From Father Beddingfield: A Cross of Iron and Air

During the Honduras mission trip two weeks ago, we were able to meet the Right Reverend Lloyd Allen, bishop of Honduras, who presented us with a cross made by the young men studying and working at St. Mary’s Technical Institute.  The cross is 22 inches by 16 inches and made of iron --pieces that are carefully curved, joined and welded.  But it is also made of air – space left between the iron, like an ornate fence or grill. 

From the Rector: Presentation

February 2 is the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple.  It is based on the account in Luke’s gospel of the bringing of the infant Jesus to the temple on the fortieth day after his birth.  Along with the feast of the Annunciation on March 25, it is one of two “Christmas” celebrations outside of the Christmas Season.  Here at Saint Mary’s it is one of the great annual celebrations in the life of our parish community.

From Father Mead: Disagreements

I offer a Bible Study most Tuesday evenings.  During Advent we looked at the Birth narratives in Matthew and Luke, and beginning this Tuesday we will look at the Passion narratives in all four gospels.  It is true that we read much of the Passion narratives each year during Holy Week – this year we read Mark’s account of the Passion on Palm Sunday, and we always read John’s account of the Passion on Good Friday – however, I think we often forget or ignore the major differences in each account . . . or maybe we just don’t know they are different at all.

From The Rector: Pace

Saint Mary’s is a place where we always have visitors and newer members at every service.  It’s truly a given around here and it’s one of the really great things about our parish.  Our response is a given too.  A lot of us, lay and clergy, work very hard to make visitors feel welcome.  There are always going to be people who need to know where we are or what is coming next.  That’s such a blessing for us, a great blessing.

From The Rector: Epiphany

One can learn a lot from buildings.  There are lots of things to be learned from our own church building.  Clearly the altar is the heart of Saint Mary’s.  But it is also clear the church was built for congregational worship.  The altar is visible from every seat in the house.  The room has extraordinarily fine acoustics.  Generations have sacrificed much to make it a sacred place for the worship of God by the people of God.

From The Rector: A Real Christmas

As the 11:00 PM Solemn Mass began on Christmas Eve I was clustered with others who would be at the end of the procession in the 47th Street doorway.  The introit had started.  Three young women entered.  Smiles and words of welcome from the Presiding Bishop, Bishop Grein and yours truly encourage them to enter.  As they slip through the clergy and servers, one turns to another and says, “This is great.  It’s a real Christmas.”  And indeed it was and is a real Christmas at Saint Mary’s.