FROM THE RECTOR: JOY

Occasionally at Solemn Mass, I will have a note to remind me of what needs to be announced as I welcome the congregation before the final hymn and dismissal. Last Sunday, I followed my usual practice of spontaneous remarks. I didn’t realize until I saw the service video how much I was smiling. It was not because I only had one more Sunday at this altar. The Solemn Mass on Gaudete Sunday was especially joyful. The setting Dr. David Hurd selected for the day, Mass (2005) by American composer Randall Svane (b. 1955), a composition new to the repertory, had every ear listening. Advent hymns sung here are always good ones. After the postcommunion hymn, I stepped to the lectern to welcome the congregation. As I watched and listened to myself, I realized I was moved to joy by our worship. So, I transcribed my words to share what was in my heart—the joy and faith I have found here as your pastor.

I said, “Today is the anniversary of the dedication, our second church home. When I looked at my homily, just after ten o’clock, I realized there were too many words. So, I’d just like to say, I’m so very thankful for the building of this church, for the survival of this church, for the graces. I know of no other church where the combination of building, material, organ, and musicians can produce worship like this environment. And I’ve been to some wonderful places. But there’s something unique about the grace of plastered walls that may look like stone, and a gothic shape, so the resonance of the music is just spectacular.

“I’m very aware that I have one more Sunday at Saint Mary’s. I will never be able to get out of my mind how the people in this congregation who they, I mean, we are—I’m still a part of the congregation—and those who have gone before us. Thank you for Wednesday night [the patronal feast] to everyone who was involved in it.

“Oh, the last thing. One of our servers was not here today, and I was late getting downstairs. And they had it all organized. Great thanks go to Brendon Hunter. I don’t remember that we have ever had, in the 22 years and 11 months that I have been here, an MC who was also the thurifer for Solemn Mass. But it worked fine.

Dr. Ryan Lesh, Father Ryan Lesh, is here. When I visited the seminary he attended at some point in Berkeley, California, there was a sign that said, “Everyone got fed; no one got hurt”—something like that, Ryan? The bottom line is at any Solemn Mass or any services, everyone gets fed, and no one gets hurt. Will you please stand for the final hymn? I look forward to greeting you at the back.”

Before I conclude, I want to give a special word of recognition to Father Jay Smith for his work, for his compassion, his personal and generous giving of himself to this congregation and to me. I cannot be more thankful for his friendship, his education, his great love of life. He has been associated with Saint Mary’s since before I became rector. The parish, then-curate Father Matt Mead, and I welcomed him as a full-time colleague on Sunday, December 9, 2007. Of course, Jay would not be Jay without the love and support of his husband, José Vidal, who himself has contributed so much to our common life over the years they have been here. Jay, I can never thank you enough for your ministry to this parish and to me.

Now, I cannot remember when I started to point out to visitors that the design for the painting of the church in 1997—a full year before I stepped foot inside Saint Mary’s—was taken from the underside of the tabernacle canopy. For me, it is a sign of this congregation’s commitment to integrity of rite. The Sacrament is reserved for the Communion of those who cannot be here and as a focus for our prayers. The Body of Christ can only be in the tabernacle because the Body of Christ has gathered and given thanks for God’s mercy and loving-kindness for people everywhere. We are blessed to be a congregation where the primitive tradition “of feeding on the life-giving Jesus,” to use the words of the Reverend Dr. Paul F. Bradshaw (“The Eucharistic Sayings of Jesus,” Studia Liturgica 35 (2005), 11) has thrived since December 8, 1870. God bless us all. —Stephen Gerth

FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES . . . Saying Goodbye to Our Rector: Would that we were all able to gather at a convivial reception in Saint Joseph’s Hall following Mass this Sunday to give Father Gerth a proper send off on his last Sunday as celebrant and preacher! (We might even have served “refreshing beverages,” as Stephen would sometimes coyly announce.)

Alas, the pandemic has foiled that gathering, as it has so many, but we cannot let the moment pass without some attempt to mark the conclusion of Father Gerth’s historic and impactful rectorship. Of course, it is impossible to do justice here to all of the accomplishments from Father Gerth’s two decades –or the minutiae of HVAC systems and New York City real-estate law that he mastered! However, we want to recognize some of his unique contributions to our community.

Above all, Father Gerth brought the parish a keen sense of balance between Saint Mary’s past and Saint Mary’s future. In our worship and in our communal life, he struck the balance the times required.

Liturgically, Saint Mary’s seems a conservative place—highly respectful of the past and careful with its legacy. Father Gerth was always cognizant of that legacy, but he was no museum curator. He consistently led our congregation and influenced others with “some of the best liturgical thinking in the church today,” as Bishop Frank Griswold once remarked. Father Gerth ensured that the traditional forms didn’t get in the way of a gospel-centered modern worship experience that’s relevant and convivial.

Father Gerth understood, too, that for all its trappings of the past, our Anglo Catholic tradition is fundamentally a progressive movement rooted in the present with an eye on the future. He greatly expanded the role of women serving both at the altar and in the pulpit. He performed the first same-sex wedding at the parish. He invested in an audio-visual infrastructure to expand our witness through technology (and rid us of what he once quipped was “the worst sound system in Christendom”). And his refusal to close the doors of the church when financial pressures were most dire led to the Neighbors in Need outreach program for the lost and forgotten in our neighborhood.

As a board, we cannot forget that Father Gerth was not afraid to embrace new modes of governance and operation when we needed them. Through Father Gerth’s leadership, the Board of Trustees was transformed from a group of elders with lifetime appointments into a diverse and dynamic professional body with four-year terms. This change creates a board better able to represent the congregation as it really is today, to bring new skills and perspectives, and to lead effectively in the future.

Father Gerth’s stewardship of the parish’s assets is perhaps his quietest yet most enduring legacy. Many parishioners and friends did not see up close what we on the board saw during the difficult times of 2007–2008, for example, when the global financial crisis threatened the parish’s very financial viability. He built consensus on some hard but necessary choices based on an understanding of our unique mission in the church and in our city. Similarly, as a steward of the church’s physical plant, Father Gerth consistently encouraged far-sighted choices about preservation and restoration, culminating the largest capital campaign in the parish’s history that has restored the façade, the rose window, and many other parts of the complex, preserving them for future members of our community.

It is fitting that Father Gerth’s departure occurs at the end of Advent when the signs are everywhere that wonderful and transformative events are imminent. In both his administration of the parish and his messages from the pulpit, Father Gerth was optimistic about the future and God’s plans for us. We on the Board of Trustees trust that great things are just ahead both for the parish and for our rector, pastor, and friend, Stephen Gerth. With great gratitude and respect, we wish Stephen and Richard all the best, and we hope to see them often!

YOUR PRAYERS ARE ASKED for Claire, Emil, Sylvia, Renée, Pat, Eloise, Barbara, John, Karen, Shalim, Margaret, Brian, Penelope, Carmen, Jean, Greta, Larry, Liduvina, Jonathan, Emerson, Marilouise, Quincy, Florette, Abraham, Dennis, Ethelyn, Gypsy, Hardy, and Robert; Claire, Stephen, Randall and Louis, priests; and Andrew, bishop; for the repose of the soul of Rose; all who work for the common good; and all the friends and members of this parish . . . GRANT THEM PEACE . . . December 19: 1893 John Francis Crook; 1898 Thomas McKee Brown, priest; 1912 Catherine Marble; 1934 Frederick Lynch; 1991 L. Grace Taylor.

THIS WEEK AT SAINT MARY’S . . . Sunday, December 19, The Fourth Sunday of Advent. The Adult-Education class has begun its Christmas Break. The class will not meet on December 19. On December 19, Solemn Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 AM. The readings at the Solemn Mass are as follows: Micah 5:2–4; Psalm 80:1–7; Hebrews 10:5–10; Luke 1:39–56. The celebrant and preacher at the Mass on the Fourth Sunday of Advent will be Father Stephen Gerth. This will be the rector’s final service at Saint Mary’s. Evening Prayer will be said, though not sung, in the church at 5:00 PM on Sunday . . . Tuesday, December 21, Saint Thomas the Apostle, Mass 12:10 PM; also on Tuesday, December 21, Racism Discussion Group Meeting, 7:00 PM via Zoom. For more information about this ongoing weekly meeting, please call the parish office . . . Friday, December 24, Christmas Eve: The Last Mass of Advent at 10:00 AM; Music for Choir, Brass, and Congregation at 4:30 PM; Procession and Solemn Mass at 5:00 PM . . . Saturday, December 25, Christmas Day: Mass and Procession to the Crèche at 11:00 AM . . . Sunday: December 26, The First Sunday after Christmas Day: Solemn Mass, 11:00 AM. The readings at the Solemn Mass are as follows: Isaiah 61:10–62:3; Psalm 147:13–21; Galatians 3:23–25, 4:4–7; Matthew 1:18–25. The celebrant and preacher at the Solemn Mass on December 26 will be Father Peter Powell. Evening Prayer will be said, though not sung, in the church at 5:00 PM on Sunday, December 26.

SAFE PRACTICES AT SAINT MARY’S . . . On Friday, December 10, the governor of New York, Kathy Hochul, and Mary T. Bassett, M.D., M.P.H., Acting Commissioner of Health of State of New York, issued a Commissioner’s Determination on Indoor Masking Pursuant to 10 NYCRR 2.60. The portion of the document pertinent to life at Saint Mary’s reads, “7a. After careful review and consideration of the increasing number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations statewide, and in alignment with CDC recommendations for communities with substantial and high transmission, all persons, over age two and able to medically tolerate a face covering/mask, regardless of vaccination status, shall wear an appropriate face covering/mask while in any indoor public place. b. This requirement shall not apply to any indoor public area that requires proof of vaccination as a condition of entry. c. For purposes of this determination “indoor public place” shall mean any indoor space that is not a private residence. d. This requirement shall be in effect until January 15, 2022.”

This means that until further notice both clergy and people should wear a mask when in the church, unless they are actively eating or drinking, reading the Scripture, or presiding at the Eucharist. (The music director and the members of the choir have developed certain safe practices, including masking, and have been following those practices in the choir loft for some time.)

STEWARDSHIP 2022 . . . This year’s Stewardship Campaign continues to make progress. As of December 13, 2021, $259,818.00 has been pledged by 64 households for the coming year. This is 65% of our goal of $400,000.00. The Committee has noticed that in addition to pledges by members and friends who worship with us frequently and volunteer their time here in many ways, we also continue to receive pledges from members and friends who live far from Times Square but remain faithful members of this community. This reminds us that Saint Mary’s ministry is both local and something other than local. Saint Mary’s is sustained by the talent, time, and treasure of those who worship and volunteer here in person, as well as of those who cannot be with us in person, but who support us with gifts, not only of money, but of prayer, encouragement, feedback, concern, and good humor. We are grateful for the diversity and commitment of this community. We urge all the friends and members of the parish to make a pledge for the coming year as soon as possible. The Budget Committee has begun its work for 2022 and it needs an accurate picture of income for the coming year. Please don’t delay, we need your support. No pledge is too small. Please let us know if you have questions or need more information. We would be glad to help. —The Stewardship Committee

ABOUT THE MUSIC . . . The organ prelude on Sunday is the more extended of two organ settings for Magnificat on the first psalm-tone by Dieterich Buxtehude (1637–1707). This piece divides clearly into two principal sections, each with four sub-sections and a coda. While bits of the fantasia style are in evidence, most of the sub-sections are clearly in imitative counterpoint. Some researchers have taken pains to identify the first psalm-tone as it lay concealed in Buxtehude’s counterpoint. A debate centers on whether the sub-sections of this work were intended to be performed in alternatim with verses of Magnificat sung to chant, or if the entire piece should be played continuously without the insertion of chant verses. As is often the case, distinguished historic music lends itself to a variety of reasonable interpretations. What remains is for musicians to find performance solutions appropriate to the occasion and let the hearer delight.

The Mass setting on Sunday is the Mass in G minor by the noted English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958). This Mass was composed in 1921 and is dedicated to another noted English composer, Gustav Holst (1874–1934), and the Whitsuntide Singers at Thaxted in north Essex. Its first performance was in concert by the City of Birmingham Choir on December 6, 1922. While first performed in concert, The Mass in G minor was intended to be sung liturgically and was subsequently premiered as such at Westminster Cathedral under the direction of Sir Richard Terry. Vaughan Williams’s Mass is clearly in his own distinctive twentieth-century musical vocabulary, but it derives its sonic and affective character from the great heritage of English choral composition of earlier centuries. His Mass is often considered the most significant English work of its kind since the sixteenth century, and it has been an inspiration to many composers who have followed Vaughan Williams. The original conception is a work for double chorus and four soloists. This morning four of its movements will be performed by a choir of eight singers and the differentiation between choruses and soloists will merge more into a unified choral texture.

The Communion motet on Sunday is the Magnificat by Herbert Howells (1892–1983) from his Collegium Regale (“King’s College”) settings. Howells’s great contribution to Anglican church music is his several “services” designed for particular cathedrals, parishes, and collegiate chapels. Each of these “services” responds musically to the architecture, acoustic and musical tradition of the place for which it was composed. Of all Howells’s services, those designated Collegium Regale are the most complete set. Howells’s association with Cambridge dated from 1941 when he became acting organist at Saint John’s College, replacing Robin Orr who had been called away to service in World War II. In 1944, at the urging of the then dean of neighboring King’s College, Eric Milner-White, Howells composed the Collegium Regale morning canticles, Te Deum and Jubilate. The following year he added to the Collegium Regale settings by composing evening canticles Magnificat and Nunc dimittis. It is this Magnificat that is sung this morning. Finally, in 1956 Howells completed his Collegium Regale collection by setting The Office of Holy Communion. Howells’s Collegium Regale settings all feature an extraordinarily expressive partnership between voices and organ. Howells’s Song of Mary for King’s College begins with a subtle and reflective gentleness and ends with an exuberant and mighty Gloria Patri.

The postlude on Sunday is by the celebrated African American composer Adolphus Hailstork (b. 1941), currently professor of composition at Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia. In Hailstork’s Toccata on “Veni Emmanuel” one can hear fragments of the fifteenth-century Advent hymn O come, O come Emmanuel, based upon the “O” Antiphons, although the entire chant melody is never stated as such. The unusual meter of five beats to the bar gives the Toccata a curious off-balanced rhythmic energy, and the harmonic dissonances may reflect a world in chaos awaiting the birth of the Savior. —David Hurd

HELP WANTED! . . . Get involved at Saint Mary’s—Volunteer opportunities!

Whether you’re new to Saint Mary's or a longtime friend of the parish, we welcome and invite you to get involved in one of the many parish guilds. No experience is required for any of these ministries. We will be happy to help train, answer questions, and assist you in getting started.

• Saint Ambrose Candle Guild oversees the use of candles, both ceremonial and decorative, at Saint Mary’s. This includes maintenance of the office lights, hanging lamps, Advent and paschal candles, and creating displays of extra candles on the altar for major feasts. Please contact Brendon Hunter to learn more.

• Saint Bede Guild of Readers is a faithful group of Saint Marians who read the lessons at Mass and other principal services throughout the year. Some members of the guild also chant the Prayers of the People at Solemn Masses and the Epistle on major feasts. Please contact MaryJane Boland to learn more.

• Saint Clare of Assisi Altar Guild cares for the many beautiful sets of linens and vestments that are seen in worship services every day. This ranges from laundering and ironing purificators to preparing special sets of vestments for feast days. Guild members also clean and care for the sacred vessels and prepare liturgical books for Mass and other services. Other ongoing work the guild hopes to take on includes the preservation and restoration of many fine antique vestments and linens currently in storage. Please contact Marie Rosseels or Brendon Hunter to learn more.

• Neighbors in Need Drop-in Days are the core of outreach ministry at Saint Mary's. This dedicated group includes members of the clergy, their spouses, members of the congregation and friends of Saint Mary’s in our neighborhood who organize clothing and other basic necessities such as toiletries for a monthly drop-in on the third Friday of the month. Please contact MaryJane Boland, Marie Rosseels, or Father Jay Smith to learn more.

• Saint Raphael’s Guild of Ushers are the first line of contact and often a first impression of Saint Mary's for so many people as they greet people at the doors before and after services, ensure that any offerings and the elements for the Eucharist collected and brought to the altar, and many things in between. Please contact Marie Rosseels to learn more.

• Saint Thérèse of Lisieux Flower Guild creates all of the floral arrangements at the altar and shrines in the church for Sundays, feast days, and other services and events as needed. They also craft other special items such as the Advent wreath, crèche at Christmas, and Altar of Repose for Maundy Thursday. Please contact Brendon Hunter to learn more.

• The Communications Guild is responsible for two of the most visible parts of Saint Mary’s—our livestream of worship services online and taking photos that are used in the Angelus, website, and social media. If you can take a picture or video with your phone, you can do this ministry! Training to manage the livestream will be provided. Come, give it a try: you’ll discover how much fun it is! Please contact Blair Burroughs or Father Smith for more information.

• Saint Vincent's Guild of Servers consists of the lay members of the congregation who assist the clergy in the worship services from Evensong to Solemn Mass. In many parishes these are called acolytes. At Saint Mary’s the servers also handle other aspects of worship including setup and cleanup and other needs for special services. Please contact MaryJane Boland, Brendon Hunter, or Grace Mudd for more information.

NEIGHBORS IN NEED . . . We hope to receive donations of new or lightly used winter coats during the winter months. The coats should be clean. Their pockets should be empty, and the zippers, if any, should be in good repair . . . At our monthly Drop-by Days, we distribute clothing, toiletry, and hygiene items—and Metro Cards when they are available—to those in need in the Times Square neighborhood. Our next Drop-by Day is scheduled for Friday, January 21. Volunteers work from 1:30 PM until 3:30 PM. Our guests are invited into the church at 2:00 PM, and we close our doors at 3:00 PM. We need six (6) volunteers for each Drop-by. If you would like to volunteer, please contact Marie Rosseels, MaryJane Boland, or Father Jay Smith. You may reach them by calling the Parish Office at 212-869-5830. The January Drop-by will take place on Friday, January 21.

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION . . . The Sunday morning Adult-Education Class has begun its Christmas Break. Adult Education will resume on Sunday, January 9, 2022, at 9:30 AM, when we will begin a new Bible-Study series. Each week we will discuss the gospel lesson appointed for that Sunday. This series, Reading Sunday’s Gospel and Getting Ready for Mass will continue until mid-February (January 9, 16, 23, 30, and February 6 and 13). The class will be taught by Father Jacobson, Father Smith, and Father Powell, who will take turns leading the class . . . Then on February 20 and 27, VK McCarty will lead a two-part series, Women Witnessed in the Ministry of Saint Paul, in which she will talk about women such as Lydia, Prisca, Phoebe, Euodia and Syntyche. VK’s book, From their Lips: Voices of Early Christian Women, was recently published by Gorgias Press . . . Father Powell will resume his series on the Holiness Code on the Sundays in Lent.

FROM THE FLOWER GUILD. . . Donations for Christmas Flowers are most welcome from members and friends of Saint Mary's. No amount is ever too small (or too large!) and will be put to creating everything from the creche installation to the wreaths and garlands on the building exterior to the altar flower arrangements. Please go online to Saint Mary's donation page, click on "Give Now", and to the right of the amount entered select "Flowers" from the Fund menu. Checks can be mailed to the parish at 145 West 46th Street, New York, NY 10036 and please note "Christmas Flowers" on the memo line. Flower donation envelopes are also available at the back of the church and can be left in any shrine box or in the offering basket during services. Volunteers for Christmas Flowers are needed for many different things - including plenty of non-creative items that do not involve any artistry. You do not have to have been a member of the Flower Guild or a member of the parish to help. The production starts Saturday, December 18 and ends with dismantling on Saturday, January 8 with many things in between. Please contact Brendon Hunter if you are interested in helping the Flower Guild this Christmas and to get a copy of the latest schedule of volunteer opportunities. Donations for altar flowers are available for many Sundays and feast days in 2022, including the Feast of the Epiphany, Baptism of Our Lord, and Sundays January 16, 23, and 30. The suggested donation is $250 which provides flowers on the high altar; shrines of Christ the King, Blessed Virgin Mary, and Sacred Heart; and/or other locations depending on the commemoration or feast on the calendar. The donation amount can be divided between more than one donor. If there is a special commemoration for a departed loved one, celebration taking place, or favorite feast day you would like to have in 2022, please consider reserving that now. To arrange a donation for the altar flowers for a Sunday or feast day, please contact Chris Howatt or Father Smith. For questions about flowers and the Flower Guild, please speak with Brendon Hunter.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR . . . Monday, December 27, Saint Stephen, Deacon and Martyr (transferred), Mass 12:10 PM . . . Tuesday, December 28, Saint John the Evangelist (transferred), Mass 12:10 PM . . . Saturday, January 1, The Holy Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Said Mass 12:10 PM . . . Thursday, January 6, The Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

SAINT MARY’S ONLINE CENTERING PRAYER GROUP . . . The Saint Mary’s Centering Prayer Group continues to meet! The group meets online, via Zoom, every Friday at 6:30 PM. If you are interested in participating, please send an e-mail to this address. The convenors of the group will then send the link to the Zoom meeting.

 This edition of the Angelus was written and edited by Father Stephen Gerth and Father Jay Smith. Father Matt Jacobson is responsible for posting the newsletter on the parish website and distributing it via mail and e-mail, with the assistance of Christopher Howatt, parish administrator, and parish volunteer, Clint Best.