April 28, 2013

                      Good morning and welcome to St. Mary’s Church

Concert at St. Mary’s Today Sunday April 28 3:00 p.m. Harlem Chamber Players & Opus 118 Harlem School of Music Hear acclaimed students from Opus 118, meet founder and master teacher Roberta Guaspari, the inspiration behind the award-winning documentary “Small Wonders” and inspiration behind Miramax’s film, “Music of the Heart.”

It’s time for the CROP Walk! Walk or raise funds to stamp out hunger!                                              NYC Walk Day: Sunday, 5/19/2013; 2pm. Starting Location: 86th Street and West End Avenue A portion of the funds raised through the NYC CROP Walk will come right back to the St. Mary’s pantry! Donations received before May 1st will be counted towards the Feinstein Challenge, each bit bringing back more of a million dollar pot!     Get started right away!                                                 Contact 646-499-3908,stmarys.facebook@gmail.com“

Current exhibit at General Seminary shows St. Mary’s role in 1970′s struggle for ordination of women as priests in the Episcopal Church, Today Sunday April 28,  Special trip–with tour of Seminary & exhibit.   Leaving from St. Mary’s at 2:00 p.m.  We can be proud.  Join in the fun. Transportation covered, Check out:  kellerlibrary.wordpress.com    

BIBLE STUDY will take place on April 30th at 7pm at the home of Fr. Pellaton, 2186Fifth Ave., Apt. 7D (135th St. and Fifth Ave.) As in the past Fr. Tom will make diner including a Vegans alternative, and the class can bring soft drinks and dessert. We are well into our study of the Gospel of Mark and will continue our journey with the Evangelist.

The next Baptisms will take place on Pentecost Sunday, May 19th. If you or your child or grandchild would like to be baptized please see Fr. Pellaton. In addition, Bp. Chilton Knutson, an assisting Bishop in the Diocese and long time friend of Fr. Pellaton’s will be here for Confirmation Sep. 8, 2013. Confirmation classes have already begun. If you would like to join the class or begin an adult class please see Fr. Tom

      Commentary on the Readings by Arthur Cash

First Reading: Acts 11: l – 18

   The earliest Christians were Jerusalem Jews. The major theme of Acts is the story of how, under the urging of Peter and Paul, the church decided to convert gentiles. (May I remind you that the term “gentile” means anyone who is not Jewish?) In our reading, we hear how the Jerusalem church was shocked to hear that Peter had been converting gentiles. They called him to return, and today we hear his defense. He begins with the fascinating vision he had of being told by God to eat meat prohibited in Jewish law. Then he tells of how he was called to the house of Cornelius, a centurion (officer over a hundred Roman soldiers), who had had a vision of an angel who told him to fetch Peter. (The story had been told in the previous chapter.) As Peter preached to the family, something happened, perhaps a trance fell on them, or they began speaking in tongues; the text says only “the Holy Spirit fell upon them.” After such a sign that God was with this family, Peter was happy to baptize them.

Second Reading: Revelation 21: 1– 6

    We are close to the end of Revelation. John is allowed to see the renewal of life that initiates the new era. From heaven descends the new Jerusalem, like a bride, an image that always puzzles my imagination. Then God takes leave from the scene, announcing his new dwelling among men in the holy city, his care of them, his renewing the entire world. There yet remain brief dramas of measuring and illuminating the holy city and the reevaluation to John of the river of life and the tree of life. Our next two readings will be taken from the final verses of the prophecy.

April 21, 2013

                   Good morning and welcome to St. Mary’s Church

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Ms. Lillian Spann and Ms. Enita Hinkson both long time member’s of St Mary’s Church. The service for Lillian Spann will take place Tuesday April 23, at 12 noon; preceded by a viewing in the Church from 10:am to 12 noon. The service for Enita Hinkson will be held on Wednesday April 24, at 11:am, preceded by a viewing in the church at 10:am.  May the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace.  The Rev. Earl Kooperkamp will participate in both services.

Leadership Seminar: Vestry members and any others interested are invited to a leadership Seminar at the Cathedral, Saturday April 27, 9: am-1:pm If you are interested in attending , see Father Tom or the Wardens of the Church.

It’s time for the CROP Walk! Walk or raise funds to stamp out hunger!                                              NYC Walk Day: Sunday, 5/19/2013; 2pm. Starting Location: 86th Street and West End Avenue A portion of the funds raised through the NYC CROP Walk will come right back to the St. Mary’s pantry! Donations received before May 1st will be counted towards the Feinstein Challenge, each bit bringing back more of a million dollar pot!     Get started right away!                                                 Contact 646-499-3908,stmarys.facebook@gmail.com“

Current exhibit at General Seminary shows St. Mary’s role in 1970′s struggle for ordination of women as priests in the Episcopal Church, Next week, Sunday April 28    Special trip–with tour of Seminary & exhibit.   Leaving from St. Mary’s at 2:00 p.m.  We can be proud.  Join in the fun. Transportation covered,  Check out:  kellerlibrary.wordpress.com    

 Harlem Chamber Players & Opus 118 Harlem School of Music.  Concert at St. Mary’s Sunday April 28 3:00 p.m. Hear acclaimed students from Opus 118, meet founder and master teacher Roberta Guaspari, the inspiration behind the award-winning documentary “Small Wonders” and inspiration behind Miramax’s film, “Music of the Heart.”

BIBLE STUDY will take place on April 30th at 7pm at the home of Fr. Pellaton, 2186Fifth Ave., Apt. 7D (135th St. and Fifth Ave.) As in the past Fr. Tom will make diner including a Vegans alternative, and the class can bring soft drinks and dessert. We are well into our study of the Gospel of Mark and will continue our journey with the Evangelist.

The next Baptisms will take place on Pentecost Sunday, May 19th. If you or your child or grandchild would like to be baptized please see Fr. Pellaton. In addition, Bp. Chilton Knutson, an assisting Bishop in the Diocese and long time friend of Fr. Pellaton’s will be here for Confirmation Sep. 8, 2013. Confirmation classes have already begun. If you would like to join the class or begin an adult class please see Fr. Tom

                   Commentary on the Readings by Arthur Cash

First Reading: Acts 9: 36- 43

      In Acts, Chapter 9, Peter brings about two miracles, the second of which you will hear about today. Both result in many conversions to “the way.” Throughout Acts, miracles lead to faith, Yet in the gospel of John the risen Christ says to doubting Thomas, ‘have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe” (20:29).

    It is significant that Peter stayed with a tanner. In Jewish law tanners were unclean because they worked with animal carcasses. Aside from law, raw animal hides are vile. They stink and attract vermin. Peter chose to stay in the very pit of society, an act of love toward humanity. Yet the church he helped to establish flourished largely because people of wealth supported it. See the recent work by Peter Brown, Through the Eye of  the Needle: Wealth, the Fall of Rome, and the Making of Christianity in the West 350-550 AD. 

Second Reading: Revelation 7: 9 – 17

   Revelation was written to give courage and comfort to Christians who were threatened by their Roman rulers. In 64 CE, the Roman emperor Nero blamed the Christians for the great fire of Rome, setting off vast numbers of arrests usually resulting in death, often by horrible tortures (described by the Roman diplomat and historian Tacitus in Annals.xv.44). Peter and Paul are thought to have died in these persecutions.

In our reading, John is still in the throne room of God. A great crowd of people dressed in white robes appears before God, and one of the elders explains to John that they have “come out of the great ordeal,” meaning they have died under torture, still loyal to Christ. In a wonderful metaphor f washing their robes in the blood of the lamb, we are told they have been forgiven their sins. Now God will dare for them and “will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

April 14, 2013

Good morning and welcome to St. Mary’s Church

 BIBLE STUDY will take place on April 30th at 7pm at the home of Fr. Pellaton, 2186 Fifth Ave., Apt. 7D (135th St. and Fifth Ave.) As in the past Fr. Tom will make diner including a Vegans alternative, and the class can bring soft drinks and dessert. We are well into our study of the Gospel of Mark and will continue our journey with the Evangelist.

The next Baptisms will take place on Pentecost Sunday, May 19th. If you or your child or grandchild would like to be baptized please see Fr. Pellaton. In addition, Bp. Chilton Knutson, an assisting Bishop in the Diocese and long time friend of Fr. Pellaton’s will be here for Confirmation Sep. 8, 2013. Confirmation classes have already begun. If you would like to join the class or begin an adult class please see Fr. Tom

Ecclesia: Marcus Garvey Park: St. Mary’s is the lead congregation on the first and fifth Sunday each month. Today we will supply the lunches for Ecclesia. The services in Marcus Garvey park start, at 2:pm All are welcome to attend

Leadership Seminar: Vestry members and any others interested are invited to a leadership Seminar at the Cathedral, Saturday April 27, 9:am-1:pm If you are interested in attending , see Father Tom or the Wardens of the Church.

St. Mary’s Homeless Street Outreach: Saturdays, 12:00 noon preparation and 2:00 pm Street Outreach. Please let us know if you can help and keep the Homeless Street Outreach in your prayers.

Father Tom will be away next week for a funeral in Munich, Germany. The Rev. Rhonda Rubinson, recently Priest-in charge at St. Phillips in Harlem will be taking the services on April 14. Please give her a warm welcome.

                                Commentary on the Readings by Arthur Cash

First Reading: Acts 9: 1 – 20

   We begin today a series of eight readings from the earliest history of the Church, the Acts of the Apostles. Not history in the modern sense, it is more like the story of the advancements of the Holy Spirit. From as early as the second century, the authorship has been attributed to Luke, the evangelist.  Although no certain proof has been found, the vast majority of Biblical scholars have agreed. No doubt Luke had intended his gospel and history of the church to appear together, two volumes of one work, but some ancient editor separated them. Although the church relegates Acts to a position inferior to the gospels, some of its scenes are of primary importance to our religion, especially the assumption of Christ, and the Pentecost.  There is much speculation, but no definitive explanation of why late in Acts some passages switch from a third-person narrative to a first-person, the so-called “we passages’ (16:1-17; 20:5-16; 21:1-18; 27:1-28:16).

Second Reading: Revelation 1:4 – 8

   We being today with a series of readings from Revelation, a work written to encourage Christians to remain faithful under persecution and, as often was the case, torture.

Today scholars treat apocalyptical narratives as a literary genre. Revelation is the mist fully developed, but others appear in Daniel, Joel, Amos, Zechariah, and the apocryphal books of Baruch and II Esdras. There poetic fiction envision the past as a series of eons or ages, beginning with a golden age and then getting worse and worse until the present time, and age so evil that God will bring to an end. Numerology and astrology gives clues to the approach of the end. Fantastic beasts and elaborately figured angels play a part. As the world nears its end, there are earthquakes, crumbling mountains, blotted-out sun, and other “woes,” often shaped as allegories of historical disasters (the beast of ten horns and seven heads, for instance, represents Rome:13:1). The woes are followed by a battle of the forces of good and evil in which Satan is defeated finally, there is a parousia, in which the “son of man” appears to judge the living and the risen dead. The damned are sent to Sheol, and the good are translated to a new life in a new aeon, a kingdom of God.

April 7, 2013

Good morning and welcome to St. Mary’s Church

Thanks to all of you who made Palm Sunday and Holy Week and Easter so special here at St. Mary’s. From the choir, the altar guild, acolytes, and readers to those who put the Garden of Repose together and our special Bagpiper, it was a massive effort which produced fine services during this spiritually heightened time. And we should not forget the cooks who put together the brunch after the Easter Services. Thank you all (and especially you Ms. Gwen Walker who produced all the bulletins.

                        Alleluia, Christ is Risen! The Lord is Risen indeed, alleluia!

Ecclesia: Marcus Garvey Park: St. Mary’s is the lead congregation on the first and fifth Sunday each month. Today we will supply the lunches for Ecclesia. The services in Marcus Garvey park start, at 2:pm All are welcome to attend

Leadership Seminar: Vestry members and any others interested are invited  to a leadership Seminar at the Cathedral, Saturday April 27, 9:am-1:pm If you are interested in attending , see Father Tom or the Wardens of the Church.

St. Mary’s Homeless Street Outreach: Saturdays, 12:00 noon preparation and 2:00 pm Street Outreach. Please let us know if you can help and keep the Homeless Street Outreach in your prayers.

Father Tom, will be away next week for a funeral in Munich, Germany. The Rev. Rhonda Rubinson, recently Priest-in charge at St. Phillips in Harlem will be taking the services on April 14. Please give her a worm welcome.

Commentary on the Readings by Arthur Cash

First Reading: Acts 5: 27-32

   We begin today a series of eight readings from the earliest history of the Church, the Acts of the Apostles. Not history in the modern sense, it is more like the story of the advancements of the Holy Spirit. From as early as the second century, the authorship has been attributed to Luke, the evangelist.  Although no certain proof has been found, the vast majority of Biblical scholars have agreed. No doubt Luke had intended his gospel and history of the church to appear together, two volumes of one work, but some ancient editor separated them. Although the church relegates Acts to a position inferior to the gospels, some of its scenes are of primary importance to our religion, especially the assumption of Christ, and the Pentecost.  There is much speculation, but no definitive explanation of why late in Acts some passages switch from a third-person narrative to a first-person, the so-called “we passages’ (16:1-17; 20:5-16; 21:1-18; 27:1-28:16).

Second Reading: Revelation 1:4 – 8

   We being today with a series of readings from Revelation, a work written to encourage Christians to remain faithful under persecution and, as often was the case, torture.

Today scholars treat apocalyptical narratives as a literary genre. Revelation is the mist fully developed, but others appear in Daniel, Joel, Amos, Zechariah, and the apocryphal books of Baruch and II Esdras. There poetic fiction envision the past as a series of eons or ages, beginning with a golden age and then getting worse and worse until the present time, and age so evil that God will bring to an end. Numerology and astrology gives clues to the approach of the end. Fantastic beasts and elaborately figured angels play a part. As the world nears its end, there are earthquakes, crumbling mountains, blotted-out sun, and other “woes,” often shaped as allegories of historical disasters (the beast of ten horns and seven heads, for instance, represents Rome:13:1). The woes are followed by a battle of the forces of good and evil in which Satan is defeated finally, there is a parousia, in which the “son of man” appears to judge the living and the risen dead. The damned are sent to Sheol, and the good are translated to a new life in a new aeon, a kingdom of God.

 

March 31, 2013

                            A Blessed Easter and Welcome to St. Mary’s Church!

 The flowers on the Altar are given to the glory of God by Mr. Radford Arrindell and in loving memory of his mother, Mrs. Janet Arrindell.

Thanks to our special musicians today, Ms. April Armstrong, soloist and accompanist Mr. Ishmael Wallace, and to Mr. Nabate Iles, trumpet. Thank you so much for helping St. Mary’s Church celebrates a special Easter this year.

Leadership Seminar: Vestry members and any others interested are invited  to a leadership Seminar at the Cathedral, Saturday April 27, 9:am-1:pm If you are interested in attending , see Father Tom or the Wardens of the Church.

Eccelsia: Marcus Garvey Park: St. Mary’s is the lead congregation on the first and fifth Sunday each month. Today we will celebrate Easter with Ecclesia in the park, at 2:00pm. A caterer will be supplying the meal this Sunday!                      All are welcome.

 Easter Egg Hunt!! Following the service, all children are invited to join in the Annual Easter Egg Hunt in the garden! Thanks to our ECW Woman and our Sunday School leaders for organizing this event!

 Easter Brunch will be served after today’s Easter Egg Hunt in the undercroft

                                                  “Donations are accepted”

 

Commentary on the Readings by Arthur Cash

                “Easter Day March 31, 2013”

For this, our most holy, mysterious, and joyful day of the year, only one comment is appropriate:

“Christ has risen”

Good morning and welcome to St. Mary’s

Reblogged from St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Harlem Blog:

Bagpipes and Drums!! Many thanks to Tommy Chang, Ray Lewis and the St. Mary’s Choir and Acolytes for leading our Palm Sunday Procession this morning. Once again we are blessed to start our Holy Week observance by going forth into our neighborhood to witness where God is working among the poor and oppressed. Thank you!!

Read more… 217 more words

Good morning and welcome to St. Mary’s

Bagpipes and Drums!! Many thanks to Tommy Chang, Ray Lewis and the St. Mary’s Choir and Acolytes for leading our Palm Sunday Procession this morning. Once again we are blessed to start our Holy Week observance by going forth into our neighborhood to witness where God is working among the poor and oppressed. Thank you!!

Today, Palm Sunday: March 24th: 8am and 10am                                                                                          With procession and the Reading of the Passion narrative.

Holy Week and Easter Services

 *Tenebrae: Wednesday March 27th: 6:30pm:                                                                                                 A service of Psalms and Scripture for Holy Week

* Maundy Thursday: March 28th: 6:30pm:                                                                                                                         Foot Washing, Holy Communion, followed by all night vigil at the Altar of Repose

*Good Friday: March 29th: 12 noon: The Good Friday Liturgy,                                                                     Music by the Harlem chamber Players, Holy Communion form the Reserved Sacrament

*Holy Saturday: March 30th: 12 noon: A short service of prayer in the garden

*Easter Sunday: March 31st: 7:30am Vigil and First Eucharist Easter:10.am Festal

Stewardship and your pledge - As a community, we share in many ways. We give God and each other prayer, time, togetherness, talents and tithing. Turning in a pledge card is a demonstration of your commitment, and helps with planning for 2013. We thank you if you have already pledged. If you have not pledged, please prayerfully consider your pledge to St. Mary’s for 2013, and turn in pledge card today.

A leadership workshop will be held at the Cathedral, Saturday April 27, from 9am-1pm for the Vestry and others interested parishioners of St. Mary’s. If you are interested in attending the workshop please see Father Tom Pellaton.

Vestry members meet today after the 10:am service.