FROM THE RECTOR: A LOT TO CELEBRATE

 

I have the great honor to announce that Dr. David J. Hurd has accepted the position of organist and music director of Saint Mary’s. He’s been with us as interim organist since April. On June 1, 2016, his name will be added to the list of distinguished persons who have served this congregation as the parish musician. David had already planned a special Te Deum for this Trinity Sunday—and part of my thanksgiving to God will be for the grace that has brought him here. He is an outstanding and accomplished organist, choral director,

and composer.

 

David’s name is one I have known since my seminary days at Nashotah House, and I became more acquainted with his work when The Hymnal 1982 was published. He was a member of the Standing Commission on Church Music that produced our current hymnal, for which he composed service music and hymn tunes. Dr. Hurd is well-known throughout the Episcopal Church for his service at the General Theological Seminary, where he taught between 1976 and 2015.

 

When I spoke to David in February about our interim needs, he helped us find just the right person for the liturgies of Holy Week and Easter Day. Dr. Timothy Pyper did an outstanding job for us. When I realized David himself was available for April and May, I asked him to step in. I can’t begin to express fully how excited I am that he will be our next organist and music director. I hope many of you can be here on Sunday to extend your welcome to him. His résumé speaks of “extensive experience”—and that doesn’t begin to capture the range of his work and his gifts. I repeat, I have the great honor to announce that Dr. Hurd is our new organist and music director.

 

And as previously announced, on Trinity Sunday we will also be celebrating the first phase of “Open Doors: The Capital Campaign for Saint Mary’s, Times Square.” Pledges have been received for $2,703,129. That’s an outstanding beginning to our Campaign. Our goal remains the same: to secure our landmarked church home. There will be a very few words and a special reception after the Solemn Mass on Sunday. Over the summer our campaign team will be following up on some outstanding pledge cards and making plans to reach others this fall.

 

Southern Baptists didn’t celebrate Trinity Sunday when I was growing up, but the first hymn in The Baptist Hymnal (1956) is thoroughly Anglican, “Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!” John Bacchus Dykes (1823–1876), a priest of the Church of England, composed the tune Nicaea for the text by Reginald Heber (1783–1826), who died while serving as bishop of Calcutta (now Kolkatta). It will be our final hymn at the Solemn Mass on Trinity Sunday. At the Offertory we will sing a hymn that I have only known as an Episcopalian, “I bind unto myself today the strong Name of the Trinity.” Verse 6 of this hymn is a prayer worth knowing by heart. I quote only its beginning and ending phrases, “Christ be with me, Christ within me . . . Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.”

 

Finally, the AIDS Walk. To date our team has received $52,702. We have until June 12 to meet our 2016 goal of $60,000. If you would like to help, here’s the link to make a donation.

 

In John’s gospel Jesus calls his first disciples, Andrew and his brother Simon, with the words, “Come and see” (John 1:39). His next two disciples, James and John, hear Jesus say, “Follow me” (John 1:43). We have a lot to celebrate on Sunday. Come and see. Follow Jesus. —Stephen Gerth

 

YOUR PRAYERS ARE ASKED FOR Santiago, Sandy, Margaret, Walter, Julie, Sharon, Penny, Carol, Eileen, Donald, Alex, Sam, Jean, Heidi, Catherine, Sally, Burton, Toussaint, Dennis, Arpene, Takeem, Sidney, deacon, Paulette, priest, Gaylord, priest, Harry, priest, and Louis, priest; for the members of our Armed Forces on active duty, especially Mark and Nicholas . . . GRANT THEM PEACE . . . May 22: 1875 Annie Clarke.

 

THE ORDINARY FRIDAYS OF THE YEAR are observed by special acts of discipline and self-denial in commemoration of the crucifixion of the Lord.

 

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN: PLEASE JOIN US ON SUNDAY . . . Open Doors: The Campaign for Saint Mary’s is wrapping up its Phase One, and it’s time for us to take a moment to rejoice in our spectacular success! This coming Sunday, Trinity Sunday (May 22), the campaign committee will host a reception to thank all those who worked so hard and pledged so generously. Please join us in Saint Joseph’s Hall after the Solemn Mass to hear details about what we've achieved so far and to celebrate what we've been able to accomplish together. —The Capital Campaign Committee

 

THIS WEEK AT SAINT MARY'S . . . Sunday, May 22, Trinity Sunday: Sung Matins 8:30 AM, Mass 9:00 AM & 10:00 AM, Adult Forum 10:00 AM, Solemn Mass 11:00 AM, Evensong & Benediction 5:00 PM . . . On Wednesdays, the daily 12:10 PM Eucharist is a Sung Mass; on Thursdays the daily 12:10 Eucharist is Mass with Healing Service.

 

SAINT MARY’S AIDS WALK TEAM 2016 . . . Last Sunday the Saint Mary’s Team participated in AIDS Walk 2016. It was a great day, and the Team has had another very successful year of fundraising for this very important cause: to help those living with HIV and AIDS. As of Friday, May 20, 2016, the Team has raised $52,702.00, putting them eighth in a long list of teams that participated in the Walk. However, the Saint Mary’s Team would love to be able to reach its goal of $60,000.00. You can still make a contribution by clicking on this link. But please don’t delay! GMHC will be closing its books for 2016 very soon. We are very grateful to all those who have continued to support this important outreach effort so faithfully and so generously. —MaryJane Boland and Clark Mitchell

 

ADULT EDUCATION . . . During the next year or so, we hope to offer an ongoing series in the Adult Forum entitled Dealing with the Hard Stuff, in which we will hear presentations on such issues as depression, anger, and grief. On Sunday, May 22, parishioner Charles J. Morgan will be leading the Adult Forum in the second, and final, part of his series on bereavement and grief. Dr. Morgan is a member of Saint Mary’s. He is a psychiatrist who lives and practices in Connecticut. His particular areas of interest are alcoholism, mood disorders, and substance abuse. He studied at the Cornell University Medical College and did his medical residency at Yale New Haven Hospital.

 

AROUND THE PARISH . . . Parishioner Penny Allen had surgery at the Hospital for Special Surgery on Monday, May 16. She is now at her home in New Jersey, where she is resting and doing physical therapy. Please keep Penny and her husband, Father Michael Allen, in your prayers . . . At the Solemn Mass on the Day of Pentecost, Sunday, May 15, the sacrament of Holy Baptism was administered to Benjamin Kenobi Martinez. Please keep Benjamin and his parents, Farrah Cortez and Harvey Martinez, in your prayers . . . The folks at our resident theater, Royal Family, have settled into their home on the third floor of the Parish House. Some Saint Marians will already have met Executive Director Michael Perreca and Director of Operations Timothy Riley, who have both worshiped with us on occasion. Michael, Timothy, and Artistic Director Chris Henry have all become interested in the history of the space in which they have been working. They have, with the permission of the rector, done some careful archaeological work in the third-floor theater and the adjacent office. They recently revealed a beautiful window with tinted glass that had been covered up at some point in the past. The newly discovered window will provide ventilation in the theater during rehearsals as well as an additional entrance for theater productions . . . Altar Flowers are needed for the following Sundays: June 12 and for most Sundays during the summer months. If you would like to make a donation, please contact the parish office . . . Attendance: Last Sunday 239.

 

MUSIC THIS WEEK . . . The setting of the Mass ordinary at the Solemn Mass on Sunday is the Western Wind Mass by John Sheppard (c. 1515–1559/60). The setting is one of three extant early Tudor Masses bearing the same title, so called because they are based on ­the Western Wind melody (attached to the words of a love song, which was, at one time, attributed to King Henry VIII). Sheppard was one of the foremost composers of his generation, surpassed only by Thomas Tallis (c. 1505–1585). He was almost certainly a key figure in Queen Mary I’s program to supply the Chapel Royal (where Sheppard was a Gentleman) with elaborate polyphony for the rite of Salisbury Cathedral, which the Catholic monarch restored upon her accession to the throne in 1553. At the ministration of Communion, the choir sings the motet Libera nos, salva nos, also by Sheppard. Following the administration of Communion, the canticle Te Deum will be sung while incense is offered. The choir will sing this canticle, traditionally attributed to Saint Ambrose (c. 340–397), to traditional plainsong in alternation with verses played on the organ. This manner of presenting liturgical texts, called alternatim, was often applied to portions of the Mass and Office. It was not uncommon for organists to improvise verses in alternation with those sung to chant. This practice was well established throughout Europe from the seventeenth century, documented in part by versets which were composed for this purpose by leading organ composers of the time.

 

AWAY FROM THE PARISH . . . Pinkster Celebration, Saturday, May 21, beginning at 12:00 PM, at the African Burial Ground National Monument Memorial, 290 Broadway, New York, New York. More information is available online.

 

MARK YOUR CALENDARS . . . Sunday, May 29, Corpus Christi . . . Saint Mary’s Summer Sunday Worship Schedule begins on May 29. The offices are said, not sung, during the summer; the Adult Forum begins its summer recess; and the choir season comes to an end. The academic-year schedule will resume on the first Sunday in October.

 

HELPING OUR NEIGHBORS . . . The Serbian Orthodox community in New York suffered a devastating loss on the evening of May 1, Easter Day this year for the Orthodox churches, when fire caused extensive damage to its historic cathedral on East Twenty-sixth Street. Contributions to assist our Serbian Orthodox neighbors are welcome. Donations may be made online. Donations by check can also be made. The check should be clearly marked for Saint Sava, payable to "Episcopal Diocese of New York," and mailed to Diocesan Controller, Episcopal Diocese of New York, 1047 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10025.

 

OUTREACH AT SAINT MARY’S . . . We are collecting warm clothing (coats, jackets, scarves, hats, and gloves), packets of socks and underwear, dress shirts (useful for job interviews), jeans, and T-shirts for distribution here at the parish. Please bring donations to the parish kitchen on Sunday or contact Father Jay Smith or Sister Monica Clare, C.S.J.B. Sister Monica and parishioner Clint Best have been organizing the clothing in recent weeks in order to expedite distribution . . . We continue to collect nonperishable food items for our outreach partner, the Food Pantry at Saint Clement’s Church, 423 West Forty-sixth Street. —Jay Smith