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!
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