This Week at St. Mary's-in-Tuxedo |
|
Stay informed about what's happening at St. Mary's by subscribing to our weekly newsletter... |
|
|
|
|
Services are being live-streamed online on Facebook (you do not need a Facebook account to participate).
Saturday, October 2
10am to 2pm - The Emporium is open
Sunday, October 3
10am - Holy Eucharist (in-person and online)
11am to 1pm - The Emporium is open
Wednesday, October 6
10am - Holy Eucharist (in-person and online)
|
|
“Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above…” James 1:17
Dear Members,
This year more than ever the word that comes to mind is Gratitude, and I am so very grateful for all the ways that this community has met the challenges of this year and found new ways to support each other’s health and well-being, as well as finding opportunities to welcome new neighbors.
Our campaign theme this year is about Every Perfect Gift, and reminds us how everything that we receive and everything we give comes from God. In Father Rick’s recent letter he focused our attention on the gift of Time in the trifecta of Time, Talent, and Treasure. I would like to highlight the gift of Talent.
Talents, we all have them. God gave them to us to use freely in sharing them with our family, friends, and neighbors; they all are blessings. They are far more impactful when given freely to those around us. These last trying months have shown how often these talents have been shared in so many positive ways!
“Well I am not talented! What can I give?” some might say. Each of you are. I have appreciated your talents in the way you give your wisdom, counsel, and experience to our committees, food pantry volunteers, donations to the Emporium, drivers for cancer patients, food for those who are suffering, and more. We see it manifest in the way you raise your families and teach your children to be loving. I have tasted your talent in meals left on doorsteps and treats shared at coffee hours and picnics. Each of you has something you do well, and I am grateful that you share those talents with our community and with our neighbors.
As you receive your pledge materials this year, and learn more about Every Perfect Gift, please know that your support is so very much appreciated by me and by the entire community. I thank you for sharing your talents!
Warm regards,
Senior Warden
P.S. please click here to read a spiritual reflection and introduction to this year's campaign that was shared in church last Sunday
|
|
As many of you already know, Pete was diagnosed with a breakthrough case of COVID on Tuesday after suddenly developing cold-like symptoms. Though he lost his senses of taste and smell temporarily, he is on the mend, isolating in his own part of the rectory. We are grateful that he has had no respiratory difficulties. Please keep him in your prayers.
As for me, I received both a rapid and a PCR test; both came back negative. I was contacted this morning by New York State contact tracers. After verifying my vaccines and test results, they cleared me from quarantine, but we must remain careful. I will be leading the service on Sunday, and will remain masked throughout. I strongly urge everyone to wear masks in church, at least for the next several weeks.
Father Rick
|
|
September Outreach Update |
St. Mary’s Outreach seeks to serve Christ with our time, our talent, and our treasure. We address the problems of hunger, homelessness, poverty, sickness, and inequality of educational opportunity; and respond to natural disasters, locally, nationally and internationally. September outreach seems to have covered all of these, one way or another!
National Outreach
St Mary’s sent a donation of $2,000 to Episcopal Relief and Development for their work in Louisiana and Haiti. ERD works with and through the Episcopal churches established there.
Local Outreach
Working with other charities we support and where we have volunteers working within these organizations, we donated:
$5,000 to the Sloatsburg Food Pantry towards their building fund (you may learn more about the project on the food pantry website).
$2,000 to Habitat for Humanity, Newburgh on the occasion of their ‘Walk for Housing’. Unfortunately, the walk clashed with St Mary’s Rally Day and picnic so the usual group wasn’t able to go. Dennis Trotter, Junior Warden, represented us, joining up with other Episcopal Churches in the area.
$1,000 to Helping hands of Rockland County for feeding and supporting the homeless. Anna Kobelka, the director of this project, has asked if we could supply a quantity of men’s sweatshirts for her to distribute, sizes medium and large. We are buying some new, but if you have any going spare please leave them on the porch at St Mary’s or drop off at my house. I promised a delivery early next week!
Individual Outreach
We donated a $50 Kohl’s gift card to each of five children in a family whose father died during the pandemic. The eldest sister will take them shopping to choose clothes or shoes for school.
ShopRite has again granted us a 20% discount on Gift Cards of various denominations which we will give to families this winter. We have paid $5,000 and are receiving cards to the value of $6,000! Some of these will be distributed through the SFP and others through Tuxedo Schools.
A story to make you feel glad
Diana Segovia, a resident of Tuxedo, came to the USA from San Salvador in December, 2013. She spoke no English and came to live with her aunt and three cousins. She was 16. With help, support and encouragement from the people of St. Mary’s and the counselors and teachers at Baker High School, Diana is now in her senior year at SUNY Purchase.
She texted me this week: ‘The classes I am taking are macroeconomics, world migration, senior seminar and senior project to prepare for my thesis, and also a jury trial class. I love my classes. My thesis is on unaccompanied immigrants, children and juveniles, and everything they have to go through to obtain a better life.’ She has a 3.6 GPA with all grades A and A- and while at RCC maintained a 3.2 GPA with consistently good grades.
While studying, she is supporting her mother and three younger siblings, who are in grades 8, 10 and 12 at Baker High School, by working at Dottie Audrey’s. They came to the US several years after their sister. Diana has shown such determination, energy, good humor, and truly hard work over the last eight years and is hoping to get a job in a law firm when she graduates. She has a green card! Way to go Diana! We’re proud of you!
International Outreach
We continue to work with Carryou in South Africa. Posted on Facebook was the story of one family and giving thanks for the donations from St Mary’s and friends who make their work helping individual families possible.
Our thanks to all who donate!
Sue Heywood Outreach Chair
|
|
In a longstanding Anglican tradition, pets are always welcome in church, but especially on St. Francis Sunday! Please bring your furry, feathery, and scaly friends for a special blessing of the animals after the 10am service on October 10th, on the great lawn of St. Mary's. 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. Visit our Facebook page for photos and video from last year's pet blessings.
For those joining us virtually, please send a photo of your pet with their name to comms@stmtux.org by October 8th and we will include them in the pet blessing service.
|
|
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newburgh, including EpiscoBuild, and would like to invite you to the upcoming Building Houses, Building Hope Breakfast. This is a free one-hour breakfast for people to come and learn more about the organization on Tuesday, 19 October at 8:00 AM. We promise to finish in exactly one hour. Please contact Dennis Trotter (St. Mary's liaison to Habitat) if you'd like to attend.
|
|
Please join us for a festive dinner to benefit the ministries of St. Mary's at 6pm on October 30th at the Tuxedo Club.
Proof of COVID vaccination will be required to attend the event.
A catalog of auction items will be published shortly, and a mechanism will be created for those who wish to bid virtually.
Tickets are $200 per person. You may get them online or send a check to St. Mary’s, PO Box 637, Tuxedo Park, NY 10987.
|
|
Administrative Position Open |
St. Mary's is looking to hire a part-time Administrative Assistant so that we can reopen our parish office on a regular basis. Under the supervision of the Rector, this role will provide general office support to the staff, committees, and congregation, in order to support the ministries and mission of St. Mary’s. This work includes, but is not limited to: data and records management, phone and email support, supplies and vendor management, communications work, managing use of church space by parish and outside groups, supporting church ministries and committees, and collaborating with volunteers. The Administrative Assistant will be a resource person for both members and non-members, and a welcoming and responsive presence in our church’s office. Please review the detailed position description and let Father Rick know if you or someone you know is interested in the position!
|
|
We have a long history of spiritual, educational, and social programming here at St. Mary’s. This moment presents us with a great opportunity to reboot and reimagine those ministries, particularly those for children and youth. But we need your input and involvement. To that end, we’ve created a survey -- it’s short and just takes a few minutes to complete. You can take the survey online or get a paper copy at church.
|
|
Shop The Emporium This Weekend |
|
How to contact us...
Office: 845.351.5122
Physical Address: 10 Fox Hill Rd, Tuxedo Park, NY 10987
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 637, Tuxedo Park, NY 10987
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
