Dear Friends,
By now, most of you will have heard the news that Dr. Filsell and Rebecca Kellerman-Filsell will be moving on from Saint Thomas Church in the summer. We have been blessed by the extraordinary musicianship of Jeremy over the past six years. Rebecca, equally, has brought so much to our Children and Family Ministry. We will miss them terribly; they have been an important part of our parish family, and we have been through some difficult times together, not least the pandemic, but they are both people of deep integrity and they are allowing for fresh musical vision as we transition into the new collaboration with Professional Children’s School, and expand our music ministry.
Since yesterday’s Vestry message, I’ve received a few follow-up questions that prompt me to share more about the future of music-making at Saint Thomas Church Fifth Avenue.
The Choir of Men and Boys remains central to our unique choral tradition. Our collaboration with Professional Children’s School aims to keep a residential choir school for boys, preserving a tradition that has nearly vanished in the U.S. and faces challenges even in Great Britain. The Vestry is committed to this tradition, and our efforts to expand musical offerings are meant to enrich, not diminish, our mission.
In the 21st century, a Church with our resources should nurture musical formation for many, while also honoring the unique sound of a boys’ choir. The boy choristers will continue singing the same number of services as they do now. Sopranos will occasionally join the Gentlemen, especially in the summer, to perform SATB repertoire, while the Gentlemen will also sing independently, as they currently do.
The development of a girls’ choir is in its early stages, inspired by the success of the annual Girl Chorister Course. Ultimately, our recent efforts have been dedicated to preserving the Choir of Men and Boys while exploring ways to share our music with even more people in the future.
As we said in the Vestry message, the timing of this decision allows plenty of time for a robust search for Dr. Filsell’s successor. As we plan for the transition to the new mode of Choir School in September, I am pleased to tell you that Nicolas Haigh has accepted my invitation to become Acting Director of Music. He will take on that role full-time from June 9, but will be very involved in planning the 2025-2026 music program, as well as the transition arrangements with PCS.
Saint Thomas Church Fifth Avenue has been blessed with a long line of distinguished and talented Directors of Music. Alumni of the Choir School will remember the profound influence all of the directors had in shaping them as musicians. Our search process will be rigorous and far-reaching, ensuring we build not just on Dr. Filsell’s legacy but also on those of Daniel Hyde, John Scott, Gerre Hancock, William Self, T. Frederick Candlyn, and T. Tertius Noble whose visionary leadership for the Choir School we remain committed to preserving so that boys continue to have life-changing musical experiences.
With very robust giving in December, the 2025 Annual Appeal reached $1,360,000 and is now the highest it has been at this point in the campaign since 2018. Pledges to the Choir School also surged after the announcement of the collaboration with the Professional Children’s School, and have reached their highest level since 2017 at $427,000. I am grateful for this sign of support and commitment from the Saint Thomas community. The campaign is not over, though, and if you have not pledged, please do!
The Annual Appeal is far from the only source of philanthropic support Saint Thomas receives, and later this month, Chief Advancement Officer, Bruce Smith will provide an update on comprehensive giving in 2024, including Friends of Music, major gifts, and planned giving.
Last week, parishioner Frances Mintz wrote an article on a Civil Rights Pilgrimage that she and Pamela Lewis undertook last year. This week, Pamela continues that theme in her article below.
I am always grateful when parishioners send in ideas and articles to share. While we cannot guarantee their usage, your voices are heard and it is good to hear from so many of you.
I am delighted that 45 people are currently registered for this year’s Pilgrims’ Class, and 38 attended last Tuesday. 16 came for the hot meal at 6:30pm! Next week’s class will be exploring the incarnation and themes such as glory and atonement. The classes are hybrid and we have recordings for those who cannot attend on Tuesdays. Bishop Allen Shin will be with us on May 11 when we shall have one sung celebration at 10am followed by a Parish Brunch – which had great success last year. The image above was painted by Dr. Jean Michael who attended last year’s class!
Some of you may not know that Alison and I had some sad news to share this week: our beloved Cairn Terrier, Bertie, died suddenly last Monday. It was completely unexpected and quite traumatic. Alison and I have been so touched by the many messages of goodwill and kindness we have received. If you are a dog owner yourself, you will understand how much our pets become part of our families over the years. Bertie was almost 15 years old and had, therefore, reached the end of his life, but it was still a shock because he was such a spritely and lively dog.
Bertie was also very much a Saint Thomas dog. He came to church or the office every time we were there. He had beds in several offices and the sacristy, never barked, knew his way around the offices, played with the choristers, attended most Senior Lunches, and, in many respects, was a kind of service dog.
There are many memories I will cherish about Bertie from Saint Thomas. One day, the sacristy door was left open and we couldn’t find him anywhere. Simply to discover that he had jumped onto the choir stalls at the back and was quietly watching the boy choristers during their rehearsal. Another memorable moment was when we were filming a short behind-the-scenes video. As we filmed outside the elevator, the door suddenly opened to reveal Bertie sitting there riding it up and down, waiting to see if something more interesting might happen! He will be missed.
Finally, a sonnet by John Donne appropriate for our celebration of Thanksgiving for Marriage on Sunday afternoon at 4pm.
Affectionately,
Your Priest and Pastor,
Carl
The Good-Morrow
John Donne (1572-1631)I wonder, by my troth, what thou and I
Did, till we loved? Were we not weaned till then?
But sucked on country pleasures, childishly?
Or snorted we in the Seven Sleepers’ den?
’Twas so; but this, all pleasures fancies be.
If ever any beauty I did see,
Which I desired, and got, ’twas but a dream of thee.And now good-morrow to our waking souls,
Which watch not one another out of fear;
For love, all love of other sights controls,
And makes one little room an everywhere.
Let sea-discoverers to new worlds have gone,
Let maps to other, worlds on worlds have shown,
Let us possess one world, each hath one, and is one.My face in thine eye, thine in mine appears,
And true plain hearts do in the faces rest;
Where can we find two better hemispheres,
Without sharp north, without declining west?
Whatever dies, was not mixed equally;
If our two loves be one, or, thou and I
Love so alike, that none do slacken, none can die.
