EDGAR FISHER WELLS, JR., priest, MARCH 26, 1930–JUNE 7, 2020

This morning, Trinity Sunday, the eighth rector of Saint Mary’s died at home under the care of hospice. He had not been well. His ninetieth birthday was in March. His mortal body is now at rest, and he is with the Lord he served selflessly, faithfully, and loyally as a priest of the Episcopal Church. His cousin Robin Clifford called me this morning not long before the Sung Mass. I announced this before the Eucharist began. For the first time, his name in the prayers was not the last, that is, the most senior, of the priests who are on parish prayer list. Many years ago, he planned for the Burial of the Dead to be celebrated at Saint Mary’s, which we will do at some appropriate point in the future. Then his ashes will be interred with those of his parents at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. In the meantime, his ashes will rest at Saint Mary’s. I will write more about Father Wells next week. Rest eternal grant to him, O Lord; and let light perpetual shine upon him. —Stephen Gerth

FROM THE RECTOR: TWO HYMNS

When I reviewed the service bulletin for Trinity Sunday, I saw something I haven’t seen before and, as far as I can remember, no one has ever brought it to my attention. There’s a misspelling of a word in the version of the text that we have been using for many, many years. Perhaps no one singing this hymn here has ever really looked at the words of the first verse while singing, “Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee.” Instead of “thee,” our version has “three.” I think for the first time since I’ve been rector, we’re going to sing the altered version from The Hymnal 1982 at the Sung Mass on Sunday. I promise it will be reset to the original text before we sing it again—usually once in the fall.

“Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! was written by Reginald Heber (1783–1826). A priest of the Church of England, in 1823 he became bishop of Calcutta (since 2001 Kolkata). He died in India in 1826. The Hymnal Companion 1940 (1949, 1951) noted, “His figure is among those included in the ‘Ter Sanctus’ reredos in the National Cathedral at Washington” (page 459). This is the reredos behind the high altar. He is the author of many hymns still sung, notably the great Epiphany hymn, “Brightest and best of the sons of the morning.”

We have used the original version of “Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty”—totally permissible. The original text and the tune composed for it, Nicaea, was included in the Hymnal (1871). For The Hymnal 1982, “the eye of sinful man” was altered to “the sinful human eye” (#362). With respect, our eyes are not the moral problem; our sins are our problem. That said, the phrase, “custody of the eyes,” does come to mind.

I’ve never had a quarrel with the alterations for the current hymnal in another classic hymn, “Come down, O Love divine”—our hymn at the Sung Mass on Pentecost. In earlier hymnals, we sang, “for none can guess its grace, Till he become the place, Wherein the Holy Spirit makes his dwelling” (The Hymnal 1940, #376). We now sing, “till Love create a place wherein the Holy Spirit makes a dwelling” (The Hymnal 1982, #516). Who brings us to faith? The Holy Spirit. The Spirit creates the place “wherein the Holy Spirit makes a dwelling.” The original isn’t wrong, but the alteration, I think, is where I come down theologically.

Both of these hymns are set to really great tunes. Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1890) composed Down Ampney for “Come down, O Love divine” for The English Hymnal (1906), of which he was the musical editor. John Bacchus Dykes (1823–1826) was a priest of the Church of England and precentor of Durham Cathedral. He composed Nicaea for Heber’s text, “Holy, holy holy! Lord God Almighty!” The Hymnal 1982 Companion (1990) says that friends suggested to Dykes he send some of his music to William Henry Monk (1823–1889) who was the musical editor for Hymns Ancient and Modern (1860–1861), then in preparation (vol. 3A, #362, pages 668–70). One wonders if Monk had to play or if he just heard it in his mind and knew it was great.

For thousands of years, the psalms and hymns have been a source of strength and healing, especially in difficult times. Song allows God’s grace to touch us in its own powerful way, for which I am always thankful, even when that touch makes me lose control of my emotions. Words can do that too: “Lazarus, come out . . . Unbind him and let him go” (John 11:43–44). —Stephen Gerth

YOUR PRAYERS ARE ASKED FOR Wes, Ruth, Michael, Leroy, Shalim, Nam, John, Marilouise, Ken, May, Willard, Alexandra, Takeem, and Burton; Luke and David, religious; Ryan, Gene, David, Gaylord, and Louis, priests; Charles, bishop; the members of the armed forces on active duty, especially Isabelle; the repose of the souls of Jean Doris Kahn and Edgar Fisher Wells, Jr., priest; and for all the members, benefactors, and friends of this parish. Your prayers are also asked for all health-care workers; all those who work for the common good; for justice and peace for all the people of this nation, and for the safety and welfare of our city and all who dwell herein.

GRANT THEM PEACE: June 7: 1884 Lydia Ann Pancoast; 1919 Sabrina Glynn Knowton; 1950 Pauline Lewis Groesbeck; 1950 Agnes Schuster Paltz; 1957 Floranelle Waugh.

THE ORDINARY FRIDAYS OF THE YEAR are observed by special acts of discipline and self-denial in commemoration of the Lord’s crucifixion.

SAINT MARY’S WORSHIP VIDEOS are live-streamed daily at 10:00 AM on Saint Mary’s Facebook page. And they can be viewed there even if you don’t have a Facebook account. They are uploaded after the Mass, first to our Vimeo page and then to our parish webpage. We also have a parish YouTube account, but at the moment we are not posting our videos there. Weekday Masses average a little less than thirty minutes and include a homily written for the day.

THE FLOWER MARKET HAS REOPENED . . . We welcome donations for flowers for the altar in the Lady Chapel and for the shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham on June 21 and June 28. A donation of $150.00 is asked. Please be in touch with Chris Howatt by email if you would like to give them for the Sundays mentioned or doe one of the last two Sundays in June.

TRINITY SUNDAY & CORPUS CHRISTI . . . Father Jay Smith, the friars, and I are used to singing a simple plainsong setting of Te Deum at Sung Matins. On the First Sunday after Pentecost: Trinity Sunday, in addition to a hymn at the preparation of the gifts we will sing this Te Deum as incense is offered. As is our custom, Trinity Sunday is the last Sunday until the beginning of October when we will celebrate (and live-stream) Evening Prayer & Sung Benediction—during the summer months Sunday Evening Prayer is read. On the Second Sunday after Pentecost: Corpus Christi, we cannot have a procession this year, but the Sung Mass will conclude with Eucharistic Benediction. —S.G.

MUSIC AT SAINT MARY’S . . . Dr. David Hurd, organist and music director at Saint Mary’s has been sharing with the parish community a series of articles entitled “Music Listening for the Easter Season.” The eighth part of the series is now on our website.

WE NEED YOUR HELP . . . If you have made a pledge for 2020, please continue to make payments on your pledge, if possible. If you have not yet made a pledge for 2020, we urge you to do so. If you are able to make an additional donation to support the parish at this time, we would happily receive it. Donations may be made online via the Giving section of the parish website. You may also make arrangements for other forms of payment by contacting our parish administrator, Christopher Howatt, who would be happy to assist you. We are grateful to all those who continue to support Saint Mary’s so generously. —Stewardship Committee

AROUND THE PARISH . . . At staff meeting this week, we learned that Dr. Hurd and the members of the choir are working on their second video and hope to have it ready to post shortly. Their first video, a rendition of Thomas Tallis’s If ye love me may be viewed here . . . We’ve often received comments on our live-stream Facebook feed about our canine resident, who has been known to attend Mass and Evening Prayer. She is Annie, the friars’ dog. She now responds with great enthusiasm when Brother Damien asks her, “Do you want to go to church?”, running down five flights of stairs and on to the church. She provides much comfort to the residents of the complex. Therapy dogs are a real thing . . . Parishioner Penny Allen drove in to Manhattan from her home in Allendale, New Jersey, one day this week to deliver a dozen large bags of clothes for use in our clothing ministry. She and her husband, Father Michael Allen, are moving to their home in Ocean Grove, New Jersey, since Father Allen will soon be retiring. We are grateful to Penny, Michael, and all those who continue to support this parish’s ministries . . . Penny had not been in the city for many weeks. She commented on the many boarded-up windows in the Times Square neighborhood. The church complex has not sustained any damage. We continue to pray for justice and peace in our neighborhood, our city, and our nation . . . On Tuesday, June 9, we will commemorate Saint Columba, Abbot of Iona, who died in 597. Columba, or Colmcille, was a learned monk, a fierce preacher, an evangelist, and a founder of monasteries. His journey across the Irish Sea to Scotland and then on to the island of Iona is commemorated at Saint Mary’s by a small sculpture of his head, face, and torso, which adorns the newel post of the pulpit. The saint is seated in a small boat, known as a curragh. The figurehead which adorns the bow of the boat is a seahorse. Behind the story of Columba’s voyage across the sea, lies a sad tale. It is said that Columba borrowed a manuscript, a psalter, from another monk, Saint Finnian, and neglected to return it. This led to a dispute, which actually led to violence. Men were killed in a dispute over a psalter. As a sign of repentance, Columba agreed to go into exile. The dean of Saint Columb’s Cathedral in Derry, Northern Ireland, writes, “Columba was human; he made mistakes. This is true for us too. None of us is perfect. We have and we do make mistakes and, sometimes, we have to pay a costly price for those actions, but God still loves us and He can still use us in a wonderful way just as he used Saint Columba.”

THIS WEEK AT SAINT MARY’S . . . Sunday, June 7, Trinity Sunday, Sung Mass 10:00 AM in the Lady Chapel and Evening Prayer and Eucharistic Benediction 5:00 PM. You can download the service booklets for the Sunday Mass here and for Sunday Evening Prayer & Benediction here. The readings for Mass on Sunday are here and for Sunday Evening Prayer & Benediction are here. Father Jay Smith presides and preaches at the 10:00 AM Mass this Sunday. The readings on Sunday are: 2 Corinthians 13:11–14; Psalm 150; Matthew 28:16–20. Next Sunday, June 14, will be the Feast of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ: Corpus Christi . . . Tuesday, June 9, Columba, Abbot of Iona, 597, Mass 10:00 AM . . . Wednesday, June 10, Ephrem of Edessa, Syria, Deacon, 373, Mass 10:00 AM . . . Thursday, June 11, Saint Barnabas the Apostle, Mass 10:00 AM.

JUNE ORDINATION ANNIVERSARIES . . . Father Jay Smith was ordained deacon on June 10, 1989, Father Stephen Gerth on June 11, 1983, Father Pete Powell on June 12, 1976, and Father Jim Pace, June 25, 1988. (In case you’re wondering, Father Matt Jacobson was ordained to the diaconate on March 4, 2017. Mother Alison Turner was ordained deacon at Michaelmas in 1997 and priest, also at Michaelmas, in 1998.)

FROM THE FRIARY . . . The meditations of our brothers and other brothers of the Society of Saint Francis are archived on the Society’s website.

ONLINE RETREATS . . . Holy Cross Monastery, West Park, New York, is offering two online Zoom retreats during the month of June: Entering the Bridal Chamber of the Heart: Plumbing the Depths of the Luminous Gospels (a Zoom retreat), led by Father Matthew Wright (June 9–11), and A Maker’s Pilgrimage (a Zoom retreat), led by Brother Aidan Owen, OHC (June 17–19). Visit the monastery website for more information.

 AT THE MUSEUMS . . . Online at the New-York Historical Society, The Bernard and Irene Schwartz Distinguished Speakers Series: Monday, June 8, 6:00 PM, Leadership and Social Unrest. From the museum’s website, “Social uprisings have often reshaped the American story, from New York’s Civil War Draft Riots in 1863 to the nationwide movements during the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Era, and beyond. How have leaders responded? How have these movements impacted presidential elections? In a live, virtual discussion, historians Harold Holzer, Randall Kennedy, and John Farrell look to the lessons of history to respond to our present-day challenges. For more information and to register for access to the online, virtual lecture, you may visit the museum’s website.

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION AT SAINT MARY’S . . . Father Peter Powell has kindly agreed to continue his online bible study, begun in March, focusing first on the Book of Exodus. He writes, “My Exodus papers will begin a study of the Book of Exodus. You will remember that Martin Luther King used the Exodus event to understand the Civil Rights movement. I believe that Exodus continues to have much to teach us about how God works in the world today and how God continues to care for the powerless. Among many other things Exodus shows how deeply God wants a relationship with us. We have been taught that God is omniscient, but Exodus reveals that God’s actions are influenced by Moses’s intercession with him. Frequently in Exodus Moses reminds God that God’s reputation is linked to the people he has brought out of Egypt. If God wants the world to know that YHWH is Lord of all creation then God is bound to his people and cannot destroy them despite their stiff-necked behavior and their outright apostasy (e.g., the Golden Calf). Moses provides us with a model on how to relate to God and the assurance that God desires to relate to us. We will explore the stories of Exodus to better understand the importance of worship, faith, and prayer.” The fourth part of Father Powell’s series on Exodus will be distributed to the parish via e-mail this weekend.

The Calendar of the Week