To the Parish Family of Saint Thomas Church Fifth Avenue,
After the events of yesterday and last night in Midtown Manhattan and throughout the country, we wanted to give you a brief update. You may have seen disturbing media footage of the looting of the Microsoft Store, opposite Saint Thomas Church. You also may also have heard that several small fires were set (and quickly extinguished thanks to the FDNY) on the same street as our Choir School. Please know that all of the people who work and live in our buildings are safe, if shaken. Thankfully, we can report that our buildings themselves are undamaged.
With gratitude to Angel Estrada, our Facilities Manager, and Robbie Gianetta, our security officer, and his team, our various precautions will continue. Tomorrow, this will also include the addition of panels to cover certain stained-glass windows set in the wall of the Chantry Chapel abutting 53rd Street. We will be installing these temporary panels, not intending to communicate any statement, but merely as a protective measure for these fragile and irreplaceable works of sacred art which tell the story of this parish and our faith.
We will continue to keep you updated, as needed, during this time of inner and societal turmoil. Our worship, conversation, and prayer will also continue as a parish, illumined by the light of our history unfolding before us, day by day, and even hour by hour.
There is a great deal of heightened emotion, and, at coffee hour last Sunday, we had a moving and poignant discussion as to how the Saint Thomas Church community can contribute positively to these quickly-changing events going forward. Those who participated in that discussion came from very diverse backgrounds and cultures and, perhaps, there lies our strength as a Christian Community. As Sr. Promise reminded us at our pastoral meeting today, one of the greatest things that the Saint Thomas Family can do is to continue conversations with an open eaar and an open heart. My clergy colleagues and I hope to do that in the weeks ahead, and to continue to pray for peace as well as for justice.
This morning, we prayed this prayer together and we invite you to do so with us this evening before you go to bed and for the rest of this week.
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Carl, Matthew, Adam, Alison, Patrick, Ryan, Marie Promise.
