The Good News
Lent and Easter, 2008

Dear Sisters and Brothers:

The Holy Season of Lent is drawing to a close. We have had a very good Lenten season here at St. Mary’s Church. We had great Black History Month celebration in February, with poetry from the African American tradition and wonderful poems written by St. Mary’s members. We hosted the Harlem Episcopal Churches for a special service of Evening Prayer, with inspirational music by St. Mary’s Choir. We held our Annual Meeting last Sunday and heard about our efforts during the past year and our plans for the coming year to serve our community and to make the love of God in Jesus Christ known throughout our neighborhood.

Now we prepare for the celebration of Holy Week and Easter. We will remember Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, reflect on Jesus’ passion and death on the Cross on Good Friday and joyfully praise God for the resurrection of Jesus on Easter morning. I hope to see you soon during Holy Week.

Meanwhile, many good things keep going on here at St. Mary’s Church. We are still working with others in the West Harlem community to make sure that the Columbia University expansion will be a benefit to all in our neighborhood and not force out long-time residents. We are still struggling to re-open the Manhattanville Health Center to fight for improved health care for people in our community. We will continue with our "Appreciative Inquiry" process of "Becoming Church Together" to enhance our worship life, our outreach to the poor and dispossessed in Harlem and strengthen our service in the Name of the Risen Christ. My prayer is that we will all grow in a deeper spirit during these upcoming weeks as we experience the unbound love of God.

Faithfully, the Rev. Earl Kooperkamp, Rector

The Good News
September 2006

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ:

The summer is now over, but it was a great summer for St. Mary’s Church. Under the direction of Ms. Pearl Harris and with the great assistance of Debra Snyder-Ebron-Mitchell and Gwen Walker, we had one of the best St. Mary’s Summer Camp programs in recent years. The children all had a great time!

As we head into the Fall, there are lots of great things happening here at St. Mary’s Church. As you will see from the announcements below, it will be a busy time as we work together to make God’s love and God’s justice known in West Harlem.

We also have some new faces around the parish. First, we have five new interns in the New York Intern Program for the year; Jackie Clark from Chicago, Pam Martin from Connecticut, Amanda Akes from Texas, Emily Beal and Andrew Goldhor both from Boston. They are wonderfully talented young people who will add much to our life here.

Rev. Chloe Breyer is beginning doctoral studies at Union Seminary and so Sarah Nazimova-Baum will coordinate the intern program on a daily basis. Also, Deacon Yvonne Logan will be ordained priest on Saturday, September 23 at 10:30 am at the Cathedral and will join St. Mary’s as a Priest Associate this month.

So as you can see, we have many activities, new people and an exciting Fall ahead of us. We hope to see you soon and look forward to our ministry together seeking God’s holy peace and shalom for our city.

Stewardship Corner

St. Mary’s Church was the first "free pew" Episcopal Church in New York City (and possibly the entire nation). This means that from an early date, we have served God by the freewill offerings of the congregation.

Your giving helps to meet our operating budget. St. Mary’s does not receive support for our operations from the Diocese of New York or the government (except for program support for the Soup Kitchen and Summer Camp). It is your generous contributions that keep our doors open and God’s mission alive here. Thank you for your gracious pledges & contributions and please help with continued support that the love of Jesus will be known in our neighborhood for years to come. As God so richly blesses us, let us bless others in God’s holy Name.

Faithfully, the Rev. Earl Kooperkamp, Rector