Saint Clement’s Episcopal Church March 2012 Newsletter Rector’s Letter provide content for the web site. I refused however to grant unmonitored access to the website so that every member of the Vestry could write their quarrelsome and conflicting My dear People, ideas on it. There has been some controversy recently in our parish about On this subject, I must thank Marc Coleman, who has having an assistant priest. After a year and a half of looking for freely given hundreds of hours to create and administer a suitable curate, encouraged by my churchwardens and vestry, I the beautiful web site, which is enjoyed by thousands of found The Rev’d Ethan Jewett, who has now arrived and who will people throughout the world. I was scandalized at the last be, I am sure, a great asset to the ministry of St. Clement’s. Vestry meeting that, after the hundreds of hours Marc put into the website, he should be called a “thief” and a liar However, a majority of the members of the Vestry disagreed with and formally threatened with a lawsuit (which is already my choice of curate. Though they had always encouraged me to costing thousands of dollars more to both Marc and the employ a new curate, they began to say that St. Clement’s could church). This kind of childish and vindictive behavior not afford one. This was sheer dishonesty - we spent more than cannot be allowed to continue, or it will cost St. Clement’s $200,000 last year on two organists and twelve paid singers! We a great sum of money. can afford a curate, but (as one of the Vestry was honest enough to say) “Not this one”. The financial state of St. Clement’s is actually I ask you to vote for the five very good indeed. We have received in the last two years $150,000 from Fr. Charles Wipple’s estate, members of St. Clement’s who and when his New York house is sold, his lawyer informed me that we can expect over $250,000. So have said “Enough is Enough” from that one source, our endowment has grown by $400,000 in two years. This will help our income. Pledging for 2012 has also increased by 14% over 2011, sadly So at the Annual Meeting of the Corporation on March 4, I diminished by four of the Vestry having reduced their pledges to ask you to vote for the five members of St. Clement’s who less than $40 per year. have said “Enough is Enough” and will be seeking election to help me and our Curate get on with the real work of the The Rector’s Warden, John Lilley, made it clear to me that he would parish, the preaching and teaching of the Catholic Faith, the not support my employing Ethan Jewett, so I told him he could no administering of the Sacraments, the encouraging of every longer be Warden. Honourably, he also resigned from the Vestry. member of our parish to take on some work for the poor Six members of the Vestry who served at the altar resigned as and needy. Anyone who is not interested in all these things servers but remained on the Vestry. They and four other members is not a Catholic Christian. have continued to oppose me in my work as Rector. In pursuit of one of these aims, Fr. Ethan will be conducting This group on the Vestry insisted on hiring a lawyer to advise them a series of classes during Lent. His first one will be on on their rights and on the Canons of the Episcopal Church. To date Sunday, March 4 at 9.30 in the Rectory and will be on this has drained parish funds (at $545 an hour!) by about $30,000. the subject of the Hebrew Prophets. There will also be a When challenged on this, the budget was instantly changed to use discussion group in the Rectory after the 10 o’clock Mass $30,000 for legal fees. The sad thing is that all such legal advice on Saturdays followed by a Lenten soup and cheese lunch. could have been had for nothing from the distinguished lawyer This will begin on Saturday, March 10. who is Chancellor of our Diocese. The election of our five new members will also mean Vestry meetings have been plagued with frivolous motions to try support for the continuation of the total Audit which the to restrict my ability to communicate with the parish by writing on our web site. I believe that even those on the Vestry who Contd. on Page 3 oppose my efforts should have a voice and have invited them to Page 1 Kalendar March 2012 1 Th St David, Patron of Wales The Church in Wales 2 F St Chad, Bishop & Confessor, Ember Day Seminarians 3 S Feria, Ember Day Parish priests 4 Su LENT 2 (St Casimir, Confessor, St Lucius I, Pope & Martyr) Parish 5 M Feria The Vestry 6 T St Perpetua & St Felicity, Martyrs The Church in Africa 7 W St Thomas Aquinas, Confessor & Doctor Theologians 8 Th St John of God, Confessor The Helping Others Group 9 F St Frances of Rome, Widow The Lonely 10 S The Forty Holy Martyrs Persecuted Christians 11 Su LENT 3 Parish 12 M St Gregory the Great, Pope, Confessor, & Doctor Archbishop of Canterbury 13 T Feria Peace among Nations 14 W Feria Confessors & Penitents 15 Th Monthly Requiem Guild of All Souls 16 F Feria The Homeless 17 S St Patrick, Bishop & Confessor The Church in Ireland 18 Su Lent 4 Parish (St Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop, Confessor, & Doctor) 19 M ST JOSEPH, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish Families 20 T St Cuthbert, Bishop & Confessor Bishop of Pennsylvania 21 W St Benedict, Abbot Pope Benedict 22 Th St Isidore the Labourer, Confessor Manual workers 23 F Feria Peace in the Holy Land 24 S St Gabriel, Archangel Protection of the Angels 25 Su PASSION SUNDAY Parish 26 M ANNUNCIATION OF OUR LADY Society of Mary 27 T St John Damascene, Confessor & Doctor The Orthodox Churches 28 W St John Capistrano, Confessor An Increase in Devotion 29 Th Feria Choir & Organists 30 F Seven Sorrows of Our Lady True Contrition 31 S Feria Devotion in Holy Week Stations of the Cross and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament On the Fridays in Lent, at 6:30 pm Page 2 Penitence and Prophecy: A Lenten Study of Old Testament Prophets The Rev. Ethan Alexander Jewett, Curate Distinguished Biblical scholar, Abraham J. Heschel, has observed that “the prophet is human, yet he employs notes one octave too high for our ears. He experiences moments that defy our understanding. He is neither ‘a singing saint’ nor ‘a moralizing poet,’ but an assaulter of the mind. Often his words begin to burn where conscience ends.” During the Lenten season, we will examine Heschel’s claim in greater detail. In the first week, we will begin with an overview of the role of the prophet in the Old Testament, and then in each of the following weeks, we will examine one of the prophets in depth. No preparation is required to participate in these workshops, although reading the book under consideration each week is highly recommended. Each workshop will be held in the Anchor Room at 9:30 a.m. Class participation is especially encouraged, so please come prepared to share your thoughts. March 4 (Lent II): Overview of the Old Testament prophets March 11 (Lent III): The Lord roars from Zion: Amos March 18 (Lent IV): Come let us return to the Lord: Hosea March 25 (Lent V): Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened: Isaiah April 1 (Palm Sunday): Now I have put my words in thy mouth: Jeremiah Michelangelo - The Prophet Isaiah (1509) Rector’s Letter Cont’d. from Page 1 Bishop has ordered the parish to have. This was caused by the chaos (the accountant’s word) in which our financial affairs have been conducted in the last few years. This is only half finished, but it has already revealed much that is deeply disturbing and will have to be investigated further. I am most grateful to the Diocese which is paying for this audit. Sadly, they are as worried as I am about this matter. We shall also be having our usual Lenten service of Stations of the Cross and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament on the Lenten Fridays, beginning on Friday, March 2. This is a lovely service which gives us time to stop and meditate on the central gift of God to us – his beloved Son, who suffered and died for us, and who was raised from the dead to give us eternal life. Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament is one of the most converting services of the Church, as many have testified, and combined with Stations of the Cross, it is the ideal service for us to introduce friends to, if they are seeking to deepen their faith. Enquirers may find the High Mass a bit incomprehensible at first, but the service of Stations speaks for itself. So come, and bring a friend. Your Rector and friend, Page 3 CHORAL AND ORGAN MUSIC SCHEDULE MARCH 2012 SUNDAY, 4 MARCH, 11 AM LENT II Missa ‘O Altitudo Divitiarum’, Philippus de Monte Resplenduit facies ejus, Tomás Luis de Victoria Benedictus, Max Reger Introduction and Passacaglia in d, Reger SUNDAY, 11 MARCH, 11 AM LENT III Missa super Frère Thibault, Orlandus Lassus Gustate et videte, Heinrich Isaac Audi, benigne Conditor, Marcel Dupré Vater unser im Himmelreich, Johann Sebastian Bach SUNDAY, 18 MARCH, 11 AM LENT IV/LAETARE Missa ‘In Illo Tempore’á sei voce, Claudio Monteverdi I was glad, William Boyce Prelude and Fugue on the name ‘Alain’, Maurice Duruflé Carillon du Longpont, Louis Vierne SUNDAY, 25 MARCH, 11 AM PASSION SUNDAY Missa ‘Mille Regretz’, Cristóbal de Morales Salvator Mundi, John Blow In stiller Nacht, Hermann Schröder Rhapsody No 3, Herbert Howells MONDAY, 26 MARCH, 7 PM ANNUNCIATION BVM (TRANSFERRED) Missa ‘Dixit Maria’, Hans Leo Hassler Dixit Maria, Hassler Magnificat (from 15 Pieces),Marcel Dupré Litanies, Jehan Alain Page 4 Pastoral Ministry and the Deep Moments of Human Experience by The Rev.