The Rector's Message for the Week of September 25, 2022


Rector Turner
The Rev. Canon Carl Turner, Rector of Saint Thomas Church Fifth Avenue

Dear Friends,

Last Sunday was quite an extraordinary day, and we saw Saint Thomas Church at its best with clergy, staff, choir, and volunteers working together as a team at short notice to welcome a large number of members of the Diplomatic Service – permanent missions and consulates, as well as a lot of United Nations workers.

It was glorious to see the nave filled with almost 750 people, and we had around 900 people join us via the livestream on the website. The biggest surprise, though, is the 17,000 people who have viewed the service so far on our YouTube channel, with people watching from 49 countries!

Many of you have commented on Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s State funeral on the Monday, and it felt as if we had also been able to participate albeit from a distance. That clearly meant a great deal to the British and Commonwealth members who flocked to the church, many for the first time since the pandemic started. We have received many messages of thanks and appreciation, and the suggestion that we do more together in the future.

It has often struck me that, although it is unusual for Americans to send young children of elementary school years to boarding school, there are so many British and Commonwealth people working in New York for whom that is a very natural tradition in their home countries. I am told that, currently, there are around 250,000 British nationals working in New York City – if that is the case, we need to get the word out with even more passion about our great choral tradition and unique choir school.

Soon, our choristers will travel to the Midwest, where they will take part in a Trebles’ Festival at Chicago Cathedral, and also perform in concerts in Chicago and Madison. This time, I will travel with them, and I will share our story with a as many people as possible. I will be preaching at St. James’ Cathedral at a special evensong on the Sunday. I will also take the opportunity to visit Nashotah House, and see how they are faring at the moment.

Talking of Nashotah House, Josie Godfrey, a seminarian from St. Stephen’s House, Oxford, is thoroughly engaged in our parish life at the moment and is already over halfway through her time with us. I am grateful to those who have afforded her some hospitality; if you would like to offer her lunch or dinner during her remaining time with us, please reach out directly to her or to Fr. Schultz.

All of us were delighted to welcome back to the organ bench, Benjamin Sheen, last Thursday to launch our new Concert Series. There are some fascinating facts about Ben – he has played under the direction of not one, not two, but three Directors of Music of Saint Thomas Church.  He played the final organ recital on the former Arents’ Organ and the inaugural concert on the Miller-Scott organ. He also has the most remarkable drawer filled with socks, the like of which have never been seen near an organ pedalboard before.  When I first arrived in New York eight years ago, John Scott told me that he thought Benjamin Sheen had the talent to become one of the world’s leading recitalists, if not the leading recitalist. We saw proof of that last Thursday. You still can watch the recital online, and please think about your membership of the Friends of Music.

This Sunday, the weapon-detection system that I wrote about some weeks ago will be operational. This system is designed to protect us from unscrupulous people who wish to use weapons that can hurt multiple people. Sadly, this is the world we seem to be living in, and we are doing our best to ensure that we can worship without fear and in the knowledge and love of the Lord. It may take a little adjustment for parishioners as they get used to the system which will require us having one entry door and one exit door. Please be patient with our hard-working ushers and the security personnel as they implement this piece of equipment.

Finally, this week we have the beautiful feast of St. Michael and All Angels.  On Wednesday, September 28, the Gentlemen of the Choir will sing Festal Evensong for the Eve, and on Thursday, September 29, the Choir of Men and Boys will sing the Solemn Eucharist, with a sermon by Fr. Schultz. (Please note that there was a mistake in the worship schedule sent out on Friday).

On Sunday, we keep our Feast of Dedication of the Church, and we have a visiting preacher, the Very Rev. Harry E. Kraus, a former Vicar of our Church and retired Dean of Rhode Island. At evensong that day, there will be a Solemn Te Deum sung by the choir at the end of evensong. As we make plans for our Bicentennial Celebrations beginning in October 2023, this Feast of Dedication will be a way to say ‘thank you’ for our beloved Church and Choir School that comes out of a global pandemic, and many other troubles in the world, with good heart.

“Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

1 Peter 2:4-5