Weekly Update from Fr. van Dooren 10.24.25
Dear brothers and sisters of our beloved parish family,
We will have a special evensong tomorrow, Saturday, October 25 at 4:00 pm. Our visiting Choir of St. Matthew's Westminster will sing Henry Purcell's evening service, and Thomas Thomkins' Preces and Response. The Transfiguration Choir of Men and Boys & Girls will join with the St. Matthew's choir for Caroline Shaw's "And the Swallow.” What better way to grace a Saturday afternoon experiencing the unique spirituality of evensong! Please come!
The choir has toured several churches throughout Manhattan and has bestowed the deepest of blessings upon us all! And we are so thankful to host the St. Matthew’s choir again this Sunday, along with their vicar, Fr. Philip Chester, who welcome back to our pulpit.
St Matthew’s, Westminster is an inclusive Anglo-Catholic parish in the heart of London, a stone’s throw from Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament. St. Matthew’s, too, is a little church around the corner. In addition to Fr. Chester’s ministry at St. Matthew’s, he is also a Priest Vicar at Westminster Abbey and a prebendary of St. Paul’s Cathedral. London is the companion diocese of our New York Diocese, and St. Matthew’s is our twin parish.
This Sunday, October 26 at 1 pm in the Holy Family Chapel, our Adult Christian Education series "A Great Cloud of Witnesses" continues. Karina Hogan will lead our discussion on Pauli Murray. Come learn about the life and writings of this 20th century Episcopal priest, who was also a legal scholar, human rights activist, feminist, author, poet and multiracial member of the LGBTQ community. Click here to view the full schedule.
Our Midday Music Concert series “One West / One East” concludes on Tuesday, October 28 at 1 pm. The final concert will be held at Marble Collegiate Church and will feature their director of Music, Michael T.C. Hey on their organ. Suggested donation is $10.
We will celebrate the feast of All Saints on its “fixed date” with a said mass on Saturday, November 1st, at 12:10pm in addition to Sunday, November 2nd at our 8:30 am said mass and our 11 am solemn mass. It is the only feast day allowed to be celebrated on both days! And then on Monday, November 3rd, we will commemorate the Feast of All Souls in honor of the Faithful Departed with a said mass at 12:10 pm.
The Episcopal Actors' Guild Annual Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, November 9 at 3 pm. Since 1925, members of NYC's performing arts community have gathered together to honor and celebrate those colleagues we lost in the previous year. EAG is honored to announce that the 2025 Memorial Address will be given by acclaimed actor of stage and screen Mary Beth Peil. This heartfelt event will include music by Claudia Dumschat and the Church of the Transfiguration Choir of Men and Boys and Girls, a personal reflection, a reading of the names, and a call for one final standing ovation. It is always my honor to officiate this service which is free and open to all.
We begin our annual pledge campaign this week. We are grateful for those who have already made their 2026 pledge, and we are hoping for 100% participation. Many will be able to specify a financial amount of money that will enable the parish’s vestry to prepare a budget for the upcoming year. Others, who at present cannot commit to a specific amount of money, can make an Open Pledge, committing what they can in time, talent, or treasure for the support of the parish. Pledges can be submitted online here, but printed out copies will still be available in the back of the church and in the parish office.
The Holy Rosary will be prayed in the Family chapel at 9:30am this Sunday. We will pray the luminous mysteries.
We continue to live-stream each Sunday’s mass at 11:00am, and a link is sent out each Sunday morning at 8:00am. We live-stream on Facebook and YouTube. Please email the parish office (parishoffice@littlechurch.org) if you would like to pray the morning and evening offices with us by Zoom.
Thank you for your continued faith, support, and love for the parish.
Fides Opera
With loving wishes,
Fr. van Dooren