FROM THE RECTOR: ROOTED & RISING

On Sunday last, I preached a homily about roots. It was All Saints’ Day, and also the launch of our 2026 Season of Stewardship, so we reflected a bit on our history, on some Saint Mary’s “saints” like Fr. Brown and Sara Cooke, on the founding of our parish, even on our beautiful church building. The focus was roots because our stewardship theme this year is “Rooted & Rising.” Anglo-Catholicism is, after all, about being “rooted”—our particular flavor of Anglicanism emphasizes tradition, our continuity with the undivided Church of the first millennium, the Mass and Daily Office that have sustained the faithful for centuries, and our responsibility to carefully tend our patrimony of liturgy, music, vestments, and vessels.

But at Saint Mary’s, we aren’t just looking back; we are moving forward. “Rising” hopefully answers the anxiety many traditional parishes quietly carry—the fear that tradition and attractiveness to a generation of younger, urban people are somehow in tension. “Rising” says the exact opposite: Our roots are precisely why people are showing up at Saint Mary’s. A tree rises because its roots run deep. Anglo-Catholic roots planted here have held firm for a century and a half, and now those roots are producing new growth in attendance, formation offerings, and opportunities for mission.

By now, I hope you have received your pledge card in the mail and are praying the Collect for Stewardship with others in our parish family every day. For those who are new to Saint Mary’s, or new to the Christian faith in general, a word about how Episcopalians understand stewardship. The standard of giving in the Episcopal Church is the tithe—returning to God a tenth of what we have received. Many of us aren’t there yet, and that’s all right! The tithe is a goal we grow toward, not a test we pass or fail. The usual counsel is that giving should be “proportional”—decide on a percentage of your income, give it faithfully, and raise it a little each year as you are able. What matters is that our giving is intentional and comes first, not from whatever happens to be left at the end of the month.

The Catechism teaches that “the duty of all Christians is to follow Christ; to come together week by week for corporate worship; and to work, pray, and give for the spread of the kingdom of God.” That can even serve as a social contract of sorts for the parish, the promise we make to God and to one another. We show up at the altar. We keep the daily round of prayer. We support this place with our time, talent, and (yes) treasure. None of us carries Saint Mary’s alone, and each of us has a share in sustaining it.

In the end, though, stewardship is about passion, not process. Pledge cards are just tools. The question I’m asking is whether you believe in Saint Mary’s—in the beauty of our worship, in the friendships formed here, and in the work God is doing among us in the middle of this city. Our Lord told us that “where your treasure is, there will your heart be also,” so how we spend our money shows us what we love. If you love Saint Mary’s like I do, I invite you to invest in our future together.

This year, our goal is $450,000 in pledges, which will help us keep tending the roots planted here generations ago, so that what is rising now can flourish in the century ahead. Please pray about your commitment as you read this article and return your pledge card by the Feast of Christ the King on November 22, our Ingathering Sunday. Thank you for your faithfulness, for your generosity, and for helping Saint Mary’s keep rising! — SW

Pledge cards can be mailed to the office, placed in the collection basket at Mass, and submitted electronically via our website.

PARISH PRAYERS

We pray for our sister parish, the Church of All Saints Margaret Street in 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 Paul, Aline, Barbara, Charles, Bella, Stephanie, Jan, Nancy, Nick, Tam, Sara, Laura, Jay, Dennis, Burks, Blaise, Jon, Phil, Laura, Sue, Emilie, Sharon, Monique, Cassius, Ruth Ann, Becky, Bill, Grady, Violet, Pat, Allen, Giovanna, Ronald, Jose, Ben, Russell, Robert, Sandy, Desarae, David, Tony, Jan, Carlos, Quincy, Leroy, and Margaret; James, Victoria, and Laura Katherine, religious; Lind, deacon; and Tom, Jay, and Stephen, priests.

We pray for the repose of the souls of those who have died, especially Sarah, and for those whose year’s mind is on November 8: Isabella Bissell (1882) and Edna Chaney (1992).

GUILD OF THE WEEK: THE FLOWER GUILD

Each week we are featuring a different parish guild. Maybe God is calling you to join one?

The mission of the Saint Thérèse of Lisieux Flower Guild is to provide an inspiring, prayerful, and beautiful atmosphere with floral decoration that enhances the beauty and meaningfulness of the life and worship at Saint Mary’s.

The work encompasses flower arrangements on the High Altar and at various shrines for designated Sundays and Feasts, and special occasions (weddings, baptisms, funerals). Click here to learn more.

Anyone interested in joining, please speak to Brendon Hunter or Grace Mudd, or send Fr. Matt an email and he will make an introduction.

AROUND THE PARISH

Adult Formation on Sunday — Fr. Matt continues his series on Intro to Patristics. Please the formation page on our website for more details about this and upcoming classes. We meet in St. Joseph’s Hall at 9:45 AM. All are welcome.

Visit to the African Burial Ground — A group of Saint Marians will be visiting the African Burial Ground on Saturday, November 21, after the 12:10 PM Mass. They plan to gather after Mass and travel downtown together. A documentary about the national monument, The African Burial Ground: An American Discovery (1994), is available in four parts on YouTube (Parts 1, 2, 3, 4) and would be useful for those planning to join the outing as well as for those who are interested but unable to make it on that day. Please contact Ingrid Sletten with any questions.

Class for Newcomers and Confirmation Preparation — Fr. Sammy is leading a Companions Class, where newcomers and those preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation accompany each other in their formation. The class is designed to cover the basics of Christianity and our Anglican tradition. The class meets on select Wednesday evenings (typically the first Wednesday of the month). Please contact Fr. Sammy with any questions and to register.

Neighbors in Need: Winter is coming! — It may not feel as if winter is coming, but it is, and we hope to build up our supply of coats and jackets. If you plan to replace your coat this winter, please bring us your old coat now, still in good condition. Our other most needed items are casual clothes: pants and jeans, jackets, tops and shoes—we always need shoes. Men’s clothes are harder to come by than women’s clothes, especially in sizes 32–36. We don’t need professional clothing or children’s clothing. We would also be happy to talk to you about being a volunteer. Please speak to MaryJane Boland or Marie Rosseels for more information or email neighbors@stmvnyc.org. The next Drop-by day will be Friday, November 20.

A TALE OF TWO CHURCHES

On Friday, November 20, there will be a lecture and panel discussion about the history and relationship between the Episcopal Church and the Armenian Apostolic Church from 6:30 to 8:00 PM at Saint Mary’s. The event is co-sponsored by the Church of Saint Mary and Saint Vartan Cathedral and is being organized by Chris Edling, our former seminarian. All are welcome. Click here to RSVP and to learn more about the event.

THIS WEEK’S COMMEMORATIONS AT DAILY MASS

Monday, November 9 — R. Rolle, 1349, W. Hilton, 1396, and M. Kempe, c.1440, Mystics
Tuesday, November 10 — Leo the Great, Bishop of Rome, 461
Wednesday, November 11 — Martin, Bishop of Tours, 397
Federal Holiday Schedule: Mass at 10:00 AM
Thursday, November 12 — Charles Simeon, Priest, 1836
Friday, November 13 — Feria
Saturday, November 14 — Consecration of Samuel Seabury, First American Bishop, 1784

Click here for detailed monthly calendars.

MONTHLY LITURGIES AND GATHERINGS

Parish Requiem — We offer a monthly Requiem Mass in the Mercy Chapel as part of our chapter of the Guild of All Souls. This Mass is typically celebrated on the third Saturday of the month unless a major feast falls on that day. All are welcome. In November, we offer Parish Requiems on the five days following All Souls’ Day (November 3–7).

Mass and Fellowship with Saint Stephen’s Young Adults — Mass is offered every Wednesday at 6:00 PM in the Lady Chapel. The Saint Stephen’s Guild of young adults attends on the third Wednesday of each month, followed by fellowship. Join them next on November 18.

Rosary Guild — Our Rosary Guild meets in the Lady Chapel after Solemn Mass (and a brief stop at Coffee Hour) on the fourth Sunday of the month to pray the rosary. All are welcome, including those who are curious, but have never prayed the rosary before! The Rosary Guild meets next on Sunday, November 22.

Evensong & Benediction — During the program year, we offer Evensong & Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament in lieu of Evening Prayer at 4:00 PM on the first Sunday of the month. E&B will next be offered on Sunday, December 6.

BECOME A FRIEND OF SAINT MARY’S

You already know you’re a friend of the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, why not make it official? Now you can by joining our new program: Friends of Saint Mary’s. This is an opportunity for those who feel the connection to this extraordinary historic parish in the heart of New York City and want to participate even more in its vital work and witness.

Click below to learn more about this program and to become a Friend of Saint Mary’s.

THE DIOCESE AND WIDER CHURCH

Diocesan Convention — The Episcopal Diocese of New York’s 250th Annual Convention will take place on November 13 and 14. Our parish clergy and lay delegates will be attending. The Convention will also be livestreamed for those who are interested.

VK McCarty’s Book Party — The Rector and Wardens of Saint Paul’s Carroll Street warmly invite you to a book-reading, book-signing, and reception for VK McCarty’s newest release, The Radiant Word, on Sunday 15th November 2026 at 4:00 PM in Cullen Hall, Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church, 199 Carroll Street, Brooklyn. Won’t you join us? RSVP here.

Nightwatch at Saint John the Divine — Nightwatch is an evening spent in the world’s largest Gothic Cathedral immersed in a faith-based program to deepen your spiritual connection with God. This one-night pilgrimage is for students aged 12–18. Prices are $150 per person or $130 for groups of 15 or more. If cost is an issue, or if you’d like more information, please contact nightwatch@stjohndivine.org. Click here to learn more. 2026–2027 dates (all Fridays): October 30, February 5, and April 9.

CONCERTS AND EVENTS

2026–2027 Concerts and Performances — A schedule of the 2026–2027 concerts and performances at Saint Mary’s, with links to the event pages for tickets and more details, can be found on our website. Coming up: Adrian Dunn Singers on November 8, Miller Theatre/The Gesualdo Six on November 12, and Offerings on November 13.

ABOUT THE TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

Cantata BWV 140 by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) is based on the chorale Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (Wake up, a voice calls us) by Philipp Nicolai, dated 1599. Bach’s Cantata 140 was first performed in Leipzig on November 25, 1731. Three of its seven movements explicitly quote Nicolai’s noble chorale. The opening movement is an extended fantasia in which the soprano voice sings Nicolai’s first stanza, phrase by phrase, in long pitches above stirring vocal and instrumental elaboration. The final cantata movement is the well-known chorale harmonization originally composed for the third stanza of the chorale, and to which we will sing all three stanzas as our Offertory hymn (#61 in The Hymnal 1982). The fourth cantata movement is a trio with violins and violas playing a distinctive melody in unison above and the lower strings playing a supportive bass below the tenors who sing the second stanza of the chorale. This fourth movement of Cantata 140 is one of five or six movements from various cantatas of his which he adapted as organ works. They are the Schübler chorales which were published around 1748, and Sunday’s prelude, Wachet auf, is the first of this collection. The postlude will be Bach’s Fantasia in C minor, BWV 562. This piece may well have been modeled after the five-part fugues of the French composer Nicolas de Grigny (1672–1703). Its rich ornamentation, close imitation, and harmonic plan seem to combine features of the French, German and Italian schools of Bach’s time. It begins with an extended tonic pedal-point and four imitative voices entering one at a time above it. After arriving at a cadence on the dominant, a section follows which is similar to the first except that it is based upon a dominant pedal. This section leads to the relative major key. From this half-way point forward, the bass line becomes more active, and the pace of harmonic activity quickens as the music gradually winds its way back to the home key of C minor. A fugue may have been meant to follow this Fantasia, but only a fragment of such a work exists.

The setting of the Mass is the Mass for Four Voices of William Byrd (c.1540–1623). Byrd composed settings of the Latin Mass for three, four and five voices. The Mass for Four Voices dates from about 1592 and was probably the first of the three to be composed. The whole business of Latin Masses in post-Reformation England needed to be a somewhat clandestine matter to protect those involved from the possibility of arrest. This being the case, Byrd’s part books were undated and without title page or preface, nor was the printer (Thomas East) identified. Fortunately, Byrd’s settings survived the period in which their performance, if not their very existence, was illegal and are now they rightly regarded as great treasures of Western music. Although composed with the Continental Tridentine liturgy in mind, Byrd’s Mass for Four Voices was also influenced by the pre-Reformation Mean Mass of John Taverner (c.1490–1545), particularly in the opening of the Sanctus. The older Taverner setting had already served as a model for settings by English masters Christopher Tye (c.1505–c.1573), John Sheppard (c.1515–1558) and Thomas Tallis (c.1505–1585). Byrd’s four-voice Agnus Dei ends with a particularly expressive Dona nobis pacem.

The Communion motet is a five-voice setting of O Sacrum convivium by Thomas Tallis (c.1505–1585). The text O sacrum convivium, often attributed to the great theologian Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274), found a home in the Roman liturgical cycle as the antiphon for Magnificat at second Vespers of Corpus Christi, but is very much at home in any Eucharistic celebration. It has been set in Latin, as well as in vernacular translations, by distinguished composers of every generation. Tallis was one of the most foundational composers of English church music. His long life and musical career included service under four English monarchs—Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary Tudor, and Elizabeth I—with all the shifts in the church’s liturgical and institutional life which these different reigns occasioned. Along with William Byrd, Tallis enjoyed an exclusive license to print and publish music which was granted by Elizabeth I in 1575. While he was one of the first musicians to compose for the new Anglican rites of the mid-sixteenth century, Tallis retained an affection for the Latin forms and continued to compose extensively for them.