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).

Friday, July 17
10am - Morning Prayer

Saturday, July 18
9pm - Compline

Seventh Sunday After Pentecost, July 19
10am - Holy Eucharist (in-person and livestreamed)

Tuesday, July 21
5pm - Evening Prayer

Wednesday, July 22
10am - Morning Prayer

Thursday, July 23
5pm - Evening Prayer

Friday, July 24
10am - Morning Prayer
From the Rector
Dear Parishioners and Friends,

July 17 marks the feast of William White, first Bishop of Pennsylvania. Born in Philadelphia in 1742, he was ordained priest in England in 1772. Upon his return, he became assistant minister, then rector of Christ and St. Peter’s Church for nearly 60 years. He was chaplain to the Continental Congress, and later to the US Congress.

Two years after Samuel Seabury’s consecration by Non-juring Scottish bishops, White returned to England to be consecrated bishop along with Samuel Provoost, first Bishop of New York. The two were consecrated by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York and the Bishops of Bath and Wells and of Peterborough. Fun fact: engraved portraits of the two early American bishops hang in St. Mary’s rectory.

Bishop White was the chief architect of the Constitution of the American Episcopal Church, Presiding Bishop at its first General Convention in 1789, and again from 1795 until his death in 1836. He was a mentor to many of the leading young clergy of the day, including John Henry Hobart, whom he ordained deacon and later priest at my former parish, Trinity Church Oxford, Philadelphia. Hobart later went on to found institutions of higher learning and himself became Bishop of New York. To this day, in the Pennsylvania State House, there is a grand mural entitled “The Apotheosis of William Penn,” in which Bishop White is a central figure.

Bishop White looms large in our history, and is one to whom we can look for inspiration in this time of divisiveness. “O Lord, in a time of turmoil and confusion you raised up your servant William White, and endowed him with wisdom, patience, and a reconciling temper, that he might lead your Church into ways of stability and peace: Hear our prayer, and give us wise and faithful leaders, that through their ministry your people may be blessed and your will be done; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.”

Fantastic Fun Run Held
Thank you to everyone who helped make last weekend's Fun Run for St. Mary's a huge success! We raised over $2,500 for a good cause and the participants enjoyed a beautiful run (or walk) around the lakes of Tuxedo Park. Many thanks to parishioner Adam Smith for his help in organizing the event, and to Mayor McFadden, Chief Conklin, and our fine police department for keeping everyone safe. Please see our Facebook page for more photos .

Congratulations to all the participants, especially our award winners:
  • Fastest Time (7 mile run): Dennis Trotter, 81 minutes
  • Fastest Time (4.6 mile run): Adam Smith, 43 minutes
  • Fastest Time (2.5 mile run): Michael Coleman and JJ Watson, 30 minutes
  • Greatest $ Amount Raised: Adam Smith, $709
  • Greatest Number of Sponsors: Fr. Rick Robyn, 14
Classical Recital on August 9th
Date Change: Please join us Sunday, August 9th, at 2pm on Facebook or in-person in the main church for a recital by Bruce Xu on piano and David Rothenberg on flute. The program will feature works by Bach, Mozart, Franck, and Poulenc. Reservations are required if you plan to attend in person. More information may be found here . Masks and social distancing are required at all times when in church buildings.
In-Person Worship Has Resumed
For now, only the Sunday 10am service is open to in-person worship. All services are online at Facebook (you do not need a Facebook account to participate).  Here are the detailed guidelines and procedures we are following to keep everyone safe. Masks are required at all times when in church buildings.
The Light of Christ
A sanctuary lamp has been hung in the church directly above the tabernacle, where the Blessed Sacrament is kept in reserve. The perpetual light of the lamp reminds us that Jesus is sacramentally present, and calls us to greater reverence for his Body as well as to prayer in his presence.

The glass vigil candles that fit inside the lamp can be given in memory of a loved one, as a petition for some need, or in thanksgiving for answered prayer. Each light burns for an entire week, and the cost is $20. With your donation, please leave a note describing your prayer's intention as well as the week you would like the light to burn. You may donate online or mail a check to St. Mary's-in-Tuxedo, P.O. Box 637, Tuxedo Park, NY 10987.

This week, the sanctuary lamp was given by Manda & Fatima Sanandaji in memory of Fatemeh Dorry Khazaneh .
Congratulations Graduates
The eighty-ninth commencement exercises of the George F. Baker High School were today. The St. Mary's Scholarship is presented to students who have shown determination and success in academic studies and the ability to lead and serve in the school and community. Congratulations to our scholarship recipients, Grace Rinaldo and Madison Spivak, and to all of the graduates!
Tuxedo Trail Angels
People in Tuxedo are helping neighbors, especially at this time. But few know about the Trail Angels, who are helping strangers, and have been doing so for more than 20 years. Ever since 1999 the Tuxedo Trail Angels have been delivering fresh water to a spot in the northern part of Tuxedo just off East Mombasha Road where the 2100-mile Appalachian Trail crosses on its way from Georgia to Maine, or vice versa. The tradition started when Edie Sonne of Tuxedo Park hiked the entire trail and told about ”trail angels” who had delivered magic to her and her fellow hikers along the way. She also told about the serious lack of good water in this area, a fact that is regularly borne out by notes from the hikers about the pond scum that they had been trying to filter for consumption.

The group of Angels consists of five or six locals who take turns delivering gallon jugs of water. July is the busiest and most demanding time, so now an Angel goes every three days with eight gallons. The same people seem to volunteer year after year, though the group diminishes now and again as a result of death (Lucy Edwards, Chris Sonne) or departure (Betty McWhorter, Thayer Woodcock, Chauncie Rodzianko) and then we are looking for new recruits.

Why do we do it? The answer is simple, and is confirmed every time we read the log book that is left by the water. The hikers are so grateful, and they love us, and bless us and shower us with words that make us feel good because we have made them feel good. Some have even told us that we saved their lives. Here are a few comments taken from the book: “I love you guys, may this year’s harvest be bountiful and your chickens lay 1000 eggs.” “Awesome water cache.” “Thanks for the water as we take one step at a time.” “I look to the mountains, where does my help come from….” “ I lost my water filter, and then one of my two nalgenes. Thank you…the best thing that has touched my lips in days.” “Thank you – it’s my birthday.” And on and on.

Sometimes we meet hikers, but often we silently drop off the bottles, read the messages, and wait for our next turn. We might even be in a hurry if it is raining, or the bugs are biting. The hikers we do meet all seem to be happy and positive about their journeys, even when they are battling bugs and sweating in the humidity. Just last week Odeta, one of the Angels, had a most interesting experience when she met one guy, and they chatted for a long time. Here is her account: “It was my turn to drop off water at the Appalachian Trail on early Sunday morning. And what a morning it was! I met a most fascinating hiker, Cheshire Cat (David) with his well-trained dog Stella Blue. He has been hiking for the past few years all over the country. He told funny, interesting, frightening at times stories about his adventures and people he met on the way. He told me about Trail Angels he encountered on his expeditions on the West Coast, East Coast and in the desert. David told me a story how a few days ago he shared some of his rations with other hikers on AT. Next day he reached Mt. Peter and ordered a hot dog for himself and his dog at the stand. The shop owner said to him “no charge, the other hikers told me about how Cheshire Cat shared his food with them.” David said with tears in his eyes how moving it is to receive such kindness, he equated the encounter at the hot dog stand with finding fresh water. He said over and over how these simple acts of kindness inspire and touch so many people, how it becomes a ripple effect, a chain of magic links and makes everyone a better person making the world a better place for all. He repeated a few times ‘you don’t even know how much joy you bring with the fresh water from Tuxedo Park! Blessings and God’s love to you all Trail Angels.’ Now, that brought me to tears.” That sums it up!

2020 Trail Angels – Sally Sonne, Odeta Beggel, Lili Neuhauser, Tom Fuller, Paul Gluck

For more information, contact Sally Sonne.
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