This Week at St. Mary's-in-Tuxedo
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Stay informed about what's happening at St. Mary's by subscribing to our weekly newsletter...
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All services are being live-streamed on
Facebook
(you do not need a Facebook account to participate).
Saturday, July 11
9:30am to 11am - Fun Run (weather permitting)
9pm - Compline
Sixth Sunday After Pentecost, July 12
10am - Holy Eucharist (in-person and livestreamed)
Tuesday, July 14
5pm - Evening Prayer
Wednesday, July 15
10am - Morning Prayer
Thursday, July 16
5pm - Evening Prayer
Friday, July 17
10am - Morning Prayer
Saturday, July 18
9pm - Compline
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Dear Parishioners and Friends,
As you know, last Sunday was our first time back at in-person worship since mid-March. It looked like we simply unlocked the doors and turned on the lights, but I can assure you that a great deal of effort and planning went into it.
I am grateful to our bishop for his clear and thoughtful instructions throughout the pandemic. We have followed them scrupulously, with slight adaptations to meet the specific needs of St. Mary’s. The feedback I got was that everyone felt safe, and that the church looked and smelled clean. And with only one service, we struck a good balance in terms of length.
We continue to take COVID very seriously, and some big changes are underway to ensure safety and utility into the future. Our new sound system was further calibrated this week, and WiFi installation in the nave was completed. This allows us to better live stream our service for those who cannot come in person, as well as offer hearing assistance for those who need it. Additionally, it allows you to bring your tablet and download the service bulletin, thereby saving paper and minimizing physical contact.
The collect for last Sunday began with this: “ O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor...” As we move forward in the midst of this ongoing pandemic, please know that everything we are doing in terms of precautions is being done out of love. We will continue our online worship, and we welcome those who feel comfortable to join us in person on Sunday mornings at 10am.
Blessings,
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In-Person Worship has Resumed
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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.
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Please join us Sunday, August 2nd, 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.
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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
Father Rick
in memory of
Malcolm Poole
.
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Preschool Ministry Comes to an End
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A few weeks ago, the wardens, vestry, and I made the difficult decision to close St. Mary’s Preschool.
St. Mary’s, like many other small organizations, has been working hard to keep our mission going while also making ends meet at this difficult time. While the preschool was an important and well-run program, over the past few years we have noted a decline in enrollment as well as an increase in costs. This has led to two years of deep deficits which the church simply cannot afford. Additionally, the public school’s new universal pre-k program further reduced our viability.
When the decision was made, we communicated this to the teachers and parents, and are doing everything possible to honor the legacy of the preschool and care for everyone involved. All tuition payments from last April forward have been returned, teachers are being paid through the end of their contract year (August), we are providing teacher references/ recommendations to other schools, and donating furniture and supplies to other preschool programs.
I would like to thank preschool director Miss Ida and all of the preschool teachers for the fantastic work they did in the classroom. We are all very grateful and proud of what they have accomplished over the years in molding young hearts and minds, and preparing them for the transition to “big kid school."
Personally, I will really miss our chapel time, which was a highlight of my week. The children’s gleeful welcome always put a smile on my face. It was a privilege to watch as they grew in knowledge and stature, and I was often amused at where the train of thought would take us from week to week.
Although we will no longer have a preschool, we remain dedicated to our mission of Christian formation and service, and a small committee has been formed to explore how we can best accomplish this with the preschool space. We care deeply for the families in our community, and we will be there however we can.
Father Rick
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Dear Friends,
Tuxedo Town Camp starts on July 20th, based on Murphy Field. It will be a wonderful outdoor experience for the 67 children registered. Ten of those registered are local children whose families at the moment are having a hard time financially through loss of jobs and Covid19 related restrictions. St. Mary's is sponsoring their camp fees, some in full and some in part. Their fees total $4,600.
For many families also, finding sufficient money to pay bills for utilities, rent and food is becoming harder after prolonged unemployment, so St. Mary's Outreach is providing financial assistance. Over the last few weeks we have assisted three families with rent payments, some in arrears, some for the coming month. Our expenses for these are $5,200.
If anyone would like to donate to help Outreach with any of this, we would be very grateful.
Sincerely,
Sue Heywood,
Outreach Chair
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Last year we initiated getting information to publish a new local directory of St. Mary’s Parishioners and Friends. So many people had asked for an updated version of the 2015 directory which they had always found very useful. However, information for the directory was slow to come in and there were many other things that took priority for our attention. Now that people have more time, and new families are moving into Tuxedo, we are hoping to get the information and renew our efforts in making the updated directory happen.
Please fill in the information asked for in the link and also pass this email on to any new people in our community. It’s a good way to meet your neighbors and a useful resource for community activities. Please note, the directory is only shared with participants and you can indicate on the form how much of your information you want included. We will never share your information with any outside organization.
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How to contact us...
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
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