FROM THE VICAR'S DESK (M. C. Gillette)

Oh, no, no, no, I'm not slamming Valentine's Day. Here. Yet. Anyway, Valentine's Day is one of those not-quite-holy 'holidays' that claims a link – however vague, lost, and tenuous it may be – to a Christian saint. Saint Valentine, to be specific.

Interestingly – there is no Saint Valentine. At least not one venerated on the Episcopal (or Roman Catholic) Calendar of Saints.

True, there are at least three different Saint Valentines mentioned in the early catalogues of martyrs under the date of 14 February. (Yes, they were all martyrs – let's not think about what that might mean relative to the concept of romantic love.) One of the three was described as a priest at Rome. In the late 9th to early 10th century, the ceremonial entrance into Rome which is now known as the Porta del Popolo, was called the Gate of Saint Valentine. The name seems to have been taken from a small church dedicated to this priest – or, possibly, some otherwise unknown Saint Valentine – which was in the immediate neighborhood. Another of the three ancient Valentines is referred to as bishop of Interamna (modern Terni, a city in southern Umbria in central Italy). Both of these seem to have been martyred in the second half of the third century. Of the third Saint Valentine, who apparently suffered in Africa with a number of companions, nothing further is known.

The popular customs associated with Saint Valentine's Day probably had their origin in the folklore of the Middle Ages. At that time it was believed that on 14 February, i.e. half way through the second month of the year, the birds began to pair. For this reason the day was looked upon as specially consecrated to lovers and as a proper occasion for writing love letters and sending lovers' tokens. Both the French and English literatures of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries contain allusions to the practice; an example can be found in the Paston Letters. In one of these, the author, Dame Elizabeth Brews, writes to the favored suitor about a match she hopes to make with him for her daughter. "And, cousin mine, upon Monday is Saint Valentine's Day and every bird chooses himself a mate, and if it please you to come on Thursday night, and make provision that you may abide till then, I trust to God that you shall speak to my husband and I shall pray that we may bring the matter to a conclusion." Shortly after the young lady in question wrote a letter to the same man addressing it "Unto my rightwell beloved Valentine, John Paston Esquire".

Well, OK, you might be saying, if Valentine doesn't have a Saint's day in February, would you mind telling me who does? To which I would answer – Of course! I'm glad you asked! On our current Episcopal Calendar of Saints there are 'established' saints and 'proposed' saints who haven't yet been confirmed by General Convention. I'll put brackets around the 'proposed' saints. Some you'll probably be familiar with – say, Martin Luther. Others – such as Anskar of Scandinavia – probably not so much. Anyway, here you go:

CALENDAR OF SAINTS -- FEBRUARY
SUNDAY / MONDAY / TUESDAY / WEDNESDAY / THURSDAY / FRIDAY / SATURDAY
1
Brigid of Kildare (Bride) / 2
3
[The Dorchester Chaplains: Lieutenant George Fox, Lieutenant Alexander D. Goode, Lieutenant Clark V. Poling, Lieutenant John P. Washington] / 4
Anskar of Scandinavia / 5
[Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson] / 6
The Martyrs of Japan / 7
Cornelius the Centurion / 8 / 9
10 / 11
[Frances Jane (Fanny) Van Alstyne Crosby] / 12
[Charles Freer Andrews] / 13
Absalom Jones / 14
Cyril and Methodius / 15
Thomas Bray / 16
[Charles Todd Quintard]
17
Janani Luwum / 18
Martin Luther / 19 / 20
[Frederick Douglass] / 21
[John Henry Newman] / 22
[Eric Liddell] / 23
Polycarp
24
Saint Matthias the Apostle / 25
[John Roberts] / 26
[Emily Malbone Morgan] / 27
George Herbert / 28
[Anna Julia Hayword Cooper and Elizabeth Evelyn Wright]

SOME CHURCHY STUFF(M. C. Gillette)

In this monthly article, we look at terms and definitions of things you might see or hear around church. Nothing fancy here – these entries are out of the Armentrout/Slocum An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church, sometimes supplemented by me, and sometimes simply copied directly. If something in particular piques your interest, let me know, and we’ll deal with it in more depth.

CANON. NO. NO. (This has 2 Ns) AH! YES!

Our word 'canon' is derived from the Greek word 'kanon,' which means 'a measuring rod, or rule.'

The word is used in several different ways in the Episcopal church.

  • Scripture. The canon of scripture is the list of inspired books recognized by the church to constitute the Holy Scriptures.
  • Church Law. Canons are the written rules that provide a code of laws for the governance of the church. The canons of the Episcopal Church are enacted by the General Convention. Canons of the Episcopal Church may only be enacted, amended, or repealed by concurrent resolution of the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops at General Convention. The canons of the Episcopal Church are organized by titles or sections concerning Organization and Administration, Worship, Ministry, Ecclesiastical Discipline, and General Provisions.
  • Ecclesiastical Title. A canon may be a member of the clergy or lay person on the staff of a cathedral or diocese. A canon on a cathedral assists the dean, and a canon on a diocesan staff assists the bishop. Members of the clergy and laity have at times been made honorary canons of a cathedral in recognition of significant service or achievement. Historically, canons were secular clergy who were connected to a cathedral or collegiate church, sharing the revenues and a common rule of life at the church.
  • Liturgy. The canon designates the fixed portion of the Great Thanksgiving or the prayer of consecration at the Holy Eucharist, including the institution narrative. The canon does not vary with the liturgical season.
  • Church Music. A musical composition, with a note-for-note imitation of one melodic line by another that begins one or more notes later than the first, also known as a 'round.'

"CANON 9" CLERGY. These are priests and deacons ordained to serve in a particular location which is 'small, isolated, remote, or distinct in respect of ethnic composition, language, or culture.' These locations cannot otherwise be provided sufficiently with the sacraments and pastoral ministration of the Episcopal Church through ordained ministry. The term refers to the canon by which such 'local priests and deacons' are ordained. The canonical requirements concerning standards of learning and other canonical requirements for ordination are relaxed or modified for those ordained under this canon. Canon 9 clergy are to be recognized as leaders in their congregation and firmly rooted in the local community. Such clergy are typically called by their congregation, although a person from another community may be called if necessary. It is the normal expectation that persons ordained under this canon will not move from the congregation for which they were ordained.

CANONICAL HOURS. In the monastic traditions of the western church, 'canonical hours' refer to the appointed times for prayer throughout the day. Benedict (c. 480-547) set the basis for this pattern of daily prayer in his 'Rule for Monasteries.' The seven 'hours' are: matins and lauds (usually counted as a single hour) in the middle of the night; prime, at sunrise; terse, at 9:00 a.m.; sext, at noon; none (emphasis on the first syllable – NO.nay) at 3:00 p.m.; vespers at sunset; and compline, at bedtime. The Christian monastic Daily Office, with prayers or hours at seven times in each day, was based on the Jewish pattern of daily prayer. Thomas Cranmer reduced the Daily Offices to services for morning (matins) and evening (evensong or vespers) in the first English Prayer Book of 1549. Our current Book of Common Prayer includes services for these hours as well as services for the so-called minor hours of Noonday prayer (BCP p. 103) and Compline (BCP 127).

CANONICAL RESIDENCE. Clergy serving under the jurisdiction of the ecclesiastical authority of a diocese (typically the diocesan bishop) are canonically resident in that diocese. Clergy may move from jurisdiction to jurisdiction by presenting Letters Dismissory, a testimonial by the ecclesiastical authority of the former diocese that the clergyperson has not 'been justly liable to evil report, for error in religion or for viciousness of life, for the past three years.' (When I came here, I received a Letter Dismissory from my sponsoring diocese – the Diocese of Southern Virginia – and became canonically resident in the Diocese of Chicago once Bishop Persell accepted it. And I hasten to assure you that it had been FAR more than three years since my last evil report for error in religion or viciousness of life. Really.) A clergyperson can serve in a diocese in which he or she is not canonically resident (say I decided to do a 6-month 'pulpit swap' with an Episcopal priest in Belgium or somewhere) if he/she is licensed to do so by the bishop in whose diocese he/she is visiting.

HERE AND THERE (M. C. Gillette)

In this on-going article, we pull things from our various Diocesan calendars and church websites so see what’s going on around us. For more information about what's happening at the Diocesan Headquarters and the Cathedral of Saint James, you can always visit their websites: or

For a direct link to Diocesan and Cathedral events calendars, go to:

TWO ITEMS FROM OUR BISHOP, JEFFREY LEE

January 3, 2013

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ:

I am writing today to express my support for the bill currently before the Illinois legislature that would allow same-sex couples to marry legally. As I am sure you are aware, my support for this legislation imposes no duties on you. I cherish the fact that the Episcopal Church trusts its members to arrive at their own conclusions about moral and political issues. I would like to say a few words, however, about how I came to my opinion, in part because I believe I owe it to you as your bishop, and in part because I believe that the Christian argument for legal marriage equality is not well understood.

The state of Illinois and the Christian church face different questions in determining whether it is good and wise to allow same-sex couples to marry. If one believes in equality before the law, it is extremely difficult to justify denying the benefits of civil marriage to same-sex couples. Opponents of the current legislation would have to present compelling evidence that marriage equality will harm our state so deeply that we must continue to deny same-sex couples the rights that opposite-sex couples freely claim for ourselves. I do not believe that the experience of states and countries in which same-sex couples are already free to marry legally supports this case. Rather, extending the benefits of civil marriage to same-sex couples has made it easier for them to order their lives together, to care for one another and to raise children in a stable home. Creating stronger, happier households contributes to the common good, and that is enough reason to support any legislation.

The debate over marriage equality, however, is seldom decided entirely on its merits as sensible public policy. Because both church and state claim authority over the institution of marriage, the debate always takes a theological turn. I do not believe the state owes the church any deference in defining civil marriage. But my own convictions about the nature of marriage and the sort of laws that should govern it are inescapably shaped by my Christian faith. I also hope that the current civil and religious debates about marriage equality and the blessing offered by the church to same-sex couples will enrich the understanding of Christians and other people of faith about the nature of all committed life-long relationships.

I believe that marriage is a sacred vocation. The union of two persons in heart, body and mind is a school of holiness, a way of ordering our lives so that we might learn to be more faithful servants of Christ. I also believe that the faithful, loving, and lifelong union of two persons--of the same sex or of opposite sexes--is capable of signifying the never failing love of God in Christ for the church and the world. Such unions can be sources and signs of grace, both for the couple and for the wider community.

As a Christian, I believe that our society needs all of the sources and signs of grace that we can get. As a citizen of the United States, I believe in equal protection under the law. I believe that both ends will be served when marriage equality is the law of the land in Illinois, and I am grateful to be bishop in a church that offers all couples a community of faith, love, support and accountability.

Faithfully,
+Jeff
Jeffrey D. Lee
Bishop of Chicago

On January 16, 2013, The Rt. Rev. Jeffrey D. Lee, Episcopal bishop of Chicago, released this statement today in response to President Obama's gun control proposals:

I am heartened by the Obama Administration’s commitment to curb gun violence, which is an everyday epidemic in Chicago and, increasingly, other communities in Illinois. The President’s proposals will help get guns off our streets, especially by curbing gun trafficking and instituting universal background checks. The young people of our cities also especially need the President’s initiatives that will help create safe and nurturing school environments and provide treatment for the trauma and PTSD that are a fact of life for too many urban children.

While we advocate for these much-needed federal proposals, all of us must face the stark reality that too much urban violence is borne out of the ugly cycles of poverty and racism for which we as a society are accountable. Our city streets cannot become safer for children and young people until all of us who have turned away repent of our neglect and commit ourselves to standing with our children to heal their world and ours.

MEN'S RETREAT WITH BISHOP EPTING. 08-09 February 2013

The Alpha and Bravo Men's Groups at St. Chrysostom's Episcopal Church will sponsor the 10th annual overnight Men's Retreat at The Dekoven Center in Racine, WI from Friday, February 8 at 5:30 pm to Saturday, February 9 at 1:30 pm. The retreat is open to all men of the Diocese of Chicago and will be led by Bishop Christopher Epting. The theme of the retreat is "Integrity," and it begins on Friday evening with the movie The Emperor's Club. On Saturday, the retreat will include worship, challenge and discussion.

Download a flyer for more details and to register for the event. Space will be limited. Email Robert Schenck or call him at 312.371.1535 for more information.

PARISH LIFE

SHROVE TUESDAY PANCAKE DINNER

Please join us on Tuesday, February 12 for our annual joyful feast in anticipation of the traditional period of Lenten fasting.There will be open seating from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in Lincoln Hall.Please bring a dessert- pancakes, applesauce, sausage/bacon, and beverages will be provided.Free will offerings will be accepted, with a suggested donation from those who are able of $5 per adult and$2 for children six and under. Please sign the sheet in Lincoln Hall if you plan to attend.

ANNUAL MEETING (M. C. Gillette)

Please put a big red star on your calendars on Sunday the 17th of February 2013. (Well, you can use whatever color star you want. In fact, you can use any 'don't forget this' marking system you wish. Really!) This will be the Sunday of our Annual Meeting. We will have a SINGLE SERVICE at 9:30 a.m. A guest preacher from Food for the Poor will join us. Following the service, at approximately 11:00, we will have a pot-luck brunch and our Meeting. We will elect a Bishop's Committee for the upcoming year, and briefly discuss other business of the church. This is an extremely important day in the life of our church community, and your presence would be greatly appreciated!

SHAWL MINISTRY Message from Marsha Taylor

Our meetings in February will be on Monday February 11 and 25 at 7 p.m. in Lincoln Hall. If you would like more information about the shawl ministry, please contact Marsha at 847-977-5399 or

PRAYER~POT LUCK SUPPER~STATIONS OF THE CROSS: Stations of the Cross will be offered on Friday evenings during Lent beginning February 22. Open Church-Lenten Personal Prayer begins at 5:00pm, followed by a Pot Luck supper at 6:00 pm and Stations of the Cross at 7:00pm.

PASCHAL NARATIVE LENTEN SERIES: Paschal Narratives are one historical event made up of many moments. The passion, death, and resurrection, Jesus’ freely given gift of himself, are the heart of the Christian mystery and form the bedrock of our faith. Redemption is the culminating but not concluding event in the history of salvation. God’s plan is perfect in Jesus, but not complete. We are invited to respond by spreading the light of the Risen Christ as we await in hope until the time of Parousia. Come, and ponder again, the tremendous gift of love given by God in the person of Jesus Christ. Each week we will consider a particular paschal narrative.It will be held on five consecutive Wednesdays beginning Wednesday 20 February at 7:00 p.m. at Church of the Holy Apostles. The series will beled by Nerissa Brueckbauer. If you would like to take part in this thought-provoking series, please sign up in Lincoln Hall.