Dear Friends,
What glorious weather we are enjoying, and the perfect preparation for the celebration of the Feast of Pentecost on Sunday!
The CDC has issued new guidance to the use of masks and social distancing for fully vaccinated people. The Governor has adopted this new guidance but, of course, there are still restrictions in place and we are all asked to be careful in congregate settings. We have decided that, for the time being, we will continue to wear masks in addition to six-feet social distancing in Church in order to protect anyone who might attend who is not fully vaccinated. In any case, schools are still required to wear masks. However, we have decided that the congregation may now join in the hymns rather than just responses and acclamations.
Until advised otherwise, we still encourage you to pre-register for all in-person choral worship.
Congratulations to Sister Promise who, last Wednesday, graduated at the General Theological Seminary as a Master of Divinity with a Certificate in Spiritual Direction. Congratulations also to Fr. Bennett who graduated as a Master of Arts, cum laude (Spiritual Direction). They both received prizes – Fr. Bennett received the Alumni Prize in Ecclesiastical History, and Sr. Promise the Church and Society Prize for work on urban life and ministry.
On Thursday, May 27, we shall hold a Valedictory Evensong to honor the Grade 8 boys who are graduating from the Choir School. Like all our choral services, this will be video livestreamed and available on demand. It will also be open to the public. So that we can ensure that parents are able to register in advance, registration for parishioners who wish to attend will open on Monday. On Saturday, May 29, the Choir School will hold its graduation ceremony and speech day at 10am. Due to limitations on numbers, this will not be open to the public, however it will be video livestreamed. Please note that it will not be available on-demand.
Finally, a poem by the great Anglican priest, George Herbert, from his collection ‘The Temple’ written in 1633.
Affectionately,
Your Priest and Pastor,
Carl
Whitsunday
Listen sweet Dove unto my song,
And spread thy golden wings in me;
Hatching my tender heart so long,
Till it get wing, and flie away with thee.
Where is that fire which once descended
On thy Apostles? thou didst then
Keep open house, richly attended,
Feasting all comers by twelve chosen men.
Such glorious gifts thou didst bestow,
That th’ earth did like a heav’n appeare;
The starres were coming down to know
If they might mend their wages, and serve here.
The sunne, which once did shine alone,
Hung down his head, and wisht for night,
When he beheld twelve sunnes for one
Going about the world, and giving light.
But since those pipes of gold, which brought
That cordiall water to our ground,
Were cut and martyr’d by the fault
Of those, who did themselves through their side wound,
Thou shutt’st the doore, and keep’st within;
Scarce a good joy creeps through the chink:
And if the braves of conqu’ring sinne
Did not excite thee, we should wholly sink.
Lord, though we change, thou art the same;
The same sweet God of love and light:
Restore this day, for thy great name,
Unto his ancient and miraculous right.
