FROM KATHERINE HOYT: SERVING WITH THE ECCLESIA MINISTRY

About two months ago on a chilly Sunday afternoon, several other Saint Marians and I headed downtown after coffee hour to attend Ecclesia, a ministry hosted by Saint Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery. After meeting Archdeacon LaVetty and the other participants in the small plaza outside the church, we set up a small card table as an altar and held a short, beautiful prayer service and distributed bagged lunches to those in the area.

Observing as a newcomer, it seemed to me that the effects of this ministry manifest in several ways. The first, most visible and immediately impactful purpose of Ecclesia is as a feeding ministry, as lunches are always distributed to those in need at the end of the service. None of us at Saint Mary’s will be surprised to learn that there is great need in every neighborhood of our city for food, clothing, and shelter.

Another less tangible effect is that of visibility in the community. Each Sunday, Saint Mark’s hosts this ministry, with other congregations contributing the lunches and a celebrant when possible. The service is held outside on the street and only moved indoors for truly inclement weather. A Eucharist is celebrated if possible, but if a celebrant is not available, a prayer service is held instead. Last Sunday, we read in the gospel “no one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 15:15-16) Archdeacon LaVetty told me that they feel it is important just to be seen every week no matter what. Not everyone is immediately comfortable participating or asking for help right away, but they will know that help is there if they ever need it.

I was also very interested in how this particular method of ministry fostered inclusion rather than segregating the participants into separate groups of givers and receivers. In Henri Nouwen’s article “Moving from Solitude to Community to Mission,” which we read recently ahead of our town hall meeting, he said “community is not an organization; community is a way of living: you gather around you people with whom you want to proclaim the truth that we are the beloved sons and daughters of God.” This ministry isn’t just about giving away food to those in need, it is also about inviting them into communion with us, as well as forging connections between congregations.

This coming Sunday, February 15, during coffee hour, we as a congregation will be assembling bagged lunches and bringing them down to Saint Mark’s for the 2:00 PM service. I want to thank Fr. Sammy and Trey Deitch for assisting with planning this event, Fr. Matt for celebrating, and RuthAnn Berkowitz, Br. Andrew Jones, and Archdeacon Denise LaVetty for introducing us to this wonderful ministry! I hope you can join us on Sunday. — KH

PARISH PRAYERS

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

We pray for those who have asked us for our prayers, for Antonia, Cal, Eric, Elizabeth, Sarah, Tyler, Hamida, Monique, Mary, Kathie, Patrick, Khalid, Sophia, Yue, Cassius, Jimmy, Bridget, Lorelei, Lisa, Sue, Joshua, Irma, Ruth Ann, Rosemary, Holy, Becky, Bill, 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, 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, especially Ludivina and Gregory, and for those whose year’s mind is on February 15: Antoine Recousie (1909), Elizabeth Nimmo Grossman (1938), Mary Brettman (1955), Nina Gay Dolan (1967), Dorothy McCormack (1973), Carrington Raymond (1978), and Florence Crawford (1994).

AROUND THE PARISH

Washington’s Birthday — This Monday, February 16, is Washington’s Birthday and we will follow our Federal Holiday Schedule: the church is open from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM and Mass is offered at 10:00 AM.

Ash Wednesday is this Wednesday! — Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, is this coming Wednesday, February 18. We will offer a Said Mass at 8:00 AM, a High Mass at 12:10 PM, and a Solemn Mass at 6:00 PM. Ashes will be imposed at all three Masses. Ashes will also be available at other times in the Mercy Chapel, though all Saint Marians are strongly encouraged to receive ashes at one of the Masses.

Palms for Ashes — There is a basket at the usher’s table for parishioners to drop off palms from last year’s Palm Sunday. The palms will be burned to make ashes for Ash Wednesday.

The Shape of Lent — At Saint Mary’s, we try to preserve the communal nature of Lenten practice as a parish family. The Shape of Lent is a booklet which provides a description and schedule of what we will do together during this holy time. There are also suggestions for additional Lenten readings. Copies are on the usher’s table and can be downloaded here.

Stations of the Cross — On Fridays in Lent, we offer Stations of the Cross at 6:00 PM following Evening Prayer at 5:30 PM.

Lenten Quiet Day with Br. Thomas, SSF — On Saturday, March 7, 2026, Br. Thomas Steffensen, SSF, will lead a Quiet Day at Saint Mary’s. We begin with a light breakfast at 9:30 AM, which is followed by the first reflection at 10:00 AM. Lunch is included, and the day will finish by 3:00 PM. Please RSVP to Fr. Wood.

Supper and Conversation in Lent — On four Wednesday evenings in Lent, Fr. Stephen Morris will lead a discussion series over supper entitled, “Why on This Night? The Old Testament and the Easter Vigil.” Creation. Noah. Abraham and Isaac. Exodus. Dry bones. Milk and honey. Hearts of flesh instead of stone. Why do we read these lessons from the Old Testament at the Easter Vigil? What does each lesson say about us? What do they say together as a collection? What do they say about Easter? Why bother with them at all?

February 25: Creation (Genesis 1-2)
March 4: Noah (Genesis 5-7)
March 11: Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 22)
March 18: Moses (Exodus 1-15)

Why are these four passages the most important of all on this most important of all nights? How is our life different after hearing them read each year? Mass at 6:00 PM, followed by soup and bread and conversation at 6:30 PM. All are welcome! Please RSVP to Fr. Wood.

Powell Lecture Recordings — A recording of The Rev. Dr. Andrew McGowan’s talk, “The Tabernacle and the Streets: Reserving the Eucharist and Feeding the Poor,” is available on our formation page. The Choral Evensong, which preceded the lecture, has been posted to the liturgical archive.

Flower donations — Altar flower donations are available for the Annunciation, March 25, and for 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.

Adult Formation — Adult Formation continues this Sunday 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!

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 — With a very cold winter moving into a cold spring, warm jackets and practical shoes for men and women continue to be top needs. We are typically better supplied with women’s clothes than men’s. Our men’s priorities for February and March are warm tops; pants in size 32, 34 and 36; and shoes in all sizes. Thanks to your donations we are also able to purchase toiletries, gloves and underwear, especially thermals, which are in high demand. Please speak to MaryJane Boland or Marie Rosseels for more information or send an email to neighbors@stmvnyc.org. After our February Drop-by Day on Friday, February 27, we return to the third Friday of the month on March 20.

THE DIOCESE AND WIDER CHURCH

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.

Reclaiming Christianity: A Conversation with Bishop Allen Shin — On Thursday, February 19, 12:00-1:00 PM, join Bishop Allen Shin on Zoom for a pastoral conversation about what it means to be Christian in the face of White Christian Nationalism, ICE raids, violence, and chaos. We’ll tackle pressing questions like, “What does it mean to be a martyr?” and explore the theology of passive resistance, civil disobedience, Christian theology of protest. This is an opportunity to explore big questions about how to show up and what we’re willing to risk. Bishop Shin is the chair of the Theology Committee of the House of Bishops, and a leading scholar on the rise of White Christian Nationalism and how the Church can and must act. This is an informal conversation meant to help folks process big questions about what's happening in our country. Click here to register.

Holy Habits: 2026 Lenten Meditations — Good friend of the parish, Sister Monica Clare, CSJB, is writing this year’s Lenten meditations for Episcopal Relief & Development. The 2026 meditations offer an invitation to rediscover—or deepen—holy habits of prayer, worship and engagement with Scripture. These “holy habits” provide a path to a life that is given shape, meaning and direction by being rooted in a deeper relationship with God. Click here to subscribe.

All Saints’ Margaret Street Drinks Party on March 20 — From our sister parish in London: You are all warmly invited by your sister parish in London, All Saints’ Margaret Street, to a drinks party to be held on Friday, March 20, 2026, at the House of the Redeemer, New York City, from 6:30 PM onwards to celebrate the American Friends of All Saints’, Margaret Street. We hope this special occasion will be an opportunity for us to connect with parishioners of St. Mary the Virgin, and with American Friends of All Saints’ who live in or near New York. We look forward to being able to thank our American benefactors for their support. Both Fr. Alan and Fr. Peter will be present. It would be wonderful to see any parishioners of St Mary’s who wish to come. This drinks party will be proceeded by a Mass celebrated by Fr. Peter in the Chapel of the House of the Redeemer at 6:00 PM, giving thanks for the life of All Saints’, for any who wish to attend. You can book a free ticket for the event via Eventbrite here: https://americanfriendsdrinks.eventbrite.com.

ABOUT THE MUSIC AT SOLEMN MASS ON THE LAST SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY

The organ prelude this Sunday is Fantasia in G minor by Johann Sebastian Bach. As its designation suggests, this piece projects a spontaneous and improvisatory character. It begins with a sweep of recitative over a sustained pedal which leads to a cadence in the dominant key. A passage in strict imitation bridges the way to the next burst of improvisatory writing which is followed by a transposed reappearance of the previously introduced imitative material. A striking sequence of modulations over a descending pedal line follows, spilling into the final section, rich and surprising in its chromaticism. The kaleidoscopic harmonic events throughout this piece, particularly striking for their time and place, may be suggestive of transfiguration.

The setting of the Mass is Missa Aeterna Christi Munera by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c. 1525–1594). Palestrina was both a source and inspiration for many of the composers who followed him and a practitioner of already established musical practice. He stood on foundations largely laid by the Netherlandish composers Guillaume Dufay (c. 1397–1474) and Josquin des Prez (c. 1450–1521) and is credited with having setting the canons for renaissance polyphony and the enduring standards for Catholic liturgical music. Among his hundreds of compositions are 105 Masses, most of which were published in thirteen volumes between 1554 and 1601. The Missa Aeterna Christi Munera is based upon a plainsong melody for the hymn commemorating Apostles and Martyrs attributed to Saint Ambrose (340–397). A translation of this Ambrosian hymn appears at 233 and 234 in The Hymnal 1982, but with different music. At 132 in The Hymnal 1940 one finds both the translated Ambrosian hymn and the plainsong melody on which Palestrina based his four-voice Mass. As one often finds in renaissance polyphonic Masses, an additional voice is added for a rich final Agnus Dei.

Sunday’s communion motet is O nata lux, composed in 2024 by Emma Daniels, a member of the Choir of Saint Mary’s since fall 2022.  Emma is originally from Chicago. She is the Music Director of Philomusica Concert Choir and a founding member of Triad: Boston’s Choral Collective, an organization made up of singers, composers, and conductors who share artistic responsibility and perform new music. Today, she sings, conducts, and composes with C4: the Choral Composer/Conductor Collective in NYC, the choir after which Triad was modeled. Emma’s compositions have been performed by Triad: Boston’s Choral Collective, Westminster Chapel Choir, Tufts Chamber Singers, and other college, synagogue, and church choirs from Boston to Los Angeles. Emma, who holds an MM in Choral Conducting from Westminster Choir College and a BA in Music from Tufts University, is currently pursuing doctoral studies at Rutgers University. She writes the following about her setting:

I was first drawn to this text because of its rich imagery, in particular the image of the birth or creation of light. Liturgically, the O nata lux hymn was assigned to be sung at Lauds, the Office of Aurora or Dawn, during the Feast of the Transfiguration. This is fitting as Lauds took place at daybreak, as the sun rose first thing in the morning. My piece embraces the origins of this hymn as part of the Gregorian tradition, with simple, forward-moving, chant-like phrases and the motive of an open fifth. Lower voices crawl upward from the low extremes of their range, emerging from the dark depths into the glow. The piece ends with a final ascent, supplicating.

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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.