After a truly miraculous Consecration Weekend—in which so much was offered by so many of the Cathedral Family, and so much more was created by the grace of God—we move this week at a different pace. In the relative peace and quiet of this week, we are offered the opportunity to breathe, reflect, and ask for God’s guidance into the new life that lies ahead. Our lessons from scripture this week are God’s Word sent to assist and direct us.

    The Old Testament lesson from 2 Samuel contains an “after the action” moment in the story of the life of David. After his sexual misadventure with Bathsheba, and after his arranged murder of her husband Uriah, David now receives God’s judgment, delivered through the prophet Nathan. What Nathan offers David is not only a statement of the divine consequences of his actions, but a view of how David’s actions appear in God’s sight. The effect on David is to evoke his repentance, his acknowledgment, “I have sinned before the Lord.” While this is not the kind of situation we find ourselves in (I certainly hope!), the basic pattern of this episode is instructive for us: we reflect on what has happened in our lives, and we ask what state of mind and heart God draws us toward and what changes God asks us to make.

    Likewise, but in a very different context, our Gospel lesson is another “after the action” moment in Jesus’ ministry. On the day after the feeding of the five thousand, those people who remain go to find Jesus. When they come to him, Jesus says, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” Jesus directs them to believe in the one whom God has sent. Seeing that they still do not understand, Jesus tells them, “the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” Then they ask, “Sir, give us this bread always.” And Jesus replies, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” Again, we find the pattern of this episode instructive: we reflect on how we have tasted the joy of God’s abundance and how we have known Christ in our lives, and we ask how we can live in such a way as to live in and share that abundance and the love of Christ always.

    This Sunday when we gather to listen to God speaking to us in scripture, song, and prayer, we will also be asking two questions: 1.) What does God want us to do now? And 2.) How do we need to change in order to do it?

Our worship this Sunday will be the culmination of the Consecration weekend-the Seating of our 4th Bishop in his cathedra here at the Cathedral Church of the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast. This will be an historic day in our life here at Christ Church Cathedral, an event to be seen only every few decades, and one that you will not want to miss. 

We will begin with a “reverse” procession as the Dean and Chapter move through the congregation to the main door of the church. Once there, after the bell is rung ten times, the Bishop will knock three times on the door with his crozier. The Wardens will open the door, and the Bishop will enter and ask to be seated. The procession will then go to the front of the church, where all can see, and the Dean will welcome the Bishop and lead him to his chair. Once seated and welcomed by all, the Bishop will preside at his first Eucharist at the Cathedral. He will preach and celebrate the Eucharist, beginning his ministry of teaching and serving as chief priest and pastor to the diocese. 

Following our worship, we will have a time of hospitality in the Chapter House. This will be your opportunity to greet Bishop Kendrick and his family and welcome them to Christ Church. 

I cannot express how thankful I am for the servant work and leadership offered by the Cathedral Family over the past years and months, as we have prepared to be the center of hospitality for this Consecration weekend. Surely the Lord is in this place and in the hearts and minds of His people here. I look forward with great joy to worshiping with you this Sunday. 

What follows is the inside cover of our Sunday bulletin. I think that you will find it a humbling and moving account of the history of Christ Church and her bishops, up to and including this Sunday.

ABOUT THIS CELEBRATION

Bishops have come to this site for almost 185 years. Today, the fourth Bishop of the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast of The Episcopal Church, the Right Reverend James Russell Kendrick, comes to be seated in his chair, the cathedra, in Christ Church Cathedral. He is welcomed by fellow Episcopalians from throughout our Diocese and beyond, and by our friends in Mobile. 

On February 19, 2005, the 34th annual convention of the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast, with the agreement of the Bishop, the Rector and Vestry of Christ Church, and the Standing Committee of the Diocese, established this parish as the Cathedral Church of the Diocese. On April 23, 2005 The Right Reverend Philip Menzie Duncan II was the first bishop to be seated here. 

When Bishop Kendrick is led to his chair, he will walk in the heritage of venerable episcopal predecessors. On January 25, 1830, the Right Reverend Thomas C. Brownell, Bishop of Connecticut, presided in the first edifice on this site over a convention of two priests and nine laymen from Mobile, Tuscaloosa, and Greensboro, which organized the Diocese of Alabama. Provisional episcopal oversight was given before and after this by Bishop James H. Otey of Tennessee, Bishop Jackson Kemper of Missouri, and Bishop Leonidas Polk of Louisiana. 

The first Bishop of Alabama, the Right Reverend Nicholas Hamner Cobbs arrived in Mobile in late November of 1844. On the first two Sundays in December, he officiated here, the Greek revival church and Doric portico not yet five years old. 

Here, the funeral rites for the Right Reverend Richard Hooker Wilmer, II Bishop of Alabama, were held on June 15, 1900. Remembered in Mobile for his successful resistance during the Civil War to the inclusion of military governance in the prayers of the church, he is buried in Magnolia Cemetery. 

The centennial celebration of the Diocese of Alabama met here January 24 through January 26, 1930. The Right Reverend William George McDowell presided, and the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, the Most Reverend James DeWolf Perry of Rhode Island, was present. 

The funeral of the first bishop of the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast, The Right Reverend George Mosely Murray, took place at the Christ Church Cathedral on July 22, 2006. 

Christ Church continues to be a vibrant congregation in Mobile, and its clergy and members continue their ministry of hospitality in welcoming the Bishop of the Diocese to his chair of oversight. As he proclaims the Word of God and celebrates the sacraments of the Gospel as chief priest and pastor, he encourages all baptized persons in their gifts and ministries, and guards the faith, unity, and discipline of the Church.