What a difference every pledge makes!

My wife, Nicole, was laid off in early November from her job at Redbook magazine. With another baby on the way (due in May!) and our two-year-old son, Liam, rapidly outgrowing all of his clothes, the loss of her salary has been difficult to deal with, but we are doing our best to budget and prioritize. The difficulty of finding a new job in this economic climate is increased due to the fact that she is five months pregnant – it’s difficult to hire someone who is going to take a significant amount of time off in just a few months time. For the time being she is collecting unemployment and seeking freelance work.

Because of the uncertainty, it took a little longer than usual to figure out exactly what our pledge to Saint Mary’s for 2009 would be. When we arrived at Saint Mary’s we made the leap of faith it takes to tithe: 10% flat off the top of our combined salaries. This year the number went down with the loss of over half our income, but the percentage went up a little bit: I did my best to figure out what her unemployment and some potential freelance money will be and added 10% of that to the tithe from my salary. Ideally, she’ll make lots of money, and we’ll have to increase our pledge, but the opposite could also happen. We shall see … and hope and pray too.

I felt bad that we held up our pledge because I knew that the pledge goal set by the Board of Trustees was that much further from being met. I know what is at stake if we don’t make the pledge goal. We have already felt the cuts in staff and program that were necessary to keep the church doing what it does. Those looming next steps will be even more drastic, and I worry that the church might no longer be open every day of the year or that the doors might open a few hours later or shut a few hours earlier each day: first the hours are trimmed, then the church doesn’t open on holidays and Saturdays… it’s a slippery slope, and one I don’t think Saint Mary’s wants to, or can afford to, go down.

By remaining open, we are able to bring people together in ways they would never have imagined. I wonder how many people have become part of life at Saint Mary’s because the doors were open that first time they walked past the church? How many people decided that this was where their heart was after experiencing the visible and audible beauty of a feast day or Sunday Solemn Mass? How many people found our Lord while attending a simple celebration of the Eucharist at a random lunch hour? How many people were inspired for the first time to let their lives reflect the love of God, so obvious in this place so often, by giving time, talent, and money to support the mission and outreach of the church? How many met other people here, in this place, who felt exactly the same zeal for the beautiful news of the resurrection of Jesus Christ?

I know where my pledge goes. Some of it goes to the Diocese to support mission and evangelism, as well as the infrastructure and leadership needed to offer such outreach. Some of it goes to any number of programs for education, mission, and outreach offered by the parish. I think that’s great, but I’m happiest where the bulk of my pledge goes. Most of it goes directly to keeping this building open and staffed. My pledge makes a difference in the lives of innumerable people because it means that Saint Mary’s will be able to continue to be a place that brings people together and inspires them to do things they would not ever have otherwise done.

The economy has not recovered, and to be perfectly frank, I don’t think anyone really expects things to improve in the near future. So be it. Time for me to cut out the steaks, the shows, and the CDs and concentrate on those things that I know make a huge difference in my life and the lives of the people I love. This church makes a huge difference in my life. It’s where my son was baptized and, God willing, where my next child will be baptized. It’s where I have been inspired by other people to say and do things I never would have thought I could say or that I was able to do. It’s a place and community that I will do whatever it takes to support. I am convinced that anyone reading the Angelus weekly newsletter feels the same way I do.

If you haven’t yet pledged because you aren’t sure how much you can give or you aren’t sure if you can give anything at all, please consider that your pledge, whatever it is, will certainly help to ensure that Saint Mary’s will have the same effect on others that it had on you. If you intend to give and support the parish in ways other than a pledge, please know that every gift is greatly appreciated and always needed, but also know that it is only through pledges that we can ensure Saint Mary’s actually remains a place where those gifts can be put to good use. The budget ensures that the building is open and staffed. The budget is supported by pledges. We are about $80,000 or 16% short of our pledge goal for 2009. We’re almost there, but we’re not there yet.

Sermon for Baptism of Our Lord, 2009

When there is a Baptism, the church grows. For that reason, and also because I think Baptisms here are wonderful, I’m sorry that we don’t have a Baptism today.

This Sunday is one of the four major feasts during the church year when Baptisms are often celebrated. It’s a logical day to do that.

Today we hear how Jesus himself was Baptized by John with water and filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and publicly called the Son of God by a voice from heaven. Someone who is Baptized is simply following in Jesus footsteps, baptized in water, filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and marked forever as one of God’s children. Of course one of us being Baptized into the Body of Christ is a bit different from Jesus submitting to John’s Baptism - that is a sermon for another day - but I think the parallel imagery is quite clear.


When you Baptize someone, you baptize the person by name. “Matthew. I Baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” It’s a powerful statement.

You might be familiar with the tradition of changing your name or adding a new name at Baptism. In a similar vein, sometimes people choose names at Confirmation. I remember when I was confirmed we were all supposed to chose a name. I chose Matthew. I was happy with the name I already had.

The tradition of changing you name at Baptism goes back at least to the fourth century Acts of Saint Balsamus who is quoted saying: “I am called Balsamus, but by the spiritual name which I received in Baptism, I am known as Peter.”

Obviously there are a number of people renamed in Scripture: Simon called Peter by Jesus; Saul renamed Paul. Its not just a New Testament thing: Abram and Sarai renamed Abraham and Sarah by God.


The two most common reasons people are often asked to choose Baptismal names is because they have names that are obviously not Christian names or because they have names that are difficult to pronounce.

I’ve heard stories of priests who when doing Baptisms say: “name this child”. When the child’s name is given and the priest doesn’t recognize it, the priest just inserts Mary or Peter or John instead. My great grandfather was named Hazzard Hoxsie. Can you imagine what might have happened at his Baptism? “Name this child” “Hazzard” “Hazzard?” “Did you say Peter?” “Peter, I baptize you…”

How important is a name? Some Christians obviously think its important enough to change it to something more Christian.

That’s not the only was a name can seem important.

I was recently at a church and spoke to one of the parish leaders about the best way to grow a church. “Names.” He said. “You have to get to know everyone’s name.”

It sounded good at first – the place where everyone knows you name. But the more I thought about it, the more turned off I was by the idea that a church was the place where everybody knows you name. The TV show Cheers featured a bar where everyone knew everyone else’s name, and every episode featured the same cast of worn out characters and a few visitors who never came back. Sometimes new people do stay, but usually the simply replace someone leaving the show.

The place never changed, it never grew, its just remained the place where, if you were a regular, then everybody knew your name.


I meet people every day at Saint Mary’s. Its not that I don’t know their names – usually I don’t. Often I can’t even pronounce their names. Times Square is one of the crossroads of the world, we have people visiting from New Jersey, New Mexico, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea. I met a guy named Blaze last week. “Blaze, that’s a neat name.” “Oh, its not my real name. I’m from the Ivory Coast, you can’t pronounce my name.” “Well, what is it?” After he told me his name, I said: “Wow. So how long have you been in New York, Blaze?”

If there were a Baptism today here, this church would certainly grow, regardless of whether or not the person chose or was given a new Baptismal name. We would add a member to our roles and someone who was not a Christian yesterday would be one today. That person would be recognized first and foremost as a child of God: “Thou art my beloved son.” “Thou art my beloved daughter.” It would have been so awesome, and nobody would care if the person being Baptized was named Blaze or Peter.

Just because there isn’t a Baptism today doesn’t mean that the church won’t grow.

If you are visiting today, please come up and introduce yourself to me or to one of our greeters.

I don’t know your name, but that doesn’t change the fact that I want you to know that you are welcome in this house of worship as if you’d been here your whole life. You may not know me at all and you might not see me again for a long time, but you are my sister in Christ. You are my brother in Christ.

Likewise if you are a regular here, I think today is a great day to make an effort to introduce yourself to someone whose name you don’t know. Someone visiting or maybe someone you’ve seen but never gotten around to saying hello to.

This isn’t a place where everyone knows your name, and that’s because it’s a place that is actively welcoming in new people and growing.

This isn’t a place where we make you change your name so that you fit in better.

This is a place where everyone is welcome and God willing where everyone is treated as a brother or sister, a beloved in Christ.

A Baptism is an amazing this, but so is discovering a new brother or sister in Christ.

Through the rhythms of times and seaons

This past Tuesday evening the parish community celebrated the Epiphany with a Solemn Mass. The feast marks a wonderful conclusion to Christmastide while also offering a glorious reminder of the riches of the upcoming liturgical year – the solemn singing of The Proclamation of the Date of Easter at the conclusion of the Solemn Mass. Because our assisting deacon, Jedediah Fox, was swamped with Canonicals (exit exams required of all Seminary Seniors that for some odd reason are always scheduled at Epiphany), I had the pleasure of singing the Proclamation this year.

The Proclamation announces not only the date of Easter, but of all the other feasts of the year that are movable. Still, it is evident that the great Paschal Mystery celebrated in the Easter Triduum is at the heart of all we as Christians do. Its tone is similar, but not identical, to that of the Exultet, sung at the Easter Vigil, and it explains that the feasts of the year find their reference point at Easter. It is a remnant from a time when knowing when the annual dates for Ash Wednesday, Easter, Ascension Day, Pentecost and the first Sunday of Advent were not “a click away”. I have always enjoyed it for the simple fact that I know in advance when things are happening. It’s all well and good to be able to look ahead on the calendar… it’s another thing to hear these very important things proclaimed. With that in mind, it seems like a good time to announce a few things that are happening during the next three months while Father Gerth is away on sabbatical.

This Sunday, January 11, the parish is doing something that I don’t think it has ever done. At 10:40 AM, in Saint Joseph’s Chapel at the Christmas Crèche, the Saint Mary’s Sunday School will celebrate an Epiphany Pageant. All are invited to sing “We Three Kings” and watch the children offer gifts at the Crèche. I hope you will join us; the pageant will take less than ten minutes and should be lots of fun.

On Sunday and Monday, February 1 and 2, the parish will celebrate several events. The first will be the Eve of the Presentation (Candlemas) with Solemn Evensong & Benediction. Our preacher will be the Reverend Ian Montgomery, who is assisting while the rector is away. The second event takes place immediately after Evensong: Saint Mary’s Superbowl Party IV. As usual, Father Mead’s Abusive Chili will be on the menu. The next day Candlemas will be celebrated with the Blessing of Candles, Procession and Solemn Mass at 6:00 PM, followed by a splendid reception – Father Mead’s Abusive Chili will not be served at the reception.
February and March bring some notable visitors to Saint Mary’s. On Sunday, February 15, the choir from Guildford Cathedral in England will sing at Solemn Evensong & Benediction. The Very Reverend Victor Stock, Dean of Guildford Cathedral, will preach at the service. It will be a wonderful night!

The next Sunday, February 22, the Right Reverend Dr. C. Franklin Brookhart, Jr., Bishop of Montana, will be with us as celebrant and preacher at Solemn Mass. Bishop Brookhart is Deacon Jedediah Fox’s bishop and the ninth bishop of Montana. It is a great honor to have Bishop Brookhart with us on the last Sunday after Epiphany.

On the First Sunday in Lent, March 1, the Right Reverend Andrew St. John, rector of the Church of the Transfiguration (the “Little Church around the Corner”) in Manhattan, will preach at Solemn Evensong & Benediction. Bishop St. John is a great friend of Saint Mary’s, and we are glad to have him with us again this Lent.

The Reverend E. Clare Nesmith will preach the following Sunday, March 8, at Evensong & Benediction. Mother Nesmith served as Seminarian at Saint Mary’s several years ago and now serves as the Bishop’s Deputy for Episcopal Charities in Long Island.

On Wednesday, March 25, the Annunciation will be celebrated with Solemn Mass. That evening we welcome the Reverend L. Kathleen Liles as our preacher. Mother Liles is rector of Christ & Saint Stephen’s Church, New York, New York. It should be another great festival and a nice break during Lent.

Each Sunday in Lent, the Reverend Peter Powell will offer a class on the Psalms. Father Powell is a great friend of Saint Mary’s and he has taught classes for us the last few years. We are grateful for his assistance and expertise in teaching the Bible; and we are always very happy when he and his wife, Barbara, are with us on Sundays.

Knowing what’s coming up is only the first step… don’t forget to mark your own calendars so that you won’t miss a single one of these great events!

Sermon for Christmas 2, 2009

On January 2nd at 3:30 in the morning the burglar alarm in the church went off. Unfortunately for the curates and their families, the alarm sound right outside of our apartments. Its like the end of the world. Being woken up isn’t the worst part, its knowing that you are the one who has to go down and deal with the problem. Its an adventure going into the church in the middle of the night, armed with my pajamas and a pair of slippers. When I turned the lights on I saw a man standing in the middle of the church. When he saw me, he waved to me.

It was like something out of a movie when an airplane flies over a deserted island and the pilot sees an unexpected castaway waving up in desperation.

I could only think of one thing to say: “Why are you in here?”

“I’m locked in. I fell asleep on the bench and when I woke up I tried to get out and I was locked in. Can you let me out?”

“I’ll let you out. Come with me.”

As I was letting him out he asked one last question: “Does this happen a lot?”

“No. This does not happen very often” Then I opened the door and let him out.

“Happy new year!” he said.

More than a bit surprised, I replied “Happy New Year!” And then he disappeared into the night.

In the four and a half years that I’ve lived here, the burglar alarm has gone off dozens of times in the middle of the night. There are motion sensors all over the church so it could be a person just as easily as it could be a lost pigeon or a gust of wind blowing on the outside doors. Usually its nothing, just a loud alarm waking me up in the middle of the night… but you never know.


I used to bring a baseball bat down with me in case someone was actually in the church. I stopped doing that because I’m not sure if coming down armed and dangerous would help or hinder getting someone outside as quickly and painlessly as possible.

Life is full of surprises. In my experience most people are prepared for very few of those surprises. “Does this happen often?” “No. This doesn’t happen very often.”

You don’t have to live inside a church in Times Square to encounter an unexpected surprise. Is getting up in the middle of the night to let someone out of the church any more shocking than losing your job? Is it any more shocking than the sudden and unexpected death of a family member or a friend.

You might wonder how someone can fall asleep in the church and not be woken up and ushered out before the building closes for the night? I too wondered that as I reset the alarm and struggled to get back to sleep.

A few hours before the church opened on New Year’s Day the father-in-law of the sexton who was to be on duty died very suddenly and unexpectedly of a brain aneurism. He was at the hospital with his family, that’s why he didn’t make it to work. We were scrambling all day to fill in for him and when the church closed, it closed with someone still inside, asleep under a pew. It doesn’t happen very often. But it happened that day.

Which situation is more shocking or sudden? What I went through in the first hours of January 2nd or what our sexton went through twenty four hours earlier? Happy New Year, indeed.

Today’s Gospel passage rips us out of the pleasant Crèche and angel scenes that so many people associate with Christmas and casts Jesus, Joseph and Mary suddenly into a very hard and difficult place, full of unpleasant and unexpected surprises that nobody is ever prepared for.

This place is commonly referred to as the real world. It’s a place where phrases like “happy new year” or “happy birthday” carry as much worry and uncertainty of what is to come as they do joy over things that have been and things that might be.

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph lived in the real world and so do all of us. They fled to a foreign land in the face of insane persecution only to find out when they returned that they were no longer welcome in their own home.

It’s a storyline that continues to develop throughout Jesus’ ministry and life. It’s a story that only has a happy ending because the love of God overcomes everything, including fear, including death.

The story of Jesus is the story of God recreating the real world into the new Jerusalem.


For me, it means a great deal to be able to call my self a Christian at all times.

I give thanks to God for the good days, the good moments, and the many blessings that each day brings. I put my trust in the love of God, in this world and the next, whenever I encounter an unexpected and difficult situation.

When I let a man out of the church in the dead of the night, I pray that he won’t decide to stab me on the way out. I pray that he will be an unexpected friend and not an unexpected enemy. When I hear that a someone is suffering from a recent loss, I pray that God will reveal his eternal love to those who mourn and to those who have died. I pray that what God has revealed to me will also be revealed to them.

The Second Sunday after Christmas is often called the Feast of the Holy Family. I think its very important that the Holy Family stuck together. Its very hard to go through anything alone.

Sometimes being alone can be downright scary – I know I was scarred when I was here the other night.

But it turned out that I wasn’t alone. The man wished me happy new year because on some very deep level all of us are children of God and brothers and sisters in Christ and that should and sometimes does make us unexpected friends.

Would he have done that if I had come down with a baseball bat? Would he have done that if my first instinct was to react to fear with aggression and anger? I don’t know, but I don’t think so.

My new year’s resolution is to pray that I may be there when someone needs me. To pray that I will respond to the unexpected with courage and also with love. To pray that I will be able to call on God in those times when I am in distress and be comforted by one of you – one of my brothers or sisters in Christ – whether I know you or whether you are a stranger to me.

It’s a good new year’s resolution, I think, and its one I offer to you as well.

May God bless you and show his face to all of you and may you have happy and blessed New Year.