Dear Friends,
This past week has been a joyful week of celebration for our Bicentennial and the Centenary of the twinning of old York and New York. We have had beautiful and powerful sermons from the Archbishop, and it was very moving to have our Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry, with us after several months of ill health. There was a lot of interest in the press – online and on the television – and Episcopal News Service produced a very full article.
The Symposium Communities of Faith and Civil Society: Modalities of Engagement was both thought-provoking and of an extraordinary high caliber. If you have not yet listened to the four lectures, then I encourage you to do so. On Tuesday, Professor Luke Bretherton gave a fascinating presentation on how the parish church can act as a witness to the common good; Dr. Melissa Starr gave a very personal and passionate lecture on how Christians respond to public grief and change; Archbishop Stephen responded by talking about public lamentation and the gift of tears that the Church has to offer.
On Wednesday, Dr. Angus Ritchie (who was one of my curates in East London) gave a joint presentation with Ana Ferreira on broad-based organizing as an agent for change. Their presentation was unashamedly about the Christian character of engagement with society and, in particular, the link between worship and social justice. It was filled with beautiful stories. Professor Sarah Azaransky gave a contrasting and challenging talk on Bayard Rustin and Quaker practice in New York, and how that has shaped the search for peace. Again, the Archbishop rounded off the evening with a reflection of building community and engaging with society. He reminded us that Jesus said “Blessed are the peacemakers” not peace-lovers, and that the Gospel is Good News in action.
I must pay tribute to Fr. Luigi Gioia for masterminding these stimulating talks. As we are over half way through the Bicentennial celebrations now, this is a good time to think about next steps for us as a parish, and how our strategic plan should continue to develop. We had some very insightful and thoughtful questions during the two evenings, and I am thinking hard about how accessible and open our church is to those who do not yet belong to our community, and also the kind of response we should give to those in need.
Our Young Adult Group has met twice with the Ecumenical Outreach Project Social Workers, and over the next few months, I would like us to hear more about that project and how we can be more actively involved here at Saint Thomas.
On Ascension Day, we heard a remarkable sermon from our Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry. He emphasized many times the importance of following our Lord’s command to be his witnesses. Our beautiful church on Fifth Avenue, open 365 days a year is a witness in itself – but when the people who inhabit it sow the love of Jesus and bear witness to that redeeming love, then peoples’ lives are transformed.
After the liturgy, Archbishop Stephen attended a gathering at the Permanent Mission of the Order of Malta to the UN to which other ambassadors had been invited. Ambassador Paul Beresford-Hill spoke movingly about Christian Unity and how we need to be one for the sake of the world. Archbishop Stephen reflected on the scripture text “not one of his bones shall be broken” as Christ dies on the cross, and the fact that the Church that is his body is so broken.
On Sunday, May 19 we will welcome Bishop Matthew to baptize, confirm, and receive new members of our Church. It will be a joyful celebration of Pentecost. Please note that we are combining the 9am and 11am services, and the celebration will begin at 10am. Please bring your friends and family and celebrate with our newest members.
There will be a Parish Brunch in Andrew Hall at 12pm. Tickets are $25 to include tasty hot and cold brunch food; drinks will be available for the usual donations. Places are limited, so please click here to reserve your place.
Affectionately,
Your Priest and Pastor,
Carl
An Ascension Day Sonnet
by Malcolm Guite
We saw his light break through the cloud of glory
Whilst we were rooted still in time and place
As earth became a part of Heaven’s story
And heaven opened to his human face.
We saw him go and yet we were not parted
He took us with him to the heart of things
The heart that broke for all the broken-hearted
Is whole and Heaven-centred now, and sings,
Sings in the strength that rises out of weakness,
Sings through the clouds that veil him from our sight,
Whilst we our selves become his clouds of witness
And sing the waning darkness into light,
His light in us, and ours in him concealed,
Which all creation waits to see revealed.
