Grace Cathedral

God of every nation:
We remember that September day so vividly,
the terror, confusion and disbelief,
the thousands dead and wounded,
the heroism of first responders
and very ordinary people.

Help us also to remember
the demonization of Muslims, Sikhs
and all who might bear resemblance to the perpetrators;
the suspicion cast on our neighbors;
and the hasty and ill-formed calls
to avenge violence with even greater violence.

Help us also to remember
that you are a God of peace,
a lover of all,
even those who hate you.

Help us also to remember
that you died to redeem
the violence of our basest instincts.

Bring the wholeness of your life
to the holes of our collective memory;
Bring the peace of your life
to the violence that infects our hearts;
Bring the love of your life
to the hate that grips us;
that by your life
we might be freed and transformed
for the love, peace and wholeness
of all life. Amen.

Darren Main, our beloved Yoga on the Labyrinth instructor has invited instructor Yvonne Kingsley and musician Nat Kendall to join him for this year’s Yoga for Change on September 18 at 10 AM. Well-known to our Grace community as an inspirational yoga teacher, Darren is also a best-selling author, workshop facilitator and featured speaker on yoga and modern spirituality. With joy and delight, we welcome Yvonne & Nat!

After a decade in advertising, Yvonne Kingsley, who is based in San Francisco, embarked on her journey into teaching yoga by visiting India for a teacher training that changed the course of her life. Through her extensive training and practice, Yvonne Kingsley cultivates a deep commitment to living wholeheartedly and sharing the timeless teachings of yoga.

For Yvonne, all of life is practice. Yvonne’s credo encourages conscious connection through yoga practice: What we learn on the mat informs how we live off the mat. Every moment is an opportunity to practice – to meet ourselves in the moment, to remember what matters, to breathe and begin again.

Flowing through the eaves of the cathedral, inspiring deeper connection during Yoga for Change, you’ll hear the rhythmic, soulful sounds of San Francisco-based yoga teacher and world music recording artist Nat Kendall.

 A devoted student of yoga, Nat shares his wisdom of the teachings and devotional music in a heartfelt and grounded way that will easily awaken beginners and reinspire long time practitioners to dive into the practice of yoga. His meditative music helps deepen the focus and open the heart. Learn more at www.natkendall.com or listen to Nat on Spotify or iTunes.

Register for Yoga for Change and you’ll enjoy meditative movement led by Yvonne and reflective harmonies performed by Nat. Namaste.

Intentionally socio-economically diverse, The Community Preschool provides fully adjusted tuition to a third of its families, and a sliding scale level of tuition support to another third. The proceeds of Grace Cathedral’s 9th annual Yoga for Change benefit student financial aid, teacher training programs, hot nutritious meals and more. Gather with good intentions September 18.

A special service occurs Thursdays at 5:30 pm. Choral Evensong at Grace Cathedral is a mid-week service, filled with music performed live by our Choir of Men & Boys, in-person at Grace Cathedral.

Evolving from monastic services in the middle ages, Evensong was created in the Anglican Church in the 16^th century. It is a church service traditionally held near sunset, focused on sung hymns, psalms and other biblical canticles, interspersed with prayers.

Perfect as a spiritual retreat during the week, this is the service to attend for those who seek solitude and reflection.

Christopher Keady is the Assistant Director of Music at Grace Cathedral, supporting our Canon Director of Music Ben Bachmann. Eva Slavitt, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications, had a chance to catch up with Christopher in between his busy schedule and had some questions about Evensong at Grace Cathedral.

What is so unique about Choral Evensong at Grace Cathedral?

Firstly, Evensong is a meditative experience, as much like our sound baths as it is like a Sunday morning church service. It involves consistent patterns of sitting, standing, and singing. Grace Cathedral is the only place in the Bay Area where one can get into the rhythm of this particular musical meditation week after week; indeed it is one of few such programs in the country. Secondly, we are incredibly blessed by the magnificent space of the cathedral. The play of light through the stained glass, the incense rising high above the gathered people, and the reverberation of music all transport one far away from the ordinary business of our daily lives.

How long is an Evensong service?

The service typically lasts 45 minutes

What can attendees expect when they attend an Evensong service? What kind of music is it?

First, I encourage folks to arrive early to hear the organ music that begins around 5:20 pm, and to get a chance to find a seat and settle into the space. Before the pandemic, and hopefully in the near future, attendees sit in the front of the church (the “Quire”–that’s where the choir sits), surrounding the choir and in among the organ pipes. At the moment, however, the congregation sits in the pews in the main space. Be sure to get a leaflet, which lists everything that happens during the service, and includes parts for you to speak or sing. We love for everyone to participate, but, that said, you may feel a bit lost at first, and it’s absolutely fine to just sit and soak it in.

The choir sings a wide range of sacred choral music, meaning it was written for religious texts or poems, and for a choir of many voices to sing. Sometimes it’s accompanied by the organ; sometimes a cappella. There is a huge trove of beautiful music written specifically for Evensong, as this service has been regularly sung in English churches and cathedrals since the 17^th century. The styles stretch from Renaissance polyphony to contemporary music written in the 21^st century.

Do attendees join in on the singing?

Yes! There two hymns for all to sing, led by the organ and choir. Music will be in the leaflet. Additionally, everyone chants (like singing a tune, but without changing pitch) the Apostles’ Creed and the Lord’s Prayer during the service. The rest of the music is sung by the choir, but an important thing to note is that, in this service, the choir isn’t a special group. When the choir prays in song, it’s on behalf of everyone present. That sense of “us” is so special in today’s fractured world.

How do I attend the next Evensong service?

Evensong happens every Thursday at 5:30 pm; doors are open at 5:10 pm. (Future dates are listed here.) At present, everyone 12 years and above will need to show proof of vaccination before entry to Grace Cathedral. For contact tracing, advance registration is recommended, but it is not required as we can also take your information at the door. See our Regathering page for more information.

Grace Cathedral is a house of prayer for all people and spiritual crossroads in one of the world’s most dynamic and beautiful cities. Like our congregation, The Community Preschool at Grace Cathedral is representative of the community that makes up the SF Bay Area. This month for Projecting Grace, we offer artwork created by our very own students at The Community Preschool in support of Yoga for Change.

Yoga for Change brings together a community of socially-minded supporters for a morning of yoga led by Yoga on the Labyrinth teacher Darren Main with live music by world music recording artist Nat Kendall. Yoga for Change takes place this year on September 18 at 10 a.m., and supports The Community Preschool at Grace Cathedral, which offers vital and transformative early childhood education to to children from the varied socioeconomic backgrounds, ethnicities, religious traditions, gender identities, cultures and abilities represented in the San Francisco Bay Area. 

You are welcome to stop by for this informal event between 8 and 9 p.m.

About Projecting Grace

Projecting Grace is a monthly digital projection of art on the façade of Grace Cathedral. It’s an informal, casual event where people gather to watch as the artists project a series of digital images from Huntington Park to the façade of Grace Cathedral. It does take some time to adjust the lenses to get the image to project clearly on the façade. Once done, the image will be shown for approximately 5-10 mins for all to enjoy.

Projecting Grace is typically run on the last Sunday of every month, starting at sundown. We do our best to run the show during the time frame posted but may end earlier due to fog or rain.

A Place for Family

Learning starts at the home. The Community Preschool at Grace Cathedral is home not just to its students, but to their families as well.

“They provide so much support, not only to the kids, but to parents and extended family members,” says Nikki, whose two children have been through the preschool; her son graduated last year and her daughter, Bea, is currently enrolled. “Everyone is welcome here, and I love that.”

Diversity is Key

Teachers take time getting to know the families and their perspective, integrating it with the values of the Preschool. A reflection of the cultural mosaic that is San Francisco, those values include diversity and the celebration of the differences that make us unique.

“[It] has really pushed me and my partner to be more intentional as parents about including diversity in our lives … and embracing other people’s backgrounds and asking questions and learning,” says Nikki. “I am really so appreciative of the preschool for pushing us in that way.”

“She’s learning another language,” says Yessy, whose daughter Alina is learning Thai from one of her classmates. “The kids bring a lot of culture,” says Jose, Alina’s father.

A Steady Rock

When the pandemic forced a pivot to online learning, The Community Preschool stayed connected to the families, checking in and providing a space to talk.

“The Community Preschool has been such a steady rock for us through it all,” says Nikki. “We have felt such deep connection and support and love from the teachers — to have that steady influence, not only for our daughter, but for our entire family.”

Now back onsite, the teachers and staff work hard to ensure every precaution is taken and the students’ health, safety and education is top priority.

“She knows about COVID,” says Jose, “and actually she’s more alert because the [preschool] teach them about that, and how to use the mask and how to social distance.”

“I can’t imagine having our daughter in school at any other place during this time,” says Nikki.

Bringing It All Back Home

The Community Preschool prepares its students not just for elementary school, but life beyond.

“The other day we saw her as the leader in front of everybody and trying to guide the other kids, and we were like, oh my God, she’s only four years old,” says Jose. “And that’s the thing, she’s teaching us, too.”

“Both of our kids just blossomed as soon as they were enrolled here,” says Nikki. “To be around other children, to be around different families, to get to know their teachers… it’s been incredible.”

The littlest learners at Grace are a BIG deal!

We understand that the quality of preschool education within San Francisco varies dramatically, with lower-income children often relegated to under-resourced, low-quality programs. Our school was founded 13 years ago on the premise that every child should have equal access to high-quality early childhood education, regardless of their family’s socio-economic status.

We seek to influence the lives of young people and their families in a meaningful, substantive way and to shape how they think, how they view the world and how they engage in it.

We value diversity

The Community Preschool intentionally enrolls families from the varied socioeconomic backgrounds, ethnicities, religious traditions, gender identities, cultures and abilities represented in San Francisco. Our aim is to enable students to appreciate different perspectives at an early age and to equip them to contribute to a diverse society.

Welcoming to all

Over half of our families are low-income, and one-third qualify to pay no fee to attend our program. Forty percent of our students are either homeless, domestic violence survivors, BIPOC, immigrants, undocumented or have active cases with Child Protective Services – heavy concerns for young children to navigate. And half of our students speak a language other than English at home, and they rely on our school for English language development.

They also rely on our school for our delicious daily hot lunch and nutritious snacks sourced from local and organic ingredients. We guide children in their development to meet the high standards for success in Kindergarten while cultivating their creativity, compassion and encouraging a lifelong love of learning.

Inspiring Change

Through play-based learning at The Community Preschool, students do the “work” of learning to be inclusive, fair, independent, just and to respect others with different backgrounds and traditions from their own.

We believe this helps create a better world.

Join us on September 18 for Yoga for Change, our annual fundraiser benefitting The Community Preschool.

Grace Cathedral is famous for its music and acoustics. Experiencing sound as it travels through our souring gothic cathedral echoing from the nave to the jewel-like stained glass windows is a feast for the ears, eyes and soul. Combine this with the artistry of this talented group of musicians, we proudly bring back the Sound Bath event for all to enjoy live on site in the Cathedral, or in your home via Live Stream.

If you are new to Sound Bath, it can be described as a meditation class with artistically played ambient sounds guiding you into a deep meditative state, experienced in-person at Grace Cathedral, laying down in the cathedral under the glistening stained glass windows as the sun sets… or comfortably in your home where we will deliver the audio and visual experience to you.

We asked each artist to share a little about their intentions for this Sound Bath:

Madhu Anziani — Sound Healer / Vocal Looping Artist / Ceremonial Song Leader / Composer

“Ancient languages carry vibrations that move through the body and activate parts of our being that may have become dormant.  Through these languages, many layers and dimensions of meaning are conveyed through each sound; within every syllable. In the languages I have studied – Hebrew, Quechua, Sanskrit, and Tibetan – sounds are evoked that reflect the essence of the awakened mind, the enlightened heart which we all share.  May this sound bath experience restore you to a sense of wholeness, aliveness, and inspiration to live your life’s highest purpose.

“For this upcoming sound bath at Grace Cathedral, I bring the healing power of the voice.  My life is dedicated to sharing music and ceremony as a healing tool.

“After fracturing 2 vertebrae in my neck, regaining the ability to walk, speak, and live an able-bodied life, I’ve been dedicated to sharing the techniques of voice and vibration I used to completely transform and heal myself.  It is through sound that we can unify and affect every molecule in our body, lift our spirits high, and release our hearts and minds from that which does not serve us.”

Amber Field — Voice and Drum

“The whole universe is vibrating with sound, but we can’t hear most of the frequencies. Music has the ability to re-tune your cells, to help you vibrate at a more optimal frequency. I have used music as a tool for my own healing and expression for the last twenty-five years.

“When I play music, I open to becoming a divine channel, to allow spirit and ancestors and universal voices to pour through me in service of the truth of each moment, breath, emotion, and intention. All of our bodies are playing music, but we can’t hear most of the frequencies. As I play my instruments and my body instrument through singing, I hope you feel life vibrating in every cell, calling you back home, to your wholeness, to our oneness, to the earth, sky, and great universe.”

Sam Jackson — Crystal Bowls / Gongs / Frame Drum /Bells

“I love exploring unique musical instruments… and I’m held by the way music ‘feels.’ Crystal bowls and gongs are resonant tools as readily felt as heard.

“In this upcoming Sound Bath, I’m blending vibrational crystal bowls and gongs with Amber, Ege and Madhu’s resonant strings and vocal soundscapes for an ambient space to move deeper into a sense of “rooting” wherever you are, and being centered in whatever you’re doing.”

Egemen Sanli — Sitar & Steelpan Drums

“For this Sound Bath, my intention is to co-create a space of expression with other talented musicians in which everyone attending can enter into a deep meditative, contemplative space. I am very excited to be able to fill Grace Cathedral with music that feeds the soul. I hope to be able to lift the veil between listener and performer through intentional listening and musical expression.”

This is a very popular event and advanced tickets can be purchased here.

Hello Grace Cathedral community,

Our doors are opening once again at Grace Cathedral and we are delighted! We all did a lot of adjusting and adapting together this past year and a half – some may say, we truly reimagined church. For that, we are ever so grateful to continue to have you as a part of our Grace Cathedral Community.

Your voice matters. We would like to know more about your experience as a member of this community. Completion of the 2021 Congregation Survey is important as we continue to reimagine church as our doors re-open.

The survey was designed to be completed in under 10 minutes. Results and respondent information is completely confidential. Results will be shared and at our Congregation Town Hall meeting in August.

Thank you very much for your response. Your voice matters!

Click here to start the survey!

As we at Grace Cathedral continue to do everything in our power to keep our community safe during this pandemic, we give thanks for all those who work tirelessly to develop and distribute the COVID vaccines.

We celebrate with healthcare workers, seniors, and others in our Grace family who have already received the vaccine and continue to hope and pray for a day when the vaccine will be available to all who desire it.

Interested in learning more about getting vaccinated in San Francisco? Visit this SFGov website for the most up to date information and to schedule an appointment to get vaccinated.

Stay safe, strong and connected.

Art by Pegah Kavousi via Amplifier Art

“To mark ourselves with earth recalls that death is not only a human reality, but also a planetary one.”

We confess to still having a few Christmas cards out, but Lent is just around the corner. Join us on Ash Wednesday, February 17 to begin the 40-day Lenten pilgrimage. We’ll offer three distinct online services, each with teaching to reimagine ashes and signs of our mortality. The liturgies are designed to be sufficient observances in themselves, or serve as occasions of prayer throughout your day.

The health and safety of our community precludes the custom of coming to church to be marked with (“imposition of”) of ashes, and we will not observe that custom this year. We will, however, encourage a practice of marking ourselves with the sign of the cross, using the earth. To mark ourselves with earth recalls that death is not only a human reality, but also a planetary one. The ritual use of something so common grounds the body of our common prayer on Ash Wednesday. Anyone may mark themselves and pray “Remember that I am dust, and to dust I shall return.” For all its gravity, Lent is a time of freedom, beginning wherever we are. This year, let’s begin freely.

We will “see you in church” at the Liturgy for Ash Wednesday.

Our Holy Week and Easter services can be found here.

Grace Cathedral is seeking a Vice Dean / Canon for Spiritual Life. The application period is open through March 1, 2021. Please read the job description and application process. To apply, email your materials search@gracecathedral.org. We look forward to hearing from you.

A gathering of the Bayview community years before the pandemic.

Traditions Change Amidst Pandemic

For years, the Bayview Mission Holiday Giving Tree has kicked off the Christmas season following Thanksgiving. Every year Grace Cathedral, in collaboration with the Cathedral School for Boys and Bayview Mission, provides toys and necessities to children and families all across the Bayview community. Unfortunately, like everything else in 2020, this year will be different but thankfully, no less special.

In years past, a Christmas tree would be set up in the Chapter House, adorned with paper ornaments. These ornaments would have children’s names and their Christmas wishes inscribed upon them. Students from the Cathedral School for Boys and their families would purchase gifts in an effort to make these wishes come true, and the students would make cards for children in the Bayview community. Before mid-December there is an annual gift wrapping party, followed a week later by a holiday party at Bayview Mission where the gifts are distributed. While the pandemic certainly posed an obstacle to tradition, Grace Cathedral modified accommodations to be able to continue on.

A young bike rider at the Bayview gathering in 2019, before the pandemic.

For the first time in years there would be no physical tree or wishes, but instead an Amazon wishlist. The wrapping party would require a temperature check, masks to be worn and participants to social distance (along with mandatory holiday cheer). However, with San Francisco now in the purple tier of COVID with a more stringent lockdown in place, the wrapping and holiday parties have been cancelled. The outreach ministry, however, will not let a lockdown stop them from making this holiday season bright.

Despite the parties’ cancellation, the Holiday Giving Tree continues on course. One volunteer and the family within their bubble will now tale on the task of gift wrapping and preparing the family bags for the week following. Two members of one Bayview family will now pick up their family bag and children’s gifts at a scheduled time. Thanks to the flexibility of the outreach ministry, over 350 children and families will still receive toys and necessities this holiday season, with gifts going to 50 infants, 45 preschoolers, 48 elementary students, 26 teens, along with care bags for families that include groceries, hand sanitizer and other assorted items.

While it may be easy to call 2020 the hardest year of recent memory, the determination shown to preserve this special holiday tradition proves the resoluteness of the human spirit and our desire to help our neighbors in times of need.

For those who wish to donate for the holidays, we are currently accepting:

Unused/unopened toiletries
New towels and washcloths
New socks
Canned food
Dental supplies
Diapers and training pants
New/unused baby clothing (onesies, etc.) and baby blankets
New boxed toys, such as Legos

It is also our hope to provide families with paper towels, toilet paper, facial tissue, soap, detergent, adult socks, and non-toxic cleaning supplies. If you are in a position to bring some of these supplies to Bayview Mission, our families would be very grateful. Lastly, handmade Christmas cards would be a lovely touch!

For all other inquiries, please contact Tracee Zyla at 415-749-6351.