, however, is how often this happens. Not a month goes by without someone asking to see the Cathedral. Some folks are part of organized tours, others are traveling through and heard that there was a great church just off the interstate, still yet others are former parishioners who have moved away, but still feel a fondness for the time when they worshipped here. Add to these the musicians giving concerts, the visitors who come because they feel a religious impulse on Christmas or Easter, the students from KWU working on history projects, the workmen who never seem to start without first looking in wide-eyed amazement at the stained glass, the couples looking for a pretty church to be married in taken together, these people make a good case for saying that the Cathedral itself is a tool for evangelism. At last month s meeting, the Vestry recognized this and identified a number of projects that will improve our buildings and grounds for ministry. These improvements fall into two categories. The first category is safety. Items in the safety category are there because of problems that we already know about or can easily foresee. A good example of a known problem is the front entrance to the Cathedral. The stairs are in bad shape, the top landing is too short, and the rails are not well placed. Not so long ago, a parishioner stumbled on these stairs and fractured her skull. Clearly, we need to do something. Not all the safety items have such a dramatic story, but we d rather avoid any further episodes like this one. Other items, though they pose no potential safety risks, will detract from our ministry unless we address them and make our church more hospitable to members and visitors alike. Here s the list of projects proposed by the Vestry: Safety Projects Masonry- Inspect and repair all exterior and interior stone North cathedral entrance-renovate the ramp and handrails East cathedral entrance-upgrade landing, steps, and handrails to code South cathedral entrance-install a ramp and reconfigure handrails Music academy entrance-install a ramp and handrails Breezeway entrance-bring ramp and rails up to code Garbage enclosure-reconfigure and upgrade Hospitality Projects Stained glass windows-clean, make minor repairs, repaint wooden trim, replace all exterior coverings to improve light transmission Landscaping-finish the cathedral grounds along the lines of recent improvements Signage-upgrade to include Cathedral logo and clearly note the location of worship, office, music, and children s ministry areas Cathedral doors-replace existing doors with custom millwork using maintenance-free materials Cathedral seating-replace with comfortable, architecturally appropriate chairs Nursery-create nursery space inside the Cathedral Kitchen-replace floors and countertops, refresh cabinets, repair and paint walls/ceiling This list is ambitious; budget numbers suggest we ll need about $350,000 in the next five years to cover the cost of this plan. But I believe, and the Vestry agrees, that it is time for us to move forward with a plan that leverages our assets for the Kingdom of God. The full capital improvement plan will be out in the next few months; for now, let me encourage you to pray about the generous and sacrificial pledge that God is asking you make to ensure the safety, to improve the hospitality, and ultimately to proclaim more clearly the evangelistic purpose of our Cathedral buildings and grounds. Benjamin
Christ Cathedral is pleased to announce a new ministry called Christ Cathedral Music Academy. The ministry will take place in the three renovated rooms located in the east end of the education building. These rooms have been turned into studios that will accommodate vocal and organ instruction through weekly lessons. The new ministry has been in the developing stages for over year and now has become a reality. The idea first started with the need to train students to become good church organists. Churches over the years have struggled to find people to fill the positions at the organ. This new ministry at Christ Cathedral will address the problem and be a part of the solution under the direction of Canon Royce Young. The vocal studio under the direction of Matt Schwan will address the need for training vocal students to be a part of worship. Churches today are always pursuing good musicians to lead choirs in their worship services. Given the opportunity to study vocal music the students will be able to help fill this need in the churches. The Christ Cathedral Academy has been established to train students to grow spiritually and musically with a devotion to Christ through music.
Big Events in October: St. Francis Pet Blessing & Diocesan Convention Additional photos Flickr and on Facebook
News and Notes In case you ve been wondering, the carillon (the bells in the tower) are out of commission due to a lightening strike. Church insurance is working to resolve the prob- of the age of the system, replacement parts lem. Because are dear, and repairs will be slow, but we fully expect to be chiming again by Easter! Thanksgiving Eve, Wednesday, November 25, All events cancelled Carols in the Cathedral, Wednesday, December 16, 5:30 PM. Come for a potluck in the Parish Hall and stay for a Christmas sing-along around the grand piano in the Cathedral. Mark your calendar for an afternoon of entertainment: Sunday, November 22nd, 4 PM The Kansas Wesleyan University Chorale, directed by Ken Hokoda, and the Salina Youth Choir, directed by Jennifer Martinez, will be in concert at Christ Cathedral. This event is FREE to the public. lashby House Christmas Service & Festive Dinner Sunday, December 20 A Giving Tree for children in the care of St. Francis Community Services will be in the Parish Hall beginning Sunday, November 8. Cathedral members will have the opportunity to help provide presents for more than 200 foster children in the Salina area. We need 12 volunteers to help with set-up, cooking, serving, and clean up. Volunteers will serve 1-2 hours, depending on the job. Please contact Donna Young if you are able to help with this event. 785 827 6117
Stewardship Review Income Budget Actual Variance Plate through October $18,333.00 $23,676.00 $5,343.00 Pledge through October $120,833.00 $133,092.00 $12,259.00 Vestry Highlights Fr. Benjamin thanked everyone who volunteered to help with the Diocesan Convention. The convention was a success. Total income is over budget and expenses are under budget. The Cathedral received a credit for sales tax paid on utilities for the past three years from Westar. The Vestry reviewed the expectations for each of the Cathedral committees. As per the By- Laws, Steve Hoffman as Senior Warden will chair the Finance Committee and David Nichols as Junior Warden will chair the Buildings and Grounds Committee. Other committee chairs include: Hospitality Donna Young with Jack Favre as Vestry Liaison; Membership DeMay Grunden; Music Harvetta Von Fange; Family Ministry (Christian Education) Kathleen Crouch; and Evangelism Catheryn Thornton. The Vestry reviewed all capital improvements that need to be made at the Cathedral and divided them into those that need to be done now, soon, and later. A notebook will be put together for each Vestry member containing policies, By-Laws, and any other information that members need. The Music Academy Policies and Procedures were accepted pending final review with the Cathedral s legal counsel. These are some highlights from the October Vestry Meeting. If you would like a copy of the complete Vestry minutes, please contact the Cathedral office. Linda Favre, Vestry Clerk