The Rector's Message for the Week of November 17, 2024

The Rev. Canon Carl F. Turner, XIII Rector of Saint Thomas Church Fifth Avenue

Dear Friends,

I am grateful for the many messages of support and goodwill that we have received from many people since the Vestry’s announcement about the future of the Choir School. I am also grateful to learn of offers of practical help from those who were once part of the Choir School in the past – thank you.

Now that the Vestry has decided not to close the school but to outsource the academic program to another school, the hard work begins. There will be significant changes, and we need to work out carefully how those changes will be managed and implemented over the coming months and years. I am also conscious that, since the school will cease to be an accredited academic institution at the beginning of June, we will bid farewell to some loyal and hardworking faculty and staff. For them, the Vestry decision is a bittersweet announcement. While our unique choral heritage has a chance to continue and grow, we recognize that there are also consequences as a result of this change.

Soon it will be Thanksgiving Day and wherever you plan to be over that most wonderful American celebration, I pray that it may be filled with joy. If you are traveling, I pray that your travels will be safe and uneventful; if you are at home, that you are able to reflect on how God has blessed you.

As usual, on Thanksgiving Day, the Choir of Men and Boys will sing at a most beautiful service. I love this day so much! I usually have some friends or family staying from Britain, and the excitement in the morning as the parade approaches Sixth Avenue is palpable. I always enjoy crossing 6th Avenue and looking at the huge numbers of people (as well as those outrageous inflatable characters!) on my way to mass. We always have a lot of visitors to the 11am service, but I do encourage you, if you are in town, to consider coming to Saint Thomas in-person and bringing friends and family with you – it is a perfect way to begin this most important of feasts. Yes, it is a feast! Our Book of Common Prayer includes Thanksgiving Day as a major Feast Day, and that makes it all the more important not to let go of the religious aspect of Thanksgiving. If you cannot be with us in-person you will, of course, be able to join us on-line via the livestream.

Several of you have asked to see some pictures of my visit to the UK two weeks ago, so I include a few here.

In May of this year, we had a very successful celebration of the Centennial of the twinning of York and New York, attended by a large delegation from Church, state, retail, and commerce. During the visit, I was utterly surprised to be made a member of the Company of Merchant Adventurers of York – a livery company founded in 1357, and still meeting in its original 14th century hall – the finest example in Great Britain. On All Saints’ Day, I attended the annual Venison Feast, at which the Master Mercer of the Worshipful Company of Mercers (based in London) and I were sworn-in as members. I was asked to give the After-dinner speech, which I found a little nerve-racking, but it went down well and lots of people wanted to know more about Saint Thomas Church and its Choir School. As a boy, I used to love to go to York – where my home Cathedral is – and so there as a sense of a ‘homecoming’ for the boy from Hull. Fr. John Andrew was also born in Hull, so he and I both were ordinands from York.

The next day, All Souls’ Day, I preached in York Minster at their Solemn Requiem Eucharist. The Choir sang the Duruflé Requiem, accompanied by the newly restored organ by Harrison and Harrison of Durham. That was followed by a very happy gathering at the York Deanery, and it was good to catch up again with some of those who came to New York in May. A representative of the St. George’s Society of New York was also present.

Sunday morning, I caught an early train from York and arrived at Kings’ Cross Station. In the afternoon, I preached at Westminster Abbey. Mr. Nethsingha, the Director of Music (whose father, Lucian Nethsingha, was a former Organist and Master of the Choristers of Exeter Cathedral) had chosen splendid repertoire, and I was particular pleased to hear the choir sing as the anthem Parry’s ‘Blest Pair of Sirens,’ which ends with words that were very appropriate for my sermon on November – the month of remembrance:

O may we soon again renew that song,
And keep in tune with heaven, till God ere long
To his celestial concert us unite,
To live with him, and sing in endless morn of light.

In York and London, so many people are supportive of our life and our mission, and I was taken by the large number of them who told me that they worship with us on-line even though they have access to some glorious buildings with choirs making equally glorious music. I am also astonished how many people look at our website, our social media posts, and read our weekly e-news. To that end, have you thought about sharing our weekly news with your friends? All of us can share the good news of Saint Thomas Church, even if we cannot travel.

Finally, a reminder about the two BBC Recordings coming up. Please note that the congregation at each of these needs to be seated by 5:15pm at the latest. The BBC (as is the case with live and recorded broadcasts that they produce) has asked that there be no late-entry. So, please do come early if you wish to attend the BBC Radio 3 Choral Evensong or the Radio 4 Sunday Worship. We also need your voices to sing the hymns!