News from the Congregation February 25, 2023

Feb 25

Written By Steven Lee; Marsha Ra & Joan Adams

‘‘‘Thanks from the Dean’ ; ‘Stewardship’ ” | Dates to Remember | Sunday Programs: 10:30am Worship Service In-Person and Online, 11:30am All Are Welcome Coffee Hour | Weekday Programs: M-S Morning and Evening Prayer (Zoom)

Canon Lee (from Dean Malloy)

Our vicar is on paternity leave until March 21. We wish him well.
The following is an email message from the Dean to members of the Congregation's hospitality committee after last Sunday's magnificent reception for St. Martin's and St. Luke's Church. I thought it important enough to share with the entire Congregation. - The Vicar

For months now, I have told anyone who will listen that the hospitality offered by St. Saviour is the very best I’ve seen anywhere. The treats are great, of course, and today they were beyond great. More important, though, is the remarkably good energy you generate.

Many of us, I suspect, are introverted, and most of us look forward to talking to our church friends on Sunday morning. That makes it hard to shift our attention to visitors and people we’ve only recently met, but St. Saviour is doing that. Your good work is bearing fruit. A friend of mine in Pennsylvania tunes into our service from time to time. A couple weeks ago, she said that she notices our congregation becoming larger and younger. She's right, and that is due in no small part to all of you.

It is always good to be good, no matter what the reason. It is always good to be hospitable no matter what the reason. For us Christians, however, there are two unique reasons for being hospitable.

In St. Benedict’s Rule for monastics, he writes: All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ, for he himself will say, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” A common shorthand is: The guest comes, Christ comes. How we care for people who wander into our assembly is a reflection of our love for Jesus, and it is a way to learn to love Jesus more.
We want the Church to grow and thrive for the sake of the world. People will come back and grow deeper in their experience of God if they feel welcome. Hospitality is evangelical: a way of inviting people to join us on our Christian pilgrimage.

So coffee and cookies and vegan sushi and all the other things you provide matter a great deal. Your assertive gestures of welcome matter more than anything. Everything you bake or buy matters. Every hand you shake matters.

Thank you!

The Very Reverend Patrick Malloy, PhD
The Dean

A Message from the Wardens (Stewardship)

SCC CORNER | Building Community Through Stewardship

A ‘Thank You’ & Looking Ahead

Dear Fellow Members of the Congregation of Saint Saviour,

The Stewardship & Communications Committee is grateful for the wonderful support of Congregation members and friends. Your faithful giving allowed us to end 2022 in the black and we are deeply appreciative.

Following our stewardship plan based on the rhythms of the liturgical year, we now move into the season of Lent, with an emphasis on sacrificial giving, life, and legacy. Among the gifts that have sustained the Congregation’s mission over the past year were bequests from members who have died. These faithful saints and their families’ generosity keeps their memory alive in our hearts and community. As we begin Lent, we invite members to reflect on their legacy and how God calls us to give sacrificially.

Lastly, the SCC can always use more hands to do the work of stewardship. If you are a member of the Congregation and have an interest in creative engagement and building community through stewardship, we invite you to talk to us!

Sincerely,

The Stewardship & Communications Committee

NEWS FROM THE CATHEDRAL - Cathedral of Saint John the Divine (stjohndivine.org

DATES TO REMEMBER
Feb 22 - Ash Wednesday
Feb 26 - First Sunday in Lent. Adult Baptism and Confirmation class begins.
Mar 29 - The Congregation of Saint Saviour and the Cathedral host the Manhattan North IPC Lenten Service

Young Adults of Saint Saviour Bible Study (Meets once a month)

All members of the Cathedral Community and Congregation in their 20s and 30s are invited to a Bible study hosted by the Young Adults of Saint Saviour. Last month we discussed the beginning of Jesus’ ministry and his call for us to change our hearts. This week we will consider and discuss the readings we heard during the service including the Transfiguration in the Gospel According to Matthew, Moses climbing Mount Sinai to receive the Law in the Book of Exodus, and the Second Letter of Peter.

Immediately after the service, we will gather in the nave during coffee hour and walk over to the Chapel of Saint James in the Cathedral.

No preparation or prior Bible study experience is necessary. All young adults are welcome!

NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE Home - Episcopal Diocese of New York (dioceseny.org)

NEWS FROM THE CONGREGATION

The Weekly Sunday Hospitality continues.

Research shows that the more you give the more you get. The more you help, the more invested you become in your church and the more it feeds you. Isn’t that amazing? Do you enjoy the coffee and the treats--the time together every week for conversation and welcoming of visitors? To keep this ministry going we need to expand the number of people involved. If you are on the list of helpers and providers of snacks, THANK YOU! If you haven’t volunteered yet— why not join the team? There is nothing exclusive about it. All are welcome to help out. If you can come once a month or every 6 -8 weeks to set up before the service and clean-up after the coffee hour, please contact Marsha Ra or Sue Sobolewski. Or talk to us on any Sunday. We will get you started on this ministry.

NEWS FROM THE VESTRY

GIVE/SERVE

Questions about Realm, the Congregation’s Online Hub for Giving, Volunteering, and Reaching Out to One Another
The Admin team would love to hear from you. Whether you need help making the shift to online donations, setting up your account, or just want to know what Realm can do for you, please contact Laura and Bob at this email address: info@saintsaviour.org

THIS SUNDAY

In-Person Worship at the Cathedral
10:00 am - Doors to Cathedral open.
10:30 am - Eucharist Service
11:30 am - All Are Welcome Coffee Hour

You can also watch a Livestream of the Cathedral Worship Service
On Facebook: http://facebook.com/StJohnDivineNYC
On the Cathedral website: http://www.stjohndivine.org