From Father Shin:  Can we talk?

Unity through corporate worship is the ideal of the Book of Common Prayer and is also the purpose and the hopeful result of liturgy.  This unity is achieved not by a democratic process of majority rule, but by transcendence into the holiness of our common life in the presence of God.  Probably to the surprise of many the liturgy here at SMV from daily offices to solemn masses is quite faithful to the BCP.  The challenge is how to transcend ourselves and live into the mystery of God's presence, the beauty of holiness.  It doesn't happen automatically or magically.  It happens through intentional prayer, common prayer.

Prayer is often described as conversation with God.  The Latin root of the word, conversation is converso which is also the root for the word, conversion.  As such the central matter of prayer then is conversion.  But conversion of what or whom?  Often in our conversations we would rather see others converted to the likeness of our minds and feelings.  Conversations we have are not really conversations at all but monologues butting heads against each other.  True conversation requires not just talking but real presence and attentive listening.

Does the conversion happen automatically when we pray? Not when we don't listen to God's presence in our prayer.  Prayer as true conversation with God brings about not the conversion of God into our wants, though we might secretly wish that, but our conversion into God's will.

Could our conversations, particularly those around tough issues, become prayer?  Why not, if liturgy calls us into holiness in our daily life?  First we need to be really present to one another.  What good is the "real presence of Christ" if we are not present to receive it?  I wonder what our common life would be like if we dared to be present and to listen to one other, if we dared to have real conversations?

PRAYER LIST . . . Your prayers are asked for Margaret, Warren, Katherine Rose, Margo, Shirley, Thomas, Rich, Julia, Clara, Daniel, Owanah, Samuel John, Marion, Marla, and Seymour. . . GRANT THEM PEACE . . . November 23, 1976 Calvin R. Gray; November 23, 1985 Gary R. Grubb; November 24, 1950 Harlan S. Perrigo; November 24, 1957 Frederick Delius; November 24, 1989 Aurora Emeralda Van Heyningen; November 26, 1998 Ronald L. Cox; and Victoria who died this past week.

LITURGICAL NOTES . . . The Sunday Proper: Ezekiel 34:11-17, Psalm 95:1-7 I Corinthians 15:20-28, Matthew 25:314-46 . . . 9:00 AM Celebrant: Father Shin, Preacher: Mr. Lawson, 10:00 AM Celebrant and Preacher: Father Breidenthal, 11:00 AM Celebrant and Preacher: The Rector, 5:00 PM Celebrant and Preacher: The Rector. . . On Saturday, November 27, Father Shin will hear confessions . . . On Saturday, December 4, Canon Garrison will hear confessions.

AROUND THE PARISH . . . The Afternoon Tea ministry at St. Luke's and Roosevelt Hospital needs one more volunteer this Sunday, November 21. Please call Jon Bryant at 647-0758. Also if you wish to donate home made treats, please bring them to the 11 o'clock Mass this Sunday. Thank you. . . . The Reverend Marc Burnette, our former seminarian assistant, will be ordained priest on Tuesday, November 23, at Trinity Church, Florence, Alabama, where he is serving as curate.  The Rector will be preaching at his ordination and will leave New York on Tuesday morning and return the next day. . . . Father Bill Parker has been called to St. Bede's Episcopal Church, Syosset in the Diocese of Long Island. He begins his new ministry on Monday, November 22. . . . Attendance last Sunday: 171.

CHRISTIAN FORMATION THIS WEEK AT SMV . . . On Sunday Morning, November 21, the Rector's Forum is at 10:00 AM.. . . Sunday School for the children is at 11:00 AM and Journey in Faith with Father Shin meets at 1:00 PM. . . Tuesday evenings another session of Journey in Faith with Father Shin meets at 7:00 PM. . . . There will be no class this Wednesday evening.  The last class for the "Marian Devotion" series will be held on next Wednesday, December 1 with Professor Anna Williams on "Marian Devotion in English Poetry."

ADVENT QUIET DAY . . . Information brochure is available on the table in the back of the church.  The sign-up sheet is posted on the bulletin board in the parish hall.  Please sign up.

2000 STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN. . . As we go to press 65 pledges have been received totalling $ 120,754.  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 this week!

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                               Clement, Bishop

Wednesday                        Weekday; Thanksgiving Eve

Thursday                            Thanksgiving Day

Friday                                  Weekday

Saturday                             Of Our Lady

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.