FROM DR. CHARLES MORGAN ON SAYING YES: REFLECTIONS ON SERVING ON THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

After serving on the vestry of my former church in Connecticut, I made a quiet but firm vow: I would never again take on a leadership role within a church. The experience had been meaningful, but also demanding, and I believed my season of church governance had come to an end.

So when I was first approached about joining the Board of Trustees at Saint Mary the Virgin, my answer was a clear and uncomplicated no.

When I was invited a second time, however, I paused. Instead of responding immediately, I spent time in prayer. I reflected, listened, and discerned. Ultimately, I decided to say yes. I was reassured that the Board worked well together and that its members were deeply passionate about Saint Mary’s and its future.

At the time of my election, the church was in transition. A rector who had faithfully served for twenty years had just retired, and the vicar was guiding meetings while we awaited the appointment of an interim rector.

Early in my term, we received difficult news: financially, we were not in a position to call a new rector, even though a search committee had already been underway. This was a significant blow and caused disappointment and a sense of hopelessness. In hindsight, however, it proved to be a blessing.

Our interim rector was appointed priest-in-charge, and with that came a grounding message: we were all leaders, relying on God. Board service became a source of spiritual formation, with decisions prayerfully considered and meetings beginning with shared reflections.

We gathered not only for work retreats, but also for spiritual retreats. Town halls were established, creating transparency with the parish that was new to me and deeply meaningful. We were also intentionally educated in leadership by reading and discussing books written by experts on leadership within a church and spiritual context.

As I step away from the Board after three years, my feelings are bittersweet. I have seen parish participation begin to grow, and more importantly, renewed energy and hope for the future.

Before joining the Board, I served as an usher and lector. Those roles helped me feel rooted in the community and prepared me to say yes when the invitation came.

For anyone considering church leadership, my advice is simple: pray about it, speak with others who have served, and be open to saying yes—trusting God to lead. — CM

PARISH PRAYERS

We pray for the people and clergy of our sister parish, the Church of All Saints, Margaret Street, London, and for the Province of the Anglican Church of the Congo, in the Anglican cycle of prayer.

We pray for those who have asked us for our prayers, for Sue, Cassius, Jimmy, Bridget, Lorelei, Lisa, Joshua, Irma, Ruth Ann, Rosemary, Holy, Becky, Bill, Elliot, Grady, Chris, Violet, Pat, Allen, Vicki, Brendon, Nadia, Carol, Giovanna, Priya, Kavi, Ronald, Jose, Ben, Russell, Robert, Sandy, Lexi, Georgia, Desarae, David, Tony, Jan, Carlos, Liduvina, Quincy, Leroy, Margaret, and Robert; Victoria, Suzanne Elizabeth, and Laura Katherine, religious; Lind, deacon; and, Jay and Stephen, priests.

We pray for the repose of the souls of those who have died, and for those whose year’s mind is on January 18: Alice Wright (1894), Matilda Cushman Brooks (1897), Josephine Cramer Sims (1926), Ellen McAdams (1944), John Henfrey Moore (1947), and Glen Albert Rodgers (1948).

SIGN UP FOR THE PETER POWELL LECTURE ON ANGLO-CATHOLICISM AND MISSION

The inaugural Peter Powell Lecture on Anglo-Catholicism and Mission will take place on Thursday, February 12, 2026, when we host the Rev. Dr. Andrew McGowan, Dean and President and McFaddin Professor of Anglican Studies and Pastoral Theology at the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale. There will be a Choral Evensong at 5:30 PM followed by a reception and Father McGowan’s lecture, “The Tabernacle and the Streets: Reserving the Eucharist and Feeding the Poor.”

If you are planning to attend, please RSVP here, which will help us prepare properly for the event. All are welcome.

FROM FATHER WOOD: READING THE BIBLE IN 2026

I can’t think of a better resolution to make as a follower of Jesus than to commit to reading the Bible more in 2026. There are lots of ways to start —

• Sign up to read the Bible in a year via an app like YouVersion

• Listen to this great conversation between the guys behind the Bible Project and Practicing the Way

• Join us for our online parish Lectionary Bible Study every Thursday night at 6 (email me for the link)

• Or come join us for Morning and Evening Prayer every day at Saint Mary’s, where we are immersed in large swaths of sacred Scripture every day, especially the Psalms, which we pray through every month

And there are tons more ways to get more Bible into your life. Personally, this is one of my resolutions for 2026, and I pray you’ll join me! — SW

AROUND THE PARISH

Adult Formation this Sunday! — Adult Formation resumes this Sunday, January 18, with a Foundations Course on the spiritual life taught by Fr. Sammy Wood. Click here for more details about what we have planned for this semester at Adult Formation. We meet in Saint Joseph’s Hall at 9:45 AM, between the two Sunday Masses. All are welcome!

Martin Luther King Jr. Day — The parish will follow its federal holiday on Monday, January 19, for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The church is open from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM and Mass, commemorating the Confession of Saint Peter the Apostle, will be at 10:00 AM.

Rosary Guild — The Rosary Guild meets next Sunday, January 25, after the 11:00 AM Mass, to pray the rosary. All are welcome. 

Organ Recital and Solemn Mass on Candlemas — The Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple, also known affectionately as Candlemas, is on Monday, February 2. Ms. Victoria Shields, director of music and organist at Saint James the Less in Scarsdale, NY, will offer an organ recital at 5:30 PM. Her program will include works by Maurice Duruflé, Charles Wood, César Franck, and Jiří Ropek. Procession and Solemn Mass, including the Blessing of Candles, follows at 6:00 PM. The Rev. Dr. Gawain de Leeuw, vicar of Holy Trinity Church in Inwood, Manhattan, will be our guest preacher.

Help serve unhoused and under-resourced New Yorkers on February 15 — On Sunday, February 15 after the 11:00 AM Mass, we will put together bagged lunches for the Ecclesia ministry at Saint Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery. In Saint Joseph’s hall during coffee hour, we will assemble bagged lunches of sandwiches and snacks, and then we will take the train down to the 2:00 PM service at Saint Mark’s! From the Saint Mark’s website: “On Sundays, St. Marks in the Bowery hosts ‘Ecclesia,’ an outdoor church ministry committed to serving unhoused and under-resourced New Yorkers. The ministry offers a 2pm Eucharist service every Sunday, fellowship, and a bagged lunch to everyone who joins.” Come join us to make lunches, attend the service, or both!

Flower donations in 2026 — Altar flower donations are available for Sunday, February 15, the Annunciation, March 25, and many other dates in 2026. The suggested donation is $250. Please contact Brendon Hunter to reserve a date and have the dedication for your flower donation appear in the bulletin.

Baptisms — We are planning for baptisms at the Easter Vigil on April 4, 2026. If you would like to be baptized, or have your child baptized, at the Easter Vigil or on another date, please contact Fr. Matt Jacobson.

Interested in being Confirmed? — Please speak with Fr. Sammy Wood if you are interested in receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation or being received into the Episcopal Church (for those already confirmed in another Christian denomination). Confirmation class begins this month and will prepare candidates to be confirmed at Bp. Allen Shin’s visit on Pentecost (May 24, 2026).

Horton Foote’s Talking Pictures — On January 24 at 7:00 PM in Saint Joseph’s Hall, there will be a read aloud of Horton Foote’s play Talking Pictures. Following the reading, there will be a lively discussion of Horton Foote and his body of work by those who know him best, the Horton by the Stream team. The event is free and is hosted by AMT Theater in collaboration with Horton by the Stream Outdoor Summer Theatre and Saint Mary’s.

Thursday Bible Study — Thursday evening Bible study in 2025-2026 is based on the Sunday lectionary for the upcoming Sunday and generally will be led by the preacher for that day. We meet over Zoom at 6:00 PM. If interested, please email Fr. Wood for the link.

Neighbors in Need — As it grows colder, the needs of our visitors change. Our first priority now is warm jackets and coats. We are also in serious need of men’s large winter tops and sweaters. Our additional priority needs are practical shoes (no dress shoes or high heels), jeans and cords, and sweaters and tops. Thanks to a generous gift at our October drop-by, we were able to provide new jeans for every visitor. Thanks to your donations we are also able to purchase toiletries and underwear, especially thermals. Please speak to MaryJane Boland or Marie Rosseels for more information or send an email to neighbors@stmvnyc.org.

THE DIOCESE AND WIDER CHURCH

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity — The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity begins this Sunday, January 18, the Confession of Saint Peter the Apostle, and runs through Sunday, January 25, the Conversion of Saint Paul the Apostle. Note that the commemorations of the Confession of Saint Peter and the Conversion of Saint Paul are transferred to the Mondays in 2026 because they fall on Sundays. Learn more about this week of prayer on the World Council of Churches website, and pray as Jesus did that we “all may be one.”

Vigil on MLK Day — At 4:00 PM on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine invites the city to gather for a prayerful vigil in a time of moral urgency. The vigil will include communal song, readings, and prayers for the city, the nation, and all whose lives are touched by fear, violence, or loss. The Rev. Canon Dr. Kelly Brown Douglas will preach. Click here for more details and the livestream.

Absalom Jones Celebration — The Diocese’s 2026 Absalom Jones Celebration takes place on Saturday, February 14, at 10:30 AM at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine. This meaningful service will honor the legacy of the Reverend Absalom Jones, the first Black priest ordained in the Episcopal Church, whose groundbreaking ministry paved the way for a more diverse and inclusive priesthood. The celebrant will be The Rt. Rev. Matthew F. Heyd, 17th Bishop of New York, and The Rt. Rev. Carlye J. Hughes 11th Bishop of Newark, will preach. Click here to register or to donate to the Absalom Jones Fund for Episcopal HBCUs.

ABOUT THE MUSIC AT HIGH MASS ON THE SECOND SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY

The organ prelude on Sunday is by the Danish composer Dieterich Buxtehude (1637–1707) who is widely recognized as the most significant composer for the organ in the generation before Johann Sebastian Bach. Buxtehude’s Passacaglia, BuxWV 161, is one of his many compositions which consist of variations over a recurring theme in the bass register. Typically, in a baroque Passacaglia the recurring bass theme which undergirds the variations remains in the same key throughout the piece. Buxtehude’s Passacaglia, however, consists of four sections, separated by brief transitional passages, in which the bass theme is transposed to different keys. The opening and closing sections are in the home key of D-minor while the second and third sections transpose the bass melody to F Major and A-minor respectively.

The setting of the Mass is Missa Tu es Petrus by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525–1594). Palestrina, a giant among composers of church music in renaissance Italy, stood on foundations largely laid by the Netherlandish composers Guillaume Dufay (c. 1397–1474) and Josquin des Prez (c. 1450–1521). That said, Palestrina is largely credited with setting the canons for Renaissance polyphony and the standards for Catholic liturgical music that remain in place even to this day. Among his hundreds of compositions are over one hundred Masses, most of which were published in thirteen volumes between 1554 and 1601. Missa Tu es Petrus is based upon a motet of the same name and intended for the feast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, celebrated traditionally on June 29. It was published in Palestrina’s motet collection of 1572. Both the motet and the Mass that evolved from it are set for six voices (SSATBB) and convey a bright energy. The Confession of Peter is observed on January 18 (transferred to January 19 this year because the 18th is a Sunday). One week later, the Conversion of Paul is normally observed on January 25 but also moved one day ahead this year due to the 25th being a Sunday. The week between the commemorations of these two Saints of the Church is recognized ecumenically as the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

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We are very grateful to all those who make such donations and continue to support Saint Mary’s so generously.

Saint Mary’s is a vibrant Anglo-Catholic witness in the heart of NYC. With our identity in Christ and a preference for the poor, we are an inclusive, diverse community called to love God and each other for the life of the world.

This edition of The Angelus was written and edited by Father Matt Jacobson, except as noted. Father Matt is also responsible for formatting it on the parish website and distributing it via mail and e-mail, with the assistance of Christopher Howatt, parish administrator, and parish volunteer, Clint Best. If you have an idea for an article that you would like to publish in an upcoming issue of The Angelus, Father Matt would be happy to discuss it with you.