This Week at St. Mary's-in-Tuxedo |
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All services are being live-streamed online on Facebook (you do not need a Facebook account to participate).
Thursday, March 4
5pm - Evening Prayer (online only)
Friday, March 5
7pm - Stations of the Cross and Benediction (online only)
Third Sunday in Lent, March 7
10am - Holy Eucharist (in-person and online)
Tuesday, March 9
5pm - Evening Prayer (online only)
Wednesday, March 10
10am - Holy Eucharist (in-person and online)
Thursday, March 11
5pm - Evening Prayer (online only)
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Dear Parishioners and Friends,
In terms of the seasons of the Church, it is said that Advent (the four weeks leading up to Christmas) is the season of waiting and watching, of stillness and quiet. My experience has been rather the opposite, especially as a rector. 2020 notwithstanding, those four weeks usually zip by with a flurry of activities, events, concerts, and parties, not to mention all of the liturgical preparations. Before you know it Christmas and New Year's have come and gone, and it is back to the usual rhythm of life.
Lent (the five weeks leading up to Holy Week and Easter), is a sort of mirror of Advent, though the themes differ in focus from joyful expectation to repentance and self-denial. Given the time of year in which we observe Lent, and the general lack of festivities, this is when I really feel the sense of yearning for God to fulfill his promise to "make all things new."
The sunshine and slowly-melting snow cover help us to understand in concrete terms that though the cold may be hanging on, new life is at hand. This is the time of year when I visit my special garden friends daily to check on them as they ever-so-slowly emerge from the cold ground. Likewise, this is also the time when we take stock of our spiritual lives on both a micro and macro level. On the micro level, we sort through the cobwebs in the nooks and crannies of our hearts in order to prepare a place for our Lord. On the macro level, we can take the long view. Just like tracking the slow emergence of spring plants, we can look at where we have been spiritually throughout our lives, observing the growth as well as the setbacks that make us who we are today. And finally, we set our hearts anew on the pilgrim's path as we take up our cross and follow Him.
Blessings,
Father Rick
917.658.6314
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Church Office Moves to French House |
The building which formerly housed the preschool was dedicated in 1962 as a place for Christian education. It was officially named “French House” in honor of the heroic efforts of Francis Ormond French, who spent years raising funds for its construction.
Last summer, when we were forced to permanently disband the preschool, a small committee began meeting to consider future uses for the space. The committee members were Father Rick (rector), Billy Mincey (former junior warden and project architect), Lili Neuhauser (senior warden), Sue Heywood (outreach chair), and Pete Datos (project manager).
Several ideas were presented and discussed. Whatever we did, the rector felt that in the spirit of honoring Mr. French’s efforts, an element of Christian education should be maintained. Then Sue spurred us on toward the winning idea:
- The front half of French House would be used to house the parish office and vestry, providing not only a more cheerful atmosphere but also good ventilation and the necessary space for social distancing that will be required going forward.
- The back half of French House would be rededicated as “St. Mary’s Family Room,” a multipurpose, multigenerational Christian education space — hosting varied functions such as Nursery, Sunday School, Youth Group, and/or Adult Education sessions.
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Thanks to our church handyman/contractor Aivars, along with electrician Jesse, the new office is now up and running. Many thanks also to Sara & John Cassis for donating some lovely furniture for the new space. Due to the pandemic and lack of administrative support, the office is not yet open regular hours, but Father Rick would be happy to give you a tour anytime, just call or email him. Outfitting the Family Room will come next — please let us know if you'd like to help realize this vision for a fun, multigenerational space!
The former office, located in the undercroft of the church, is now in the process of becoming "The Emporium" at St. Mary's — a whole new way to shop sustainably while supporting a worthy cause. It will be much more than a thrift shop — a carefully curated selection of beautiful items, donated by local residents. It will be led by Lili Neuhauser and run entirely by volunteers, with all proceeds benefitting the good works of St. Mary’s-in-Tuxedo. Thanks to generous donations by Sara Cassis, Sherri Stephenson, and others, we will be well stocked when it opens. Stay tuned for more information...
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During the past year, the need for prayer has never been more clear. One of our most watched online services during the height of the pandemic was Stations of the Cross with prayers for doctors and nurses.
During each celebration of the Holy Eucharist, we have continued to pray for members of our community who are in need and for those who have died. In addition, during the new weekday online services of morning prayer, evening prayer, and compline, Father Rick has specifically invited our prayers and intercessions. Many people reached out to him directly with their own prayer requests, sometimes for a private intention, other times to be shared. We hope this will continue; Father Rick is always available by mobile phone (917) 658-6314 or email [email protected]. He, along with the pastoral care and outreach teams, are also helping with more temporal needs like food, shelter, transportation and companionship.
Now we are happy to report that our broader community prayer list, which was discontinued due to lack of administrative support, has been restarted. If you have a friend or family member that you'd like us to pray for as a community, please call the office at (845) 351-5122 or email [email protected]. The prayer list will be published in the Sunday bulletin and the weekly newsletter (see below), which is also always available at www.stmtux.org/news. Unless you specify a time period, each person will remain on the list for one month. Keep in mind that this information is broadly visible, so do not use this list if the person in need desires privacy.
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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
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