Dear Friends,
On Sunday, at 4pm, we shall celebrate the first evensong of All Saints’ Day. On Monday, November 1, we are all delighted that the Choir of Men and Boys will sing the Solemn Eucharist of All Saints at 5:30pm. That joyful celebration will be in stark contrast to the solemn nature of All Souls’ Day on Tuesday, November 2. Again, the Choir of Men and Boys will sing at 5:30pm. The Requiem Eucharist is very ‘spare’ and the organ is not used at all. Even the liturgical colors are opposite – white or gold for All Saints and black, the color of mourning, for All Souls. The Church has deliberately placed these two holy days next to each other. We are all called to be Saints – to live holy lives – but our mortality is a reminder that separation from those whom we love but see no longer is hard. I encourage you to attend these two holy days and experience for yourself the power of the Gospel to affirm the promises of Jesus that he is the resurrection and the life and that our home is in heaven with all the Saints, but also to acknowledge human grief and sadness which many of us will live with until we are reunited with our loved ones.
If you wish to have the names of loved ones remembered, please email them to reception@saintthomaschurch.org and they will be placed on the altar at each of the masses. If you wish a name to be read out on All Souls’ Day at Shrine Prayers at 12pm, please send it to prayer@saintthomaschurch.org or use the prayer request tab on the website.
Many of you know Denny Collier and his father, Denny Collier Sr. who carved our beautiful new organ case. The workmanship is, quite simply, exquisite. Denny and his wife, Rad, lost their mothers recently and he has been carving a new altar cross to complete the set of cherry wood candlesticks he turned for use at funerals, memorials, and in Lent. They were given to the Church by Betty Burr in memory of her mother. Denny has been sharing some photographs of the cross as he has worked on it – it is very beautiful. We hope that we will have it for All Souls’ Day.
All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day set the character of the liturgical month of November. On Sunday, November 7, we continue the celebration of All Saints and welcome our new Associate for Pastoral Care, Father Mark Schultz. The 11am mass will be followed by a special coffee hour in the Narthex and I hope that many of you will come to welcome Fr. Schultz.
On Thursday, November 11, we remember our war dead and pray for all veterans at the World War II Memorial Altar in the Narthex. November 1 is also the feast day of St. Martin of Tours, who himself was a soldier in the Imperial Roman Army, but became a monk-bishop and an inspiration to many, including St. Patrick.
On Sunday, November 14, we keep Remembrance Sunday. In the morning, at 11am, the choir will sing the Duruflé Requiem and we will welcome a special guest – The Most Rev. Michael Lewis, Archbishop of Cyprus and the Gulf and Primate of the Anglican Churches in the Middle East. Archbishop Michael will lead the 10am Adult Education session before preaching at the 11am Requiem Eucharist.
At 4pm on the same day, we welcome the New York Historic and Patriotic Societies for the 100th gathering. The service will include an Act of Remembrance, Taps, and the Blessing of the Colors. For the first time, we will be joined by members of the Buffalo Association Soldiers of West Point which acknowledges the contributions of African American Veterans in Army history. Our preacher that evening is an Army Veteran and former Priest of this parish, The Very Rev. Harry Kraus.
November continues with the great celebration of Thanksgiving Day and the Feast of Christ the King, then we turn to Advent!
Congratulations to our Head Verger, Aaron Koch, who was recently honored with a Volunteer Champion award by Gigi’s Playhouse NYC at their annual Gala for his dedication and time given to the organization. Gigi’s Playhouse works with children and young people with Down syndrome and seeks to build a community where all are accepted and using free educational, therapeutic, and career-based programs. Some of us were able to watch the ceremony on-line, and also see the wonderful entertainment of some of these talented individuals. As I said in my sermon last Sunday, they exemplify the writing of the word disabled by some of my disabled friends in the UK as disABLED! Congratulations Aaron! You can find out more about the project, https://gigisplayhouse.org/newyork/.
Dr. Filsell has composed some new musical settings for the Gospel Alleluia and the Gospel Acclamations. We will use some of them for the first time on All Saints’ Sunday, November 7. There will be a brief congregational practice after the choir rehearsal in church, around 10:45am for those who wish to learn them.
Finally, a message from our dear friend Bishop Andrew St. John. Some of you will know that he has been absent these past few weeks and not very well. He would like you all to know that he was recently diagnosed with multiple myeloma (which is a form of bone-marrow cancer). He is currently undergoing chemotherapy but he tells me that his prognosis is good! Please pray for him as he becomes stronger and for the success of his treatment so that we will be able to welcome him back to church in due course.
A prayer as we enter November by John Donne:
Bring us, O Lord God, at our last awakening
into the house and gate of Heaven,
to enter into that gate and dwell in that house,
where there shall be no darkness nor dazzling, but one equal light;
no noise nor silence, but one equal music;
no fears or hopes, but one equal possession;
no ends or beginnings, but one equal eternity,
in the habitations of thy glory and dominion,
world without end. Amen.
Affectionately,
Your Priest and Pastor,
Carl
