Pillars

At the Noonday Office for the past few months we have been taking the meditation from the Roman Catholic Office of Readings.  These are a series of daily readings from the Church Fathers and other writers.  Before that we had been using an Episcopal version of these writings; but the parish had been through them several times and trying another version seemed like a good thing.  The next version we tried was one from the Church of England.  That too had its limitations.

 

Most days the readings we are using are entirely appropriate.  They seem inappropriate to me when the writing presumes that everyone praying the Office is a priest (not even a deacon or a religious!). Since the Anglican Reformation, the Office has always been for the whole community.  (I have been noting in pencil passages that should be omitted in the future.)  Again, most days they are appropriate and, frankly, very helpful.  Recently there was a reading about the apostles being the pillars of the church.  That's something the art of our building tries to convey, something I had never thought about.

"Reading" our building is not unimportant.  It is a Christian building and in Christian tradition its architecture and art too have a proclamation about the Gospel and the community.  The apostles being the pillars of the Church seems so obvious now; but I confess I hadn't really thought about this truth in relation to our building before I read that passage in the Noonday Office.  I find myself wondering what else is here at Saint Mary's to learn.  I suspect there is a lot more and I look forward to more reading and learning.  Stephen Gerth

 

 

PRAYER LIST . . . Your prayers are asked for Karen who is hospitalized and for Margaret, Warren, Myrian, Katherine Rose, Margo, Shirley, Thomas, Rich, Maureen, Julia, Clara, Daniel, Owanah Samuel John, and Marion. . . GRANT THEM PEACE . . . November 15: I959 Irene Helen Williams; November 15:1972 Wallace Charles Taylor; November 15:1973 Estelle Moore; November 15:1983 Ralph Burus Smith; November 15: 1997 Noel J. Blackman; November 19:1990 Beryl Ermine Whittle; November 20:1986 Richard Johnson.

 

LITURGICAL NOTES . . . The Sunday Proper: Zephaniah 1:7,12-18, Psalm 90:1-8,12, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-10, Matthew 25:14-15,19-29 . . . 9:00 AM Celebrant: Father Breidenthal, Preacher: Mr. Lawson, 10:00 AM Celebrant and Preacher: Father Shin, 11:00 AM Celebrant and Preacher: Father Breidenthal, 5:00 PM Celebrant and Preacher: Father Shin . . . On Saturday, November 13, Father Shin will hear confessions . . . On Saturday, November 20, Canon Garrison will hear confessions.

 

AROUND THE PARISH . . . As we go to press, Karen Benson is at Beth Israel Hospital - North for treatment.  Please keep her in your prayers . . . Mabel Hawksworth Lewis RN was graduated recently and received her certification as a legal nurse consultant from the program at Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus.  The program is sponsored by the American Bar Association and the New York State Nurses' Association . . . The Rector returns from vacation on Thursday, November 19.  He will be back at the altar and in the pulpit on Sunday, November 21, and back in the parish office on Monday, November 22 . . . Attendance last Sunday: 147.

 

CHRISTIAN FORMATION THIS WEEK AT SMV . . . On Sunday Morning, November 14, the Rector's Forum at 10:00 AM is cancelled as the Rector is out of town.  The class will resume on the next Sunday. . . Sunday School for the children is at 11:00 AM and Journey in Faith with Father Shin meets at 12:45 PM. . . Tuesday evenings another session of Journey in Faith with Father Shin meets at 7:00 PM. . . . Wednesday evening series on "Marian Devotion" continues following the evening Mass.  This week Susan Miranda will be showing slides and speaking on the Marian Devotion in Art.

 

2000 STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN. . . As we go to press 65 pledges have been received totalling $ 100,000.  There's a long, long way to go to support the ministries of Saint Mary's.  You are asked to turn in your pledge card on Sunday.  If you need a pledge card, please call the parish office or see Barbara Klett at the coffee hour on Sunday.  Follow-up letters and telephone calls begin next week!

 

CATECHESIS WORKSHOP . . . It was a great Saturday at Saint Mary's.  A wide range of people, including several members of the clergy of the Episcopal Church (one from the diocesan staff of the Diocese of Rhode Island!), one Roman Catholic priest and several Roman Catholic religious, and many other people from New York and Connecticut who are interested in this work with children were here.  In addition, a number of our own parishioners came who just wanted to know more about the spirituality of the work. Final arrangements are now being made but I expect Saint Mary's to begin offering training to adults who want to work with children in this program beginning in January.  And we expect some folks from Connecticut and Rhode Island to travel down for this program. Many, many thanks to Barbara Klett who pulled it all together!  I do not begin to convey with these few words how much she did for this program in addition to everything else she did for the parish during a very busy week.  Barbara, thank you!  Father Shin and Father Wolsoncroft were able to be here as were our seminarian and his wife, Richard and Katherine Lawson.  Other Saint Maryans in attendance were Clint Best, Linda Bridges, David and Camille Gillespie, Elizabeth Secord, and Leroy Sharer.  It was a special day in many ways and one I suspect those present will remember.  You will have the opportunity to hear Rebekah again!  S.G.

 

TRANSFERS IN – Joseph H. Klee from Trinity Church, NYC; Andrew G. Heath  from St. Matthew’s Church, Bedford, NY; John Thomas Savage, Jr. from the Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. Paul, Charleston, SC; Joy Carmichael baptized at St. Stephen’s Church, Barbados.

 

TRANSFERS OUT –  Jane Salkeld and Sylvie Preston to St. Matthew’s Church, Austin, Texas and Nina Pratt to St. Peter’s–by-the-Sea, Narragansett, R.I.

 

BOARD MEETING ON NOVEMBER 8. . . (1) Tom Kamm reported on our investment accounts.  (2) Gerald McKelvey, Phil Burgess and Robert Van Vleet were appointed to serve on the Personnel Committee which will begin evaluating the staffing needs and positions of the parish.  (3) Barbara Klett, Jim Dennis, Clint Best, and Robin Landis were appointed to the Investment Committee, the purpose of which will be to make recommendations about our investment portfolio.  (4) The installation of the new telephones with voice mail was reported.  (5) Father Charles Fulton will meet with the Board at the February meeting, as a follow-up to the retreat that he conducted for the Board in September.  (6) David Crommett, Chair of the Evangelism Committee, reported about plans for new signs and banners for the Church on the 46th and 47th Street sides.  The next meeting of the committee will be on December 7.  (7) Changes in the security system are in progress with the Rectory and the Church to be on separate systems. With the alarm system moved out of the nursery, the nursery renovation can now get on the way.  (8) It was decided that a solemn Te Deum will be offered at the conclusion of the Solemn Mass of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8.  Father Wells, Rector Emeritus, will preach at that Mass.

Worship at Saint Mary’s

 

The Holy Eucharist

On Sundays Mass is said at 9:00 AM, 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM.  A Solemn Mass is offered at 11:00 AM.  Monday through Friday Mass is said at 12:15 PM and 6:15 PM.  On Saturdays Mass is said at 12:15 PM.

 

The Daily Office

On ordinary Sundays Morning Prayer is said at 8:40 AM and Evening Prayer at 4:45 PM.  Monday through Friday Morning Prayer is offered at 8:30 AM, the Noonday Office at 12:00 PM and Evening Prayer at 6:00 PM.  On Saturdays the Noonday Office is offered at 12:00 PM and Evening Prayer at 5:00 PM.

 

The Reconciliation of Penitents

Confessions are heard on Saturdays between 11:30 and 12:00 and between 4:00 and 5:00.  Appointments can also be made with members of the parish clergy for the Reconciliation of Penitents at other times.

 

Friday Abstinence

The ordinary Fridays of the year are observed by special acts of discipline and self-denial in commemoration of the crucifixion of the Lord.

 

 

The Calendar of the Twenty-sixth Week after Pentecost

 

Monday                               Weekday

Tuesday                               Margaret, Queen

Wednesday                        Hugh, Bishop

Thursday                            Hilda, Abbess

Friday                                  Elizabeth, Princess

Saturday                             Edmund, King and Martyr

 

 

The Parish Clergy

The Reverend Stephen Gerth, rector,

The Reverend Allen Shin, curate, The Reverend Thomas Breidenthal, assistant,

The Reverend Arthur Wolsoncroft, The Reverend Canon Maurice Garrison,

The Reverend Amilcar Figueroa, assisting priests, The Reverend Canon Edgar F. Wells, rector emeritus.