From the Rector

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

From the time of St. Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine, Christians have been making pilgrimages to holy places. Pilgrimage differs greatly from a vacation or getaway. While one does experience new places and there are elements of fun and discovery, a pilgrimage offers the faithful deep spiritual connection and can be life changing.

Early next summer, May 29 to June 11, there is an opportunity to make a pilgrimage through The Living Church to Turkey. Why Turkey, you might ask? From the pilgrimage brochure: "The significance of ancient Anatolia — now Turkey — in the birth of our faith is hard to overestimate. Over 60 percent of the places mentioned in the Bible are located there, as were the sites of all seven of the Ecumenical Councils. For a thousand years, Constantinople (now Istanbul) was the world’s greatest Christian city, a center of scholarship, devotion, and art. Turkey is also a center of Islamic culture, and a home of grand mosques and Sufi spirituality. A safe and modern country, it hosts millions of tourists from across the world each year."

The pilgrimage will also coincide with the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea--think Nicene Creed. The itinerary includes places like Istanbul, Chalcedon, Pergamom, Ephesus, and Cappadocia, to name just a few. There will be opportunities for learning, cultural exchange, and daily devotion, with communion on the two Sundays of the journey, including at the home of the Virgin Mary in Ephesus.

Pete and I have signed up for this incredible opportunity, and I hope that you will consider joining us and fellow Episcopalians this summer. Space is limited, and the registration deadline is fast approaching. Here is the link for the itinerary and registration. The full trip brochure is available here. Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions. 

Blessings,

Father Rick

Outreach Update

Episcopal Charities has granted St Mary’s on behalf of the Sloatsburg Food Pantry a grant of $5,000 to be used with Driscoll Foods by the first week of December. Helping Hands in the same way was granted $2,000. Susan Meyer will be placing the orders so the food can be used for the pantry clients and St Mary’s outreach at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

ShopRite has granted us 20% discount on $4,000 worth of $50 gift cards. We will take the discount as extra cards and will pick them up next Friday....ninety-six $50 gift cards. These will be used in the Thanksgiving Baskets and for the Angel Tree gifts in December.

I think we have in place the basic arrangements for Thanksgiving

Baskets and their delivery. 35 families are on the list which was supplied by GGM and Baker High school of the registered low-income families in Tuxedo. Hispanic and traditional baskets will be provided. We have a list of the ingredients needed for the Hispanic baskets.

SFP will supply 35 turkeys which the school has agreed to pick up on the morning of Monday 25th November. They will use a school bus which will then pick up our baskets from St Mary’s around 12 noon and deliver them to the families homes. SFP will also supply 35 dozen eggs and cheese for all baskets.  We will need to collect those the week prior and store them at St Mary’s.

Jane Garofano is organizing the donations of traditional ingredients from parishioners and friends. Packing will take place on the morning of Monday November 25th in the chapel at St Mary’s.

Thank you,

Sue Heywood Outreach Chair

Community Notices