Dear Friends,
The devastation caused by Hurricane Helene is shocking. Hundreds are dead and thousands without power. Fr. Mead introduced me to the Dean of the Cathedral of All Souls in Asheville, Sarah Hurlbert, whose Cathedral has been flooded. Mo. Sarah (neé Midzalkowski) was ordained priest alongside Fr. Matthew Mead 20 years ago by Bishop Sisk, both having been sponsored for the priesthood by Saint Thomas. Dean Sarah has just written to me:
Thanks so much for your prayers and reaching out. We’re safe and locating our parishioners as best we can. The cathedral was flooded but we have Church Insurance and a great remediation company on the ground now. We’re going back and forth between Greensboro (staying with friends) and our apartment. We have electricity but sketchy water and no internet. I’ll reach out as we know more and I’m so grateful for you all. Carl, please let me know if any of your folks are in the Asheville area and I can check with local first responders.
But now thus says the LORD,
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you. Isaiah 43:1-2a
Dean Sarah is assisting us to contact parishioners in the Asheville area of North Carolina. Meanwhile, Fr. Schultz, Mo. Lee-Pae, and I have been calling and emailing all our parishioners and supporters in North Carolina. We have 48 incredible people in our database who live in the area. We are trying to reach out to as many as we can, and Dean Sarah is also in touch with first responders. As I write this, I realize how many people have not recorded their dates of birth with us; please do check your personal record on Touchpoint – at times like these, it really helps to know who our frail or elderly parishioners are who might be the most in the need of assistance. In the meantime, please pray for our brothers and sisters affected by the hurricane.
Dean Sara and the Cathedral have created a GoFundMe campaign to assist their recovery work. Their target is modest, only $50,000. Let’s see if we, at Saint Thomas, can double that. As we approach the conclusion of our Bicentennial, with all that we have to be grateful for, I encourage everyone to make a donation, no matter how small, or to arrange a gift from their own foundation towards the work of the Cathedral of All Souls, whose Dean’s vocation was fostered at Saint Thomas.
Give to All Souls’ Cathedral Flood Disaster Fund
We now have around 150 people attending the Bicentennial closing party on Saturday evening. Also, I look forward to welcoming as many of you as possible to our celebration of Saint Thomas on Sunday. There will be the usual 7:45am said mass, then we are combining the 9am and 11am services as we did last year. The main service will be at 10am followed by a simple brunch of tasty treats. The Noble Singers will join the Choir of Men and Boys; we shall have a procession; and we shall launch the 2025 Annual Appeal “Weaving a Rich Tapestry”. At 4pm Evensong, we welcome Bishop Allen Shin, Suffragan Bishop of New York, as our preacher. Please, make every effort to attend at least one of our services in-person, or online, to celebrate our patron Saint Thomas.
There is so much for us to give thanks for, and so many people involved in our community life at the moment. In December, we will establish a new Task Force to shape community engagement, and fostering a sense of belonging. The Task Force will establish various topics, such as how does one become a member of Saint Thomas Church? How can people get involved in our parish life, particularly when they are part of our online community? What do we need to do to welcome visitors? How can we make our Church more accessible for more people? How can we connect with the hundred of thousands of visitors who come to our church during the week? Lastly, are there new ways for us to build and foster community?
Come this Sunday! Your story is one of the vibrant threads woven into the tapestry that is Saint Thomas Church and Choir School.
Finally, save the date! I am delighted to announce that the BBC are broadcasting not one, but two services from Saint Thomas Church later this year! Evensong for the eve of Thanksgiving Day on BBC Radio 3, and Sunday Morning Worship for the Feast of Christ the King on BBC Radio 4. Did you know that Radio 3’s Choral Evensong is the longest running outside broadcast program in the world? The first broadcast was from Westminster Abbey on October 7, 1926. Because of the time difference, these will not be live broadcasts, rather we have two dates for recording with the BBC. They invite, and encourage, active participation from the congregation, as there will be two great hymns at each service.
Choral Evensong for BBC Radio 3
Recording on Wednesday, November 20 at 5:30pm. Important note: The congregation must be seated by 5:15pm, and there can be no late entry.
This service will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on November 27 at 3pm GMT, and then available on-demand on the BBC website.
Sunday Morning Worship for BBC Radio 4
Recording on Thursday, November 21 at 5:30pm. Important note: The congregation must be seated by 5:15pm, and there can be no late entry.
This service will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 at 8:10 GMT and then available on-demand on the BBC website.
Affectionately,
Your Priest and Pastor,
Carl
Sonnet for St. Thomas – Malcolm Guite
“We do not know… how can we know the way?”
Courageous master of the awkward question,
You spoke the words the others dared not say
And cut through their evasion and abstraction.
Oh doubting Thomas, father of my faith,
You put your finger on the nub of things
We cannot love some disembodied wraith,
But flesh and blood must be our king of kings.
Your teaching is to touch, embrace, anoint,
Feel after Him and find Him in the flesh.
Because He loved your awkward counter-point
The Word has heard and granted you your wish.
Oh place my hands with yours, help me divine
The wounded God whose wounds are healing mine.
