Our Mission: To proclaim Christ through faith, hope and love. | | |
Friends,
One of the most damaging ideas that has found its way into Christian theology is that suffering is somehow evidence of God's displeasure, while blessing is proof of God's favor. We have been taught, sometimes subtly and sometimes explicitly, that if we pray hard enough, believe strongly enough, or live faithfully enough, life will somehow become easier, and when it doesn't, we are left wondering what we have done wrong.
But what if we have misunderstood both suffering and blessing?
Tiffany Yecke Brooks, the author of our Fall study book, “To Rebehold the Stars” invites us to reconsider our relationship with suffering. Not to glorify it, romanticize it, or suggest that God sends pain to teach us a lesson, but to recognize that suffering is an unavoidable part of the human experience.
What matters is how we receive it, respond to it, and discover God's presence within it.
In our scripture reading this Sunday, Paul speaks of a thorn in his flesh. Three times he pleads with God to remove it. Three times his prayer seems unanswered in the way he desires. Instead, he receives these extraordinary words: "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness."
I wonder how many of us need to hear those words today.
Throughout my years of ministry, I have encountered extraordinary people whose lives have been marked by rejection, grief, discrimination, illness, and unimaginable hardship. I have witnessed the suffering inflicted by religious institutions that claimed to speak for God while denying others their dignity, humanity, and belonging. Yet I have also witnessed something remarkable: the resilience of the human spirit and the transforming power of grace.
I do not believe God requires our suffering. I do not believe every tragedy happens for a reason, and I certainly do not believe we should endure injustice simply because someone tells us there is spiritual value in our pain. Jesus did not merely comfort those who suffered; he challenged the systems and attitudes that caused their suffering.
Perhaps receiving grace means recognizing that we do not have to pretend to be strong all the time. We can acknowledge our vulnerability, ask for help, question God, and still be people of extraordinary faith.
The promise of sacred text is not that suffering will disappear, but that suffering will never have the final word. God's grace meets us in our brokenness, and God's love reminds us that we remain whole, worthy, and beloved.
This week, I invite us to change the question from "Why is this happening to me?" to "Where might I encounter grace in the midst of this, and how might I become an instrument of grace for someone else?"
For perhaps the greatest blessing is not a life without suffering, but a community of love in which nobody has to suffer alone.
With hope and love,
Fondly,
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Rev. Dr. Neil G. Thomas
Senior Pastor
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Sunday English Services
8:30am Traditional
In-Person Worship
(Live-streamed)
10am Traditional
In-Person Worship
(Live-streamed)
11:45am Contemporary
In-Person Worship
(Live-streamed)
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Sunday Spanish Service
1:30pm (Spanish)
In-Person Worship
(Live-streamed)
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Mid-Week
Pick Me Up
Our Hope@11:45 Contemporary Sunday service is broadcast the following Wednesday evening at 7:15pm on Facebook, YouTube, and our Website as your mid-week pick me up.
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| Give a single gift, or schedule recurring giving using your checking account, debit, or credit card. | | | | |
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TCC and the Women’s Chorus of Dallas Concert
Saturday, October 17, 2026 7:30pm
Cathedral of Hope
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On October 17, 2026 at Cathedral of Hope, The Women’s Chorus of Dallas and the ensembles of Turtle Creek Chorale join forces for a one-night, powerhouse collaboration celebrating the freedoms we have and fight to maintain.
The Chorale’s three performance ensembles will join the full Women’s Chorus of Dallas for a one-night collaboration honoring the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Featuring more than 150 singers, the performance reflects on freedom, equality, and the enduring promise of the American experiment.
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Blessing Bag Party
Saturday, October 17, 2026 10:30am-12pm
Fellowship Hall
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Join fellow volunteers as we come together to assemble 800 Blessing Bags filled with snacks, toiletries, and clean socks. Simple yet essential items that can make a real difference in someone’s day. These bags will be available on the third Sunday of each month, empowering our congregation to carry hope beyond our walls and place it directly into the hands of neighbors experiencing hardship.
This is more than a volunteer opportunity, it’s a hands-on way to live our faith in action. Each snack packed, each pair of socks folded, each word of encouragement included becomes a tangible reminder that no one is unseen and no one is forgotten. Together, we create moments of dignity, care, and connection throughout our community.
Whether you come on your own, with friends, or as a family, you’ll be part of a meaningful experience filled with purpose, fellowship, and joy. All ages are welcome, and every helping hand makes a difference as we transform simple supplies into sacred gifts of compassion.
Come help us pack hope. Let’s show our city what love in action looks like.
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After Goodbye: An AIDS Story
Monday, October 19, 2026
7:00pm
Cathedral of Hope Sanctuary
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Join us at Cathedral of Hope for a special screening of After Goodbye: An AIDS Story, the Emmy Award-winning PBS documentary featuring the Turtle Creek Chorale’s powerful performance of the AIDS requiem When We No Longer Touch.
First premiered on Dallas PBS station KERA on June 23, 1993, before airing nationally, this moving documentary preserves an important chapter in the history of the AIDS epidemic, honoring the lives, stories, and memories of those impacted by HIV and AIDS.
This special evening commemorates the 35th anniversary of the Turtle Creek Chorale’s October 20, 1991, concert, where When We No Longer Touch was first performed. We are honored to welcome Sylvia Komatsu, one of the documentary’s three original Emmy Award-winning producers, who will join us for this meaningful occasion.
All Cathedral of Hope members are invited to gather for an evening of remembrance, reflection, and community as we revisit a powerful work that reminds us of the importance of compassion, connection, and bearing witness to the stories that must never be forgotten.
We hope you will join us for this special opportunity to honor the past, celebrate the power of music and storytelling, and reaffirm our commitment to love and remembrance.
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LMOW Training
Saturday October 24, 2026
10am-12pm
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Interested in becoming a Lay Minister of Worship at Cathedral of Hope?
Join us for training on Saturday, October 24, from 10am to noon. Together, we’ll explore this ministry and prepare you to help lead our congregation in worship. Come learn, ask questions, and discover how your gifts can serve our community.
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Trunk or Treat
Trunk Registration
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Help create a fun, welcoming, and unforgettable Trunk or Treat experience by hosting a decorated trunk!
Whether you go all out with an elaborate theme or keep it simple and festive, your creativity, candy, and smiling face will help make this one of our favorite community events. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with families, share a little joy, and be part of an event filled with costumes, laughter, and fun. Invite your friends, family, small group, or ministry team to decorate a trunk together and make it a memorable experience!
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All Saint's Sunday
Sunday November 1, 2026
All Services
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On All Saint’s Sunday, we honor and celebrate the lives of those we have lost over the past year. If you wish to have a loved one honored in our annual Roll Call of the Saints, please submit their name through the form on our website www.cathedralofhope.com/allsaints
Submit names by Monday October 26, 2026.
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Each year, our congregation collects and shares hundreds of baskets of food providing a Thanksgiving Feast for those who are in need. These special baskets contain all the ingredients for a traditional Thanksgiving feast and will feed a large family for several days. You can sign up to bring a basket or baskets in the Narthex on Sunday, or by filling out the donation form on our website. https://www.cathedralofhope.com/thanksgiving-baskets
You can purchase baskets for $75 each in the bookstore or online at SourcesOfHope.com.
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Our Lady of Guadalupe
Friday, December 11, 2026
Main Sanctuary
7pm-10pm
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Our Lady of Guadalupe: A Celebration of Faith, Tradition & Belonging
There are some traditions that feel like coming home. The familiar songs, voices gathered in prayer, cherished memories, and the traditions passed down from one generation to the next.
This December, we invite you to come home to Cathedral of Hope for our annual celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe. On Friday, December 11, we’ll gather to celebrate the faith and traditions of our Hispanic community through prayer, music, fellowship, and hospitality.
Whether this celebration has been part of your life for generations, brings back memories of home, or is something you’re experiencing for the first time, there is a place for you here.
Come share in the music, the memories, the joy, and the community, and help us create new memories together.
Come as you are. Come as family. Come celebrate with us.
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Follow Cathedral of Hope on LinkedIn | | Cathedral of Hope is expanding out social media visibility as we grow our community on LinkedIn. Content is focused on local and national issues that impact the LGBTQIA religious and employment sectors. We also want to champion our followers wins and support them in their challenges. Please click on the button to follow us. | | | | |
Holiday Volunteers Needed! | | |
The holiday season is coming up, and we could use some extra hands in our Children & Youth Ministry! You do not need teaching experience or any special skills. If you enjoy being around kids and youth and want to help create a welcoming, fun, and supportive space for them, we would love to have you.
Whether you can help for one Sunday, a few Sundays, or throughout the holiday season, every extra set of hands makes a difference! Interested in helping out? Talk to Amani or reach out to amurphy@cathedralofhope.com to learn more.
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Your Voice
Belongs in Worship
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We are especially inviting women and nonbinary people at Cathedral of Hope to consider serving as Lay Readers. During our 8:30am and 10:00am services, Lay Readers read scripture, lead the congregation in gratitude through the call to the offering, and help preside over Communion. This is a meaningful opportunity to help shape our shared worship.
No experience is necessary. Comfort with public speaking and reading aloud is helpful, and your willingness to serve is a wonderful place to begin. Readings are provided in advance, and you can arrange a time to practice in the sanctuary if that would help you feel more comfortable.
Interested in learning more?
Contact Rev. Dr. Andria Davis at adavis@cathedralofhope.com
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GAMMA DFW Support Group
Second and fourth Tuesdays
6pm–7:30pm
Dallas–Fort Worth area
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A new GAMMA DFW chapter is now meeting in person in the Dallas–Fort Worth area. GAMMA is a confidential, peer-led support group for men who are gay, bisexual, questioning, or
attracted to men who are or have been in significant relationships with women. Participants may be married, partnered, separated, going through divorce, divorced, or navigating changes in relationships or family life after coming out.
GAMMA is peer-led and volunteer-run and is not therapy or counseling. Men are welcome to attend whether they are certain about their sexuality or still figuring things out. There is no requirement to have a particular label or to share personal experiences before they are ready. Because confidentiality is an important part of GAMMA, the exact meeting location is provided only to registered participants. Those interested in attending should join the GAMMA DFW Meetup group and complete a brief screening process.
LEARN MORE & RSVP
Questions: Jay Winn, 504-202-8065 | ranyc101@gmail.com
Learn more about GAMMA: gammasupport.org
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Partners of Hope Feature - Edward Jones | | |
Chip Brownlee | Edward Jones
Financial guidance built around your goals, your life, and your future.
Chip Brownlee provides personalized wealth management and retirement planning for individuals, couples, families, and business owners.
PLAN FOR WHAT'S AHEAD
Chip helps clients understand their options and develop financial strategies designed around their individual goals and priorities.
A COMMITMENT TO INCLUSION
As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, Chip understands the importance of providing a welcoming environment where every client feels respected, understood, and valued.
INVESTED IN COMMUNITY
Chip actively supports LGBTQIA+ organizations throughout North Texas and shares Partners of Hope's commitment to inclusion, integrity, excellence, community, and hope.
→ Connect with Chip Brownlee at Edward Jones
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Partners of Hope Feature - 2nd2Nunn Photography | | |
2nd2Nunn Photography
Capturing the people, celebrations, and moments that become our stories.
For 20 years, 2nd2Nunn Photography has captured weddings, events, portraits, and special occasions throughout North Texas.
CAPTURE THE MOMENT
From weddings and family portraits to professional headshots and major events, Barb and Jan create images that preserve the personality and emotion of every occasion. 2nd2Nunn Photography
CELEBRATING EVERYONE
2nd2Nunn proudly photographs people, couples, and families from every walk of life and has deep roots in Dallas' LGBTQIA+ community.
A CATHEDRAL CONNECTION
Cathedral members since 1996, Barb and Jan have spent three decades sharing their time, talents, leadership, and photography with our community.
→ Connect with 2nd2Nunn Photography
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53 Christopher Counseling & Psychotherapy | | |
The therapists at 53 Christopher Counseling & Psychotherapy are offering free drop-in mental and emotional support on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month.
Appointments are available at 10am, 11am, 12pm, and 1pm. You can click on the button to set up time with us.
No commitment required!
Just a caring, confidential space to talk and be heard.
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The Cathedral of Hope Board
of Stewards meets virtually every 4th Monday of the Month at 7pm and is open for participation by the Cathedral of Hope community.
The Zoom link is available here.
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Board of Stewards Update:
- Thank you to every member who voted, absentee or in person, on the proposed financial transaction. Your voice is a vital part of how this church is governed, and the board is grateful you took the time to share it.
- We'll keep you updated through the weekly newsletter and, when needed, by separate email. To be sure you receive these updates, please confirm your email address is current in Realm.
Congregants are always welcome to email board@cathedralofhope.com to share feedback, request information, or be routed to the appropriate staff member.
Questions about where things stand? Reach out to any board member or email board@cathedralofhope.com.
Feedback (comments and questions) from the congregation are welcome and encouraged. To ask a question or make a comment anytime throughout the month, please click this link.
Videos of meeting minutes of previous Board of Stewards meetings are located on the governance pages of the Cathedral of Hope website.
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