Dear Friends,
There have been two wonderful events this past week; first was the annual Church Club of New York Dinner, at which Bishop Rose was the guest speaker. There was a great turnout from Saint Thomas folk, as you can see from the picture above. The second event was a celebration to honor Kazie Metzger Harvey for her time of service as Warden of Saint Thomas Church. A representative group of parishioners and staff gathered at the Rectory and, during the evening, the Clerk to the Vestry, Chris Haley, read a resolution that the Vestry unanimously passed last December. Kazie was then presented with a framed copy of the resolution donated by parishioners and members of the Vestry, created by a calligrapher who is an expert in medieval illuminated manuscripts and illustrated using images from the Church.
Kazie has been a member of Saint Thomas Church for 50 years and, as she reminded the gathering, that means she has been associated with the church for one quarter of its existence! Kazie has served in lay leadership for over 20 of those years as Vestry member, Treasurer, and Warden; she chaired the Choir School Committee, the Search Committee for a new Head of School; oversaw the re-organization of our Finance Department, and the creation of a new Office of Institutional Advancement. She was instrumental in encouraging the Vestry to engage with the parish in strategic planning, building community and trust, and has been a steady hand at the tiller throughout the pandemic and at other difficult times. Tribute was also paid to her husband, John Harvey, and the couple were toasted for all their generosity of time, talent, and treasure. We are all pleased that Kazie is currently chairing the Bicentennial Committee, and deeply grateful to her and so many for their service to our parish.
There is a great deal of excitement around the world for the first Coronation to be held at Westminster Abbey since 1953. I know that quite a number of you plan to watch the pageantry and the service unfold, and that some of you are going to ‘watch parties’. The Coronation Liturgy has elements that have been used in Coronation liturgies in England for over 1,000 years, but some elements are still older, originating in the Hebrew scriptures, including the most solemn moment of the Coronation itself – the Anointing of the King and Queen. The role of the King and the High Priest in the Old Testament was to be a sign of unity. Psalm 133 describes very powerfully the anointing of the High Priest:
Ecce, quam bonum!
Behold, how good and joyful a thing it is: brethren, to dwell together in unity!
It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down unto the beard: even unto Aaron’s beard, and went down to the skirts of his clothing.
Like as the dew of Hermon: which fell upon the hill of Sion.
For there the Lord promised his blessing: and life for evermore.
I have to say that I thought that the service had been the same for centuries, only to discover that the Archbishop of Canterbury authorizes the liturgy after discussing it with the King, the Bishops, and other advisors. In addition to twelve new musical commissions, there are a number of new things in this Coronation Liturgy, most notably the Homage of the People. In previous Coronations the Homage has been the prerogative of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Heir to the Throne, followed by the Royal Dukes, and then the hereditary peerage in order of degree. The homage of peers alone has been replaced by the Homage of the People. The Archbishop will invite those who wish, from the United Kingdom and the other Realms, both within the Abbey and those watching and listening at home, to make their homage by sharing in the same words – a chorus of millions of voices enabled for the first time in history to participate in this solemn and joyful moment. This is a new and significant moment in the tradition of the Coronation. Never before in the history of the United Kingdom has the general public been offered such an opportunity to join with national figures in declaring their allegiance to a new Sovereign.
Click on this image to see the official liturgy and its commentary:
On Sunday, at 4pm, we will be joined by representatives of the various Missions and Consulate Generals of the Commonwealth of Nations, United Nations workers, members of the Orders of St. John and Malta, our Bishop Coadjutor-Elect, and local clergy as we hold a special evensong in thanksgiving for the Coronation. King Charles III may not be our Head of State, but the Coronation liturgy has so many themes that resonate with the sacramental and missionary life of the Church. We can all join together to wish King Charles and Queen Camilla well, and pray that in these dark and difficult times, we may be all be reminded of the importance of unity, integrity, and the path to peace.
Alison and I are delighted to have been invited to attend the Coronation Garden Party at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday. On Thursday, I will be preaching a sermon in the Chapel Royal at St. James’s Palace, and then attending the 1660 Society Dinner hosted by the Oxford and Cambridge Club. On Friday, the Dean of Westminster has invited us to join the clergy and staff of Westminster Abbey to have a private viewing of the Coronation Theater before it is opened to the public. I am also meeting with the Dean of Canterbury, and the Director of Music of Westminster Abbey, so it will be a very full, but rewarding few days. When I visit the Shrine of St. Edward the Confessor, I will say a prayer for all of you and light a candle.
Finally, we are pleased to share a fascinating video from blacksmith Louise Pezzi, who is currently creating some new gates for the narthex to replace the ones that are currently at the base of the staircase to the gallery. The current gates are not original and not in keeping with the character of the architecture of Saint Thomas and, in any case, are in need of repair or replacement. The new gates are a gift of the estate of the late Louis Beal, who was Chair of the Buildings Committee for many years and a loyal member of the Vestry. Louise Pezzi is an expert on the ironwork of Samuel Yellin, who was responsible for the exquisite metalwork of Saint Thomas Church. The gates are, therefore, being made in the traditional manner, and it is quite a lengthy process as you will see from this video below. Click on the image to play the video.
A reminder that, on May 14, Bishop Dietsche will make his last visitation before his retirement. We have parishioners, including young people, being baptized, confirmed, and received. The Bishop will be at the 9am and 11am services, and there will be special celebratory coffee hours after both services.
Alleluia. Christ is risen.
The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia.
Your Priest and Pastor,
Carl
