Dear Friends,
This year, we ended the Choir School term on a weekday. Valedictory Evensong last Thursday was a beautiful occasion and if you were unable to be present, I recommend watching the on-demand service. The Commencement Ceremony will be very different this year because of current COVID. restrictions, but we will honor our Grade 8 boys as they leave us for pastures new. I always say to the Choristers who are leaving that I hope they always think of Saint Thomas Church and Choir School as their ‘second home’.
We continue to monitor the situation regarding the pandemic but, at the moment, there are still unvaccinated people coming to church so we need to be patient and continue social distancing and mask wearing for the time being. A note about seating – our pews are not six feet apart which is why half of them are not used at the moment. The pews that are being used are marked with yellow tape to indicate where the person or persons should sit. This ensures that we comply with social-distancing. Please do not sit in a pew marked with an X but please do sit near the yellow marker on the back of the pew you are assigned. I have asked the ushers and security to ensure that people continue to sit socially distant and to wear masks.
As more and more people are coming back to in-person worship, numbers attending our virtual coffee hour have dwindled. This Sunday, Memorial Day weekend, will be the last weekly virtual Coffee Hour for the summer. During the summer, we will have one virtual coffee hour per month – June 20, July 18, August 15 – do join us on those occasions. We hope to begin in-person coffee hours after Labor Day and we will let you know further details as the summer progresses.
On Monday, Memorial Day, the National Pilgrimage to the Shrine of our Lady of Walsingham will happen on-line. For those who are interested in attending some of the events or services, click on the image of the ruined Abbey above to go to the Shrine webpage that has the livestream prepared. Remember that they are five hours ahead so the Pilgrimage Mass will be in the early morning EST. However, the sermon will be preached later in the day.
Finally, Rhonda Shearer’s charity Cut Red Tape 4 Heroes is appealing for volunteers to assist with distributing free PPE to frontline workers at Kings County Hospital/ University Hospital of Brooklyn SUNY DOWNSTATE on June 10th. Here is how you can help:
- If you can load the truck, please be at 62 Greene St. Soho at 8:45 a.m,=.
- If you can help unload and setup, please arrive at King’s County Hospital /University Hospital of Brooklyn at 10:30 a.m.
- Actual Handing out Event is from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Please email Sydney Smith [email protected] if you can help or call or text Rhonda at 917-389-4250.
Happy a wonderful Holiday Weekend!
Affectionately,
Your Priest and Pastor,
Carl
Holy Sonnet XIV
John Donne (1572-1631)
Batter my heart, three-person’d God, for you
As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise and stand, o’erthrow me, and bend
Your force to break, blow, burn, and make me new.
I, like an usurp’d town to another due,
Labor to admit you, but oh, to no end;
Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captiv’d, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love you, and would be lov’d fain,
But am betroth’d unto your enemy;
Divorce me, untie or break that knot again,
Take me to you, imprison me, for I,
Except you enthrall me, never shall be free,
Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.
