Church of the Incarnation: Newsletter

Parish Letter
March - April 2008

(Click here for the list of past newsletters.)

Dear Friends,

Holy Week is almost here, and while a complete schedule of coming services and events at Incarnation is available, I want to describe some of the events in detail.

Palms are distributed at all three services on Palm Sunday, March 16. We begin the eleven o'clock service with a long procession; the service also includes a dramatic reading of the Passion Gospel, special music and a silent recessional in darkness. Those in attendance receive palms to take home and keep until Ash Wednesday 2009.

The Eucharist is celebrated Monday to Thursday in Holy Week at 12:15 p.m., and also on Wednesday and Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Our major observance of Maundy Thursday occurs in the evening at 6:30 p.m. The Eucharist recalls the first Communion at the Last Supper and is followed by the moving ceremony of the "stripping of the altar." A silent candlelight vigil then begins around 7:15 in the Chapel of the Nativity.

If you can't attend the Thursday Eucharist, you may still come to the Vigil any time up until 11:00 p.m.; if the Church is closed, enter through the Parish House (209 Madison Avenue). The Vigil offers a time of contemplation and meditation that is unique in the Christian year. Refreshments are available throughout the evening in the Parish House before or after your visit to the Chapel.

On Good Friday, we will have the Good Friday Liturgy between noon and 1:15 p.m. The Assistant Minister will preach, there will be choral music and devotions, and communion will be administered. From 1:30 until 3:00 p.m., the church will remain open for prayer and meditation. Clergy will offer prayers at fifteen-minute intervals.

The Easter Eve Vigil and Eucharist begins at 6:30 p.m. with the lighting of the "new fire" and the procession of the lighted Pascal Candle into a darkened church. Readings and music unique to this night follow (including the haunting Exultet sung by the Deacon); there will be a baptism, and the service will conclude with the first Communion service of Easter. A reception with champagne and soft drinks follows.

The principal service of Easter Day at 11:00 a.m. presents music and scripture to celebrate the resurrection life of Christ in which we all share. Child care is available. There will also be a special reception following the 5:00 p.m. Contemplative Candlelight Communion.

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Please post the Holy Week flyer listing all the Holy Week and Easter services in your building or pass it along to friends. And if you know any neighborhood children who might enjoy the Easter Egg Hunt after the 11:00 a.m. service on Easter Day, please invite them.

Dr. Lewis will now describe the music he has prepared for us.

FROM THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC:

The music of Mendelssohn has played a big part in the Lenten music this year, as the choir has sung his works for every Sunday. March 9 features one of his best-known sacred works, "Höh mein Bitten" (Hear my prayer) for soprano solo and choir. This is a beautiful and dramatic work, and a more extended piece than usually fits in the church anthem slot. The service of Morning Prayer that day allows for a bit more music, and it is a great venue for larger works such as this.

Palm Sunday begins with the traditional setting of Osanna, Filio David by Orlando Gibbons, and we will have our final Mendelssohn offering with his cantata OHaupt voll Blut und Wunden (O Sacred Head).

Easter Day will include some beautiful and spring-like music (in spite of the potential cold), including works by Haydn and Mozart. The offertory anthem will be "Achieved is the Glorious Work" from Creation, and there will be a beautiful setting of Tantum ergo by Mozart. Of course, I will wrap everything up with the Widor Toccata. I trust this Lenten and Easter season has something for everyone.

— Dr. Matthew Lewis

EASTER BRUNCH

The Parish Easter Brunch will again be held at the excellent Barbès Restaurant, just a few steps from the church at 21 East 36 Street. The menu includes a choice of three appetizers: soup, green salad or endive salad, and a choice of three entrees: goat cheese omelet, cobb salad or chicken brochette plus some surprise dishes. Coffee and tea are also available.

To make a reservation, send your check to the Parish Office; adults: $28, children: $14. Please note that last year, we filled all fifty seats, so early reservations are advised.

EASTER FLOWERS AND MUSIC

Once again this year, members of the Women's Group will decorate the church on Holy Saturday afternoon. For those who wish to make donations for Easter flowers or music, either in thanksgiving, or in memory of loved ones, please contact the office. Please make donations to the Parish Office as soon as possible.

FROM THE ASSISTANT MINISTER:

Adult Forum will resume on Sunday, April 6, at its usual time — 10:00 am — in the Parish House dining room. If you attended and enjoyed the Lenten lectures, consider continuing to have an educational hour be part of your Sunday mornings. Our discussions, April 6 through May 4, will explore the "Language of Liturgy and the Bible." We will look at the history of scripture translation, as well as contemporary movements for inclusive and expansive language in worship. Each Sunday will feature a distinct subject within the larger topic, so you may come regularly or occasionally depending on what your schedule allows.

Sunday School: On March 16, all children are invited to participate in the Palm Sunday procession at the beginning of the 11:00 am service. In order to take part in the procession, children and their parents must arrive at 10:45 am — fifteen minutes before the start of the service. The following Sunday, March 23, there will be an Easter Egg Hunt for children immediately following the 11:00 am service. Information about these events, the Annual Bowling Party, and Vacation Bible School will be coming to your home in separate mailings. Sunday School will meet on Palm Sunday and Easter, but will not meet on March 30.

Acolytes, please note our spring training session is scheduled for Sunday, April 27, from 12:00 noon until 2:00 pm in the church. Parents of children age 11 and older, this is an ideal time for new acolytes to come on-board. The training will cover basic procedures, as well as allow time for questions about why we do what we do in worship. Afterwards, we will go out for pizza. Please contact me if you cannot be present for the training.

Twenties and Thirties' Drinks and Discussion will meet Tuesday, March 11, at 7 pm. Come to the Parish House (209 Madison Ave.) and we will walk to a local bar for conversation. Topic: "Surveying the 'U.S. Religious Landscape' and Our Place Therein." The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life just released the first results from a study of the religious affiliations and practices of 35,000 U.S. residents (the U.S. Religious Landscape Survey, http://pewforum.org). Their data reveals "Americans are on the move religiously," with people reporting notable fluidity in religious affiliation. The Pew Forum's director speaks of an "open and dynamic religious marketplace" in this country. The Twenties and Thirties' will consider our position in the religious marketplace and our views of the religious landscape. The next Drinks and Discussion will be Tuesday, April 8, at 7 pm. As always, first drink — be it a Coke or a beer — is on the church.

The Women's Group will repeat a tradition begun last Holy Week. During Holy Saturday followers of Christ have traditionally kept vigil and, in doing so, continued the witness of Jesus' female disciples who waited outside the tomb to anoint Christ's body for burial. We will gather Saturday, March 22, at 4:00 pm, to contemplate the faith and witness of those women, and to join them in their waiting. Please enter at 25 East 35 Street and try to arrive promptly at 4:00 pm. Our gathering will conclude shortly before the Easter Vigil begins at 6:30 pm. Please RSVP by calling the church office, 212-689-6350, or email amanda@churchoftheincarnation.org. The next Women's Group meeting will be Tuesday, April 15 at 7:00 pm.

— The Rev. Amanda Kucik Rinas

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Thanks to Maki Hoashi, Kathleen Kehoe Glass, the Hospitality Committee, the Kitchen Club and all those who worked on the Coffee Hours, the Pancake Supper and the ongoing Lenten Lunches. I want especially to note those who have pitched in to help accommodate the increasing numbers of guests at Coffee Hour; we have also added to our stock of cups and saucers.

Few ministries in a parish church are more important than hospitality. We should all be grateful for the volunteers who serve coffee, help with lunches and dinners, and in other ways offer a generous welcome to visitors and newcomers.

A NOTE FROM THE MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE:

Incarnation is well known for our friendly coffee hour, and for many of us it was at a coffee hour where we first felt "welcomed" into the parish. The Membership Committee encourages you to invite to coffee hour anyone you see in church who you do not know, or recognize as a regular. One way to do this is at the end of the service, after you give the peace to this person say, "Hi, I'm XYZ." Hopefully they will introduce themselves and you have begun a conversation, so continue it! Ask them if they are visiting or if they'd like to accompany you to coffee hour.

2008 VESTRY

Each Warden and Vestry member elected or re-elected at the Annual Meeting in January has submitted a short biography:

Susan B. Adams retired as a staff editor in the Sports Department of The New York Times in June 2006. Since then, she has been working on select writing and editing projects. Previously, Susan was the editor-in-chief of World Tennis magazine, managing editor of New York Woman magazine, a reporter at Sports Illustrated magazine, and a guest columnist at The New York Dog magazine. She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, where she majored in American History. Susan joined Incarnation in 1986 and has served as Senior Warden since 2004.

Stephen Ju is currently Vice President of Internet equity research at RBC Capital Markets. Prior to RBC, he was an Associate in the New Media and Entertainment equity research at Bank of America Securities. Stephen received his MBA from the Yale School of Management with a concentration in Finance and received his Bachelor of Science in Astrophysics from the University of California at Berkley.

John Ubieta was born on June 24, 1968, in New Jersey of Cuban, Spanish, Irish heritage. He graduated from Hunter College in 1993 with a BA in Film Production and a Minor in Art History. John reports that he is "an aspiring author, currently working in retail customer service but writing on my free time, hoping to break into the video game industry as a writer. My created characters flow from complex to contradictory as it's not always easy to discern what is good or evil. I'm currently researching the pre-Christian and pagan worlds in preparation for a future writing venture. I'm also involved with researching and celebrating the history of the Irish in Cuba, as well as my own Irish heritage."

Jonathan Vaughan is Managing Partner of New Demand LLC 2002. New Demand provides On-Demand solutions, technology strategy and consulting services in the US. Customers include both federal and local government agencies, and commercial clients in financial services.

Jonathan has also held executive positions at Active Signal, Inc. as the CEO and Co-Founder; at Prudential Finance as Vice President in Research and Development. He also worked for over 13 years at Chase. Jonathan regularly presents at industry conferences as a speaker on technology innovation and customer care. He was educated at Cambridge University — Trinity College — M.A. (Honors)

Robert Galloway and Robert Jameson were elected Delegates to this year's Diocesan Convention. Congratulations to all who were elected, and heartfelt thanks to Michael Linburn and Claudia May Harding for their service on the Vestry.

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The Outreach Committee continues to receive magazines in good condition for patients at NYU Medical Center and canned goods for the elderly in our neighborhood. Bring your donations to the Parish House when you come to church or a parish event. And many thanks to all who have made gifts.

INCARNATION CAMP

Now is the time to think about enrolling your youngsters, nieces and nephews or grandchildren in the Incarnation Summer Camp program. Situated on 700 acres with its own spring-fed private lake, Incarnation has been providing the classic summer camp experience for diocesan young people since 1886. It is the oldest church camp in America and one of the largest.

Our church is the founding parish, and our Vestry constitutes the Incorporators of Incarnation Center, the umbrella organization for the children's camp, a day camp, seniors and adult programs and facilities and a nature center.

There are some scholarships available. You can reach the camp directly via its fine, newly revised website, www.incarnationcenter.org or by telephoning: 860 767-0848. Although you'll need to enroll soon to get a choice of spots, you will be able to meet the Executive Director of the Camp, the Rev. Canon Peter Larom when he comes to preach at Incarnation on Sunday, May 18 at 11 a.m.

MEN'S GROUP

The Men's Group will next meet on Monday, April 7, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. William Richards will begin a discussion of the topic, "A Christian Look at the Crisis in the Finance Industry." Refreshments will be served; all men are welcome.

LEGACY SUNDAY

Here are some comments from Reed Roberts about Legacy Sunday, which this year falls on March 9:

It is appropriate to remember our Christian obligation to prepare for our departure from the world in material as well as spiritual terms. The former is most commonly done through a will. If you have retirement benefits, insurance policies or profit-sharing plans, it is usually also possible to designate beneficiaries through plans themselves. A will can be changed as often as circumstances dictate. For most people, creating a will is a simple, commonsense procedure. The legal fees for a simple will range from $250 to $500.

Avoiding the Christian obligation can have a serious material impact. If you die without a will and have any assets other than those with designated beneficiaries, you will lose control over what happens to your property. The Surrogate's Court will appoint an administrator of your affairs. After deducting his own fee, he will distribute your assets entirely to your relatives in accordance with statutory requirements, which may or may not reflect your own priorities. None of your money will go to friends, to your church, or to other charitable organizations.

The Church of the Incarnation hopes you will indicate it among your charitable bequests. Those of you who worship at Incarnation today are blessed by the generosity of those who have gone before us in this parish. Their testamentary gifts have created an endowment income which provides more than 70% of the funds we use to keep the church going. Among these predecessors in the parish were a number of wealthy families. Today, we are dependent on gifts from many people of more modest means. On Legacy Sunday (March 9), we will honor deceased parishioners who have left bequests to the Church of the Incarnation. Thank you for your consideration.

— Reed Roberts
Testamentary Gifts Coordinator

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GRADUATE NEWS:

Lysle Witter, a freshman at Southern Methodist University (SMU), Dallas, Texas, made the Dean's List his first semester and is on the Varsity Swim Team as a "walk on." The SMU Men's Swim Team is NCAA Division 1 and is ranked #24 in the nation. Lysle is undecided in his major.

EPISCOPAL CHURCH WOMEN

Among the casualties of changing times was our chapter of the Episcopal Church Women. Founded in 1985, the members were mostly retired; since they preferred to meet for tea on weekday afternoons, many women in the parish who worked were unable to attend.

The group left a treasury of more than $3,000. The Vestry and I would like to hear from any former members of the ECW or other parishioners who have suggestions about how this money could be used.

CONFIRMATION/INQUIRERS' CLASS

As I write, the Confirmation/Inquirers Class is set to begin on Wednesday, March 5, at 7:00 p.m. We will meet for an hour on this and subsequent Wednesdays to discuss the Christian faith as understood by the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion.

Confirmation will be held on Sunday, April 13. There will be a reception to honor the Rt. Rev. Mark S. Sisk, Bishop of New York; confirmands and the Vestry will also have meetings with the Bishop during his visit to Incarnation.

Please note that according to the diocesan rota, we only greet Bishop Sisk once every six years. He was last with us in 2002 and will not likely appear again before 2014!

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Speaking of dates, those of you who like statistical curiosities will be interested to know that only someone 95 years old or older would have celebrated Easter this early ever before in their lifetime. Nor will anyone now living be around the next time it occurs on March 23 (2228).

In any event, even if you need to line your bonnet with fur this year, I hope that you and those you love will have a blessed Easter.

Yours,

The Rev. J. Douglas Ousley

The Reverend J. Douglas Ousley
Rector
The Church of the Incarnation
209 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016
telephone: 212-689-6350
fax: 212-689-7311
e-mail: info@churchoftheincarnation.org

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