Church of the Incarnation Manhattan

Dear Parishioners and Friends, Lights, Camera, Action! On Friday we filmed our annual service of Christmas Lessons and Carols. It was quite a feat. Those reading lessons recorded at a different time than the string players, who recorded at a different time than the choir, who all had to test negative for Covid before coming into the church to sing. Masks, social distancing, temperature checks, cracked windows for fresh air -- so many moving parts. I hope we never have to do ...it this way again! But trust me when I tell you it was so worth it. All the elements that make up this Incarnation tradition will come together beautifully so that we can present one of our most beloved services of the year. Please join us TONIGHT on YouTube when we premiere Lessons and Carols at 5:00 p.m. at the link below. This glorious celebration consists of lessons from scripture interspersed with carols reflecting on the themes of the readings. The lessons, which cover the fall of humanity, the promise of the Messiah, and the birth of Jesus, are read by various representatives of the parish. And, as usual, our musicians are some of New York's finest. So come, all ye faithful, and let us worship the Lord together. Peace, Adrian+

Catholic mystic, hermit & monk Thomas Merton was a titan within the circles of 20th century Christian thought. This reflection centers on his later life and efforts to find some commonality btw the world's great religions.

Dear Parishioners and Friends, Today, December 6, is not only the second Sunday of Advent. It is also the Feast Day of St. Nicholas. St. Nicholas (or Santa Claus, as he's also known) was Bishop of Myra, which is now part of southern Turkey, in the 4th century. There are many stories about this popular saint, but he is best known for giving gifts in secret to the children of his town on Christmas Eve. Sometimes the gifts came down the chimney. Sometimes they were left by the d...oor. Sometimes they were dropped in through an open window. When Nicholas died, the gifts that people had found in their homes on Christmas Day continued to appear... or so the story goes. True or not, this story spread all the way to Holland, where St. Nicholas Day is celebrated on December 6, his date of death, and children receive gifts. It's fun to tell people that St. Nick was a real person. It's also helpful to remember that our treasured Christmas stories are very much grounded in the real world. Even the baby in the manger, when all is calm and all is bright, testifies to God’s choice to dwell in the grime and grit of this life. At Thursday night's forum on Advent, Bishop Andrew St. John spoke about the Second Coming. He noted that many Christian circles understand the Second Coming to include a rapture in which Christians escape the messiness of the world. This misses the whole point of the Incarnation, he argued, which is that God enters our world to redeem it. "Christian faith is not an escape. It's an engagement." These are words to live by. May you fully engage the world around you, beautiful and broken as it is, and may you fully engage God's love for you. A love in Christ that has redeemed every aspect of humanity, from cradle to grave and beyond, so that we may rejoice without fear when we meet him face to face. Peace, Adrian +

Our Advent forum with Bishop St. John is TONIGHT! Join us by Zoom from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.

This week's reflection focuses on our fantastic church celebration of All Souls' Day - and how the festival has evolved over the centuries, and continues to teach us today.

This reflection is all about PEACE!

Senior Warden Jonathan Vaughan offers a much needed message of hope. "Given the tumult and tragedy of 2020 so far, it is hard to believe that better times are coming. Yet at its core that is Christ’s message, that death and darkness are defeated by the love and light of Christ, that God’s power is unlimited, and God’s forgiveness and love for us is without measure." Click to read more... https://conta.cc/2TSsU7x

Many are feeling anxious and exhausted today. We encourage you to attend to your spiritual health, and Incarnation offers an excellent resource for just that. Brother Bob Pierson from Holy Cross Monastery recently spoke to Incarnation's 20s/30s Group. His presentation is chock full of wisdom and suggestions for staying centered in God's love.

November 4, Pray for our own work for the common good #seasonofprayer

Two opportunities to gather in prayer on the evening of Election Day: Tonight's service of Compline at 9:00 p.m. will include special prayers for our nation. Join us for a bit of solace in a tumultuous season as we gather as faithful citizens of our country and faithful citizens of God’s Kingdom. Zoom details available in the weekly e-minder or by contacting the church office. Join the larger Episcopal Church for a non-partisan, all-night prayer vigil on Facebook Live (see link below) from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. You are encouraged to leave a prayer, connect with others, and to listen to messages of love and hope as well as musical offerings throughout the night.

November 3, Pray for the election #seasonofprayer

November 2, Pray for discernment #seasonofprayer

The Church of the Incarnation has many wonderful and historic items within its walls. This month we are highlighting the Chapel of the Nativity which was dedicated on All Saints Day, 1903. The architect was Henry Vaughan.

The first in a series of video montages for our 2021 Stewardship Campaign. Watch what these parishioners have to say about the ways Incarnation has been there for them this year. "Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us." (Psalm 62:8)

November 1, Pray for direction from God #seasonofprayer

Dear saints, I once served at a very small parish where about 10% of the congregation suffered from some sort of mental disability or deterioration. There was one woman in particular named Moe. Her full name was Maureen but she preferred Moe. She was in her late 50s or early 60s, and she lived in a facility. So a few of us took turns picking her up and bringing her to church on Sunday mornings. Moe had real limitations. At coffee hour, someone would always prepare a plate of ...refreshments and bring it over to her because, otherwise, she would drool on the food that was spread on the table. She would often say things that were completely off the wall and sometimes indecipherable. At the same time, Moe had a quick wit and sharp memory. She would tell stories of her time as a high ranking nurse in the military, which were all true. She expressed simple yet profound insights about God, human nature, and the state of the world. During Sunday services, the prayers of the people included a time for parishioners to voice their prayers aloud. Moe would always pray for something related to current events, including the latest natural disaster or international conflict. Moe cared deeply. And she cared for people, no matter how they responded or reacted to her. Moe was a saint. She knew God, and she helped make God known to others, including me. She had an emptiness, in the sense that there wasn’t much getting in the way between her and God. Moe didn’t have much money or family to speak of. She knew the successful person she used to be, and she sometimes mourned that loss. But she also lived life unburdened. This tells me that a saint is someone who knows a certain kind of emptiness. Someone who needs no pretense or deceit. Someone whose purity of heart allows God to be present in a startling way. This is one way to understand spiritual poverty. As we'll hear in Sunday's Gospel, "Blessed are the poor in spirit." Blessed in St. Moe. The incredible truth of All Saints' Day is that every one of us baptized persons is a saint in the eyes of God. We do not have to pass some test. God sanctifies us, chooses us, claims us to be vessels for the light of Christ. We certainly don’t look the same, act the same, or believe in exactly the same way. This is why the Church celebrates All Saints' Day and all the beautiful diversity that makes up the Body of Christ. What we all share is the commitment to follow Jesus wherever that takes us. That’s all a saint is. No glory, no perfection, not even any particular holiness. Just mustering the courage to say yes to his love and to let his light shine through. With the company of all the saints in heaven and in the assurance of eternal life given at Baptism, Adrian +

October 31, Pray for guidance. #seasonofprayer

This week the Episcopal Church reflects on the life and example of King Alfred the Great of England - the only English monarch to receive the title "The Great."