Congregation of St. Saviour

Throw the Doors Open to One and All

Previous Mettawee River Theatre Company ushers in the beginning of fall, 2019.

Left Gates in the Chapel of St. Saviour. Incorporated in 1992, the Congregation of St. Saviour’s mission is to build and nurture an active Christian community; to support the mission of the Cathedral; to offer opportunities for exploration and expressing spirituality; affirming the diversities that exist among us; and above all, through worship, service, and example, to witness to Christ’s healing and reconciling love to neighbors, pilgrims and visitors.

MARSHA RA When Dean Morton became Dean, he threw the Cathedral doors open to one and all, enthusiastically inviting people to come and to stay. The seeds for an Episcopal congregation were planted. During the 1980s, Christians who considered themselves members of the “congregation” frequently discussed what it would take to become an Episcopal parish. Although many worshippers had no interest in a more formal structure, others were troubled by the fact that they had no involvement in the greater life of The Episcopal Church, no formal relationship with the Diocese of New York, and no input on how the Cathedral was managed.

“In 1985, the informal Congregation Council developed and ratified a purpose and bylaws, which included building a sense of Christian Community within the Cathedral.”

CONGREGATION ARCHIVES

TIM DWYER There were many groups within the Cathedral’s active community, which were diverse and not necessarily Christian. Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, and new-agers were all welcome and became very much a part of the Cathedral’s life. These various groups interacted loosely, but it would be untrue to say there were no ruffled feathers among those who considered themselves traditional Christians.

“In 1990, Bishop Grein invited the Congregation Council to pursue formal incorporation. It was at first thought the goal would be to create its own parish, but because parishes are tied to areas of land, the appropriate step would be to form a congregation. After open meetings and reflection, the Council voted to pursue incorporation. The Cathedral’s Board of Trustees approved of the incorporation and on October 24, 1992, the Congregation of St. Saviour was recognized by the Diocese of New York.”

CONGREGATION ARCHIVES MARSHA RA The name Congregation of St. Saviour had been chosen after a period of open solicitation of suggestions. Dean Morton had suggested the name because St. Saviour was the first of the chapels completed at the Cathedral and it was his favorite as well as the chapel in which he presided over the Dean’s Mass on Thursday mornings. St. Saviour, of course, refers to Jesus Christ.

THE REV. CANON SUSAN HARRISS It’s been said that the world is at our communion table here. Congregants are attracted by the building, the music, and the sense of possibility. It’s hard to feel cramped here, and their attitudes mirror this. The congregation is a mix of race, class, and background. Like other New York City congregations, members are very sophisticated, not in the stylish sense, rather they are wise, sharp.

MARSHA RA Congregation leadership and heads of Cathedral programs work cooperatively on several projects, such as the Congregation’s annual crafts fair, which we’ve organized for over 20 years.

THE REV. STEVEN LEE The kind of community we are attempting to create in our Cathedral congregation is one that—no matter how angry you become or how disappointed you are or how many hard words are spoken—never sees any conflict as a final break. Rather, each conflict is an opportunity of deepening our faith that through such tests we will grow closer together.

MARSHA RA I would like to see the congregation become spiritually very strong, whether the numbers go up or not—I hope they do—but I’d like this to be a place for real spiritual growth I mean in an explicitly Christian way.

THE REV. STEVEN LEE In the years to come, we will begin to orient around these core discipleship activities: connecting people to one another more deeply and more authentically; growing in our faith through service, prayer, and knowledge; and giving generously back to the parish as a sign of our thankfulness for how much God has given us through this community.