Ministry Reports

LEADERSHIP OVERVIEWS

THE SENIOR WARDEN
Craig Elder

The best description of 2020 is that it was year of challenges. We began the year hoping to start a capital campaign to raise money to remodel our physical plant so that we could conduct our ministries more effectively. My big worry then was the feedback we would receive from parishioners over the possible removal of the pews from the Cathedral. Instead, we faced two major direct challenges to our parish (I will leave the many indirect challenges for another day), one being how to conduct services during a global pandemic and the other being the availability of facilities to the Cathedral in the future with the announcement of the planned sale of the Commons building. My concerns over the debate over pews vs. chairs seem a distant worry at this point.

Instead, a global pandemic, not experienced in this country in over 100 years, caused us to first halt services, then restart them with limited participation (with masks, distancing, and extensive cleaning of the building by the staff) before ending the year with no in-person worship but with excellent live-streamed liturgies.

We currently provide, in addition to the live streaming of the 11:00 a.m. service, virtual offerings that include Songs & Stories for parents & their new-born children through three-years old, two Sunday School groups appropriate for pre-K to 2nd grade and 3rd to 5th grade. There are also Youth Ministry meetings for 6th graders and up, as well the Dean’s Forum on Zoom for adults.

For me, the hardest aspect of worship with no parishioners this year was missing the one- on-one contact with others. As Fareed Zakaria titled one of the chapters in his book, Ten Lessons for a Post-Pandemic World, “Aristotle Was Right – We are Social Animals”. The second challenge has been the future availability of the Commons building as it will be listed for sale by the trustees of the Diocese, likely this spring. We had already been in discussions with the Bishop & Trustees (B&T) over ownership of the Cathedral and ourfuture use of the Commons building when it was announced that they were going to monetize the property because of their financial situation.

We are empathetic with the needs of the Diocese and understand that B&T is trying to allocate limited dollars over many worthwhile projects, but the Chapter’s focus is on securing the facilities as we try to fulfill the Cathedral’s mission going forward. We have a building task force consisting of clergy, staff, wardens, and Chapter members that is meeting monthly with a team from B&T as we work with them to find solutions for our long-term facility needs. After a rather contentious start, it seems that our communications have improved, and we hope that B&T will be our advocate with developers for space in any new building that could be constructed on the space. While 2020 was a year of challenges, I am hopeful that 2021 will be one of progress. As mentioned above, out of the challenges of last year came the streaming of our services. This could prove to be a wonderful way to stay connected to those parishioners not able to attend live services (for those that are ill, residing in assisted living/nursing facilities, living in a warmer climate during the winter, or those with no desire to fight the elements).

We have Bishop-elect Paula Clark joining us this spring (calendar spring – not Chicago spring) which will be exciting as she joins us for services, and we become acquainted with her. We look forward to her arrival. Eventually we will return to the informative in-person Dean’s forums, hearing our wonderful choirs with the beautiful music they provide us, and hopefully enjoying a full-house for our Christmas Services (all pews full – not a maximum crowd of 50).

Before we were befallen by COVID-19, we were a growing and prosperous parish where one could look forward to being in attendance each Sunday morning for the message, music, and comradery. My prayer is that we pick up from where we left off last March with St. James Cathedral continuing to be an exciting place to worship.


CANON FOR ADMINISTRATION
Robert Black

One of the most remarkable stories of 2020 was the swift transition we were able to make to create a “virtual church” and the number of times we pivoted to address changes in pandemic protocols. From March to December, we produced more than 300 videos and our YouTube channel grew 800% to 400 subscribers. In March, we began weekly Sunday Morning Prayer audio recordings on SoundCloud and by October we were live streaming Sunday morning services with five high-definition cameras. In March we also began daily Monday through Friday Morning Prayer by Zoom, increasing average daily attendance tenfold. In April we premiered Monday through Friday daily video reflections by our Cathedral clergy, replacing the daily sermons we missed when discontinued the weekday 12:10 service, and now we reach 50 to 100 people daily instead of the 5 to 20 who used to attend in person.

This took a tremendous amount of time and effort from many people and they deserve our gratitude. Our thanks go particularly to the clergy, musicians, communications professionals on the cathedral staff and independent videographers Paul Bieschke and Stephen Garrett.

WORSHIP

INTRODUCTION
The Very Rev. Dominic Barrington, Dean

As will be recounted in every report in this document, the past year has seen changes of a kind unimaginable until March 2020. The impact on the worshipping life of church communities around the world has been enormous, as has the spirit of resilience and the commitment and determination shown by so many to keep a cycle of liturgical prayer alive at St James. The transitioning of worship to podcasts, Zoom meetings and live-streamed videos has been executed remarkably well, and we are blessed to be in a community of people who, in the main, have easy access to Wi-Fi access and hardware that allows them to participate in such worship. That daily Morning Prayer is now attended by an average of around fifteen people, rather than two, is but one instance of a silver lining in the very dark cloud of the pandemic. I am enormously grateful to all who have helped us manage this remarkable change in our liturgical life.

VERGERS & ACOLYTES
Kevin Godsil, Head Verger

2020 saw the Liturgical Ministry shift greatly with the pandemic. We were able to adapt to the “new normal” by redesigning the liturgy under the direction of the Dean. In response to the necessary changes in liturgical practice, and the limitations on the number of people able to congregate under CDC guidelines and recommendations, we reduced the number of required acolytes, verger, and chalice ministers in any given Eucharist from ten down to a single thurifer.

During this time, the practice of administering the chalice was suspended, with only the presider consuming the wine. The liturgical procession of clergy only was led by the thurifer. Our torch bearers were not able to process in tandem as this would have violated the required mandatory 6 ft. distance. Diocesan guidelines suggested that as few as possible come in physical contact with the eucharistic vessels. This meant that the presider alone set the table, which the deacon and head acolyte customarily do. The thurifer’s role was one that provided continuity throughout the pandemic and a touchpoint to our customary liturgical practice.

2021 is an opportunity to rejuvenate and reflect on what we do and how we do it. There are currently four thurifers trained, with one more person to be trained on the safety protocols around burning and handling incense, as well as the routine liturgical housekeeping involved to assist the clergy for a Eucharist. As with everyone, ours is a season of rebirth and renewal and we await the time when all our servers can walk into the cathedral and experience corporate worship in person again. Our current roster contains 14 acolytes, 7 vergers, and 19 chalice ministers, and we hope to increase those numbers in the new year as we are able.


ALTAR GUILD
Charles Peterson, Chair

The Altar Guild cares for the liturgical vessels, vestments, and sacred spaces that support our worship life. Though public worship was greatly curtailed due to the order of our diocesan and city officials, the Altar Guild continued to serve the Cathedral during the various responses to the pandemic. We served smaller congregations and virtual congregations. The Cathedral also hosted a small number of pastoral services, including the funerals of Governor Thompson and the Rev. Cynthia Hallas, a wedding, and the ordination of Cate Anthony to the priesthood. Our parish life goes on. During this pandemic period, the Altar Guild has relied primarily on three of its members – Arista Elder, Charles Peterson and David Briere. We look forward to the day we can all come together again as a congregation to celebrate the Eucharist. As we prepare for a return to normal conditions, we repeat the invitation for new members to join the Altar Guild.

LINEN MINISTRY
David Briere, Chair

The Linen Ministry is an offshoot of the Altar Guild Ministry, whose focus is on keeping all the Cathedral's fine linens in impeccably clean and excellent condition. This involves weekly gathering up of sound linens, treating, washing, ironing, and folding the linens in a manner that is prescribed for the various services at the Cathedral and chapel. The linen team is comprised of five dedicated members: Sue Cloud, Jane Marienau, Edith O'Keefe, Trish Gerber, and me. For the brief period that the Cathedral was open to limited services this summer I managed the linen ministry by myself. After services were restricted to online participation, Charles Peterson has been taking care of the linens while also managing all the other Altar Guild responsibilities. We all look forward to returning to operating on a schedule where we once again can lend our hands and skills in this rewarding ministry. We are always open to and actively encourage new individuals to inquire about and join this ministry.

READERS & INTERCESSORS
Lieve Buzard

The service of reading and interceding plays a vital role in worship. As representatives of the congregation, the body of Christ, readers and intercessors embody two ministries to which every Christian is called: to share the good news of Christ and to pray. On March 22, our usual ministry was abruptly halted by the transition into lockdown. Thankfully, the transition to recordings allowed some new voices to share their gifts with our Cathedral community and beyond in the form of worship podcasts and recordings. We are especially grateful for Presiding Bishop Michael Curry uplifting our hearts and minds through his reading in our Christmas service of Lessons and Carols. Once we transitioned to limited, in-person services, the need for traditional readers and intercessors resumed. After collaborating with Clergy to design appropriate health and safety protocol for this ministry team, readers and intercessors play a critical role in representing the congregation – especially those members joining virtually – during worship. Although the form of worship has changed drastically throughout the year, I continued to be inspired by the resiliency and commitment of the reader and intercessor team. Your voices and prayers call us to turn towards the Gospel during turbulent times. Many new people joined this ministry team in the aftermath of the initial lock-down, bringing new voices into this vital ministry. This brings our full roster to 30 readers and intercessors. Due to appropriate health concerns, however, there is a current roster of 11 COVID-19 readers and intercessors for in-person worship. On behalf of the wider worship team, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to this team for their increased dedication. Likewise, I invite any member of the broader St. James community who may be interested in reading or interceding to contact me and learn more about joining this important ministry.


USHERS
Allen Moye, Head Usher

The usher ministry is largely characterized by the warmth and kindness of those who serve. An usher is often the first person a congregant (whether visitor or regular) sees upon arrival for worship. Our ministry is one of hospitality, and it can help to set the tone for their worship experience that day. We also offer practical liturgical support within our worship services, seating guests and directing the flow of parishioners coming forward to receive communion.

The usher ministry at St. James Cathedral consists of approximately 20 new and long-time members of the congregation. Each week teams of 2-4, regularly participate in the 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sunday services, as well as Evensongs, Holiday services, Holy Days, and various St. James and Diocesan events. In a typical year, this may be as many as 130 events and services.

The year 2020 however, presented some challenges for our ministry. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, and a city-wide lock down, the Diocese suspended all in-person worship in early March. Although we were not able to meet in person, and missed many of the holiday services, we kept in touch by email and some Zoom calls.

Once the infection rates began to stabilize in mid-July, limited in-person services were resumed. We assembled a core group of 4 ushers to cover the one Sunday service being offered. We also assisted with the funeral services for former Governor of Illinois, Jim Thompson, who died in August. During this period, singing was discouraged and masks and social distancing were required. However, we took great comfort in collective prayer and each other’s presence.

By mid-November, the infection rates began to rise again, and the Diocese suspended in- person service through the remainder of the year. Unfortunately, we lost one of our ushers, Constance Matthews, to the virus in December.

As I write this report, in early January 2021, I am not sure when we will return to in-person services, but I hope it is soon. We will undoubtedly need to replenish our ranks, and I encourage St. James members to consider participating in this valuable and indispensable ministry. If you are interested in serving as an usher, please email Allen Moye (moyear@hotmail.com)

MUSIC

Stephen Buzard, Director of Music

As in all walks of life, 2020 was a disruptive year for the music department at St. James Cathedral. Due to concerns about the spread of aerosolized coronavirus, no live singing has occurred at St. James since March 2020. Using technology, our choirs have provided music for Cathedral services virtually, and the choristers have continued their musical education online and in socially distanced, non-singing gatherings. I am proud to report that both groups remain strong, meeting each challenge with grace that stems from their unshakable commitment to St. James and their abiding love of music.

First, I must acknowledge our outstanding organ scholars. Our current scholar, Meg Cutting, is a recent graduate of the Yale Institute of Sacred Music. She is an excellent organist, singer, and choir trainer, and her work ethic, adaptability, and good humor have made her an invaluable addition to our team. Isaac Drewes, our organ scholar through June 2020, now serves as Assistant Director of Music at Central Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, a downtown congregation Isaac described as a Lutheran analogue of St. James. He has been tasked with building a new children’s chorister program for Central inspired by our Choir School model. Both organ scholars have proven themselves indispensable assistants and I thank them for their passion and dedication.

The music department began 2020 from a position of strength. In February, we welcomed Walden Moore as the guest clinician for our second annual Treble Festival. Choristers from Missouri, Wisconsin, and Illinois joined our choristers and Cathedral Choir altos, tenors, and basses, for a weekend of workshops and a marvelous Sunday evensong. In March, the Cathedral Choir sang Bach’s motet Komm, Jesu, komm, one of the most challenging a capella works in the standard repertoire. We were slated to host a concert by the choir of St. John’s College Cambridge and for the Cathedral Choir to embark upon a tour to Washington, DC but both events have been postponed until further notice. While the pandemic has affected every industry and profession, few have been more severely impacted than performing artists. Singers have seen their income and opportunities vanish, decimating careers a lifetime in the making. I am proud that St. James Cathedral has kept its entire choir engaged, professionals and volunteers alike. Using virtual choir technology, we produce fours hymns or anthems each week, providing music for Sunday services, two Evensongs, the All Souls Day Requiem, and the Advent Procession. (Music for Nine Lessons and Carols was selected from our archival recordings of that service.) St. James is one of a very small number of churches to keep their entire choir singing weekly throughout the pandemic.

For every piece of music, Meg or I record a reference track using a midi keyboard and create a conducting video for the singers to follow. This is the most painstaking part of the process since every detail and musical inflection must be clear and precise. Each singer records at home along to the reference track and sends their solo file back to us. (Some singers have said every week feels like an audition!) After normalizing, trimming, and removing background noise from each file, Meg and I begin to assemble the piece by synchronizing each voice to the reference track. Once we have everyone lined up and balanced, we mute the reference track and add any finishing touches such as reverb. For hymns and anthems with organ, we combine the voices with the original reference video and follow the conducting to play along in real time. (Hak Wong has dubbed this process “reverse karaoke.”)

The excellence of our virtual choir contributions and their seamless integration into the liturgy have set the industry standard. Inspired by our webcast services, colleagues across the country have consulted with me to implement their own version of the “reverse karaoke” process. We have also used this technology to pioneer a new genre of composition for virtual choir. In 2020, the Cathedral Choir premiered “Veni Creator Spiritus,” Isolation Requiem, “A Virtual Responsory,” and several psalm-settings I wrote for this new medium. At a time of musical withdrawal across the globe, our choir has embraced a novel way to sing God’s praises in this turbulent age.

Meanwhile, the choristers are also keeping busy. Meg and I meet with each child weekly for a private singing lesson over Zoom where we help them prepare music to record virtually. Until November’s renewed restrictions, we gathered in the cathedral on Wednesdays for a singing-free rehearsal and some socially distanced socializing, including chorister supper- to-go prepared by Chef Jackie. The opportunity for individual instruction has helped each chorister grow in confidence and fill gaps in their music knowledge. Somewhat surprisingly, and without any advertising, we added five new choristers to the roster this fall, a testament to the strength of that offering, even at a time when its primary purpose – singing – is impossible.

As proud as I am of all our musicians have done to carry on in this extraordinary time, I ache for the opportunity to sing together again. No technology can replicate the thrill of making music as a community. Most especially, I miss making music with you, the congregation, every Sunday morning. If this past year has taught us anything, I hope it is that we must never take these joys for granted, and I look forward to the day when can resume in-person music-making with renewed purpose and passion.

 

FAITH FORMATION

ADULT FAITH FORMATION

WEDNESDAY SERIES
Lieve Buzard, Co-Leader

In 2020, the St. James Cathedral Wednesday evening adult formation series continued to grow and evolve from its launch in the fall of 2019. We began 2020 with a continuation of our popular Table Talk series. Using the format of a shared meal and small group discussion, we dived into a shared study of the Eucharist, exploring together the meaning and spiritual significance of this foundational piece in the church's liturgy. Our Wednesday evening education series continued with a Lenten discussion series around the movie, The Theory of Everything. Supported with a discussion guide by Hilary Brand, this study attracted new participants from the SJC community and beyond for purposeful conversation about the role of the church and science. Most importantly, each of us was pressed to consider why we subscribe to our faith and how we see the church as relevant today. This study abruptly transitioned to the Zoom platform in March 2020, allowing for new faces to join over Zoom. Thankfully, parishioner Preston Winstead joined the lay leadership of the adult formation team, for which we are deeply grateful, and helped with our technological transition!

Our next adult formation series was led by the Rev. Anna Broadbent, who led us through study of Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead book on leadership, centered on the spiritual power of vulnerability and challenging each of us to live with more intention by putting our faith into action. Settling into the virtual environment afforded us an opportunity to connect more deeply with people beyond the SJC community, with participants hailing from coast to coast. This series gave us an opportunity to reflect on scripture with fresh eyes and open hearts.

While we had prepared to wrap-up adult formation in keeping with the traditional program year, the events around the death of George Floyd stirred a sense of urgency among cathedral members, and we reconvened around a special anti-racism adult learning series: Creating Courageous Space. Given the challenging, vulnerable nature of this series, we expanded our group of facilitators thanks to Nicole Spencer, Allen Moye, and Diane Shalda, a member of the diocesan anti-racism commission. We are grateful for everyone who participated not only in teaching and facilitating powerful discussions, but also in collecting a robust repository of church-wide resources to empower better conversation around race and diversity in our city and beyond.

The 2020 adult formation series concluded with a short 4-week study series in support of our Annual Stewardship Campaign on Sharing Our Selves. The intention behind this series was to re-imagine how we might best give of our selves: time, talent, and treasure. We identified spiritual gifts and considered the potential of our time and other resources as gifts to God and the church at a time when many parishioners may not have been in a position to make as full a financial pledge as they would have hoped to in advance of the current economic crisis. As always, scripture and theological reflections guided this discussion about bringing not only our treasure, but also our time and talent to build-up the body of Christ. A special thank you to our guest facilitator, the Rev. Alan James, who taught on the integrative and spiritual discipline of financial stewardship. As always, we continue to learn and improve from each study and grateful for those participants who take time to share their feedback via our program follow-up surveys.

CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER
Greg Gerber, Leader

Centering Prayer practice at St. James Cathedral happens every Wednesday evening. We started the centering prayer in St. Andrews Chapel during Advent of 2019. In person gatherings continued until March 2020. Adapting to the pandemic protocols, Centering Prayer now “gathers” via phone conference call in on Wednesday evenings. Centering Prayer is a wordless, contemplative prayer practice that involves “opening” ourselves to divine presence. While there is a simple “method” that is used, the primary purpose of Centering Prayer is to come together with the intention of connecting with God. This age-old Christian practice looks and feels like meditation. John of the Cross suggested “Silence is God’s first language.” Centering Prayer connects with God through silence and through being in community with others.

Since starting in late 2019, the group has used Episcopal priest Cynthia Bourgeault’s book “Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening” as our primary text, as well as references from Fr. Thomas Keating and other spiritual leaders. Centering Prayer will continue to “gather” via dial in until COVID protocols allow us to return to St. Andrews Chapel. All are welcome to join us!

CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES
Alison Barrington, Director of Children’s Ministries

This year gave us many opportunities and challenges within the children’s and youth ministries. While there were significant changes to the working pattern of our ministries, we were able to think creatively about online and in-person activities and managed to keep as active as possible under the circumstances. Every Sunday during the program year we were able to offer a variety of online sessions. We were responsive to the needs of St. James families and children and offered worship and Sunday School classes. At 9 a.m. on Sunday mornings I led Songs and Stories for our very youngest children and their care givers. We prayed and sang together, and this community has been gently growing.

At 10 a.m. on Sundays, Sunday School lead teachers Dean Niedenthal, Allison Ortlieb and George Culver were online presenting Sunday school through games, discussions, videos, and prayer. Karen Hafstrom also provided games, word searches, arts and crafts, and activities which were sent out each week. We aimed to appeal to as many children as possible with these two different offerings. Many thanks to these leaders and to Kjersti Cooper, Sydney Richards, Tara Johannesen, Alison Gomersall, Sam Gangopadhyay, and Karl Bitikofer for their support online.

During the Summer, The Rev. Erika Takacs and I led a week-long online Summer Arts Camp for children from both Church of the Atonement and St. James Cathedral. We focused on characters from the Old Testament and led 12 children in singing, prayers, games, Godly Play, and stories and crafts every day. This online program was well-received and decided to follow the Summer in the City pattern to meet every season. In the Fall, we had a one-day Fall Arts Camp and are now planning Winter and Spring Art Camps for 2021. It has been a joy to connect with Church of the Atonement and we are planning to develop this partnership. Creating new relationships with local, national, and international churches has been a continuing part of our growth.

In September and October, when the weather was kind, all the families were invited to meet outdoors in parks, with picnics and games. It was a joy to gather in a socially distanced manner and enjoy our community. Andrew Shelton and Maria Price, our Youth ministers, led the children in a never-ending supply of ball games. We hope to repeat these park events in the future when weather permits.

At the beginning of November, we held a Fall Festival. This was another chance for the families to carefully connect, socially distanced and surrounded by pumpkins and crafts. The atmosphere was wonderful. Many thanks to Susan Fickling-Munge and Lisa Ahmad for planning and helping. And thanks to Chef Jackie for providing such beautiful food. At Christmas, the children enjoyed an online cooking class with Chef Jackie, and we will be doing more cooking in the Spring of 2021.

Finally, not to be defeated by COVID, we managed to put together the most wonderful nativity pageant. Many thanks to Dean Niedenthal for writing the script and videographer and video editor Stephen Garrett. It is fantastic! And it has helped me recognize the opportunities that technology can provide our ministries. We must move forward and learn to combine online and in person activities.

YOUTH MINISTRY
Maria Price, Co-Leader

January 2020 marked the start of St. James Cathedral’s Youth Ministry, an expansion of our Children’s Ministries geared toward youth in sixth grade and above. Building upon principles established by a Youth Committee Ministry (2018-19) and a “Youth Ministry at St. James Dean’s Forum” curriculum leaders Andrew Shelton and Maria Price have worked to foster continued curiosity and growth in our youth as Christians and the Episcopal Church. They have worked thoughtfully to promote an engaging and safe environment for youth group to explore their faith independently while in community with their peers.

Youth Group met in person until COVID restrictions brought about a transition to Zoom meetings during their usual faith formation time on Sundays at 10:00 a.m. Through the transition to online, Youth Group retained consistent attendance from our middle to high school aged church members. To help reduce student’s requisite time using online video platforms, the group now meets for 30 minutes instead of an hour. Our time together is dedicated to practice in focused prayer, community building (icebreakers and group games), and group wellness check-ins. In the upcoming year of St James, children's formation, Youth Group leaders will continue to create space for participants to come together in community so that they may come to know themselves, their peers, and their faith more closely.

YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY
The Rev. Anna Broadbent, Associate for Outreach Ministries

The young adult ministry at St. James Cathedral had a challenging year, with highs and lows that were very reflective of what many experienced throughout 2020. The pandemic had a unique impact on this group, with members ranging from college aged, 20s and 30s. Many students who typically call St. James home had to move or stay home due to the constant changes in the way their college or university provided classes. Others felt the economic impact of the pandemic and determined that living in Chicago was not wise at this time. Yet still others felt the isolation of social distancing as many live in Chicago, away from most of their families and friends.

The St. James Young Adults were pivotal in supporting St. James Meals during the first three months of the pandemic, covering all the necessary volunteer roles. Together they also covered two Meals Among Us Sundays. Many have continued to serve together as a group as well as individually. In addition to service, the group found ways to meet, connect and even grow during this time. Early in the pandemic, this group met twice weekly to pray Compline together virtually and eventually settled into gathering for prayer one Sunday a month in late summer. The group maintained connecting socially throughout the year, meeting virtually once a month for movie watching parties and virtual game nights. They also engaged in several virtual cooking classes with Chef Jackie Lord, who graciously taught us to make things like spring rolls, risotto, braised chicken thighs and mac & cheese. These cooking classes became become so popular that we offered special seasonal classes for the entire St. James Community. We will be offering a monthly class on the second Tuesday of the month starting in February 2021.

The St. James Young Adult ministry continues to be a gateway for those in their 20s and 30s to grow in their faith and connect deeper within the St. James Cathedral community. This group continues to look forward to growing and adapting to what 2021 may bring.

PASTORAL CARE

INTRODUCTION
The Rev. Canon Lisa Hackney-James

Pastoral ministry at St. James happens in a team context. Cathedral clergy and trained lay pastoral caregivers work together to facilitate prayer, extend the Eucharistic celebration of the community through lay eucharistic visitors, and express God’s care for the sick and broken-hearted through lay and clergy pastoral visits. In the first quarter of 2020, lay members of the healing prayer joined cathedral clergy in offering anointing and prayers for healing during the distribution of communion. This was among the practices that were discontinued as we came under COVID-19 protocols in March of the year.

All our in-person pastoral visits were, by order of civic and church authorities, suspended in March, and as of year’s end we still await clearance for resuming in-person pastoral visits. Until that time, we continue to support one another in prayer, and through other  physically distanced means. The intersection between pastoral care and our Invite Welcome Connect team was highlighted during our calling campaign, as we learned of pastoral needs during our check in conversation.

LAY EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS
Mary Jo Barton, Mike Hess, Laura Jenkins

Lay Eucharistic Ministers (LEMs) offer the consistent sign of God’s care and presence by bringing the sacrament to members of the congregation who are unable to be present at the celebration of the Eucharist because of illness or infirmity. At the beginning of 2020, the team of five LEMs was reduced to three. Kitty Beecken and Judy Bross cycled off, and Mary Jo Barton, Mike Hess and Laura Jenkins remained active in the visiting ministry. In January and February, regular monthly pastoral care visits were made to three households. In March, two households were visited before an emergency directive from Bishop Jeffrey Lee on March 11 halted Eucharistic visits in the Diocese.

Shortly thereafter, assisted living facilities throughout the state of Illinois barred visitors because of the pandemic, placing a second obstacle to visits. The LEMs were able to maintain some connections by phone and email with these homebound parishioners. Sadly, 2020 saw the loss of all three parishioners who had been on the visitation list: one in March, one in August and one in October. Looking ahead, resuming home visits is unlikely before later in 2021. In the meantime, we can look at what might change for this ministry. We plan to meet (virtually or in person) with our clergy liaison to review past practices and future procedures, including protocols to ensure parishioners who might benefit are made aware of the ministry. We will also plan for complementary activities that fall under an expanded lay pastoral care ministry, such as card ministry to the homebound, maintaining contact with family members following the death of a home bound parishioner, and providing compassionate connections with parish members in need of community.

INTERCESSORY PRAYER
The Rev. Canon Lisa Hackney-James

St. James continues its practice of publishing, with permission, the names of those commended to the prayers of the Cathedral community. These names are published in our weekly worship bulletins and read aloud at our Sunday and weekday eucharists. When the church moved into COVID-19 protocols, we streamlined the process of adding names to the prayer list by establishing an access point on the cathedral website’s homepage. When our All Souls Requiem moved to a livestream offering this year, we were pleased to be able to continue our practice of reading aloud the names of all who were buried from the St. James in the past year, as well as the names submitted from our cathedral community and beyond.

INVITE – WELCOME - CONNECT

INTRODUCTION
The Rev. Canon Lisa Hackney-James

The Invite Welcome and Connect Ministry Teams work to extend God’s welcome to all to who cross the threshold at St. James, and to provide multiple pathways to deeper connection within the cathedral community. 2020 has been a very full year for our ministry teams! Along with our work in our local context, our cathedral congregation has moved into a leadership role within the church- wide Invite Welcome Connect. In the first quarter of 2020. St. James lay persons and clergy were featured in a new overview video featured on the Invite Welcome Connect website. In February, our Connect Team hosted its first ever “Ongoers” lunch – an opportunity for existing members to identify their spiritual gifts and explore new ways of connecting with one another and moving more deeply into community life.

In March, St. James hosted the first national IWC coach training at the Nicholas Center in St. James Commons. Cathedral parishioners Nicole Spencer and Lieve Buzard were members of the fist cohort of coach trainees from six dioceses. In the week following the coach training, the gravity of the COVID-19 pandemic became apparent, and along with the rest of the Episcopal Church in our diocese, St. James had to shut the doors that have been so emblematic of our ministry of welcome.

In the second half of the year, members of the Invite Welcome and Connect teams worked to adapt to the new conditions of our worship and welcome. Ministry team leaders adapted welcome practices for in-person worship with COVID protocol, as well as experimenting with ways of welcoming the “digital parishioners” joining us online. And our teams initiated an all-member calling campaign known as Cathedral Connections.

An Invite Welcome Connect Summer annual Summit (normally hosted by the Beecken Center at Sewanee University) was converted to an Online Digital Gathering. St. James was represented in the webinar that drew 1800+ participants internationally, with Sub-Dean Lisa Hackney-James serving as panelist. In December, Cathedral Sub-Dean, Lisa Hackney James was named Chair of the Advisory Board for Invite Welcome Connect and in 2021 will help lead the national ministry’s ongoing response to the changing church in post-pandemic times.


INVITE TEAM 

Noel Morris, Chair

At the beginning of 2020, it seemed we would have to up our game. There had been so much growth within Invite Welcome Connect. New faces, more programs. The church calendar had a lot more ink on it, and we were having to look at all those opportunities and consider practical strategies to make the most of them. The Newcomers lunch had spilled into an Ongoers lunch, which provided a wonderful chance for people to connect. And always, with every person who took the risk or made the time to be part of any church event, they were doing so because someone had extended an invitation. The last time I was at St James was the night of March 12. I had gone to choir rehearsal thinking it was unsafe—but I went anyway. By then we knew it was the last time we would sing together. It was a peculiar feeling looking around the room at the many faces I knew so well, knowing we were all heading into something scary and unknown. We sang and said our goodbyes.

The early months of “COVIDtide” produced an enormous amount of anxiety. We were afraid to touch our faces. We wiped down our groceries. We could no longer hug our aging relatives. And so the Invite Welcome Connect team transitioned to Cathedral Connections.
We set up a phone tree and called everyone in the parish directory. Admittedly, we were probably consuming an unhealthy amount of news at that point, so we prepared ourselves for high drama on the phone. In fact, the people I spoke to were safe and comfortable. What was remarkable was how touched they were that we called them at all. We had nice conversations. I told them how to request pastoral care if they needed it, how to add names to the parish prayer list and where to find virtual services. And they were grateful. Whether or not they took advantage of any those things, it was clear to me that the act of reaching out and letting them know they mattered was meaningful in and of itself.

Of course things relaxed for a while over the summer. The church reopened and seats were hard to come by (I tried). But colder weather brought a surge in infections. That’s when COVID started impacting people in my own life. A lot of my friends are not churchgoers, but they know that I am. And they have come to me to ask for prayers. In one week I received three requests to add people (all non-parishioners) to the parish prayer list. I think this speaks well for the spirit of Invite Welcome Connect. It is about being present and being a safe space for people; it is about making them feel that they are seen. And it is about being the connection that they seek.

WELCOME TEAM
Lieve Buzard, Laura Jenkins, Co-Chairs

You’re not just welcome, you belong! The Welcome Team works with the Invite and Connect Teams as part of the parish-wide Invite Welcome Connect initiative. At the beginning of 2020, the Welcome Team had a membership of about 35, including about 30 Greeters who have been active in strengthening and deepening the culture of welcome at St. James the last two years. Despite a year of great upheaval, some of the work of the Welcome Team was able to proceed and new ways of welcoming were found. 

Cathedral Connections. At the beginning of lockdown, the Invite Welcome Connect leadership team met to reimagine the purpose of their ministry in a virtual environment and worked with the Sub-Dean to contribute to all-member calling campaign. 

Greeters. Successful implementation of a scheduled Rota of Greeters for the 9:00 a.m. and the 11:00 a.m. services was well established in early 2020. Generally, at least two Greeters were scheduled for the period before and after each service, with one stationed in the Welcome Center and one in the narthex. Coffee hour “Connectors”— people available to escort newcomers into the coffee hour space and introduce them to others — were not yet formally scheduled but were often available after the 11:00 service. The pandemic and resultant cessation of in-person worship effective March 14 naturally halted the pattern. Because the cancellation of worship for that Sunday was sudden, a Greeter was present along with Dean Barrington to explain the situation to anyone who had not learned of it through online notices. Fortunately, not many people arrived expecting a full service. Because the church was open for individual prayer, it was possible to offer a modified welcome that morning. Several Sandwich Sunday guests were grateful for the welcome and the warm space. When in-person worship resumed, Greeters assumed a new role to help ensure the health and safety of all during worship. In addition to welcoming new and familiar faces to worship at St. James Greeters assisted Robert Black in managing the number of people inside of the Cathedral, communicating health and safety protocols such as proper mask wearing and hand sanitization, clarifying COVID-19 liturgical procedures, and directing socially distanced traffic in the narthex. Although masks covered our faces, our ministry in providing warmth, welcome and connection to all who walked through the doors of St. James continued. As many of our Greeters stayed at home for health and safety, we would like to thank Maria Price for bringing her welcoming presence to the Greeter team over the summer.

As infection rates climbed in the fall, in-person worship was again halted effective November 16. Because the platform for streaming services moved from SoundCloud to YouTube and Facebook Live, it was possible for very modest greeting to resume organically. Lieve Buzard, and later Laura Jenkins, attempted to be “present” online and offer greetings in the live chat space before each service and to say goodbye at the conclusion.

Newcomer Lunches. We were able to hold our Newcomer Lunch for the first quarter of 2020 on January 5. As in the past, there were about 25 people (guests and hosts), and catering was provided by Chef Jackie. Hosts followed up after the lunch by sending personal notes to guests.

Transitions. In this year of momentous events, another great change for the Cathedral community was the retirement of Bishop Jeffrey Lee and the selection of Bishop Elect Paula Clark for the Diocese of Chicago. As part of that transition Lisa Lee, a creative, passionate, inspirational, and tireless leader of the Welcome Team, stepped away from active ministry in the Cathedral. Her initiatives made an enormous difference in developing systems and structures that will allow us to resume this ministry in 2021.


CONNECT TEAM
Cathedral Connections, The Rev. Canon Lisa Hackney-James

In 2020, recognizing the importance of maintaining our network of relationships, and concerned for the potential isolation of our members, over a dozen Connect Team members undertook an initiative that we named Cathedral Connections. It was our goal to make a personal connection with each member on our rolls. Recognizing that many were feeling overwhelmed with Zoom connections, we endeavored to connect by phone call and if not possible, then by email or personal note. Members of our Connections calling team met weekly, reached over 100 of our members before we called for a pause in our campaign. Our team found that the campaign, while impactful, was not sustainable under the conditions of pandemic overload. We learned a bit about our own vulnerability and our own limits. We look forward to restarting Cathedral Connections as we move into 2021.


ONGOERS' LUNCH
Anthony Jackel, Connect Team Chair

The Connect Team hosted the first “Ongoers” Lunch on February 9. We mined the records of past attendees of Newcomer Lunches to extend personal invitations to attend that and learn how they could become more deeply involved in the life and ministry teams of the Cathedral. This was a beautiful opportunity to foster the growth of personal and collective spiritual gift development in our parish life. Those who participated undertook a spiritual gift assessment and then generatively discussed opportunities for how to faithfully contribute and grow their spiritual gifts in ministry at St. James and beyond.

OUTREACH

INTRODUCTION
The Rev. Anna Broadbent

While this past year put a halt to many ministries and planned events for the St. James Cathedral community, it provided ample opportunities for we as a church to respond to the needs of our community and live out our faith in very tangible ways. At the end of 2019, all the Outreach Ministries of St. James Cathedral were looking forward to a new year of growth, increased stability and sustainability, and strategic plans to develop more avenues for volunteer leadership and participation. By March 2020, the priorities for these ministries had shifted to simply ensure that we were able to continue to live out our mission as followers of Jesus Christ to serve and love our neighbors to the best of our ability. In the end, 2020 led to a year of intense creativity, new partnerships, and faithful volunteers and donors who diligently supported these ministries.

St. James Meals was the first of our Outreach Ministries to make significant adjustments, quickly adapting to serving “meals to go” on the St. James Commons Plaza, starting a partnership with local restaurant Protein Bar to provide healthy meals to our guests, and plugging in new volunteers through the Young Adults Ministry as the details of the pandemic and our understanding of COVID-19 unfolded. As we developed increased safety standards, we were able to shift to making homecooked meals in the St. James Common’s kitchen that have continued to be served to-go.

Summer in the City (SitC) quickly followed suit, shifting from our plan of hosting a two- week in-person day camp to executing a very successful remote camp-in-a-box model. Under the leadership of SitC Camp Director, Tony Santiago, we were able to double the number of campers we were able to serve with the adaptation of the new model. SitC was able to maintain its mission of helping youth ages 8-13 years old to connect with one another beyond neighborhood lines, enhance and celebrate their own creativity, and get out throughout the City of Chicago and learn more about this place they call home.

Not only did 2020 not slow us down in our outreach ministries, but we also found ourselves starting new ministries in its midst. In response to greater need for food throughout our City of Chicago, we started Meals Among Us, our new weekly bagged meal ministry. Since October we have provided 100 bagged meals each Monday morning to a church on Chicago’s Southside to help them meet the demands of their neighborhood.

As the Associate for Outreach Ministries at St. James Cathedral, I want to extend my gratitude to the willingness of this community to engage in these pivotal ministries. All these ministries are dependent on the generosity of time, talent, and treasure of this community. If you are interested in getting involved in any of the outreach ministries of St. James Cathedral, please consider my door open to you – I would love the opportunity to help you find the right fit for you!

MEALS AMONG US
The Rev. Anna Broadbent

Meals Among Us, creatively named by our St. James Cathedral Youth Group, is our newest outreach ministry and began in October of 2020. Meals Among Us was developed out of our partnership with the Chicago Help Initiative, which is collaboration of organizations throughout the city that provide services to those who are experiencing homelessness. Meals Among Us arose out of the increase in food scarcity throughout the city due to the pandemic. On a weekly basis we provide 100 bagged meals to our partner church, Martin Temple AME Zion, located on Chicago’s Southside, where the meals are distributed. Initially, Meals Among Us was funded through the generosity of a donor who wanted to offer financial assistance to those directly feeling the economic impacts of the pandemic. With acknowledgement that these impacts will not be resolved anytime soon, the Cathedral Chapter has prioritized maintaining this ministry within the budget for 2021. Meals Among Us is only possible by the participation of volunteers from throughout the St. James Community. The bagged meals are assembled on Sunday afternoons by small groups of volunteers, including various ministry groups – Choir, Acolytes, Readers and Intercessors, Sunday School and Youth Group. Families have also volunteered together. A committed group of four drivers have ensured that the meals get delivered to Martin Temple on Monday mornings. Meals Among Us is also extremely grateful for the support and leadership of Chef Jackie Lord who sources all the necessary food and supplies so that volunteers have what they need.

ST. JAMES MEALS
Erin Maus, Chair

Like all ministries at St. James Cathedral, the pandemic of 2020 challenged St. James Meals to explore creative ways of continuing to live out our understanding of the Gospel of Jesus in new ways. In January and February, we served our twice-monthly (1st Tuesday and 3rd Sunday of the month) typical sit-down meal in St. James Commons, serving around 150 guests at each meal. In March, as soon as the reality of the COVID-19 Pandemic set in, we quickly made the decision to serve to-go meals from the St. James Commons plaza. While serving to-go meals on the plaza does not completely embrace the spirit of welcome and hospitality that St. James Cathedral prides itself on, we are humbled and impressed by the response of the St. James community to ensure that this ministry continued to meet the needs of our neighbors. Beginning in April, we partnered with Protein Bar, a local restaurant, to provide our main course while we supplemented with prepackaged snacks, fruit, and beverages. Protein Bar generously donated 500 meals, which were used in May, June, and July. We also maintained our regular offering of personal care toiletry items and socks. We were, once again, blessed by a generous donation of 3,000 socks from Bombas, doubling their gift from the previous year. Beginning in April, a group of faithful sewers throughout the St. James network began making reusable masks that we were able to distribute to our guests, a practice that continued through the end of the year. During the initial lock down from March–May, most of our volunteers came from the St. James Young Adult group, for which we are extremely grateful.

Beginning in August, we returned to cooking meals in-house and packaging them to go, which we continue to do at this time. In November, the St. James Meals Committee made the decision to adjust our serving time for our Sunday brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. This was a welcomed change and will continue when we are able to return to an in-person meal. It is important to all the St. James Cathedral leadership that one of our prominent outreach opportunities no longer conflict with worship. This will allow guests of St. James Meals to feel welcome to attend worship and will not force members of St. James Cathedral to choose between attending worship and living out their Baptismal Covenant through service. Through the gift of a generous donor we were able to continue our tradition of giving away grocery gift cards during our two December meals.

We would like to extend a huge word of gratitude to all within the St. James Cathedral community who have supported St. James Meals this year. Many of you have support this ministry through financial gifts, cooking & cleaning, sewing, and serving. Our guests have been grateful that St. James has continued to serve throughout the pandemic. While we are uncertain what 2021 will bring, if 2020 has taught us anything it is that we will continue to show up as a faith community to share the love of God with our neighbors no matter what challenges we may face.

REVIVE
The Rev. Anna Broadbent

In 2020, St. James Cathedral continued its partnership with the ReVive Center for Housing and Healing to provide Christmas Baskets for 58 families throughout the City of Chicago. ReVive, which has its roots in the Episcopal Church, works with love and compassion to end homelessness and provide affordable housing for a better Chicago. 2020 presented so many financial challenges for many in our city, with concerns focused on paying rent and putting food on the table. ReVive offers an opportunity for families to let go of at least one of those financial concerns for the holiday season. Each family that participated with ReVive received a grocery gift card ($15 per person) and a$30-40 gift for each person. In total, we supported 176 individuals, which is about the same as 2019. What struck me this year were how many of the gift requests were focused on meeting basic needs such as asking for winter coats, socks, linens, and clothing.
It was fabulous to see so many from the St. James community support this ministry – even seeing other ministries from around the church (the choir and Sunday school families) collaborate in creative ways to support some of the larger families. The joy and generosity of the St. James Cathedral towards ReVive Christmas Baskets was clear even though we have not been able to gather in person. For 2021 we will continue to partner with the ReVive Christmas Basket program and will also explore additional ways to engage in the great ministry they provide throughout the year.


SUMMER IN THE CITY
Nicole Spencer, Chair

Building on the success of the previous year, Summer in the City (SitC) 2020 began on a high note with 20+ participants attending our SitC seasonal off-shoot, Winter in the City in February 2020. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the SitC team was challenged to pivot from programming an in-person two-week day-camp to creating a “camp-in-a-box” that remained true to the mission and values of the ministry.

The customary Spring in the City event, designed in part as a marketing event for those new to SitC, did not take place due to the public health stay-at-home order. Recruitment for SitC 2020 focused primarily on engaging past campers, increasing participation by St. James families, and further developing a partnership with the Church of the Atonement, which hosts a summer arts camp for children younger than those eligible for SitC. (St. James children, less than eight years old, regularly participate in the camp.) Alison Barrington, Director of Children’s Ministry facilitated the collaboration with the Church of the Atonement.

On June 6, 2020, the SitC Committee hosted a Family Night via zoom. Returning and prospective camp families gathered to get a sense of what camp amid a pandemic would be like, meet SitC staff, and offer feedback on the proposed programming. SitC 2020 took place July 20-31. The remote structure of SitC 2020 allowed the ministry to accommodate more campers than in recent years. SitC 2020 served 43 campers, more than double from 2019, surpassing our goal of 35. There were 13 returning campers and 30 new campers. Fourteen campers were from the St. James community, 12 of them were first time SitC campers. The remote nature of SitC 2020 also provided an opportunity to include four out-of-state campers that are members of two recently relocated St. James families. As in past years, volunteers were pivotal to the success of SitC 2020. Fourteen volunteers from the St. James community participated, helping with packing the activity boxes the week before camp and providing an online presence during the zoom meetings to ensure that SitC followed St. James Cathedral’s safeguarding policy. SitC 2020 was staffed by Tony Santiago, our camp director, a camp manager and three camp counselors. SitC 2020 also benefited from contracting with three returning teaching artists Joel Monet (photographer), Liz McCarthy (pottery) and Jackie Lord (chef). Stephen Buzard helped connect SitC with Keith Hampton, Director of Music at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, who offered virtual music instruction for SitC 2020. Producing engaging, fun, and affirming programming in 2020 tested the creativity and innovation of the SitC team. With the support of the St. James community, SitC rose to the challenge. The main programmatic aspects of SitC 2020 were:

Projects. Each camper received two boxes, one for each week of camp. Each box contained all the supplies needed to complete projects and each project was paired with an instructional video located on the SitC 2020 website. Each instructional video was hosted by either a teaching artist or a member of SitC staff. Projects included making pottery bird houses, tie dying camp t-shirts, planting an herb garden, and making homemade pasta.

Morning Round Up & Zoom Interaction. Each morning of camp, the camp staff hosted a live video on YouTube, about 10-15 minutes in length. The video included physical activity and stretching, sharing videos and photos that the campers sent in the previous day, and introduced the project that was highlighted for the day. Following the live YouTube video, campers were invited to an optional zoom meeting in which they could interact with the camp staff and other campers, share feedback on the previous day’s activity and complete the highlighted activity supported by live instruction.

Adventures. Camp staff curated over 100 unique historic or culturally relevant locations throughout the City of Chicago. Camp families were provided a map of all the locations and were instructed to find a QR code that had been placed on site. Once the QR code was scanned, campers received information about the location as well as a small challenge for them to complete while on site. Families were encouraged to send in pictures or videos of campers completing the challenges.

While the SitC team was disappointed not to be able to gather in-person for camp in 2020, we succeeded in developing and producing a dynamic blend of virtual gatherings and opportunities that stimulated campers’ creativity, self-confidence, and sense of adventure. 

“SitC has a very inspiring mission. Serving youth from different neighborhoods across Chicago and building a sense of community for everyone is something I am grateful to take part in.” (SitC 2020 Counselor)

“Thank you for still doing a camp even if it wasn’t normal camp. Simon loved getting his boxes and doing the projects. It made for a nice diversion.” (SitC 2020 Parent)

“I loved the fact that camp materials were delivered to our home – and inside the box were adventures for my son. I can tell Michael absolutely loved everything and was excited about participating!” (SitC 2020 Parent)

“A heartfelt ‘Thank you’ for always providing such a wonderful experience for my son! See you next year!” (SitC 2020 Parent)

 

OCCASIONAL OFFICES

BAPTISMS
Henry Calfee
Alexandra Fisk
Felix Harvey Reyes

FUNERALS
Janet Wolter Grip
The Rev. Cynthia Johnson Hallas
James Robert Thompson
Elsa Vaintzettel

WEDDINGS

Kristin Anna Bernhard & Patrick Clifton Kellow
Ryan Dillman & Diana Purici
Alexandra Kunath & Brian Hargreaves
Kay Lynn Hotel & Timothy Allen White
Kurt Henry Beecken & Dana Ellen Munger

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