News From Saint Thomas Week Beginning September 1

In this week’s news…

  • A message from the Associate Rector
  • Guest Preacher: the Rev. Fleming Rutledge
  • Celebrating the life of St. Stephen’s House
  • Visiting Lecturer
  • Save the Date: Autumnal Seniors’ Lunch

Dear Friends,

The famous educator and librarian, Elizabeth Stone, once wrote about the momentous decision to have a child, pronouncing that “it is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.” I take her point.

My little child, Samuel, continues to grow. And the entire process is completely absorbing to this particular father. For one, his teeth continue to emerge. His gums may ache from time to time, but we have been able to introduce him to several new foods. Some cuisine has been a success, and other dishes have only led to protest. But his palate is indeed expanding! Also, he is taking several steps at a time (now a literal “toddler”), and he now has his first pair of shoes. Instead of finding them stifling, he has taken to them quite well, taking ever bolder strides.

As I keep up with Samuel, I find myself sitting not only in wonder at him, but, also in wonder at this world. Whether it is through his eating or his walking or his testing out sounds, I am blessed with the chance to experience the world “again, for the first time” through his life! And in that, he is making me vividly aware that there is so very much of the world to explore. So many places to go. So many dishes to try. So many songs to sing. So many stories to tell. There is an abundance to existence that is unfathomable.

But it is not only children that can give us this vision of abundance or that can have us seeing the world anew. I personally have had touches of this same experience in certain libraries when surrounded by books, in certain crowds when surrounded by people, or outside during a bracing night when surrounded by the wind and stars. Perhaps you can think of the times when this has happened to you in other fashions?

Also, I should not neglect to mention how worship at Saint Thomas Church often has me seeing things differently. Worship in our church is truly an immersion in an exquisite orchestration of stone, glass, prayer, and music offered up to God. This has, indeed, regularly endowed this entire world with a freshness and breadth that is certainly beyond language. And there is a special wonder in knowing that this is not a personal experience, by any means, but one that we share together. Through our common worship, we are re-introduced to the world, seeing it “again, for the first time” through God’s loving and merciful eyes!

I look forward to seeing you over the course of this new “program year” ahead! We have so many songs to sing, and so many stories to tell!

Many blessings in Christ,

Matthew+


Guest Preacher: The Rev. Fleming Rutledge

The Reverend Fleming Rutledge

Award-winning author and a “teacher of preachers,” the Rev. Fleming Rutledge will be our special guest preacher for Solemn Evensong at 4pm on Sept. 8, our Patronal Feast Day. She is the author of nine books, the most recent being “The Three Hours: Sermons for Good Friday” (Eerdmans), which features sermons she preached at St. Thomas for the Holy Week of 2018. She served in parish ministry for 22 years and has been a teacher of homiletics at the University of Toronto. Please join us in welcoming her back to our pulpit!


Celebrating the life of St. Stephen’s House, Oxford

On Thursday, September 12, St. Thomas Church will welcome special guests, the staff and alumni of the seminary, St. Stephen’s House, Oxford, for Evensong at 5:30pm. The Rev. Canon Robin Ward, Principal of St. Stephen’s House, will be leading our Adult Education on Sunday, Sept. 15, at 10am and will also be our guest preacher for Festal Eucharist at 11am.

St. Stephen’s House, Oxford, is a seminary of the Church of England and one of six religious Permanent Private Halls of the Univ. of Oxford. The school offers “formation, education, and training for a variety of qualifications and ministries rooted in the catholic tradition, helping the church give faithful witness to Christ in contemporary society.” Founded in 1876, the principal founder was Bishop Edward King, the famous Tractarian. In 1980, the school moved to its current site, the former mother house of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist, also known as the Cowley Fathers.


Visiting Lecturer for 2019-20

Dr. Christopher Wells

Saint Thomas Church is pleased to announce an upcoming lecture series featuring our Guest Lecturer, Dr. Christopher Wells. Throughout the coming program year (2019-2020), Dr. Wells will travel from his home in Dallas, Texas to present his lecture series in Andrew Hall on the theme: “An Introduction to Anglicanism.” Over the course of a total of nine lectures following Evensong, he will paint a broad and engaging picture of our Anglican history and heritage.

Save the dates below for the first portion of this engaging series. The complete information about our guest lecturer and the full series may be found by following this link.


An Introduction to Anglicanism: The Long Shadow of Augustine

A Lecture Series in Andrew Hall

Tuesday, Sept. 24, 6:30-8:00pm
Wednesday, Sept. 25, 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday, Sept. 26, 6:30-8:00pm


Save the Date: Autumnal Seniors’ Lunch

The Turners invite all retired and pledging members of our parish to an Autumnal Seniors’ Lunch.

This festive event takes place on Wednesday, September 25 beginning at 12:10pm with the regular Eucharist in the Chantry Chapel, followed by a reception in the Living Room of the Parish House which will continue into a seated lunch in Andrew Hall.

RSVP to Linda Morfi at 212-757-7013, ext. 416
Or email here.

www.SaintThomasChurch.org