The Serpent Before the Fall by Mark Dion, 2014. Commissioned by the Museum of Biblical Art, which closes its doors June 14
CHURCH LIFE AT SAINT PETER'S
June 4-14, 2015
Greetings!

 

First please note that VOICES AT SAINT PETER'S is tomorrow, June 5, from 7:00 - 9:00. (See banner directly below this letter).

 

For all our numbers and diversity, Saint Peter's Church functions as a family. This was clearly apparent last Sunday as we celebrated Thomas Schmidt's 25-year ministry at the 11:00 a.m. mass and at a festive Brunch thereafter.  THANKS is too small a word to say to those who so lovingly planned and executed everything that happened last Sunday, but first and foremost I want to publicly thank:

  • Tracy Christensen and Kit Kreilick who chaired and directed everything;
  •  Kathy Young who provided both whimsical and insightful centerpieces, 
  • Bruce Johnson, whose "A Mighty Cantor" concludes this letter; 
  • our hard-working choir who have proven themselves even harder-working party-throwers - Betty Jackson, Bill Bodenlos, Bruce Johnson, Carol Trower, Carole Derr, Liz Denys, Eric Stenshoel, Geoffrey Thomas, James Pfister, John Mostenan, Jonathan Kline, Kathy Young, Kristian Kraai; Elsa Larsson; Jim Madden, Marguerite Sutherland, Matt DeVries, Nancy Lindeberg, Pat Almonrode,  Mary Elizabeth Poore,  Roosevelt Credit, Roz Rees & Gregg Smith, Eric Stewart, Adam Stone, Tracy Busch, Tracy Christensen,  Ulrike Klopfer and  Watson Bosler
  • Our speakers:  Scott Weidler from the ELCA Churchwide Office's Worship office; Pastor George Detweiler, Fran Reed, Felix Hell,  David Trower,  Larry Long, Roz Rees, Ike Sturm and Jared R. Stahler; the Saint Peter's Staff, especially Sam Hutcheson, Kathryn Burt and Rolando Mallari. 
  • Pianist and Schmidt relative Jonathan Siegle. 

As one Monday-morning email put it "I've never seen such organization, carried off so flawlessly."  To which I say "Amen."   See "A Mighty Cantor" below.

 

Here's how the rest of this month's celebrations line up:

  • OFFICIAL NOTICE pursuant to bylaw B10.01.03.

    The annual  Budget Meeting of Saint Peter's Congregation will be held on Sunday, June 21 immediately following the 11:00 a.m. mass that day.  The agenda includes  congregational action on the following items recommended by the Parish Council:

    1. The 2015-2016 Ministry (Operating) Budget
    2. The 2015-2016 Property (Capital) Budget
    3. Resolution to extend for two years the Covenant between Saint Peter's Church and Sion Iglesia Luterana
    4. Resolution to affirm current Saint Peter's partnerships and provide for their regular review.
  • On Sunday, June 7 at the 11:00 a.m. mass we will bid farewell and godspeed Kevin Farrar who has now completed his second year at Yale Divinity School.  He has one year at Yale ahead of him followed by a year as a vicar and a final year at a Lutheran seminary.
  • At the 11:00 a.m. mass on Sunday, June 7, I've asked Kathy Schmidt to be the Deacon
  • Our Thirty-Fifth Memorial Vespers, is at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 13 here at Saint Peter's Church. Watson began giving Saint Peter's Church an incredible annual gift 35 years ago.  Memorial Vespers, a service of extraordinary music chosen by Watson, sung by our choir with the Gregg Smith Singers, accompanied by carefully chosen musicians. This "All Saints" liturgy enables us to close our program year with thanks to God for our loved ones who are at rest.  It is the final Memorial Vespers Tom Schmidt will direct and includes Johann Sebastian Bach's Cantata No. 60  Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort (O eternity, you word of thunder) and Cantata No. 106 Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit (God's time is the very best) and along with other selections. A reception follows the vespers.
  • On Sunday, June 14 at the 11:00 a.m. mass, we will offer Thanksgiving at the Conclusion of Tom Schmidt Ministry as our Cantor.
  • On Sunday, June 21, James will begin serving as our Interim Cantor as our Cantor Call Committee seeks to complete their work.  James also serves as a member of that committee.
  • On Sunday, June 28  with Sion and others, we will have a float in the annual PRIDE PARADE.        

SUMMER HIATUS

  • Last Wednesday, our Vicar, Joseph Schattauer-Paille concluded his last Wednesday Bible Study.  Wednesday Studies will begin again in September.
  • This Wednesday, June 3,was our final 6:00 p.m. Wednesday mass until September 9, 2015.
  • Last Friday, May 29, was our last Friday 12:30 mass until September 11.

This Sunday,June 7 is the Second Sunday after Pentecost and the beginning of what some label "the green season," during which I remind you each Sunday is Easter. Today we begin to read continuously from Mark's story of Jesus' ministry and, in Second Corinthians, from Paul's story of the Church's ministry, all under a most useful theme, "So we do not lose heart."

 

 8:45 a.m.     mass         I will preside and Vicar Joseph Schattauer-Paille will preach


 

10:00 a.m.   forum       Tracing the Musical Lineage of Our Chant Setting of the Mass

                                will be led by Dr. Thomas Schmidt, The Rev. Dr. Eugene Brand and the                                 Rev. Dr. Jonathan Linman who will explore the musical origins of our                                     beloved chant setting of the Mass. Through commentary and musical                                   demonstration, they will follow the trail through at least four worship                                 books and several Lutheran church bodies, ultimately finding origins in                                 centuries-old Gregorian Chant.  This is a two part series concluding                                       on June 14

11:00 a.m.   mass         I will preside and Vicar Joseph Schattauer-Paille will preach and 
                                        we will bid Farewell and Godspeed to Kevin Farrar
12:30 p.m.   brunch      A "Cookout" planned for the 3rd floor terrace 

                                         thanks to the Cavanaghs

 1:30 p.m.    misa           Pastor Arias will preside and preach

5:00 p.m.     Vespers     Pastor Stahler will preside at Seminarian Kevin Farrar will preach

                                         his final sermon as an intern at Saint Peter's Church

 

Next Sunday, June 14 is the Third Sunday after Pentecost, the Holy Trinity.

 

 8:45 a.m.     mass                 Pastor Stahler will preside and preach

10:00 a.m.   forum               Tracing the Musical Lineage of Our Chant Setting of the Mass                                                        will conclude

11:00 a.m.   mass                 I will preside and Pastor Stahler will preach

12:30 p.m.   brunch             The final brunch of this program year

 1:30 p.m.    misa                 Pastor Arias will preside and  I will preach

5:00 p.m.    Vespers            Vicar Joseph Schattauer-Paille will preside and preach

 

A Mighty Cantor Is Our Tom

 

A mighty cantor is our Tom,

A maestro never flail-ing.

A quarter cen-tu-ry he has led

Our loud and tuneful wail-ing.

            At music he is tops;

            He pulls out all the stops!

            On Mozart, Brahms or Bach,

            This guy can really rock!

He sets our spirits sail-ing!

 

He writes his own liturgical tunes,

With graceful form and mel-ody.

He plays the hymns that we all love

With fascinating har-mony.

At both the organ keys
And Baldwin's ivories,

Tom dazzles ev'ry time

With talent most sublime.

How lucky to have Tom are we!

We've always known Tom is a mensch,

A man for all seas-ons,

And not just at the organ bench,

But for a host of reas-ons.

            With Kathy at his side,

            He's had a joyous ride,

            And now (we're sad to say)

            He's calling it a day.

So let us pay obei-sance:

 

We toast to you, our dear Tom Schmidt!

With love we raise our glass-es -

Sopranos, altos, ten-ors, too,

(And don't forget the bass-es).                     

            Let's not have any tears,

            For five-and-twenty years

            Is cause for pride and joy.

            Farewell, our Valpo boy!

And don't forget our faces.


            --With love from the Saint Peter's Choir
May 31, 2015

  Peace and Joy,

 

Amandus J. Derr

Senior Pastor

Your Faithful Giving

Giving Together 2015 enables and supports the mission of Saint Peter's through two funds.



If you pledge and/or give to Saint Peter's, or if you are a member who has not pledged or given to Saint Peter's, you received a printed first-quarter statement of your stewardship giving by mail this past week.

 

Didn't receive one? Contact Jennifer at [email protected].

 

Here's a summary of what God is enabling us to give in 2015:

 

 

GIVING TOGETHER 2015


 

Goal

 

Pledged

Giving 

Non-pledged

Giving

Anticipated

Total

MINISTRY FUND

441,000

339,200

115,000*

454,200

 

 

 

 

 

PROPERTY FUND

110,000

47,100

n /a

47,100

 

* based on historical data

 

Participate in or increase your commitment to Giving Together 2015.

Click "GIVE NOW" at www.saintpeters.org to set up a new gift, or to manage already-scheduled giving, select "mySaintPetersLogin" from "CONNECT".

 

Need help? Contact Jennifer at [email protected].

 
Art in the Galleries
Voices at Saint Peter's: Tomorrow!
Subscribe to our new adult education podcast

 

Our new adult education podcast, "54th and Text," is up and running. Each episode is about ten minutes long and looks at one area from our Wednesday Study. This week's podcast focuses on the historicity of the book of Exodus. You can subscribe using iTunes or your iPhone by clicking here. New episodes will sync to your device automatically. If you don't use iTunes or an iPhone, you can still listen to new episodes here

Member Birthdays This Week

June

8                 Sheila Gillespie, Nestor Delgado

10                Dale Klamfoth, Christopher Preiss

11                Lori Cavanagh

12                Norma Borcherding

13                Annabelle Sturm

Breakfast Program
This week, we served 122 guests at our breakfast program. 

 

2,551 guests has been served so far in 2015. 

8,198 guests were served in 2014.  

7,955 guests were served in 2013.

7,643 people were served in 2012.

 

To serve on Tuesday mornings just show up between 6:45 and 7:15. For more details speak with Pastor Derr and he'll connect you with one of our members who regularly serves. 

 

619 Lexington Avenue at 54th Street in New York City