The Rector's Message for the Week of August 16, 2020

Rector Turner
The Reverend Canon Carl Turner

Dear Friends,

On Sunday we kept the beautiful feast of St. Mary the Virgin and Bishop Andrew St. John celebrated. Many years ago, a wise old priest said to me that whatever we say about Mary should say something about her Son. We do not worship Mary, we worship Jesus, but we do honor Mary and, therefore, honor her Son. The teachings of the church about Mary are all about baptismal grace, and the belief that Christ has conquered death and brought the promise of new life. The Collect of the Day from our Prayer Book puts it very simply:

“O God, who hast taken to thyself the blessed Virgin Mary, mother of thy incarnate Son: Grant that we, who have been redeemed by his blood, may share with her the glory of thine eternal kingdom.”

In that simple prayer are some powerful themes; Mary’s place in heaven; our belief in the incarnation; the effects of Christ’s saving death on the Cross; and the promise of eternal life.

Instead of the usual prayers of the people, we will offer intercessions at the Shrine of our Lady of Fifth Avenue, as we do Monday to Saturday at 12pm. It will be a chance to experience how Saint Thomas Church has remained an oasis of prayer. The final prayer was written by the eleventh Rector, Father John Andrew, and like that wise old priest I mentioned earlier, it says as much about Jesus as it does Mary:

We come to you, Holy Mother,
to ask for your prayers.
You give us all encouragement to approach you
as your children whose brother,
your son Jesus Christ,
we claim as our blessed Savior and yours.
Help us now, we ask you,
with a prayer to him on our behalf and for his sake. Amen.

The most important part, of course is “our blessed Savior and yours.”


Update on Worship

With great joy, we have welcomed several of you for private prayer and small services in the past few weeks as part of our limited public worship schedule. This schedule presently includes noontime Shrine Prayers and then Mass in theChantry Chapel from Monday through Saturday, with our safety protocols that have been working well. The church has also been open for private prayer on these days from 10am to 2pm.

I am pleased to announce that we will extend our opening for private prayer and begin a phased re-introduction of Sunday worship from September 13. A said Mass will be offered at 9am in the Chantry (or at the High Altar if numbers warrant it). We will be inviting parishioners to register in advance on-line so that we can prepare the church with designated seating. Anyone who arrives without prior registration will need to register in the Narthex as happens on weekdays. More details will be shared in the coming weeks.

The Choir will be returning on October 18 when we hope to have our first choral service with a small ensemble of the Gentlemen of the Choir at 11am, in addition to a said Mass at 9am. Until then, we will continue to record a sung celebration which will be available on-line from 8am each Sunday.


Digital Expansion: Livestream

Saint Thomas Church has been a pioneer in online ministry through the audio broadcast of its services and concerts. These broadcasts, and now our pre-recorded video broadcasts of service, have served to make our local parish part of a global community of fellow worshippers and friends.

Our Interim Director of Communications writes:

“Saturday marks the five-month anniversary of our liturgical webcasts, which began almost by surprise on March 15, 2020, the last time we had the Gentlemen of the Choir gathered with us. In that time, we have delivered 26 services to the Saint Thomas community and beyond, in some of the most trying and uncertain times many of us have experienced in our lifetimes. That’s upwards of 50 hours of worship. And in that time, we have tracked 70,000 views on the webcasts. It’s worth noting that we have also made our daily Intercessions and Mass available as an audio livestream, which have reached hundreds. I send my deepest gratitude to every member of this team and I look forward to sharing the beautiful traditions of this faith through this pandemic and beyond.”

Thanks to the generosity represented by a bequest from the Merow Foundation, we will soon be able to enhance our global broadcasting to include live video. We are now in the process of equipping our church with a network of state-of-the-art cameras and equipment that will allow us to livestream both audio and video across the globe. The new robotic cameras will provide a wide variety of high-definition views into all parts of the church, including the Chantry Chapel and the organ console. With this extraordinary technology, the beauty of our liturgies, concerts, and, indeed, any event held in the church will be able to be widely shared, expanding our global community in ways that will be a blessing to witness. We are grateful to the Merow Foundation for this gift in memory of faithful parishioners John and Mary Alyce Merow. The Buildings Committee has a working group that includes architectural and technological consultants to ensure that the project is in keeping with our beautiful building.


Choir and Choir School News

I mentioned that the full choir of men and boys will not be returning on September 13. You can read a letter from the Interim Head of School, Amy Francisco, about our exciting plans for the Choir School this coming term. These plans will ensure that the choristers have a full musical program until late October, and honor the unique nature of our Choir School.

On Sunday, August 23, Amy will join us for our on-line coffee hour and give a short presentation on the Choir School and take questions. If you have a question for Amy, please email Father Moretz so she can prepare.


Congratulations to Kevin Hearne

After eighteen and a half years working at Saint Thomas Church Fifth Avenue, Kevin Hearne has accepted a new post with the Community Foundation of New Jersey, a not-for-profit foundation which pools donations into investments and grants, primarily for local social improvement.  Although he has expressed his sadness at leaving Saint Thomas, this new role is exactly the field he had hoped to work in and is also only 20 minutes from his home.

Barbara Pettus writes:

“During his 18 years with Saint Thomas, Kevin Hearne interacted with every department and most committees. Initially hired as Senior Accountant and later promoted to Controller, his responsibilities went well beyond those titles.  Kevin’s expertise was sought by the Vestry, the Development Department, Music Department, Concert Series, and Choir School as well as the Investment Committee, the Building Committee, the Audit Committee, and many more. If he didn’t know the answer to a problem, he figured it out, often taking courses to learn a new skill. He is patient, hardworking, and loyal to the core, and he was a willing teacher to many on both the church and school staff.  And, somehow, working extra hours and having a long and often unpredictable commute, he kept a smile on his face and maintained a sense of humor. The Finance Office will not be the same without Kevin.”

We wish Kevin Godspeed, and we are delighted that he will support the Finance Office over the coming weeks with appropriate hand-over.


Theotokos

Finally, let me end with the theme that started this week’s letter and share with you a beautiful sonnet by Malcolm Guite titled, Theotokos.

You bore for me the One who came to bless
And bear for all and make the broken whole.
You heard His call and in your open ‘yes’
You spoke aloud for every living soul.
Oh gracious Lady, child of your own child,
Whose mother-love still calls the child in me,
Call me again, for I am lost, and wild
Waves suround me now. On this dark sea
Shine as a star and call me to the shore.
Open the door that all my sins would close
And hold me in your garden. Let me share
The prayer that folds the petals of the Rose.
Enfold me too in Love’s last mystery
And bring me to the One you bore for me.

Affectionately,

Carl

Your Priest and Pastor