Dear Friends,
This Sunday, we welcome back the full choir of Men and Boys at 11am and 4pm. At evensong, we will commission a new Head and Deputy Head Chorister and admit a new chorister to our choir. I love the first Sunday after the Choir School resumes; it is a reminder that our great church building is not a museum to past glory, but a living community of faith. When you hear the clatter of children’s feet on the floor, and their joyful chatting as they gather again, we are connected to past worshippers but also very much in the present moment. The Bicentennial is almost upon us and the various committees have worked so hard to ensure that we will celebrate our parish in so many ways.
Recently, at an Annual Appeal Committee meeting, we reflected on the success of our regular livestreaming of worship and concerts. Last Sunday, I met two couples – one from California, the other from Texas, who introduced themselves as ‘members of your livestream congregation!’ Every week I meet someone who regularly worships with us on-line. Even the daily shrine prayers (which are simply audio and not video) receive regular listeners. These people really feel that they belong and many of them are becoming pledging members. Our next step is to find ways to engage with them as members of the community. There are so many aspects of our life that are not livestreamed – social gatherings, bible studies, contemplative prayer, senior lunches, coffee hours to name just a few. In particular, our 9am mass with the Noble singers and our Sunday School ministry is not accessible to many on-line. As we begin our Bicentennial year, perhaps we can think about new ways of connecting and forming small pastoral groups too. To that end, Fr. Schultz is exploring ways that people can meet with a priest or trained lay person for prayer.
However, all of this also makes me think about those of us who live close enough to attend Saint Thomas in person. The pandemic has changed church attendance all over the globe, and many churches are finding that livestreaming has also reduced the numbers of people in church. A lot of parishioners who were very regular in their attendance before the pandemic tell me that they now mix livestream attendance and in-person worship. Perhaps the return of the full choir and, in particular, the celebrations of our Bicentennial might be an encouragement for folk to be more intentional in their in-person attendance. Being together in church is important for we are the body of Christ – a community built on his love and formed in his image. As your parish priest, please be assured that I am not lecturing you! However, as your parish priest I do want to encourage all of us to think about our attendance at services this coming program year, and that includes the quiet daily mass at 12pm, and our weekday choral evensongs.
We do solemn choral liturgy very, very well; however, the daily pattern of prayer in mass and choral evensong is the heartbeat of our community life. Please avail yourself of this treasure.
I now need to share some health news with you.
Recently, I underwent tests related to some breathing issues I was experiencing. Scans revealed that my thyroid has been growing abnormally and I have benign tumors growing in my chest cavity compressing my trachea (substernal multinodular goiter).
Even though the tumors are benign, their size and location means that my doctor wants to remove them and perform a partial thyroidectomy at the same time.
There is never a good time to have surgery during the program year at Saint Thomas! But we have a great team of lay and ordained staff, so I have elected to have the surgery on September 19 so that it does not interfere with the Bicentennial Celebrations which, of course, are followed by the great feasts of All Saints, All Souls, Remembrance, and then Advent, followed by the December concert and carol service season, and finally Christmas.
I have been advised by my doctors that I must expect to be off work for two weeks recovering from the surgery, assuming that all goes well. I would value your prayers on and after September 19.
Your pastor and priest,
Carl
