The Episcopal Church of St. Mary-in-the-Highlands

This is a tremendously wonderful church that is blessed with a terrific reverend, Fr. Shane Scott-​Hamblin, and a great congregation that makes one feel instantly welcomed.
I have attended numerous services here and each one was a lovely experience. Fr. Shane is a talented rector with a knack for intelligent, applicable sermons that throw Christianity into a modern light without stripping away its basic tenents. The sermons challenge you to think, and they exercise intellectual and spiritual candor.
The idea of «that they may all be one,» is evident in the welcoming atmosphere of this church, and anyone can go to Mass here without feeling uncomfortable or discriminated against for whatever reason. This is one of the few churches I have attended in which the idea of Christ being accessible to all is preached from the pulpit.
Episcopalians extend Communion to all, regardless of religious affiliation or age — even the children from the Sunday school classes can go up to the altar rail — and it is really a lovely experience. Coming from a Catholic background Communion was not a new experience for me, but those coming from other religions, particularly branches of Christianity in which Communion is not available to the congregation every Sunday, may find the experience to be an intimate and special one.
The congregation has grown a bit since I first started attending services here and while I was never a fixture every Sunday, I was always made to feel welcome and as though I were a part of the community when I did attend. The choir is talented and the music wonderful — make sure to go to the 10:30 a.m. service if you wish to hear it.
I highly recommend St. Mary-​in-​the-​Highlands to anyone looking for a church home. I also recommend it to those people who have negative opinions of Christianity in general — St. Mary’s will welcome you and will demonstrate that not all Christian churches mete out the fire and brimstone talk. I also encourage those people who have felt let down by Christianity, who have been made to feel that they don’t count, or who believe that there is no place for them at God’s table to try St. Mary-​in-​the-​Highlands. Fr. Shane and his congregants will welcome you. God isn’t dead, folks, and neither are Christian values and reasonable thought. St. Mary-​in-​the-​Highlands has them in spades.

I am an Episcopalian and have been visiting St. Mary in the Highlands church for a few years. Every time I go I am welcomed and greeted at the door. Father Shane is a wonderful preacher whose homilies are always made to fit well in that he includes himself, and often tells you something of himself, deeply personal, and memorable. Always touching and Gospel-​centered.
The congregation is a very dedicated group that makes one feel welcomed and wanted. They are happy to share their beautiful church with anyone who comes in friendship and peace. They are a bit shy to be heard during hymns but I think that changes over time, and perhaps they would rather hear their talented congregational choir sing, as well as their very talented priest. Father Shane chants so beautifulLy, and sings the mass so well I can’t wait for their fantastic Easter Vigil which is on Saturday the day before Easter Sunday.
The Vigil on Saturday is April 23 at 7:00PM or really just when the sun gets down behind the mountain and has just set in the beautiful highlands in Cold Spring. The Great Fire is lit outside on the lawn and all of the congregation, and all of the celebrants stand around this fire as it is blessed. The large Easter candle is studded with the traditional nails forming the sign of the cross, and then the candle is lighted from the blessed fire, the light now being declared in chant as «The light of Christ» by the celebrant to which the people respond …“Thanks be to God!“
Father Shane has a wonderful voice and you will get to hear him chant the traditional Easter Proclamation, or more precisely, The Exultet, an ancient hymn which is sung before the Easter light and is so moving. It starts…
«Rejoice, heavenly powers! Sing, choirs of angels!
Exult, all creation around God’s throne!
Jesus Christ, our King, is risen!
Sound the trumpet of salvation…»
There is more, and it is also unusual that Fr. Shane does one other thing, there is an open Baptism held for anyone who had not ever been able to for whatever the reason, be baptized. Call and find out more, but there are no questions asked, just arrange, come, and be baptized.
This is an amazing church. Spiritual, Gospel centered, rational, and welcoming of ALL people. If there is any service anyone would want to go toward being their first at an Episcopal church, then this is the one! The most important day in all of the church’s calendar, yes, even more so than Christmas!
Hope to see a big crowd there!
Update: February 8^th 2013
My partner and I were just married in St. Mary’s church this morning! It was a simple ceremony that seemed so extravagant to me because of Fr. Shane… the best priest you will ever meet! I was so happy, and we were so well treated, and welcomed… We both felt like royalty! When we walked out of the church, it was snowing… the ground lightly covered in what looked like powdered sugar… the snow flakes floated and swirled all around us. Blessings from the heavens high above us came gently down on us all. That scene could not ever be reproduced, and it beats anything anyone could ever have planned.
Join us on Sunday… All are truly welcome with open arms. We deny no one communion. All you need to be is baptized, and we will gladly take care of that, too, if need be! Gay, straight, black, white,. all are welcome at God’s table.
Father will baptize anyone who wishes, no questions asked (well, maybe just the usual ones for your certificate) — we have open baptism, and open communion as well.