An article for The Cathedral Times
by the Very Rev. Sam Candler, Dean of the Cathedral
I awoke on Sunday to the silent sound of prayer. Of course, it has been rising steadily during the past year. Indeed, prayer at our church has been steady and strong for over a century! We are a people of prayer!
But on Sunday morning, I could hear prayer in an even more pronounced way. I drove early to the church, no one else quite yet there. I checked the usual doors and hallways and rooms, and then I walked through to where the prayer was taking stronger shape. I walked through the parish hall, and then through a door that had been specially unlocked for the day.
The door led to the Good Faith Chapel. The chapel is not finished yet, but the glorious space had been dutifully cleaned up for a rather surprise tour on Sunday. During our energetic Ministry Fair, on Homecoming Sunday, we would be encouraging each other to go look inside the Good Faith Chapel.
When I saw the Good Faith Chapel, first thing on Sunday, I saw a glorious image of prayer. I saw the symmetrical and careful structures of prayer. I could even hear the prayer of the beautiful silence of that still room. And I absorbed the awesome light in that space.
Our entire Sunday was filled with prayer! Newly baptized, returning neighbors, visitors, faithful parishioners who have never left, choir members, preachers, acolytes, teachers, all were there! And then, the Ministry Fair itself. I was not even able to visit every table and thank each volunteer who was there, displaying and evangelizing their ministry. Thank you! Thank you, you evangelists who display good news at the Cathedral of St. Philip! Your service is prayer! It was a day of splendid prayer.
This year will be a year of prayer at the Cathedral. Yes, obviously, we have been praying a long time here! We have served Atlanta and the world and each other with prayer from the beginning.
But our prayer is taking a new and exciting shape this year. For sure, the Good Faith Chapel will represent that new and inspiring prayer. Good prayer, however, will itself be what shapes the chapel, and it will be what shapes our community.
What is this good prayer? What do we learn new about good prayer? We are learning that prayer is not simply asking for something, delivering another list of hopes or needs to someone we consider Almighty. No, prayer is deeper than that. Prayer is what puts us in tune with God. Prayer puts us in tune with God. Prayer puts us in tune with the universe! To see as God sees, is prayer. To hear as God hears, is prayer.
Surely, this image of prayer is what the Good Faith Chapel represents. That space can put us in tune with God the Transcendent and with God the Intimate. I hope to see both God and each other in new prayer this year! I heard that prayer on Sunday. I saw that prayer on Sunday.
And I heard that prayer, saw that prayer, in each of you, this past Sunday. Thank you! Thank you for being people of prayer! Thank you for helping me, and each other, be in tune with God! The sound of prayer is rising steadily, day by day, in this beautiful community. Thank you!
The Very Reverend Samuel G. Candler
Dean of the Cathedral of St. Philip