Keeping Our Doors and Hearts Open:
The 2026 Annual Appeal
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
For more than 160 years, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in the Highlands has anchored the life of Cold Spring. Often called the Cathedral of the Hudson River Valley, our historic three-acre campus remains a place of welcome, beauty, and refuge — a sanctuary not only for worship, but for the entire community. Every day, someone in Philipstown is touched by St. Mary’s:
A homebound neighbor receiving a warm Thanksgiving meal
A person in recovery finding a safe place to heal
A newcomer discovering community through Music @ St. Mary’s
A child bursting with joy as they sled down our hill
A family honoring loved ones in our Memorial Day Garden of Remembrance
These moments of grace are possible only because of the generosity of people like you.
Gratitude for Your Support
As we enter the fall and holiday season, we are filled with gratitude for the extraordinary support you have offered in years past. Your gifts made it possible this year to:
Rebuild the Wall Street stone wall
Install a commercial-grade kitchen to support parish and community events
Repair and stabilize the parking lot
These improvements strengthen our ministry and deepen our service to the wider community.
Our Ongoing Stewardship Needs
Yet preserving our 1869 Gothic stone church, Parish Hall, and Rectory remains an ongoing challenge. Rising utility costs and essential maintenance continue to strain our resources. Your sustained support is vital to safeguarding these sacred and civic spaces so that St. Mary’s remains a place where neighbors gather, children play and all who enter find welcome, dignity, and care.
A Season of Transition and Hope
With Father Steve’s retirement, we are grateful for the strong support of the Diocese and delighted to welcome the Reverend Alison, who will lead us in worship each week as we continue our search for a permanent Priest-in-Charge. As we look toward the future, we do so with deep gratitude for all that has been entrusted to us and with renewed hope for the ministry still unfolding. Your generosity sustains St. Mary’s as a place of welcome, compassion, and community care for all who call Philipstown home.
Four Ways to Support St. Mary’s Today
1. Immediate Financial Stewardship: Prioritize St. Mary’s in your annual giving. Donations can be made securely using the button above or by mail to: PO Box 351, Cold Spring, NY 10516. Our goal is to raise $150,000 in charitable donations.
2. Legacy & Estate Gifts: Contact us for professional referrals on managing Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from 401(k) accounts, creating charitable remainder trusts, or naming St. Mary's as a beneficiary.
3. Sharing Your Story: Send us your favorite memories, photos, or short videos. Your experiences will help shape our website and our upcoming YouTube storytelling initiative.
4. Completing the Vision & Voice Survey: Take five minutes to share your hopes for St. Mary’s. Your anonymous responses to our Vision & Voice survey will guide our planning for the next decade of ministry
Thank You
Thank you for the grace, hope, and generosity you share so freely. Together, we embody the eyes, hands, and heart of Christ in Philipstown. Your gift to St. Mary’s does more than support a church — it sustains a village, strengthens a community, and transforms lives.
With Peace and Joy,
The Vestry of St Mary’s Episcopal Church
Rector’s Warden, Dr. Vincent M. Tamagna
People’s Warden, Kathleeen Malone-Bogusky