This Week at St. Mary's-in-Tuxedo
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Upcoming Calendar
All services are being live-streamed on Facebook (you do not need a Facebook account to participate).

Saturday, October 3
10am - Fall Fun Run
9pm - Compline

Saint Francis Sunday, October 4
10am - Holy Eucharist (in-person and livestreamed)
10:45am-11:30am - Pet Blessing on the Great Lawn

Tuesday, October 6
5pm - Evening Prayer

Wednesday, October 7
10am - Holy Eucharist (in-person and livestreamed)

Thursday, October 8
5pm - Evening Prayer
From the Rector
Dear Parishioners and Friends,

This Sunday we will be celebrating a beloved tradition across the Episcopal Church, the annual St. Francis Day blessing of the animals. Though he led a life of complex and deep devotion to our Lord, he is most famously associated with his love for God's creation. This is so evident, even today, that one cannot go to a garden center without seeing at least one statue of him. Though he died almost 800 years ago, his popularity ensures that he is not forgotten.

Francis certainly is not forgotten, but is he understood? He was born into a wealthy merchant family, but felt compelled to denounce worldly goods and comforts and embrace a life of poverty. His Rule for the Order of Friars Minor was confirmed in 1210. The order grew rapidly across Europe, as did a similar order for women, started by St Clare of Assisi around the same time.

Francis was able, in his asceticism, to identify completely with the poverty and sufferings of Christ, even receiving the stigmata, or wounds of Christ on his hands, feet, and side, shortly before his death. He left few writings, but his "Canticle of the Sun" demonstrates his joyful and lively faith. It was composed at Clare's convent of St Damian's. The version in our hymnal begins:

"Most High, omnipotent, good Lord, 
To thee be ceaseless praise outpoured,
And blessing without measure.
Let creatures all give thanks to thee
And serve in great humility."

Father Rick
917.658.6314
Fall Fun Run is Tomorrow
On Saturday, October 3rd, at 10am, we will host our second Fun Run around the beautiful lakes of Tuxedo Park. It's a safe opportunity to encourage fitness, enjoy the great outdoors, and also support the many good works of St. Mary's-in-Tuxedo!

Runners can choose how far they want to run/jog/walk (2.5 miles around the small lakes, 4.5 miles around Tuxedo Lake, 7 miles around all the lakes). Runners/walkers will check-in at the starting point (the lawn across from the club, at Lorillard Rd and West Lake Rd), look for the black & white checker flag. Masks are required at the starting point, but runners may remove their masks when they're running alone or with just their immediate family. Awards will be announced for runners with the fastest times, the most sponsors, and the greatest total dollars raised.

Please consider running or becoming an event sponsor.
St. Francis Day this Sunday
In a longstanding Anglican tradition, pets are always welcome in church, but especially on St. Francis Day! On Sunday, October 4th, we will have a special blessing of the animals after the 10am service, on the great lawn of St. Mary's. So please bring your furry, feathery, and scaly friends that day. All are welcome to attend the inside service and/or just the outdoor pet blessing. If your pets don't travel well, or you'd like to remember pets who have passed, please bring a photo. Masks are required at all times at St. Mary's.

For those joining us virtually, please send a photo of your pet with their name to comms@stmtux.org by October 1st and we will include them in the pet blessing service.
Fall Book Group Begins October 13th
We had a delay in getting the book shipped, so we will be pushing this discussion group back one week. It's not too late to join us! We will meet on Tuesdays at 5:30pm (October 13, 20, and 27) for a local discussion (via Zoom) of a very important book that people throughout our diocese will be reading this fall. More information is below, along with a sign up link if you’re interested. All are welcome to join the discussion.
Fall Outreach Appeal
As Christians, we believe that in serving others, we are serving God. Since the ‘lock down’ in early March when St Mary’s joined forces with other community institutions to create ‘Operation: Love Thy Neighbor,’ St Mary’s Outreach has continued to be known as a place to turn for help when times are tough and you need assistance.

During quarantine, our network of neighborhood coordinators helped maintain a sense of human connection. We ran errands for shut-ins and provided food, clothing and financial support to many people in need.

Our partnership with the Sloatsburg Food Pantry remains particularly strong. Together, we are making a positive difference for hundreds of local families. In the past six months, St Mary’s Outreach has disbursed over $52,000!

Our funds have provided for:
  • rent for people who are in danger of losing their homes
  • utility bills for families who have no income due to being laid off
  • Covid related medical bills
  • vital medical equipment not covered by insurance
  • camp sponsorship for children in need
  • new underclothes for the children's clothing drive
  • an air filtration unit for the food pantry
  • child care for children so their mother could work
  • computer repair for a family who owned only one computer
  • $5,400 in ShopRite cards for 27 Tuxedo families getting free school meal deliveries
  • the Helping Hands for the Homeless breakfast program
  • direct donations to the Food Pantry, Helping Hands, and Episcobuild [Habitat Newburgh].

Requests for emergency financial and practical assistance continue, and are even increasing as families’ savings begin to run out. For example, the food pantry has seen a tremendous increase in food insecurity. In January and February, the number of families being served at each opening averaged 125. In May it was 412 and now it has settled at around 220. The operation has far outgrown the Sloatsburg Methodist Church basement and small parking lot, and with the present safety measures in place, it's quite untenable. After an exhaustive search, a space in Duck Cedar Plaza was found, which is ideal but comes at five times the rent we were paying. The food pantry will be moving in October, and St Mary’s has taken on responsibility to help cover the increased costs.

St Mary’s Outreach account is now at only $2,000 in cash and 24 ShopRite cards.
 
Please support St Mary’s work with families in need in our local community by making a donation of any amount to our local outreach. Click on the donate button below or send a check to St. Mary's-in-Tuxedo, P.O. Box 637, Tuxedo Park, NY 10987 (memo: OutreachAppeal). All funds raised will stay within our community, and we simply can’t continue to help our neighbors without your support!
 
Thank you to those who have been donating over this very difficult time. Your donations have been well used and appreciated. May God bless you in your generosity.
 
Fr. Rick Robyn, Rector
Sue Heywood, Outreach Chair
How to contact us...
Website: www.stmtux.org
Office: 845.351.5122
Physical Address: 10 Fox Hill Rd, Tuxedo Park, NY 10987
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 637, Tuxedo Park, NY 10987