Thursday, December 31, 2020

The Reverend Albutt Gardner

 



A resident of Cathedral Village, Andorra, Albutt Gardner was born and raised in Franklin, Virginia, and graduated from Franklin HS in 1947. He graduated from Mars Hill College, NC with an AA degree, then received a BA from the University of Richmond, VA. He was ordained as a Baptist minister in July 1951, and served in Oak Grove, Virginia. After graduating with a Master of Divinity from Crozer Theological Seminary, PA in 1955, he moved to Michigan and was pastor at Congregational churches in Morenci, Comstock Park and Manistee. 

He then returned to Delaware and was ordained as an Episcopal priest in June 1965 and served the church until his retirement in 1994. He first served at the Cathedral of St. John in Wilmington, DE, then Christ Church in Milford, DE before becoming Rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Elkins Park, PA. He later served as Vicar at All Saints Church, Crescentville PA until he retired. After he retired, he continued to serve by helping at Trinity Church, Gulph Mills PA in several roles, and at St. Martin's in the Field Church, Chestnut Hill. Al was a docent at the Univ of PA Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, and was a member of the Oak Lane Shakespeare Club of Philadelphia. 

He is the author of "Roots in Colonial Virginia: William Leonard Joyner and His Descendants" a book about his maternal grandfather. In lieu of flowers, Father Gardner's family requests memorial gifts to St. James School, 3217 West Clearfield, Philadephia, PA 19132 Al is survived by his partner Rodney R. Michel, and his 3 sons Randy Gardner of Arcata, CA, Al Gardner of Levelland, TX and Geoffrey Gardner of Norristown, PA. He is also survived by four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He was pre-deceased by his wife of many years, Ruth Hines Gardner, his daughter Ruth E. Gardner and son Mark F. Gardner. He was dearly loved and will be missed by many. Services will be held in late Spring or early Summer 2021.
Published in The Philadelphia Inquirer on Dec. 18, 2020.

O Holy Night

 


Wednesday, December 30, 2020

7th Day of Christmas ~ Sigfrid Karg-Elert- 'Resonet in Laudibus' from Cathedral Windows

 Sigfrid Karg-Elert- 'Resonet in Laudibus' from Cathedral Windows

played by Jonathan Stark

12noon on 31 December 2020



St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Cathedral Road



Sigfrid Karg-Elert- 'Resonet in Laudibus' from Cathedral Windows

played by Jonathan Stark

The music of Sigfrid Karg-Elert (1877-1933) combines late-romantic with impressionistic and expressionistic tendencies, as is shown in this piece, one of six from his collection "Cathedral Windows" (Opus 106). The 14th century melody Resonet in Laudibus is mostly associated now with the text "Joseph Dearest, Joseph Mine". In the score Karg-Elert calls for two very high notes to sound throughout the piece, symbolizing the Christmas star. However, on a two manual (2 keyboard) organ, this excessively limits the organist's choices of tone colors, so I've omitted the effect in this performance.


Visit us at http://stmaryscathedralroad.com/ Sermons at: https://peterssermons.blogspot.com/ Diocese of Pennsylvania: https://www.diopa.org/

30 December 2020 ~ 6th Day of Christmas Music ~ "Canonic Variations on Infant Holy, Infant Lowly"

St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Cathedral Road Raymond Haan- "Canonic Variations on Infant Holy, Infant Lowly"
played by Jonathan Stark


St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Cathedral Road Raymond Haan- "Canonic Variations on Infant Holy, Infant Lowly" played by Jonathan Stark Although the Polish carol "Infant Holy, Infant Lowly" is not in our hymnal, it is familiar to many folks. Each variation of Raymond Haan's Canonic Variations uses the musical technique of canon, where a melody in one part is imitated shortly after by the same melody in another part.

 

National Cathedral Bells

 National Cathedral Bells



Tuesday, December 29, 2020

Carols from King's College, Cambridge

Wonderful carols for the season! 

Merry Christmas!




The Rev. Sadie Mitchell, a retired educator and Episcopal priest, died on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020. She was 99.

 

Rev. Sadie Mitchell

Sadie Mitchell

The Rev. Sadie Mitchell, a retired educator and Episcopal priest, died on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020. She was 99.

Mitchell had suffered several falls, with the last fall resulting in hip replacement surgery. She never fully recovered from the lasting effects of that trauma.

She was born on Jan. 4, 1921 to Joseph Alphonso Stridiron and Lucinda Clifton Stridiron. She was the second child of five. In her early years, she and the family resided in South Philadelphia. They attended The Episcopal Church of the Crucifixion in South Philly.

The family moved to West Philadelphia when she was a teenager. They became members of The African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas (AECST), then known as the Protestant Episcopal Church of St. Thomas (or simply St. Thomas).

Mitchell and her siblings attended Overbrook High School. After graduation, she attended Temple University, receiving her bachelor’s degree in elementary education. In later years Mitchell obtained her master’s in education from the University of Pennsylvania and her doctorate in education from Nova Southeastern University in Florida.

As an undergraduate at Temple, in 1939, Mitchell was initiated into Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Xi Sigma Citywide Chapter. As a devoted member of this sisterhood, her 81st Deltaversary was commemorated in 2020. Mitchell was an active member of the Philadelphia Alumnae Chapter until 2017 when she was unable to participate in the sorority’s activities due to failing health. She remained a financial member through the 2020-21 sorority year.

In 1946, she married Charles T. Mitchell Jr., a city of Philadelphia employee with the Department of Recreation, a member of Holy Trinity Baptist Church, a lover of jazz and gospel music, and a very active member and leader of the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks, O.V. Catto Lodge, formerly located in South Philly. Three children were born to their union.

During the early years of their marriage, the family resided in South Philly before moving to West Philly in 1952.

Mitchell made great efforts to engage her young children in activities with groups such as Jack and Jill of America, Inc. and The Sweet Kittens (a social group of the daughters of friends that was formed by her friend, the late Pearl Johnson). She enrolled the girls in piano lessons at the original Settlement Music School on Queen Street in South Philadelphia.

She gave the children the experience of overnight camps, first at Camp Oak Hill in Nottingham, then Camp Mohawk in the Catskill Mountains in New York, co-owned by her late friends, Jean and Adolphus Lewis Sr. and the late Sam and Edna Watts.

Mitchell learned how to drive when her daughters were very young. This was not common for women in the 1950s. Her brother, Clifton, a Tuskegee Airman mechanic during World War II, repaired an old Chevy jalopy then gave it to her. She drove that car for several years until she was able to purchase a used 1958 Rambler that handled like a truck.

Mitchell was a very active member of St. Thomas Church, even before becoming a priest. A few of the guilds in which she participated were the Episcopal Church Women (ECW), the Matrons’ Guild, the Jesse F. Anderson Sr. Scholarship Fund Committee, the Music Committee, and the St. Thomas Historical Society. She and close friends, Mary Lu Sullivan and Louella Allen co-founded one of St. Thomas’ guilds for women of the parish – The Sisterhood Guild. Until her health began to fail, Mitchell was also involved in Episcopal diocesan affairs such as the Union of Black Episcopalians and in affairs of the community-at-large.

Mitchell was a former board member of the Episcopal Community Services (ECS) and The Lincoln Day Nursery. With her community work and education background, she founded The Black Women in Education Association (BWEA).

Throughout her years as an educator, Mitchell taught in the classroom and worked as a science collaborator, assistant to the district superintendent and elementary school principal. For one year, beginning in 1963, she was an exchange teacher, teaching English in Guayama, Puerto Rico. She retired as the principal of the Joseph C. Ferguson Elementary School located in North Philadelphia.

After retiring from the School District of Philadelphia, Mitchell earned a divinity degree from the Lutheran Theological Seminary, Philadelphia campus. She was ordained to the Episcopal diaconate and subsequently to the priesthood. Mitchell served at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Lower Merion, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in the Frankford section of Philadelphia and St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in the Germantown section of Philadelphia.

In 1991, when the Rev. Fr. Jesse F. Anderson, Jr. was installed as the 16th rector of the AECST, Mitchell returned as the associate priest of the parish.

While serving at St. Thomas, Mitchell carried out her ministry in several ways. She guided the Sunday School activities for the parish youth. Mitchell visited house-bound parishioners and parishioners recuperating from illnesses at home, as well as parishioners in area hospitals and living in nursing homes. She celebrated her final retirement at St. Thomas.

She was preceded in death by her husband; brothers, Joseph Stridiron, Clifton Stridiron and James Stridiron and her baby sister, Lucinda Harper.

She is survived by: her daughters, Sadye “Sarah” Archer and Charlene M. Wiltshire ;son, Charles “Bud” Mitchell, III (Allyson); grandchildren, Rick, Charles IV “CT,” John “Johnny,” Alexsandra “Alex,” Connor, Chase and Madelyn; four great-grandchildren; one sister-in-law and other relatives and friends.

A memorial service is pending with the full opening of her church.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations to mailed to The Jesse F. Anderson, Sr. Scholarship Fund, The AECST, 6361 Lancaster Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19151. Checks may be made payable to: AECST, with “JFA Scholarship in memory of Pastor Sadie” written in the memo portion.

Wood Funeral Home handled the arrangements.

12 Days of Christmas Music at Noon at St. Mary's

Marvelous Mini-Organ Concerts each Day of Christmas at St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Cathedral Road played by our organist, Jonathan Stark.  Check them out at noon each day of Christmas on our YouTube Channel.

Click HERE to see the Playlist of these pieces up until today.


Saturday, December 26, 2020

Christ has no body but yours


Christ Has No Body

Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

Teresa of Avila (1515–1582)

Friday, December 25, 2020

Christmas Services and Music on YouTube ~ St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Cathedral Road ~ Diocese of Pennsylvania

24 December 2020 ~ St. Mary's Episcopal Church ~ Christmas Eve Organ Concert - Part 1 


24 December 2020 ~ St. Mary's Episcopal Church ~ Christmas Eve Organ Concert - Part 2


24 December 2020 ~ Christmas Eve ~ Holy Eucharist ~ 4pm ~ St Mary's Episcopal Church

24 December 2020 ~ Reading of the Nativity Story read by the Reverend Peter Carey

24 December 2020 ~ Reading of Desmond Tutu's Stories of the Nativity and Epiphany


24 December 2020 ~ Christmas Eve ~ St. Mary's Episcopal Church ~ Holy Eucharist ~ 6:30pm




25 December 2020 "First Day of Christmas" Organ Music played by Jonathan Stark-"Noel Languedocien"

 25 December 2020 "First Day of Christmas" Organ Music played by Jonathan Stark          "Noel Languedocien"




Christmas Day Holy Eucharist at Washington National Cathedral from 2019

 


Merry Christmas!

 

 Merry Christmas!

O God, you have caused this holy night to shine 

with the brightness of the true Light:

Grant that we, who have known the mystery of that Light on earth,

may also enjoy him perfectly in heaven;

where with you and the Holy Spirit he lives and reigns,

one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

 

 

☩ Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church - Cathedral Road ☩ 

Online Christmas Eve Services

On our YouTube Channel

 

December 24, 2020 ~ 3pm ~ Christmas Eve Organ Concert

Part One: Click HERE

or https://youtu.be/-xRIIxlGbjg

Part Two: Click HERE

or https://youtu.be/7dYZqhAwQVQ

 

December 24, 2020 ~ 4pm ~ Christmas Eve Holy Eucharist

Click HERE

YouTube https://youtu.be/aGKxMGlqcl0

Click HERE to download the Service Bulletin

 

December 24, 2020 ~ 5pm ~ "The Nativity" Story

 Our Rector, the Rev. Peter M. Carey, 

reads the story of the Nativity 

Click HERE

 

December 24, 2020 ~ Story of Jesus Birth and the Three Wise Men, by Desmond Tutu

Our Rector, the Rev. Peter M. Carey, 

reads from Desmond Tutu's Children's Bible

Click HERE

 

December 24, 2020 ~ 6:30pm ~ Christmas Eve Holy Eucharist 

Click HERE

YouTube https://youtu.be/chDvz7jxkc8

Click HERE to download the Service Bulletin

 

O God, you have caused this holy night to shine 

with the brightness of the true Light:

Grant that we, who have known the mystery of that Light on earth,

may also enjoy him perfectly in heaven;

where with you and the Holy Spirit he lives and reigns,

one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

 

 

Wishing you all Peace, Joy, Hope, and Love!

 

Merry Christmas! 


Thursday, December 24, 2020

Christmas Eve Services & Noonday Organ Music for the 12 Days of Christmas

 Below, you will find the links for today's Christmas Eve Services.  


In addition, for each day of the 12 Days of Christmas, beginning tomorrow, the 25th, Jonathan Stark has recorded a piece of organ music which will be posted each day at noon. 


Find them on our YouTube Channel HERE


Merry Christmas!


O God, you have caused this holy night to shine with the brightness of the true Light:

Grant that we, who have known the mystery of that Light on earth,

may also enjoy him perfectly in heaven;

where with you and the Holy Spirit he lives and reigns,

one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.



☩ Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church - Cathedral Road ☩ 

Online Christmas Eve Services

On our YouTube Channel


December 24, 2020 ~ 3pm ~ Christmas Eve Organ Concert

Part One: Click HERE

or https://youtu.be/-xRIIxlGbjg

Part Two: Click HERE

or https://youtu.be/7dYZqhAwQVQ


December 24, 2020 ~ 4pm ~ Christmas Eve Holy Eucharist

Click HERE

YouTube https://youtu.be/aGKxMGlqcl0

Click HERE to download the Service Bulletin


December 24, 2020 ~ 5pm ~ "The Nativity" Story

 Our Rector, the Rev. Peter M. Carey, reads the story of the Nativity 

Click HERE


December 24, 2020 ~ Story of Jesus Birth and the Three Wise Men, by Desmond Tutu

Our Rector, the Rev. Peter M. Carey, reads from Desmond Tutu's Children's Bible

Click HERE


December 24, 2020 ~ 6:30pm ~ Christmas Eve Holy Eucharist 

Click HERE

YouTube https://youtu.be/chDvz7jxkc8

Click HERE to download the Service Bulletin



Wishing you all Peace, Joy, Hope, and Love!

Merry Christmas! 


The Rev. Peter M. Carey, Rector
St. Mary's Episcopal Church - Cathedral Road
434-242-6633

Christmas Eve by Christina Rossetti

 



CHRISTMAS hath a darkness

Brighter than the blazing noon,

Christmas hath a chillness

Warmer than the heat of June,

Christmas hath a beauty

Lovelier than the world can show:

For Christmas bringeth Jesus,

Brought for us so low.

Earth, strike up your music,

Birds that sing and bells that ring;

Heaven hath answering music

For all Angels soon to sing:

Earth, put on your whitest

Bridal robe of spotless snow:

For Christmas bringeth Jesus,

Brought for us so low.


Christmas Eve by Christina Rossetti

Collect for Christmas

Christmas


O God, who hast caused this holy night to shine with the

illumination of the true Light: Grant us, we beseech thee,

that as we have known the mystery of that Light upon earth,

so may we also perfectly enjoy him in heaven; where with

thee and the Holy Spirit he liveth and reigneth, one God, in

glory everlasting.  Amen.

A visit from Saint Nicholas

  

A Visit from Saint Nicholas
Clement Clarke Moore


'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds;
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,
Gave a lustre of midday to objects below,
When what to my wondering eyes did appear,
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny rein-deer,
With a little old driver so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment he must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the housetop the coursers they flew
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too—
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack.
His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly
That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight—
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”