This Week at St. Mary's-in-Tuxedo
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Upcoming Calendar
Thursday, April 11
11 am - Chapel for Preschool 2s
11:30 am - Soup and Sandwich Luncheon & Day by Day Reading Reflection Time

Saturday, April 13
11 am - Memorial Service for Chris Sonne

Palm Sunday, April 14
8 am - Holy Eucharist in the Chapel
9:50 am - Sunday School starts and infant/childcare provided
10 am - Procession and Holy Eucharist in the Church with choir and organ
Coffee Hour follows in Bentley Hall
11:30 am - Vestry Meeting

Holy Tuesday, April 16
10:30 am - Mass of Collegiality, Cathedral of St. John the Divine

Holy Wednesday, April 17
10 am - Holy Eucharist with Unction in the Church

Maundy Thursday, April 18
7:30 pm - Holy Eucharist with music and stripping of the altar in the Church
All night vigil before the Altar of Repose in the Chapel

Good Friday, April 19
12 noon - Prayers in the Chapel
7:30 pm - Liturgy with music in the Church

Holy Saturday, April 20
11 am - Acolyte and Usher Rehearsal in the Church
6 pm - First Eucharist of Easter at St. John's in Arden

Easter Sunday, April 21
8 am - Holy Eucharist in the Chapel
9:55 am - Children gather for the flowering of the cross
10 am - Holy Eucharist in the Church with choir and brass
Easter Egg Hunt and Coffee Hour follows in Bentley Hall
From the Rector
Dear Parishioners and Friends,

Many years ago, Art Linkletter had a show called, “Kids Say the Darndest Things.” While the world has changed dramatically since Art’s day, one thing that has remained constant is that kids really do say the darndest things. Each Wednesday after the midweek Eucharist in the chapel, I head over to our preschool for chapel time with the three and four year olds. It is always a treat to walk in to a room full of faces that light up upon my arrival, all seated neatly in rows on a colorful rug. We usually have a Bible story, some songs, and prayer time. This week was no different, but instead of the usual tidy story, today we waded into some pretty deep waters as we talked about the death and resurrection of Jesus, and its meaning for us.

Some questions ran like this: “Why did they want to hurt Jesus?” “Why is Jesus wearing a helmet?” Me—That’s not Jesus, that’s the soldier. Jesus is the one on the cross. “So they made him a statue?” No, he was a real man. “My grandpa went to the hospital and got his leg cut off.” “How did Jesus come back to life?” “I had pinkeye.” And it goes on...

The beauty of this is that in the eyes of these children, the story of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection is completely integrated into their lived experiences. It is as much a part of their story as is Grandpa’s wooden leg or their recovery from an illness. They have not had time to put Jesus into the “Sunday compartment” of life; he just is. What a lesson we can learn from the youngest ones among us! As Holy Week begins, let us strive to love our Lord and receive him with the heart of a child: lovingly, completely, and without hesitation.

Blessings,
Father Rick
In Memoriam
Longtime parishioner  Christian Richard Sonne , age 82, died peacefully on March 22 in the same house in Tuxedo Park where he grew up and lived most of his life. Chris was a good-natured gentleman, fair and decent. He was devoted to and proud of his wife and children and grandchildren. Chris will be greatly missed by his family and community. His memorial service will be held at St. Mary's on Saturday, April 13, at 11am.

May Chris's soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Children at St. Mary's
This coming Sunday, April 14th, the children will celebrate Palm Sunday by joining in the procession followed by a discussion of Holy Week so we all remember what it's all about.

On Easter Sunday, April 21st, we will join in the flowering of the cross at the start of the service (arrive by 9:55 am please) and participate in the Easter Egg Hunt following the service.

There will be a rehearsal for everyone serving at Easter on Saturday, April 20th at 11am.
Palm Sunday
Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday masses at 8am and 10am on April 14. Each service will start with the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem and be followed by the agony of the Passion that he was about to endure. Each service will end in silence.
Maundy Thursday
On Maundy Thursday, April 18, at 7:30 pm, we will commemorate the Last Supper, a Passover meal which Jesus shared with his disciples and at which he became our passover, the Lamb of God. We also celebrate the institution of the holy priesthood as Jesus gave his disciples the command to break the bread and bless the cup until he comes again. After communion, the altar will be stripped and washed to represent the tomb that will receive Christ's body on Good Friday. The reserved Sacrament will then be taken in procession to the Altar of Repose in the Chapel, which represents the Garden of Gethsemene, where Jesus asked his disciples "Could you not wait with me one hour?" The Chapel will remain open all night for silent prayer and reflection before the Blessed Sacrament.
Good Friday
Good Friday is the day we observe the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. We will have two services on this day, the first at the traditional noon hour in the Chapel and a 7:30 pm service in the main Church.

The Good Friday Offering has been a source of support, love and hope for the people of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East. Through our support of these churches we are helping to realize God's vision of peace throughout this area. More information about this ministry can be found online here . In a tradition spanning nearly 100 years, all offerings collected on this day will go to the Diocese of Jerusalem or you can send your offering to the church office marked as Good Friday Offering.
Acolyte and Usher Rehearsal
All acolytes and ushers for Easter Sunday (as well as other days) are invited to attend a rehearsal on Saturday, April 20, at 11am in the Church. We will run through your roles and make sure everyone is comfortable with their duties before the big day.
Easter Flowers and Music
Easter Altar
Two of the delights of Easter at St. Mary's are the lovely Easter lilies and the addition of a brass quintet to our wonderful choir and organ. This extraordinary greeting of our risen Lord occurs separately from our ordinary budget. The cost is approximately $3000, and it all depends on your generosity. If you would like to participate in making all this happen and honor or remember someone on this great festive day, please make a donation as soon as possible by using the link below (choose fund designation of Holiday Flowers and Music), envelopes provided in the church, or sending a check to St. Mary's (memo line: Easter flowers/music). Names of all those remembered/honored received by Monday, April 15, will appear in the Easter bulletins and the following Sunday as we enjoy the lilies for two weeks.
All are truly welcome at St. Mary's, which is located within the historic gates of Tuxedo Park and serves the entire Tuxedo community. Please tell the gatehouse you're going to St. Mary's, proceed thru the gates and we're on the right (plenty of parking available).
How to contact us...
Website: www.stmtux.org
Office: 845.351.5122
PreSchool: 845.351.2389
Physical Address: 10 Fox Hill Rd, Tuxedo Park, NY 10987
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 637, Tuxedo Park, NY 10987