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If you wish to see something published in this newsletter, please either fill out the Communication Request Form (click to be redirected to the Cathedral website) or email your edited and proofed text to newsletters@thecathedral.ca by Tuesday at Noon. If you have any questions, please email us at newsletters@thecathedral.ca.

Please note that these are the only two communication channels used in the creation of this newsletter.

If you attend in person on Sundays, a special parking rate is available at the Park Place Parkade. The parking code for 2025 is 20254630. Rate details are available here. 

New Parking Rates (Effective August 1, 2025)

You can watch past live-streamed services on our YouTube channel — click to watch the ones you missed or rewatch the ones you enjoyed!

Members of Anglican churches worldwide are called to live out Five Marks of Mission, the 5th of which encourages us:

To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the life of the earth.

Since coming to the Cathedral in January, I have been struck by how much paper we use, with bulletin printing being a very large part of that. It’s so easy and convenient for us to create all-encompassing bulletins, but at what cost? The 10.30am service alone uses over 900 sheets of paper each week. In a year, that’s 46,800 sheets just for Sundays, not including extras at Christmas and in Holy Week.

In the case of the hymns, the majority of what we currently print in the bulletin is taken from the Anglican Church of Canada hymnal Common Praise. Those are the blue books that live at every seat or pew. Before bulletins began to expand into multi-page stapled booklets, we used those hymnals weekly – the bulletin simply listed the hymn number and title. I agree, it’s a little inconvenient to have to refer to multiple items – a bulletin, and a book - not to mention the days when the green Books of Alternative Service were used as a third item. But, many things we do to help our planet are a little inconvenient: we have to remember to take re-usable bags to the store, or re-usable cups or water bottles to work, and we have to check schedules for transit or car-pooling, and so on.

In order to reduce our paper usage, we will have to omit something from the bulletin. So, as a trial during the Season of Creation, we’re going to return to our previous practice of listing only the hymn number and title in the bulletin: we will raise our voices directly from the blue hymnals.

As we begin this 5-week physical act of prayer for environmental sustainability, let us all be mindful that there may be some teething problems:

- Will you use the hymnal in front of you, or behind you? Our books are kept in the backs of the seats, yet it’s instinctive for us all to reach to the seat in front. So, which books will people in the front row use? I’m guessing “Is this hymnal taken?” might be an oft-heard phrase in the front rows of seats.

- Do you need larger print? We have a number of copies of Common Praise that are words-only in large print. To make those easier to find, we’ve gathered them at the back, and we invite you to ask the greeters for one, returning it to them at the end of the service.

- Do you find the full hymnal too heavy to hold? Again, the words-only, large print version will make that easier for you - please ask a greeter.

- Sometimes the hymnals are moved around, and there may be the odd seat without one. We know we have enough for everyone, so please look out for your neighbours by passing along extras to those without.

- Visitors may be...

September 7: Rev. Kevin accompanying Archbishop John to St. Mary the Virgin, South Hill

Are you looking for a way to deepen your spiritual life? Every weekday morning at 9:30am the Cathedral holds Morning Prayer.

We will follow a simple liturgy with a Psalm, a Reading, Prayer and Silence. This form of regular, daily prayer is used in the Anglican Communion and a number of other church denominations. All are welcome to start the day in prayer with us.

Morning Prayer takes place online via Zoom. To join in, please email Morning Prayer for Zoom coordinates.

The weekly Upper Zoom Bible Study resumes on Thursdays at 7:30 PM. We’re looking forward to gathering again online for a time of learning, reflection, and conversation about the upcoming Sunday's readings, using a method inspired by Lectio Divina. It’s a wonderful opportunity to grow in faith and connect with one another, even from the comfort of home.

All are welcome to BYOB (Bring Your Own Bible) and join!

Email reception@thecathedral.ca if you would like more information.

Saturday, November 8, 2025

Centering Prayer is a receptive method of silent prayer that prepares us to receive the gift of contemplative prayer, in which we experience God’s presence within us, closer than breathing, closer than thinking, closer than consciousness itself. Centering Prayer adds depth of meaning to all prayer and facilitates the movement from more active kinds of prayer into a receptive prayer of resting in God.

The Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop familiarizes participants with the method of Centering Prayer and its conceptual background and offers two opportunities to experience the prayer. The workshop consists of four presentations led by Contemplative Outreach commissioned presenters.

1. Prayer as Relationship
2. The Method of Centering Prayer
3. Thoughts and the Use of the Sacred Word
4. Deepening our Relationship with God

The Four Communities of Practice Sessions:

Participants are invited to attend four Continuing Sessions which provide support, teaching and the time needed to establish a personal Centering Prayer Practice. The Sessions also include the opportunity to share the initial Centering Prayer experience with others who have made a similar commitment.

Community of Practice Sessions are led by an experienced facilitator and includes a period of Centering Prayer and group discussion. Details regarding the Continuing Sessions will be offered by the Workshop Presenter.

Cost: $225 (scholarships are available). This includes...

Early in 2025, we started a weekly service of musical Evening Prayer at the Cathedral. Sundays @4 features music of different styles and traditions, from traditional Choral Evensong with the Cathedral Choir to Taizé, Holden Evening Prayer, Organ Vespers, and even Broadway Vespers.

Now that Sundays @4 is in full swing, we invite volunteers to join our team of greeters and servers. The time commitment is Sunday from 3.15pm until approximately 5pm, and we would be delighted for team members to commit to one Sunday each month.

• Greeters meet congregation members at the door and distribute service bulletins, and they assist with receiving and counting donations

• Servers participate in setting up the liturgical space, and they robe for the service to assist the Presider, including the lighting of candles, the ceremonial use of incense, and the reading of scriptures.

Compline - Weekly on Sunday at 8pm, Christ Church Cathedral

We also invite volunteers to join our team of greeters and services for our long-established services of Compline, weekly on Sundays at 8pm. The tasks are...

The Schubertiade Salons are a new series of special evenings celebrating the musical genius of the great and somewhat enigmatic composer, Franz Schubert. In the spirit of the original musical gatherings, “Schubertiades”, that took place during his brief lifetime, the events will be presented in a more informal salon setting, with refreshments, surprises and door prizes, all occurring in the intimate chancel of Christ Church Cathedral.

The premiere concert of the series, on Saturday September 13th, will be spotlighting Schubert’s masterful contributions to three different genres of classical repertoire: art songs, solo piano, and chamber music, featuring Szu-Wen Wang (soprano), Jonathan Der (violin) Ronald Sat (piano), and Julie Begg (clarinet).

Everyone is invited and welcome to join us for this special evening!

Date: Saturday, September 13th, 2025
Time: Doors open at 7 pm for refreshments; Music begins at 7:30 pm
Place: Christ Church Cathedral, 690 Burrard Street
Admission: BY DONATION

For further info...

Choral Evensong sung by the Cathedral Choir

Introit: Frederick A. G. Ouseley (1825-89) O Saviour of the World
Hymns: 386, O Cross of Christ, 602
Responses: Richard Ayleward (1626-69)
Psalm: 118
Canticles: Herbert Sumsion (1899-1995) Evening Service in A
Anthem: Jean Roger-Ducasse (1873-1954) Crux Fidelis

Choral Evensong is one of our weekly Sundays@4 offerings: Evening Prayer with music in varied styles, including Taizé, Holden Evening Prayer, Organ Vespers, and Broadway Vespers. The weekly schedule is available here.

Please join us in person for Choral Evensong - there is no livestream. Incense is used at all Sundays@4 services, including at Choral Evensong.

On Sunday, September 14 at 1:30 p.m., the Cathedral will hold a service of closure and thanksgiving for the St. Brigid’s community. First launched in 2014 as a new congregation in the Cathedral’s 125th year, St. Brigid’s began as a church plant co-founded by Andrew Stephens-Rennie and the Rev. Marnie Peterson, shaped by conversations with younger members of the Cathedral. Over the years, the community worshipped in many forms—from a traditional Page 185 BAS service to creative liturgies, and most recently, a trauma-informed liturgy for 2025—while also shifting its worship time from Sunday evenings to Sunday afternoons. Like many communities, St. Brigid’s was deeply affected by the pandemic, with numbers dwindling in the years that followed. As this chapter of Cathedral life comes to a close, we give thanks for the faithful witness of the St. Brigid’s community and the many ways it has enriched the spiritual life of the Cathedral.

At Christ Church Cathedral we are discovering that the Spirit’s imagination often stretches wider than our own. Increasingly, we are called not only to serve as a parish church in downtown Vancouver, but also as a resource hub for ministry that extends far beyond our own walls.

This is what we have come to call the hub and spoke model of ministry. In this model, the Cathedral is the “hub”—a place with resources, leadership, and formation to offer—while “spoke” communities are parishes, congregations, and partner organizations who connect into that hub in a mutual way. Each spoke is unique, with its own strengths, gifts, and challenges, but together we form a shared network of ministry.

What this looks like in practice

• Holy Cross, Vancouver: The Rev. Clare Morgan serves half-time as priest-in-charge at Holy Cross and half-time as Cathedral Nave Missioner. The Cathedral provides preaching, presiding, and vacation coverage (Dean Chris is covering this Sunday, and the Rev. Areeta Bridgemohan on August 31). Holy Cross parishioners are also invited to join Cathedral formation events and special services.

• St. Mary’s, Sapperton: Once a month, the Rev. Kevin de la Mare serves as deacon among this vibrant Filipino congregation, ensuring they have the sacramental and pastoral leadership that would otherwise be missing.

• Whitehorse, Yukon: In collaboration with...

Sunday, September 14, 2025, at 9:15 in the Park Room

How anxious are you about the state of the world? If you worry about climate chaos, heartbreaking warfare and political uncertainty or the future for your children, you are not alone. How can we as Christians continue to live in hope while facing such challenges? The next speaker at the upcoming CATS 40-minute forum at CCC will be speaking about just that.

Speaking from his studies and research, as well as having a wide experience in contemplative practice, Dr. Jason M. Brown will explore ways we can stay connected with each other and love the world more deeply, even as we struggle with a sense of loss.

Dr. Brown teaches courses at SFU in religious studies and ecological humanities. He studied anthropology as an undergraduate at Brigham Young University. His master's work is in forestry and theology from Yale, and he completed his PhD in 2017 from the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES) at the University of British Columbia. He is the author of...

Alongside Hope: Anglicans and partners working for change in Canada and around the world (formerly PWRDF).

Anglican Church of Canada Fund for Development and Relief.

Christ Church Cathedral’s Alongside Hope Committee with Jeremiah Mwangi as CCC’s Coordinator (a committee of 8 with 5 folks from Kenya), chose this Kenya Agricultural Women’s Partnership to focus on as an educational and fundraiser at CCC this autumn. throughout September and October into November when we’ll have a special Kenyan dessert/coffee gathering and presentation after the 10:30 Worship November 16/25.

This partnership which arose from drought in Kenya initiated a women’s leadership program which brought women farmers together to teach leadership skills, new sustainable farming practices, availability of seeds for farming in the face of climate change, and ongoing support as women continue to farm and earn income for their families.

During the Season of Creation in September into the autumn, this Alongside Hope Partnership is a hopeful way to address climate change and for us to be part of solutions in the world.

The Government of Canada is matching every 1 dollar by 4.

The Alongside Hope national office has worked closely with us and prepared this poster as well as postcards with the QR code and the website for easy access to donations.

In the comment sections of the donations page on the QR code,  folks can put a note:  CCC Kenya Women’s Agricultural Partnership. The donations will get there just by using the QR code or website. Tax receipts are sent right away to the e-mail address.

We’re asking if parishioners will consider making a donation. Also, if parishioners could spread the word and invite donations from friends and colleagues. 

The CCC Alongside Hope committee will have a table throughout September into October. We will have postcards with all the information for parishioners to take away. Please drop by the table to say hello and encourage the committee.

Sincerely,

Jeremiah Mwangi, CCC Alongside Hope coordinator

The Rev. Margaret Marquardt, Member of CCC Alongside Hope and the Diocese of New Westminster Alongside Hope Unit

Education for Ministry (EfM) celebrated its 50th anniversary this summer. This September it launches a new, totally revised programme. Although our Diocese does not have on-site groups at present, EfM remains available to us through On-Line EfM.

Every 10 years the materials have gone through revision, reimagination or new formats. The programme remains the same: studying the Scripture, the History and Tradition of the Church, and in the 4th year a new focus: Ethics and Spirituality. The method remains the same as we gather in small “cohorts” committed to being “safe and brave” learning spaces for each other for the next nine months. Materials change, faces change but EfM continues its mission of “equipping the saints for the work of ministry.” (Ephesians 4:12)...

Fellowship for Parishioners of African Descent | Last Saturday of each month | 5:00 to 7:00pm

Maundy Café |  Resumes Friday, September 5 

Those seeking prayers for themselves or others may email the Cathedral Prayer Link at prayerlink@thecathedral.ca to have their name added to the list.

Please Note: Unless otherwise requested, names are removed from the prayer list after three weeks. The Prayer Link ministry sincerely appreciates any updates on recovery or changes in circumstances.

The Cathedral office is open Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Staff contact information is available here. 

REGULAR SUNDAY SERVICES

Holy Communion | 8:00 a.m.

Choral Eucharist | 10:30 a.m.

St. Brigid’s Eucharist | 1:30 p.m.

Sundays@4 Choral Service | 4:00 p.m.

Compline | 8:00 p.m.

WEEKDAY SERVICES

Holy Eucharist | Monday—Friday
12:15 p.m.

Holy Eucharist | Thursday
7:30 a.m. (with breakfast following)

Rite of Reconciliation (Confession) | 4th Wednesday
11:00 a.m.—Noon

Healing Prayers & Anointing | Wednesday
Following the 12:15 p.m. Eucharist

ONLINE

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