Weekly Update from Fr. van Dooren 11.21.25
Dear members and friends of our Little Church family,
We come to this last Sunday of the Church year with the celebration of the Feast of Christ the King! It is a feast that is neither ancient nor rooted in Anglicanism, but one that has swept through the hearts of so many denominations and traditions, including our own Anglo-Catholic tradition. I will dedicate the sermon to this history and theme with deepest gratitude for what this feasts brings to us in our present day. The Gospel passage assigned to this Sunday is the story of the crucifixion itself with the King of Peace promising Paradise to the thief who was dying beside him.
The final discussion in our Adult Christian Education series "A Great Cloud of Witnesses" will be this Sunday at 1:00 pm in the Family chapel. Joan Seymour, who many know as our faithful Sunday tour guide, will lead our discussion on Samuel Seabury. If you have seen the acclaimed musical “Hamilton” then you know something about Samuel Seabury. Join us to learn more about the first American Bishop!
We are partnering with the Episcopal Actors Guild for a holiday food drive! Please help us fill empty plates this season! Donations are being collected for the Actors Pantry at EAG and will be distributed to NYC actors, dancers, and singers in need. Most-needed items include canned meat, soups, pasta, rice, granola bars, nuts, beans, peanut butter, jelly, shampoo/conditioner, deodorant, & soap. We also welcome holiday items like stuffing, cocoa, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, and gravy. Click here for more information on how to donate funds or food.
Join us for the next concert in A Celebration Year of Esmeralda, honoring our newly donated 1888 Steinway piano “Esmeralda” now at home in the Houghton Hall Arts Community. This special cabaret evening this Sunday, November 23 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm features performers from the Church of the Transfiguration and the Houghton Hall Arts Community, sharing songs and stories in honor of Thanksgiving. A great night of music, gratitude, and celebration. Tickets are $5 Advance / $10 at the door and can be purchased online here. The cabaret will be held in the Fred and Adele Astaire Ballroom in Houghton Hall Arts Community (enter at 22 East 30th Street).
We will have a said mass in the Family chapel on Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, November 27) at 11:00am. We are usually few in number, but we have a great time of worship and fellowship.
Join us on the first Sunday of Advent, Sunday, November 30, at 3 pm for a special concert and reception featuring Minnie Li, violin and Claudia Dumschat, organ and harpsichord. Pieces to be performed include Bach’s Violin Sonata No. 1, BWV 1001, Bach’s Nun Komm, Der Heiden Heiland, BWV 659-661 and Handel’s Sonata No. 5 HWV 371. At our reception, we will enjoy delicious German Advent treats! General admission tickets are $25, tickets for students and seniors are $15. Purchase tickets in advance
here.
Our annual Meeting is scheduled for Sunday, December 7th directly following our 11:00am mass. Our yearly “family meeting” as a parish is when we hear the State of the Union of our congregation and elect fellow parishioners to serve on vestry, the governing board of the parish. Our nominating committee has proposed the following slate of nominees who have lovingly agreed to serve on the vestry:
For Warden: Paul Cardozo
For the Vestry: Steve Leavitt and
new proposed members: Melissa Gibbs, David Micklos, and David Natoli.
This is the final week of our annual pledge campaign. 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 glorious mysteries this Sunday in honor of the feast of Christ the King.
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