LETTER FROM THE RECTOR
30 December 2011

As 2011 inexorably comes to a close, we inevitably come to a time of reflection, a looking back with the idea of looking ahead. If our gaze is only in the past we become lost in nostalgia, which may become maudlin and confining. If we look to the future without considering the past, we are destined to repeat the past. Freud calls this repetition compulsion, a compulsion to reenact the past, with the unconscious desire to get it right.

As we look back and ahead we are always in the now, looking, reflecting and planning. A third danger is that we forsake the now rather than enrich it. It was always better then, or it was so bad then that I can’t function properly. Or when I finish one more thing, then I will be happy. To get stuck reflecting and projecting can obliterate the now. We become detached from ourselves, just as surely as Rene Descartes purposely detached himself from experience in favor of thought experiments.

Each possibility is too disguised to be completely avoided, and it is too hard for us not to fall into a dissociation of time that enfeebles us. Therefore it seems helpful to me to have a guide. For me this guide is prayer. Prayer seems to be a thoughtful appeal to the Holy, or as Paul Tillich said, The Ground of being, for guidance and perspective. For the past, prayer seems necessary to gain insight into what lessons can be learned. Where did I participate in injustice or blindly walk over someone else’s soul? What strength can I derive from my wounds that will allow me to be a more compassionate human being? How can I further the growth that seems to be emerging in different areas of my life? Prayer allows me to enter into a non-judgmental school of divine apprenticeship.

For the future, I ask myself the same questions. How can I maximize these lessons? How can I find new ways of being in relation to those situations and those people that have confused or frightened me in the past? What gifts have I left untouched because of lack of courage or fear of failure? Where can my gifts interact with the world most creatively and effectively?

The examination goes on, but it goes on in the clear and present now. In prayer I find myself more at home, more grounded. Heaven is not something I will passively wait for until I die -- it is asking to be experienced now. My faith and prayer is not asking for God to find me a parking space or hit the lottery, but is an appeal: How can I live now with all my faculties and, yes, all my faults, more fully and more deeply?

Some might substitute the word meditation for prayer. For me this is almost a semantic hairsplitting. Whichever word helps you feel more at home is okay with me. Perhaps they are nothing more than two sides of the same coin. Both eventually open hearts and minds to a deeper participation in life. I know atheists who speak religiously about our world and theists who seem to have no experience of religion apart from church words. Prayer makes us more real!

So as we move from 2011 to 2012 I encourage us to allow prayer and meditation to deepen and center our reflections and resolutions. The only thing we have to lose is what is not innately ours anyway.

Wishing all of you a blessed New Year,

The Rev. Steven Jay Yagerman+
Rector

4 December 2011
A note from the rector:

I am writing to express my heartfelt thanks for the surprise celebration of the 30th anniversary of my ordination to the priesthood. It was very gratifying to share this moment with you, as I have spent more than half of my ministry in your midst. Ministry comes from a deep and profound calling to find, to experience and to share the mystery of God’s love. Over the years and through various trials and transitions, the close contact with the local parish community has bolstered my faith and experience of God’s presence.

Although God has not changed, my perception and conception of God have changed radically. Always this change has been to make the faith more real and existentially relevant.

The text that has always stood out to me is Jacob wrestling with some kind of heavenly presence and not letting that presence go until he received a blessing. Jacob was wounded and blessed at the same time. After years of inward struggle, he came to himself, assured that he had God’s forgiveness and God’s blessing, because of God and in spite of his own shortcomings.

In my priesthood there have been many times when things have been difficult and the outcome uncertain. Yet always, by faith, I have sought to wrestle meaning and blessing out of the raw events of life. It has been my privilege to share this meaning and blessing with those who have also searched for meaning in the midst of their daily struggles. In other cultures the shaman goes into the depths of the underworld to encounter the spirits and then brings back healing to the community. Of course Jesus is our shaman and the Word and Sacraments of the church have been a steady rock, a touchstone, to bring healing and purpose during many dark nights. In our life it is the priest who is expected to be that person who stands between heaven and earth and celebrates this divine union through sacramental celebration, preaching, counseling and example.

For recognizing what I have done well, I offer thanksgiving. For forgiving what I have not done well, I offer even more thanksgiving! May God bless all of us as we find our mission and meaning here at All Saints and work out our salvation together with fear and trembling.

God’s Peace,

Steve+

November 16, 2011

Dear Friends,

As Thanksgiving approaches, I want to write to you about a few subjects of import.

A Death in the Parish

It is with sadness that I write to inform you that our long-time parishioner, former warden and friend, Enid King, died on Monday night, November 14^th. Enid had started attending All Saints in the early 1960’s along with her mother. She dedicated much of her time and talents to the mission and ministry of All Saints Church as long as she was able. When I arrived here in 1993, Enid was one of two wardens (along with David Cohn, pictured) and the head of the Altar Guild. Seemingly, Enid was always upbeat and affable, but when necessary she spoke with a directness and honesty that cut right to the core of an issue. In recent years her health declined and she was not able to attend church, so unfortunately, many of you were not aware of her presence here. Nevertheless, she will be greatly missed and yet I trust her joyful spirit will live on in the hospitality and dignity of All Saints. Her funeral service is scheduled for this Monday, November 21^st at 2pm.

A Special Bishop’s Visit to Honor Lt. Walter Levy

Secondly, I want to remind you that the Right Reverend George E. Packard, Retired Bishop for the Armed Services, Healthcare and Prison Ministries, will be our guest preacher at this Sunday’s Eucharist and forum leader following the service.  This visit is to commemorate the memory of Lt. Walter Levy this year as we acknowledge his service and sacrifice near Veteran’s Day.  Bishop Packard received the Silver Star and two Bronze Stars for his service with the First Infantry Division in Vietnam.  His unique experience as an ordinary soldier combined with pastoral sensitivity and organizational ability prompted the Army to direct his assignments from installation chaplain, to hospital chaplain, to an operational unit, to teaching at the Army Chaplain‘s School, to the mobilization of a Field Army in Egypt, and ultimately to the Pentagon during Desert Storm.

After the Gulf War, the Pentagon retained Bishop Packard for policy development in race relations, multi–cultural diversity, and grief–loss programs. In 1995, he was the staff officer for an inaugural visit to Russia that initiated the support of the chaplaincy in the Russian Army. Bishop Packard retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1996.

Please join us this Sunday, to welcome this most interesting and dedicated bishop in our midst.  Following the service we will have a nice reception and forum, with time for questions and answers.  All are welcome!

The Election of A Bishop

This Saturday the diocese of New York will elect its next Bishop Coadjutor--that is the bishop who will succeed The Right Reverend Mark Sisk as Bishop of New York.  The convention will be held at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine beginning at 9am.  Four of us from the Church will be attending the convention (Rector, Deacon, and two Wardens), as we choose between six nominees.  For those of you interested in reading about the candidates, please explore the   website http://dioceseny.org/pages/483-coadjutor-election.

I invite your prayers as we choose a new Bishop for our diocese in these critical times of change for the Church and for the Diocese.

Your Pledge Matters

Finally, I want to thank all of you who have pledged so far for your support.  Although we are low-key about this, your support and pledge is important not only for the church, but also as a sacramental expression of faith.  If you want a pledge card or want to speak about your questions or concerns, please feel free to call the church office at 212-758-0447.  It is our hope that most of the pledges will be complete by December 1^st.

Grace and Peace,

Steven Jay Yagerman

All Saints Day
November 1, 2011

Dear Friends and Parishioners:

Today is All Saints Day, our patronal feast. For over a quarter of a century I have served churches named All Saints, so one might expect that it has become something rote. Or perhaps that I have now become an authority on its meaning. Yet, I never cease to wonder at the profundity of designating a day to honor all of those people who through the ages who have struggled to find meaning and compassion in cultures that would sooner number them than honor them.

To be a saint is to be holy, separated out of the ordinary for the purpose of manifesting God¡¦s life-affirming presence in this world. Most of us spend a lot of our lives trying to fit in. We focus on things like posture, poise and dressing appropriately. ¡§Does this shirt go with these pants?¡¨ ¡§Will I look silly if I say this or wear that?¡¨ ¡§Just be yourself,¡¨ we are told. But is this just a code word to be just like everyone else?

We begin to become saints when we listen to that still small voice within us that reminds us that we are intended for a different experience of life. We mourn for those excluded, exiled and executed. We thirst for a source of strength, courage and purpose. We hunger for true justice, compassion and connection. We desire to truly feel forgiveness and reconciliation, in essence, the presence of others. We know that this world is transitory and at best two-dimensional. We look for that Spirit, that Love, that Messiah that will rescue us from our mimetic desires of not only keeping up with the Joneses but also beating them.

What do we do with these secret yearnings and urgings? Are they in fact the distant voice of our creator? Is it akin to the vast telescopes that collect radio waves from the far corners of the universe that some describe as echoes of the Big Bang? Can we direct ourselves to follow this voice? Can we make a withdrawal from the rat race to join the sacred walk of those who have followed Moses across the Sinai, followed Jesus along the Via Dolorosa, and the countless paths of those who have had the courage to choose the holy road less travelled?

The bible is filled with spiritual awakenings, people¡¦s eyes and minds being opened, prophetic callings changing lives. Some are pretty dramatic, so much so that I couldn¡¦t imagine them happening to me. But I can completely identify with Nicodemus, who eschewed sleep and risked his reputation to slip through Jerusalem night to meet with Jesus. Jesus sought to transform his rigid and literal mind to one a new consciousness would fill with imagination, metaphor and poetry.

We are the saints that history won¡¦t remember, but God cannot forget. We are the saints who hear voices in the night calling us to something infinitely vast and intimately present. We are the saints that are waiting to be born, yet again, into a world of profundity and inner abundance. We are the saints who are called forth from sleep to find the Christ who opens every neuron to the infinite wonder of the creator. We are the saints who are called by love, for love and to love. We are the saints who make a choice every moment to be or not to be conformed to this world or be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

This Sunday, November 6, 2011, is All Saints Sunday, when we celebrate our patronal feast. This is your day. Perhaps it will be the day you hear the Word afresh, that Word that has its goal to reawaken you to the grace that is already and always there! Separate yourselves from your resistance and join us as we seek to encounter the Christ of deliverance in our Worship.

Faithfully yours,

The Rev. Steven Jay Yagerman+

Following the service there will be a special reception to celebrate All Saints Day. Please let us know if you would like to bring anything.

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In Honor of Lt. Walter Levy and Veterans Day

Sunday, November 20^th, we are happy to announce that The Right Reverend George E. Packard, retired Episcopal Bishop for Armed Services, will be our guest preacher and presenter at our 10am Eucharist. Bishop Packard served in Vietnam, is a lawyer, and was formerly the Canon to Ordinary in our diocese before becoming a Bishop. He will preach at our service and then join us to speak and engage us in dialog about issues of war and peace, as we gather to remember the incredible sacrifices that others have made on our behalf. I have known Bishop Packard since the mid 1980s and know him to be intelligent, sensitive to the human condition with all its contradictions, and approachable. I have invited him for the past several years, and because of scheduling, this is the first year we have been able to have him join us.

Your Pledge

If you have already pledged for next year we offer our sincere thanks! If you are still thinking about it we encourage you to think big! If you have decided not to pledge, we invite you to repent, i.e., change your mind! In any case it is your responsiveness and participation that makes our ministry possible.

Community Meal

Many, many thanks to all those who volunteer. We have been feeding more people than ever, almost 80 the last few weeks. It makes the work demanding but even more rewarding. I am convinced what we are doing is sacramental¡Kmaking Christ present by inviting all to our banquet table. You can be a part of it, just say the word, or ask how, and we will gladly include you in cooking or serving. As Jesus said, ¡§I was hungry and you fed me!¡¨ They asked, ¡§When did we feed you?¡¨ Jesus replied, ¡§Whenever you did it to the least of these, my brethren.¡¨

Stained Glass

Did you see the newly restored stain glass windows in the chapel yet? Come this Sunday and witness the restored glass, with its brilliant colors and spiritually evocative light.

30 Years

November 30th, St Andrew’s Day, will mark the 30th anniversary of my ordination to the priesthood. Ten years ago I included a playful reference to a non-existent tradition for twentieth anniversaries to the priesthood. Father Parks caught it and revealed his rapier wit in response to it. Come ask me to tell you the story! I am so very grateful to all of the parishioners and others I have served over the years. It has not always been easy, but it has always been a worthwhile challenge and has always provided enrichment and learning for me--and I trust for a few others--along the way.

October 21, 2011

Dear Friends and Parishioners:

Everybody’s talking about it, everybody’s thinking about it and everybody worries about it: money, that is.  Where does it come from, where does it go, who deserves it and how much do we get to keep?   We read about the Forbes 400 and wonder how we measure up to these gods of industry, commerce, finance and entertainment.  What would my life be like if I had unlimited resources and what would my life be if I lost it all? 

They asked Jesus about money.  He never ceases to surprise and provoke.  Where your treasure is so too is your heart.   The act of the widow giving her last penny was worth more than the rich giving large amounts. In all Jesus speaks a lot about money although there is no indication of him actually holding or spending any money.  Yet his understanding is revolutionary and life changing. We have difficulty comprehending Jesus’ teachings because we don’t know our own worth.  I am not speaking about our financial worth, but our value as human beings.  Instead of feeling like prized heirs of the living God, we allow ourselves to be gradually shaped and molded to fit into the economy. 

Our faith is a faith that calls for us to find our value in the eternal sacred presence that inhabits the now.  It calls for a radical re-valuation of everything.  It teaches us to stand in awe of the creative powers that undergird and overarch the universe and to treat possessions as a means to an end, that end being compassionate, justice seeking, meaning making, community building children of the God of Light. 

Perhaps what we really need is to be able to buy something that will make us happy forever: something so big and so luminous that our eternal sense of wanting would be delighted beyond measure. That eternal gift cannot be purchased with our money, but it can be accessed through faith.  So I am here to ask you to invest in that other Kingdom to which you were called in baptism.  You can’t buy faith and you can’t satisfy the longing of your souls with money.  But you can support the mission and the symbol of God’s infinite generosity by making a significant gift to your Church.  This fall I am asking you to consider a pledge to All Saints Church for next year as we seek to keep the light of Christ burning here.

Our style and tradition may seem arcane to those on the outside, but I firmly believe that the message of transforming lives through sacrificial love and forgiveness is a powerful and welcome message for those whose souls hunger for righteousness.  Like rainwater on a parched field, the Gospel of Christ brings nourishment and meaning to people in every generation.  The church is that specific agency with its sacramental actions and symbolic messages that God uses to communicate, cajole and remind each of us that there is more to us than our bank statements show.

How much should you give?  Some have said, give until it hurts.  I would respond, give until it feels good!  The scriptures talk about 10% but most of us can’t imagine that kind of gift to the church.  But we should be able to give a significant pledge to show that we support the prophetic and priestly work of the church in a way that is more than a token or a tip, but a real contribution showing where are heart and treasure are.  Your pledge speaks about your faith in a God who has visited us in Christ, to call us to share in the sacred work of awakening our true spiritual nature, which manifests the mind of Christ and the image of God at the core of our human being.

Faithfully yours,

The Rev. Steven Jay Yagerman

Pentecost, 2011

Dear Friends and Parishioners,

Easter occurred this year April 24^th, the next to last possible day it can occur in our calendar.  That means that Pentecost is happening much later than usual, this Sunday June 12^th.

What is the big deal about Pentecost?  It is that period or moment of transition from gazing at or remembering the earthly Jesus and being transformed by the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit.  On this day the disciples, who were waiting for something to happen, experienced a presence like a mighty wind that engulfed them and helped them gain a language that could unite the various peoples of the earth.

Spirit and Word; patience and presence: heaven on earth, sacred and empowered.  The church was born out of this experience of God’s Holy Spirit that breathed new life into women and men who had been dying under the weight of oppression, both external and internal.  This oppression can be economic and political, but it can also be psychological and spiritual.  It could be slavery or it could be social ostracism.   Our oppression is found in systems that our designed to contain us and anesthetize us with merchandise and drugs.  It is also found in debilitating depression, guilt, shame and addiction, to name but a few of the world’s deadening methods.

The Spirit, which came at Pentecost, is a Spirit of liberation and new life.  It is that Spirit that empowers us to carry on the work of Jesus, e.g. forgiving sins, healing the sick, visiting the widow and orphan, preaching hope and good news to those who have been cast down.  Without this Spirit, we are dead men and women walking, walking through the motions, conforming to nameless powers and principalities. 

This Sunday, come to Church expectantly.  Without expectation there is no answer.  Without asking there are no answers and without seeking there is no finding.  We have been entrusted with a perfect set of gifts and sacraments to give us all we need to start and continue a journey of discovery, healing and compassion.  As Saint Paul told the Corinthians, to those on the outside it may look like foolishness, but to those of faith, it is the wisdom that leads to all spiritual benediction and joy.

Faithfully yours,

The Rev. Steven J Yagerman

On the first Sundays of July, August and September our Sunday Eucharist will be more like our Agape Meal, that is a Eucharist around a meal table.  We will conduct the liturgy sitting together and then share a meal together as Jesus liked to do with his disciples and friends.  For those who want a traditional service, we will conduct one in the chapel at 8:30 am on those Sundays.