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FROM THE RECTOR: ASSUMPTION OFFERING

I am so thankful that we were able to live-stream our Masses using our iPhones and Facebook, from Tuesday, March 17, 2020, through Tuesday, June 30. Many thanks to Br. Damien Joseph SSF for showing us the way. The response was tremendous. On Saturday, June 26, the board met to chart our future. Live-stream worship from Saint Mary’s will be a part of our future. The board decided that we would make proper video and sound equipment the Assumption Appeal this year. As I write, I expect the letters and emails for the appeal will reach you before next Sunday.

When we reopened on July 1, 2020, we already knew that live-streaming from the high altar with an iPhone does not produce a clear picture or a good sound. I wrote Father Carl Turner, rector of Saint Thomas Church, to see if he could recommend a consultant. Saint Thomas’ videos are of a high quality—if you haven’t seen them, you can view them here. Father Turner put me in touch with Blake Martin, their video producer. Blake put me in touch with James Sapione, their consultant. I met with Jim on July 22 and with his colleague for sound, Robert Anderson, on July 30.

When I met with Jim, I told him that we wanted to review our options before our annual Assumption Appeal went out in early August. Then came, Tropical Storm Isaias. Jim was without electricity for eight days. I hope we will be able to accept a proposal early this week and that the appeal will go out by mail and email before the end of the week.

Finally, I offer below the homily I preached on Saturday, August 15, 2020 for the Assumption. The regular content of the newsletter follows. —Stephen Gerth

HOMILY FOR THE FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION, AUGUST 15, 2020, BY THE RECTOR

Ulrich Luz, in his commentary on Matthew, notes that the Greek word for man, even when plural, refers only to males in Matthew’s gospel. He writes that the evangelist “was hardly aware of the new position of women in the circle of Jesus or the reality that Jesus healed many women” (Matthew 8–20: A Commentary [2001], 324 n.5.). Whenever possible, when I quote the Bible in writing or preaching, if the Hebrew or Greek is inclusive, I translate it that way.

Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John all know that Mary Magdalene was first to go to the tomb on the morning of the resurrection. In Matthew, she is there with] “the Other Mary” (Matthew 28:1). As in John, Jesus tells them, “Go, tell my brothers”—Matthew is referring to the eleven remaining male disciples—“to go to Galilee, and there they will see me” (Matthew 28:10).

In John, the sight of the empty tomb prompts Mary Magdalene to run to tell Peter and the disciple Jesus loved that the body of the Lord has been taken away. They run back to the tomb, see it, enter it, and leave. Mary Magdalene followed them back to the grave. After recognizing the Risen Lord because he spoke her name, he said to her, “Go and tell my brothers and sisters, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God (John 20:17).”

I begin with these words because I realized that the appointed lesson from Galatians gives the impression Paul is writing about God’s “sons.” He is not. The word “son” refers to believers of any gender, age, or race. Raymond Brown begins his chapter on Galatians in his An Introduction to the New Testament with this sentence: “In some way [Galatians] has been considered the most Pauline of the Pauline writings, the one in which anger has caused Paul to say what he really thinks” (An Introduction to the New Testament [1997], 467). Galatians is the second oldest book of the New Testament—the oldest is Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians.

This is what Paul wrote as a preface to what we heard: “Now before faith came, we were confined under the law, kept under restraint until faith should be revealed. So that the law was our custodian until Christ came, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian; for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no better than a slave, though he is the owner of all the estate; but he is under guardians and trustees until the date set by the father. So with us; when we were children, we were slaves to the elemental spirits of the universe” (Galatians 3:23–4:3).

Then we get to what is appointed. “But when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!' So through God you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son then an heir” (Galatians 4:4–7) One suspects the evangelist we know as Matthew never met Paul or encountered the churches he founded.

August 15 is the earliest feast of Mary. It’s listed in the fifth-century Armenian Lectionary from Jerusalem. About today’s celebration, Paul Bradshaw and Maxwell John write, “the earliest so-called Marian feast, which ultimately will become her Dormition and/or Assumption, began as an early commemoration of the Incarnation . . . nine months before a primitive celebration of Christ’s nativity” (The Origins of Feasts, Fasts and Seasons in Early Christianity [2011], 206). This morning, the second reading at Morning Prayer was John’s account of the wedding in Cana. The mother of Jesus—unnamed by the evangelist—says to those who are helping with the celebration, “Do whatever he tells you” (John 2:5). Mary goes to visit Elizabeth in Luke, Elizabeth greets her with these words, “Why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Luke 1:43). Mary’s relationship with all people changed when God decided Mary would be the mother of his Son (Luke 1:31). This sermon is Copyright © 2020 The Society of the Free Church of St. Mary the Virgin, New York, New York. All rights reserved.

YOUR PRAYERS ARE ASKED FOR Desmond, Simon, Rosy, Mary, Eric, Marley, Leroy, Evan, Larry, Scott, Samantha, Michael, Emily, Shalim, John, Marilouise, Ken, May, Willard, Alexandra, Takeem, and Barbara; for Rafael, Laurence, Curtis, and David, religious; for John, Gene, Gaylord, Louis, priests; and Charles, bishop; for the members of the armed forces on active duty, especially Isabelle; for all health-care workers; for all those who work for the common good; for all the members and friends of this parish; and for the repose of the soul of Ruth Goodman . . . GRANT THEM PEACE: August 16: 1922 George William Ely; 1924 George Harold McDonald; 1935 Leila West Sargent.

FROM THE FRIARY . . . Brother Desmond Alban Goodman’s mother, Ruth Goodman, died in Bristol, in the southwest of England, early in the morning of Friday, August 14, after a long illness. She is survived by Brother Desmond and by his brother, Simon, and his sister, Rosy. It is a matter of some sadness that, because of travel restrictions, Desmond was not able to travel to the UK to see his mother during her final illness. Please keep him, his mother, Ruth, and their family in your prayers . . . Brother Desmond Alban preached the homily at Mass on the feast of Saint Clare, Tuesday, August 11. When things in his life settle down a bit, he will post the sermon on the website of the Society of Saint Francis.

THE ORDINARY FRIDAYS OF THE YEAR are observed by special acts of discipline and self-denial in commemoration of the Lord’s crucifixion.

AROUND THE PARISH . . . Clothing Ministry: . . . On Wednesday, August 12, Brothers Damien, Desmond, and Thomas hosted our second Drop-by on Forty-seventh Street. Marie Rosseels, who is well acquainted with the inventory in our Clothes Closet, helped with set-up before going off to attend a Stewardship Committee Meeting. The brothers were able to welcome around forty guests from the neighborhood, providing toiletry items and articles of clothing, especially socks, underwear, T-shirts, and pants. The porch at the Forty-seventh Street entrance is proving to be useful for distribution while maintaining social distance. If you would like to volunteer for this ministry or make a donation of cash or items to distribute, please contact Brother Damien, Brother Thomas, or Father Jay Smith . . . We are grateful to our assisting priests, Father Matthew Jacobson and Father Peter Powell for their help while Father Smith was away. Father Matt took two weekday Masses and Father Powell celebrated and preached on Sunday, August 9 . . . The Tuesday Afternoon Racism Discussion Group read and discussed Frederick Douglass’s famous speech, now entitled “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?”, this past week. Douglass delivered the speech on July 5, 1852, in Corinthian Hall, Rochester, New York, while addressing the Rochester Ladies’ Anti-Slavery Society. The group was interested to learn that later that day the Monroe County Legislature voted to change the name of Rochester’s regional airport to the Frederick Douglass–Greater Rochester International Airport. Douglass’s speech may be read here . . . The flowers on the altar and in the church this weekend were given by Carlos Mejia in thanksgiving for God’s continued care for him and for his family. They were designed by Marie Rosseels.

A GOLDEN JUBILEE . . . On Tuesday, September 8, 2020, Sister Laura Katharine, C.S.J.B, will celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of her life profession in the Community of Saint John Baptist. Sister L.K., along with Sister Deborah Francis, C.S.J.B., and, later, Sister Monica Clare, C.S.J.B., served here at Saint Mary’s for many years. We miss them all very much. Sister L.K.’s special focus at Saint Mary’s was the sacristy, and her hard work there, usually behind the scenes, made an enormous contribution to our common life. Her presence, her way of doing things—and her famous handwritten notes—live on in the sacristy still. We miss having her with us there. Sister is healthy and well and working hard at the convent in Mendham—apparently no retirement for her. If you would like to send Sister Laura Katharine a card or a letter of congratulation, she may be reached at the Community of Saint John Baptist, P.O. Box 240, Mendham, NJ 07945.

MUSIC AT SAINT MARY’S . . . The musical setting of the Mass on Sunday is Music for the Eucharist composed in 1994 by David Hurd, organist and music direct at the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin. This setting was commissioned by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and premiered at the opening Eucharist of their biennial assembly that same year. The texts used are those produced by the English Language Liturgical Consultation (ELLC), established in 1985 as the successor to the International Consultation on English Texts (ICET). The ICET had been formed in 1969 and crafted the liturgical texts of our Rite II. The ICET and ELLC texts for Gloria in excelsis and Agnus Dei are virtually identical, and Sanctus is without any difference. The movements of Music for the Eucharist contain many musical cross references, many of which are melodic motives based upon whole-tone scales. A mixture of lyric melodic shapes and bristling harmonic progressions characterizes the setting. Originally published by Augsburg Fortress in 1995, Music for the Eucharist was reprinted by Church Publishing in its 2003 volume entitled Enriching our Music 1.

The cantor on Sunday is soprano, Charlotte Mundy, a regular member of the Choir of Saint Mary’s. During the Communion she will sing My Little Soul’s Goin’ to Shine, arranged by Florence B. Price (1887–1953). Florence Price was a remarkable and ground-breaking American composer. At a time when women and African-Americans were essentially excluded from the world of classical music composition, Price earned national recognition as the first African-American woman to be performed by a major orchestra when her Symphony in E minor was premiered by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 1933. Price, whose maiden name was Smith, grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas, in a middle-class African-American social context, her parents both being professional people. Having received her first music instruction from her mother, she went on to study at the New England Conservatory of Music, where she distinguished herself as a pianist, an organist, and a composer. After graduating, she held teaching positions in Arkansas and Georgia and, in 1927, settled in Chicago where she established her career as teacher, performer, and composer. Her more than three hundred compositions include symphonic and chamber works, works for solo piano and organ, and vocal and choral pieces and arrangements. Sunday’s communion solo is one of Price’s many arrangements of spirituals.

We are very happy that Charlotte is back with us this summer. She specializes in music that is new, daring, and sublime. She has been called a “daredevil with an unbreakable spine” (SF Classical Voice). Recent performances include George Benjamin’s one-act opera Into the Little Hill at the 92nd Street Y and a set of music for voice and electronics presented by New York Festival of Song, described as “an oasis of radiant beauty” by the New York Times. She acted and sang in A Star Has Burnt My Eye at the BAM Next Wave Festival and The Apartment at Abrons Arts Center. In fall 2020, Mundy will develop her surround sound/light/wind/smell installation, Light as a Feather, as a resident artist at the Harvestworks house on Governor’s Island. The multi-sensory ritual of Mass at ‘Smokey Mary’s” is a constant inspiration to her. Learn more at charlottemundy.com.

THIS WEEK AT SAINT MARY’S . . . Sunday, August 16, The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost, Mass 11:00 AM. The church opens at 10:00 AM and closes at 12:30 PM. The celebrant and preacher is Father Stephen Gerth . . . Monday through Saturday, the church opens at 11:00 AM and closes at 2:00 PM. Mass is celebrated daily at 12:10 PM. Please see the Calendar of the Week for this week’s commemorations.

SAINT MARY’S ONLINE CENTERING PRAYER GROUP . . . The Saint Mary’s Centering Prayer Group continues to meet! The Group meets online, via Zoom, every Friday evening at 7:00 PM. If you are interested in participating, please send an e-mail to this address. The convenors of the group will then send the link to the Zoom meeting.

THE FLOWER MARKET HAS REOPENED . . . We now welcome donations for flowers for the high altar. The suggested donation for those arrangements is $250.00. Please be in touch with Chris Howatt by email if you would like to make a donation

.AT THE MUSEUMS . . . Discussions about public art, particularly memorial statues, have increased in 2020 as Americans confront the history of slavery and racism in the United States. The discussions are taking place not only in the states of the former Confederacy. One such discussion concerns a well-known statue of Theodore Roosevelt at the Museum of Natural History on Central Park West. The Museum has posted an online “exhibition,” Addressing the Statue, comprising a comprehensive discussion of the debate surrounding the statue. The discussion comes in three parts: “What did the artists and planners intend?”; “How is the statue understood today?”; “Perspectives on the statue.” Online visitors have an opportunity to leave their own comments. Addressing the Statue may be accessed by following this link.

SOME GUIDELINES FOR ATTENDING SERVICES AT SAINT MARY’S:

We are now open for public worship. In order to ensure the health and safety of all, we have instituted the following procedures and guidelines:

-           The 47th Street Doors, though open for ventilation, won’t be used for entry into the church. Entry is only via 46th Street.

-           Exit only through the most western 46th Street door (near the former gift shop).

-           The Mercy Chapel and Saint Joseph’s Chapel are closed.

-           The Lady Chapel is open, but all chairs, kneelers, candles, hymnals, and Prayer Books have been removed.

-           Facemasks must be worn in the church at all times, except when receiving Communion. Masks should cover both mouth and nose.

-           Hands-free sanitizer dispensers are available by the doors and at the head of the center aisle, where Communion will take place.

-           A basket has been placed at the head of the main aisle, where pledge envelopes and other donations may be safely placed.

-           The city, state, and diocese of New York encourages all those attending services to sign a registry and to provide one means of contact. This will be used only if it emerges that an infected person has been in attendance at a particular service and contact tracing is required.

-           Everyone must maintain safe distancing (at least 6 feet apart).

-           Pews have been marked with blue tape to indicate where seating is allowed.

-           Only 44 people will be allowed in the nave at any time (this includes 6 couples or pairs—people who live together—who may sit together.

-           All cushions have been removed from the pews.

-           All prayer books and hymnals have been removed from the church.

-           Mass bulletins will be provided, but will be removed from the church after each service.

-           All electric fans have been removed from the nave of the church. There will be no hand-held fans available at the door.

-           Communion (wafers only) will be administered at the foot of the chancel steps.

-           Gluten-free hosts are available. Please inform an usher or a member of the clergy.

-           All communicants must proceed down the main aisle, maintain social distance as indicated by the decals on the floor, and return to their seats via the side aisles.

-           There will be no collection taken by ushers.

-           A donations basket will be placed at the head of the center aisle, near the Communion area. Donations are encouraged and gratefully received.

-           There will be no offertory procession.

-           There will be no communal singing.

-           Bathrooms will be available only to those who are attending the service.

-           There will be no coffee hour.

-           These guidelines are to ensure the health and safety of all.

Please follow the directions of the ushers and the members of the clergy. If you have questions or wish to make a suggestion, please contact the rector.

This edition of the Angelus was written and edited by Father Stephen Gerth and Father Jay Smith. Father Gerth is responsible for posting the newsletter on the parish website and for distributing it via e-mail.

The Calendar of the Week