FROM THE RECTOR: ON GROWTH AND STAFFING

Saint Mary’s is growing. 

The past few years, we have seen more people praying here on Sundays and throughout the week as we have expanded our liturgical schedule, our formation offerings, and our slate of parish activities. And parish growth presents at once a blessing and a challenge. Increased activity requires both a deep and dedicated group of volunteers (which I’m grateful to say we have) and a capable clergy and staff team to shoulder the daily round of Masses and public prayer, pastoral care, formation, administration, and the like.

To keep up with growth and cooperate with what we see God doing in our parish, we are building out our staff team to meet this present moment of opportunity. Most noticeable will be the addition of a Curate to our clergy team. It has been quite some time since we have had a classic Curate at Saint Mary’s, someone who comes on staff for apprenticeship in priestly formation and who will be able to take Saint Mary’s DNA out into the broader Church in the years to come.

I’m delighted to announce the Rev. Elis Lui will begin a two-year curacy here with us on July 15. She has already moved into the fourth-floor apartment in the Parish House, and we can’t wait to have her take her place in the rota of prayer services alongside us. In addition to common clergy responsibilities, the Curate will work to build community, faith, and commitment among our growing number of younger parishioners, as well as keeping a missional eye turned toward the city to extend our engagement with the neighborhood.

A product of Christ Church, Bronxville, Mother Elis was ordained to the diaconate in February, completed her theological studies at the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale just weeks ago, and will be ordained (Deo volente!) to the priesthood on September 12 at the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine. Her first Sunday with us will be July 19, and I cannot wait for you all to meet her! Watch the pages of this newsletter in two weeks for an introductory article straight from her pen.

This new position is being made possible because of a generous grant from the Diocese of New York and through restructuring Father Jacobson’s position a little bit. Father Matt will now serve as the Vicar of Saint Mary’s. Although that title is sometimes used in the Episcopal Church for a priest appointed by a bishop to serve in his stead to run a church that is not self-sustaining, “Vicar” has a broader meaning in churches around our own diocese. As Vicar, Father Matt will continue to serve as my deputy and right hand. Apart from the invaluable work he does on The Angelus and our website, Father Matt will offload some administrative tasks to shift his focus more fully to ensuring our parish vision is supported by effective administration, clear policies, and strong internal coordination among staff and volunteers.

When I first pitched the position to him many months ago, I said we don’t need a manager who maintains what exists, but a builder to create systems, processes, and structure where there aren’t any. Father Matt’s goal will be to take our parish vision to be a “vibrant Anglo-Catholic witness in the heart of New York City” and make it real. In addition to preaching, celebrating the Mass, and teaching, he will also be in charge of the day-to-day matters of the parish whenever I am unavailable.

As my term as Rector here begins, I am excited about where we are headed as a parish family. God is blessing us with so many opportunities as we face this season of new growth. I am grateful for the ministry of gifted individuals like Father Matt and Mother Elis, as well as our assisting priests, Father Stephen, Father John, and (most recently) Father Spencer, who are willing to undertake this work together with all of us in the parish. Let’s see what God does next!

For God and Saint Mary’s —

SW+

PARISH PRAYERS

We pray for our sister parish, the Church of All Saints’, Margaret Street, London, and for the Anglican Church of South America in the Anglican cycle of prayer.

We pray for those who have asked us for our prayers, for Kofi, Kay, Blaise, Jon, Bob, Riccardo, Heather, Jeff, Derick, Phil, Laura, Sue, Emilie, Sharon, Monique, Cassius, Lisa, Ruth Ann, Rosemary, Holly, Becky, Bill, Grady, Chris, 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 John, James, Jay, and Stephen, priests.

We pray for the repose of the souls of those who have died, especially Bob and James, and for those whose year’s mind is on July 5: Edith Centre Burleigh Justh (1884), Martha Frances Brown (1902), Eyland Jarvis Hall (1939), and Hector Recousie (1948).

IN THIS TRANSITORY LIFE

We were sorry to learn of the recent death of longtime parishioner Robert Picken. Some may remember Bob as one of our regular readers at Mass before he moved to Long Island. Father Peter R. Powell shares the following memories of Bob:

Those of us who knew Bob Picken and worshiped with him at Saint Mary’s were blessed. He was committed to his faith; curious about what it meant to be faithful; generous with his compassion and scholarship; regular in his attendance; and humbly devout. I was one of those privileged to know him and benefit from his wisdom and friendship.

Bob was a scholar, a professor emeritus of French and Comparative Literature, and a lifetime learner. In retirement, he spent many summers in China learning Mandarin, a language about as far from French as one could get. He was a blessing to Saint Mary’s.

We do not have any details about funeral plans at this point but will share them as they become available. Please keep Bob and all who mourn his death in your prayers.

AROUND THE PARISH

Independence Day — On Saturday, July 4, we will follow our Federal Holiday Schedule: Mass will be offered at 10:00 AM and the church will close early at noon.

Congratulations, graduates! — Ms. Flannery Wood recently graduated from Gramercy Arts High School and will attend the Fashion Institute of Technology starting in the fall. Congratulations to Flannery and to all recent graduates!

Livestreamers needed — We are looking for additional volunteers to help us livestream Solemn Mass on Sundays. Typically, sixty to one hundred people join us live online on Sundays and then hundreds usually watch the recorded videos afterwards. Our hope is to build up this important ministry so that volunteers would be scheduled to stream about once a month. Our current streamers are Mr. Blair Burroughs and Mr. Steven Eldredge. If you are interested, please speak with one of them, or Fr. Matt, for more details. It isn’t hard to learn!

Cookies are a Call to Community — During the summer months, we simplify Coffee Hour a bit to “Cookies and Lemonade,” though there is still coffee too! We are looking for volunteers to help support this ministry. Please let Fr. Wood know if you would like to bring the cookies and lemonade for a summer Sunday and check out this Substack post he’s shared entitled “Cookies are a call to community.”

Neighbors in Need: What do we need? — We always need practical shoes in all adult sizes. We need jeans, especially in men’s sizes 32-36—but also women's sizes and pants other than jeans. And, as you may be thinking of a new winter coat, we would love to have your old coat! We accept all kinds of casual clothing: jackets, pants, tops and shoes, but we do not need professional clothing or children’s clothing. Thanks to many wonderful cash donations, we are able to purchase toiletries and underwear. Please speak to MaryJane Boland or Marie Rosseels for more information or send an email to neighbors@stmvnyc.org.

Summer Vacations — Fr. Matt is currently away from the parish and will be back in the office on Friday, July 10. Fr. Sammy leaves for vacation on Monday, July 13, and returns to the office on Tuesday, July 21.

Mullingar Town Band — Ireland’s Mullingar Town Band will perform at Saint Mary’s on Monday, July 6, at 7:00 PM. Admission is free. Enjoy an unforgettable evening of uplifting concert band favorites, Irish-inspired selections, and audience-pleasing classics performed by one of Ireland’s premier community concert bands. Founded in 1879, Mullingar Town Band has delighted audiences for generations with its exceptional musicianship and infectious energy.

THE DIOCESE AND WIDER CHURCH

Nominations for Diocesan Offices — The Leadership Commission and the Convention Executive Planning Team are happy to announce that the nomination process for elected diocesan offices is now open (click here). At Diocesan Convention on November 13 and 14, we will hold elections for 23 open positions, including both clergy and lay roles. We encourage you to think and pray about which folks in your community you would like to nominate for these positions. You can even nominate yourself! We cannot do this discernment alone; we need your help to identify our future leaders. Please review the website to learn more. The deadline to submit a nomination is July 17.

New art installation at the Cathedral — Join the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine on Thursday, July 9, at 6:30 PM for the opening of UNSEEN by Nisha Bansil, a new site-specific art installation from New York- and Catskills-based glass artist Nisha Bansil. It aims to raise awareness, inspire action, and honor unhoused individuals in NYC. The installation comprises an enormous pile of glass ginkgo leaves that will cascade down stone steps inside the Cathedral’s nave, mirroring both the forest floor and the urban sidewalk. Created at the Corning Museum of Glass Studio Casting Center in Corning, NY, more than 50,000 cast-glass leaves will form a mound that grows during the installation’s run. Click here to learn more about the exhibit and to RSVP for the opening.

Vocations Day: Listening Hearts Retreat — On Saturday, September 26, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at Saint Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery, the Diocese will offer an intentional gathering to help those who are beginning to discern a call to lay or ordained leadership in the life of the Church. On this day, seekers will hear from the Canon for Lay & Clergy Formation, the Archdeacon for Diaconal Formation and members of the Commission on Ministry about the ministry of the Laity and Clergy, the expectations of the Commission on Ministry for those seeking ordination, and clear and practical next steps. There will be prayer, a plenary session, breakout groups, and lunch. Break out groups will include sessions exploring priesthood, the diaconate, and discerning lay leadership for your community’s needs. Seekers are encouraged to attend with their clergy person, and the expectation is that participants will be present the whole day. Lunch will be served. Parking is available. Registration is required. Click here to register.

ABOUT THE MUSIC ON THE SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

The Mass setting on Sunday is Missa Morus by Elliot Z. Levine (b.1948). Composer and baritone Elliot Z. Levine, a member of the Western Wind Ensemble since its founding in 1969, holds degrees from Queens College and the Manhattan School of Music in addition to further study at the Orff Institute in Salzburg and at Brooklyn College. His compositions have been commissioned by the Harmonium Choral Society, the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, the Cerddorion Vocal Ensemble, the Church of Saint Luke in the Fields, Temple Israel Center, and the Western Wind. Since 1980 he has been active as a conductor and coach, workshop leader, teacher, and Temple cantor in the New York area and beyond. Elliot Levine’s Missa Morus is a very efficient and largely syllabic setting of the Mass ordinary for four voices. It dates from 1983 and is inscribed “to Louise Talma.” 

The motet sung during the administration of Communion is Sing my soul, his wondrous love by the American composer and diarist Ned Rorem (1923–2022). Rorem as a composer is best remembered for his art songs numbering more than five hundred. His compositions also include works for piano, organ, orchestra, and chorus, as well as operas and chamber works which defy conventional genre classification. Sing, my soul, his wondrous love is one of Three Hymn Anthems published in 1962. It was composed in Hyères, France, in 1955 and is dedicated to Paul Calloway, then the organist at Washington National Cathedral. The text is of unknown authorship but has appeared in Episcopal hymnals continuously since 1826. It is found in The Hymnal 1982 at #467, matched with the same tune to which it has been paired since the 1892 Hutchins edition. Rorem’s setting is probably his best-known choral work and the most well-known musical setting of this anonymous hymn text.

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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 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.