Rector's Weekly Message
Each week, the Reverend Andrew C. Mead, Rector of Saint Thomas Church, records an audio message. These messages are usually posted on Thursdays or Fridays and contain thoughts and commentary on the week ahead. To see all worship services and events for the week, please utilize the calendar. To see more from the Rector, please see the Sermon Archive and the Rector's Chronicle. To hear audio files from the Music Office, please see Music Notes.
For the Week Beginning November 7, 2010 | Download
This week the Rector speaks about saints, and therefore also the Solemnity of All Saints on Sunday, November 7.
For the Week Beginning October 31, 2010 | Download
The Rector speaks about Halloween, aka All Hallow's Eve, aka the Eve of All Saints. November is a month in which we remember: All Saints on Nov 1, All Souls on Nov 2, The Solemnity of All Saints on Nov 7, a Concert for Remembrance on Nov 12, and Remembrance Sunday on Nov 14. We hope you will join us throughout the month.
For the Week Beginning October 24, 2010 | Download
This week the Rector talks about the Very Reverend Robert Willis, Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, who is preaching on Sunday, October 24 at the 11am Choral Eucharist.
For the Week Beginning October 17, 2010 | Download
The Rector this week talks about Fr Fletcher, an old friend visiting from a far away place. Fr Fletcher is leading the 30s-40s Retreat over the weekend, and then will be serving at weekday masses over the next several weeks.
(Posted October 14, 2010.)
For the Week Beginning October 10, 2010 | Download
This week the Rector talks about hymn-singing. We work our way through a good part of the hymnal each year, when you stitch together the hymns we sing on Sunday mornings with those sung at Choral Evensong on Sundays and weekdays.
For the Week Beginning October 3, 2010 | Download
This week, as we launch the Every Member Canvass for 2011, the Rector speaks about questions of money.
As our Lord was, is, and always will be for everyone, and therefore his Church exists for everyone, so too we encourage everyone to pledge for 2011: those who live nearby and worship with us in person, those who live far away and worship with us over the webcasts, those with large incomes, those with small, and those in between.
For your conveninece, you may make your pledge online.
For the Week Beginning September 26, 2010 | Download
This week, the Rector talks about this summer's youth retreat and outreach, which was led by Fr Spurlock in August. On Sunday, September 26, the youth will give a presentation about their experience. It occurs in Andrew Hall following the 11am Festal Eucharist.
(Posted September 23, 2010.)
For the Week Beginning September 19, 2010 | Download
This week, the Rector speaks a bit about the assisting clergy, who you often hear on the webcasts. Two voices are new to us: Fr Daniels and Fr Spurlock. If you worship with us in person, be sure to introduce yourself to them before or after a service. The Rector also speaks about Fr Austin and his recently released book Up with Authority. It is available in our bookstore, and there is a booksigning during coffee hour on September 19.
For the Week Beginning September 12, 2010 | Download
The Rector talks about (1) our mission and (2) the return of the boys to the Choir School, and why those two things are not coincidental.
For the Week Beginning September 5, 2010 | Download
Although we near fall, the Rector talks about spring...in our step, that is, as we start the full choral season beginning immediately after Labor Day.
Weekday Choral Evensong begins Tuesday, September 7 at 5:30pm with the Gentlemen of the Choir; Sunday Choral Evensong begins Sunday, September 12 at 4pm with the full Choir of Men & Boys.
For the Week Beginning August 29, 2010 | Download
The Rector this week discusses what happens—what can happen—as one finishes one's life.
For the Week Beginning August 22, 2010 | Download
This week, the Rector speaks of the clarity that comes from the vulnerable trust of a child, and asks us to consider being more childlike, though not childish.
For the Week Beginning August 15, 2010 | Download
This week, the Rector considers Saint Mary, whom we celebrate on Sunday, August 15. There is much on this website with regard to Mary, especially in the Sermon Archive, where, among many other sermons, you will find these: by Fr Stafford in 2009, by Fr Austin in 2008, by Fr Andrew in 2007 and by Father Mead in 2005. What's more, coming in May 2011, the Saint Thomas Choir of Men & Boys, under the direction of John Scott, will sing a concert In Praise of Mary. You may purchase tickets here. The concert occurs just a couple of weeks prior to the Feast of the Visitation on May 31, for which we will have a Festal Eucharist with the Gentlemen of the Choir at 5:30pm.
For the Week Beginning August 8, 2010 | Download
Fresh back from vacation, the Rector talks about the importance of—the commandment to—rest.
For the Week Beginning August 1, 2010 | Download
The Rector completes his five-week series on the Ordinary of the Mass, discussing this week the Agnus Dei. The Mass Setting for the 11am Choral Eucharist on Sunday, August 1 is Josef Rheinberger's Cantus Missae. It is sung by participants in this year's Saint Thomas Girls' Course, along with the Gentlemen of the Choir.
For the Week Beginning July 25, 2010 | Download
The Rector continues his discussion of the Ordinary of the Mass, focusing this week on the Benedictus. The setting at the July 25 11am Festal Eucharist for the Feast of Saint James is Sumsion's Communion Service in F.
For the Week Beginning July 18, 2010 | Download
The Rector continues his discussion of the Ordinary of the Mass, this week with particulars about the Sanctus. On Sunday, July 18, the Mass Setting at the 11am Choral Eucharist is Mozart's Missa Brevis in D.
For the Week Beginning July 11, 2010 | Download
The Rector continues his talk through the Ordinary of the Mass, this week focusing on the Gloria in excelsis. On Sunday July 11, the setting of the Mass is Harold Darke's Communion Service in F.
For the Week Beginning July 4, 2010 | Download
This week, the Rector begins a five-week series on the five parts of the Ordinary of the Mass. On this audio recording he focuses on the Kyrie eléison.
At Saint Thomas, the choir generally does not sing both the Kyrie and the Gloria (except on rare occassions such as Easter Day), singing the Kyrie generally only during the penetential seasons of Advent and Lent (although not when we sing the Great Litany instead). The Kyrie is also sung a few other times each year, such as Remembrance Sunday in November. However, because we are in the season after Pentecost, if you look at this Sunday's leaflet, you will not see the Kyrie listed after the Collect for Purity, but instead the Gloria.
For the Week Beginning June 27, 2010 | Download
In this week's message, the Rector discusses the "green season" of these Sundays after Pentecost, and in so doing explains years A, B and C of the Prayer Book Lectionary.