It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas … this classic Christmas song was written by Meredith Willson in 1951 and first recorded by Bing Crosby. I’m sure most of us are familiar with it and, by this late in December, have heard it more times than we may have wanted … but, it is fitting for the Cathedral since we don’t fully decorate until Christmas. You heard me mention last Sunday that Advent is a time of preparation, and we reflect that in the Nave as we put up more decorations each week throughout Advent. Finally, come Christmas Eve, we will be fully decorated and it will no longer be beginning to look like Christmas, it will actually be Christmas.

Please remember that we will only have one morning service at 8 a.m. this Sunday to celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Advent. Following that service, we will finish putting up the Christmas decorations as we get ready for our two services on Christmas Eve, 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. We will have our usual 10 a.m. service on Christmas Day. All services will also be livestreamed. I look forward to celebrating with all of you.

Looking ahead, we have a fun event coming up at the Cathedral on January 5, 2024. This is our Twelfth Night celebration with a chili potluck and games. Please bring your favorite chili to share and a game to play as we end the Christmas season and prepare for Epiphany. You may sign up for the dinner here.

Our Vestry met this past Tuesday evening, December 19, and approved the 2024 Operating Budget for the Cathedral. This budget will be presented in full at our Annual Meeting on Sunday, January 28. At that time we will also present our new 3-year Strategic Plan and elect four new members to the Vestry.

This will be my last “From the Desk” for the year. I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year.

Please continue to pray for one another, for our Cathedral family, our nation, and the world.

For posts not listed here, visit our From the Dean Archive page.