Announcements

holyapostlespa A Note from the Rector

A Note from the Rector – 10/13/19

This is a special Sunday.  I know I’ve written that before, but really: this is a special Sunday.  Today we are honored to welcome our Mother parish, Holy Apostles and the Mediator for a special shared Eucharist AND we are honored to welcome Madeleine Diana Fleckser into Christ’s one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church through the Sacrament of baptism.  Each of these two events are exciting and wonderful in their own right, but they are also integrally connected.  Our history reveals part of this connection.


In 1868, the vestry and rector of the Church of the Holy Trinity, Rittenhouse Square decided to establish a mission church to serve the growing post-Civil War population of southwest Philadelphia.  They partnered with Church of the Mediator in Philadelphia. The church that grew from that partnership was Church of the Holy Apostles, first located on 21st & Christian streets.  By the early 20th century, Church of the Holy Apostles became the largest parish in the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania.  In the early years of the 1900s there were 5,000 children enrolled in the weekly Sunday School. Around this time, Church of the Mediator and Holy Apostles decided to partner, and a new building, Chapel of the Mediator, was built on 51st and Spruce streets in West Philadelphia in 1919.  The establishment of this chapel reflected the congregation’s movement from south to west Philadelphia.  As this migration increased after the First World War, the Chapel of the Mediator flourished, while the congregation which met at the original Holy Apostles diminished. 

In 1944, the original Holy Apostles building was sold and the parish was consolidated in West Philadelphia.  The church was renamed Holy Apostles and the Mediator. In 1950, Holy Apostles and Mediator established the Chapel of the Holy Apostles in Penn Wynne.  This reflects the fact that many members of the congregation were moving farther and farther west into the suburbs, a movement that has been dubbed “white flight.” 

The funds from the sale of the original building on 21st and Christian streets were used to buy this property and build the parish hall.  Throughout the 50s, Holy Apostles and the Mediator raised money to build our church building, while financially sustaining this new congregation and ensuring that its first priests, Robert Bauer and John Kolb were paid.  When the church was built in 1959, the furniture from the original Holy Apostles in South Philadelphia was installed here: the altar and reredos (the wood panel behind the altar), the pulpit, the lectern, and the baptismal font.  Thus, Holy Apostles and the Mediator is responsible for the holy physical objects that shape our worship of God here in Penn Wynne every week.  

The font that baby Maddie will be baptized in this morning was originally given to the church in 1896 by George C. Thomas, who was, along with his wife, the primary benefactor to Holy Apostles in all of its incarnations.  Over more than a century, hundreds, if not thousands, of people have been baptized in this very font. That means something. Baptism is a spiritual and mystical tie which binds every Christian in every time and every place to each other and to Christ.  This baptismal font is a tangible, physical link between what has ultimately become Church of the Holy Apostles, Penn Wynne and Holy Apostles and the Mediator. It is a physical reminder that our histories and destinies in Christ are bound up with each other.  We are because they are, and this font reminds us of the debt of gratitude that we owe our Mother congregation, whose generosity benefits us every Sunday and especially on Sundays like this.  Hopefully this baptismal font will serve today as a symbol of our friendship, our mutual love for each other, and the joy we share in worshipping our God together as sisters and brothers.

In Christ,
James+

holyapostlespa Announcements

Announcements – 10/13/19

Worship

† Our preacher next Sunday, October 20th will be Jeremiah Mustered, postulant for holy orders sponsored by the parish.

† There will be an Altar Guild Meeting next Sunday, October 20th immediately following the 10AM service.

† Please submit names of beloved deceased persons to be prayed for at our annual All Souls Day Mass (Holy Eucharist).  You can email them to holyapostlespa@gmail.com

† Are you friendly?  We need you! Our greeter ministry is one of the key ministries of our church.  Greeters welcome visitors, make people comfortable, hand out service leaflets and take up offering.  They make sure the service runs smoothly. Starting in October we will be organizing a monthly Greeters breakfast with the Rector, probably at a local restaurant.  If you’re interested in serving God in this way, talk to Jim Jervis or Fr. James.

† Morning Prayer is offered at 8:30AM on Sunday mornings and at 9:15AM Tuesdays through Fridays.  Anyone can pray the service privately using the Book of Common Prayer or one of a number of smartphone apps!  See the last section of the digital edition of the “Acts of the Apostles” for details.

Outreach

† There are lots of opportunities to participate in Holy Apostles Outreach through our various programs:

               –     Delivering items to a food pantry in Northeast Philadelphia

               –     Organizing supplies or gifts for our own Connect by Night shelter program coming for the month of December

               –     Meals at Darby Mission (3/17) or our annual holiday meal with the East Parkside Community Association (12/9). Other ideas are welcome. Please contact Joe Zorc (zorc@email.chop.edu) or see the sign-up sheet in the parish hall.

Children and Youth

† Nursery childcare is available during the 10:00AM Sunday service for children ages 3 and younger in the Godly Play Room.

† The Holy Apostles Choir School is off and running for the Fall of 2019.  If you have a potential student, apply today.  More information is available at holyapostlespa.org/choir-school/. Please forward this information to friends and neighbors who may be interested. Contact Deb Stambaugh if you have any questions.   

Parish Life

† Year-to-date statements for 2019 Stewardship pledges are available, pick yours up from the table in the hallway.  Those not picked up will be mailed.

† We are getting ready to refresh the hallway outside the church offices including some new paint, new furniture, and eventually new flooring.  As a result we have been moving some things around. The Lost & Found box is now located in the church office.

† If you have an announcement to be included in Acts of the Apostles, please send it to holyapostlescomm@gmail.com before Thursday at noon of each week.

† Don’t forget to enter the church through the Parish office door and grab a “Church Member” badge from the office during Daycare hours (7:00AM – 6:00PM Mon-Fri)!

† The Cash for Causes Program at Giant Supermarket:

· Purchase through JT Wertz

· 5% of card value is given to Holy Apostles operating fund.

· Can be used in store or when ordering Giant groceries through Peapod online delivery service.

Education

† Fall Soup Group: We are studying the lives and teachings of the Fathers and Mothers of the Church.  All sessions begin at 6:30PM

               October 23: Leaders of the Early Church

               October 30: The Seven Ecumenical Councils

               For a full list see our website: holyapostlespa.org/soup-group

† Join us for BASICS class, every 3rd Sunday at 9AM.  There will be a cycle of four classes, the first, Sunday Oct. 20, is on the Sacraments.

† Bible Study on Deuteronomy, Thursdays at 11AM.  All are welcome.

† FacePsalm online study of the Psalms: bit.ly/2ndKq9o

Dan McKeon This Week at Holy Apostles

This Week at Holy Apostles – 10/6/2019

Sunday, October 6
Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
Preacher: The Rev. Kathy Grieb, Ph.D.
Celebrant: The Rev. James Stambaugh

8:30a Morning Prayer
10:00a Holy Eucharist


Monday, October 7

Parish Offices closed

Tuesday, October 8

9:15a Morning Prayer
3:30-6:00p Choir School

Wednesday, October 9

9:15a Morning Prayer

12p Noonday Prayer
w/ Bishop Daniel

Thursday, October 10

9:15a Morning Prayer
11:00a Bible Study
3:30-6:00p Choir School

Friday, October 11

9:15a Morning Prayer

Sunday, October 13
Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Celebrant and Preacher: The Rev. James Stambaugh

10:00a Holy Eucharist

Dan McKeon Announcements

Announcements – 10/6/2019

Worship

† Healing Prayer will now be offered on the first Sunday of the Month, beginning today

† We will host a special shared Eucharist with Holy Apostles and the Mediator in Philadelphia on October 13 at 10AM. This will be a special service of healing and joy, as we welcome members of the parish who founded our parish and sustained us financially and spiritually for 2 decades before we became a parish. Don’t miss this special Sunday!

† On October 13th (next Sunday), we will welcome Maddie Fleckser into the body of Christ in the sacrament of Holy Baptism.  Maddie will be joining her parents, Justin and Annie, and sister Sydney as members of Christ’s body that is incarnate here at Holy Apostles, Penn Wynne. 

† There will be an Altar Guild Meeting on Sunday, October 20th immediately following the 10AM service.

† Are you friendly?  We need you! Our greeter ministry is one of the key ministries of our church.  Greeters welcome visitors, make people comfortable, hand out service leaflets and take up offering.  They make sure the service runs smoothly. Starting in October we will be organizing a monthly Greeters breakfast with the Rector, probably at a local restaurant.  If you’re interested in serving God in this way, talk to Jim Jervis or Fr. James.

† Morning Prayer is offered at 8:30AM on Sunday mornings and at 9:15AM Tuesdays through Fridays.  Anyone can pray the service privately using the Book of Common Prayer or one of a number of smartphone apps!  See the last section of the digital edition of the “Acts of the Apostles” for details.

Outreach

† There are lots of opportunities to participate in Holy Apostles Outreach through our various programs:

– Delivering items to a food pantry in Northeast Philadelphia

– Organizing supplies or gifts for our own Connect by Night shelter program coming for the month of December

– Meals at Darby Mission (3/17) or our annual holiday meal with the East Parkside Community Association (12/9). Other ideas are welcome. Please contact Joe Zorc (zorc@email.chop.edu) or see the sign-up sheet in the parish hall.

Children and Youth

† The national acolyte festival at the National Cathedral in Washington DC will be held on Saturday, October 19. Any acolyte or any child who wants to be an acolyte, ages 7-18, is eligible to attend.  Talk to Fr. James before September 27 if you are interested.

† Nursery childcare is available during the 10:00AM Sunday service for children ages 3 and younger in the Godly Play Room.

† The Holy Apostles Choir School is off and running for the Fall of 2019.  If you have a potential student, apply today.  More information is available at holyapostlespa.org/choir-school/. Please forward this information to friends and neighbors who may be interested. Contact Deb Stambaugh if you have any questions.   

Parish Life

† Year-to-date statements for 2019 Stewardship pledges will be sent out the week after September 30th, the end of the third quarter.  Continued thanks to all for their generosity and faithfulness in giving.  

† We are getting ready to refresh the hallway outside the church offices including some new paint, new furniture, and eventually new flooring.  As a result we have been moving some things around. The Lost & Found box is now located in the church office.

† We will host a blood drive for the American Red Cross on Saturday, October 5th.  If you would like to help, let James know.

† If you have an announcement to be included in Acts of the Apostles, please send it to holyapostlescomm@gmail.com before Thursday at noon of each week.

† Don’t forget to enter the church through the Parish office door and grab a “Church Member” badge from the office during Daycare hours (7:00AM – 6:00PM Mon-Fri)!

† The Cash for Causes Program at Giant Supermarket:

· Purchase through JT Wertz

· 5% of card value is given to Holy Apostles operating fund.

· Can be used in store or when ordering Giant groceries through Peapod online delivery service.

Education

† This Thursday, October 24, the 11AM Bible Study begins our study of the book of Deuteronomy!  It is going to be a fascinating and eye opening study. Anytime is good time to come Bible study even if you can’t make it every week.  But now is a particularly good time if you’ve been thinking of joining! Bring yourself and your Bible. If you need a Bible or you’d like to talk about best translations of the Bible to use–let Fr. James know!   

† We are offering a new way to engage with Scripture: FacePsalm is our new Facebook group devoted to reading, studying, meditating on, and even memorizing the Psalms that we sing and pray every Sunday during our 10AM service.  Join the Facebook group and get involved in the (online) conversation! If you don’t have Facebook, you can still join us in the study of each upcoming Sunday’s Psalm–look for it on the back of the Acts of the Apostles.  Here is the link: bit.ly/2ndKq9o

Dan McKeon A Note from the Rector

A Note from the Rector – 10/6/2019

Today, October 6, is the Commemoration of St. Faith.  Sometimes known as St. Foy, she was a young girl who lived in the Aquitaine region of France and was martyred for her faith in Jesus at the end of the 3rd or beginning of the 4th century (approx. AD 297-304).  She was probably one of thousands of Christians martyred during the reign of the Roman Emperor Diocletian.  According to St. Jerome, she was martyred by being made to lie down on a red hot brazier (notice the brazier depicted on the St. Faith’s Banner).  St. Faith is, of course, the namesake of St. Faith Episcopal Church, Havertown. This past July, many of us were present for the emotional service of de-consecration at the building which once held that congregation.  Without denying how difficult the closing of that parish was and is, we have also worked to honor the legacy of St. Faith here at Holy Apostles. That is why we have adopted St. Faith as one of our patron saints, and why we are celebrating her feast day this morning.  

It is also why we have created the St. Faith Preachers Series.  For over a year, the vestry and I have worked on creating this unique and dynamic program.  The idea is two-fold. First, we want to honor St. Faith in an enduring way. Second, aware that I am a solo, male priest and preacher here at Holy Apostles, we want to find a way to bring diversity to our pulpit, and to honor and raise up women leaders in our parish and the Church at large.  It is vitally important that our daughters and granddaughters see women in the pulpit and at the altar of this, their church. The St. Faith Preachers Series will accomplish those twin goals by inviting excellent, strong, and established women preachers to preach for us once or twice a year. We will also invite one promising, woman seminarian a year to preach for us.  Bringing guest preachers here takes money, so last December the vestry devoted $500 of this year’s budget toward this project. In the meantime, we asked Virginia Theological Seminary, an Episcopal seminary in the Washington, D.C. metro area (and my alma mater), if they would be willing to partner with us in this program. The seminary responded generously by giving Holy Apostles $3,000 for the continuation of the St. Faith Preachers Series.  I will be working with the Seminary to identify and invite a seminarian to preach for us in the Spring. But, this Sunday we are also very honored and blessed to inaugurate the St. Faith Preachers Series with one of Virginia Theological Seminary’s most accomplished and revered professors, The Rev. Dr. Kathy Grieb.

Dr. Grieb is the Meade Professor of Biblical Interpretation and Professor of New Testament at the seminary where she has taught since 1994.  She was ordained to the priesthood in 1983 in the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, and serves on the clergy team of St. Stephen’s and the Incarnation church in Washington DC.  Dr. Grieb earned a law degree from Catholic University, an M.Div. from Virginia Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. from Yale. A noted theologian, Dr. Grieb serves on the House of Bishops Theology Committee.  She represented the Episcopal church at the World Council of Churches Plenary Session in 2009, and is a member of the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity and Faith. She is a long-time instructor for the Canterbury Scholars program at Canterbury Cathedral in England.  

Dr. Grieb has written numerous articles and written and edited several important books.  My favorite is The Story of Romans (Westminster Press, 2002), which is an accessible and profound guide to reading St. Paul’s letter to the Romans.  Dr. Grieb, was my New Testament professor when I attended Virginia Theological Seminary from 2014-2017. I learned a lot from her about Scripture, theology, and about living the in the way of Jesus.  I am very grateful to her for that, and for being with us this morning. I know the Holy Apostles family will warmly welcome our first St. Faith Preacher.

In Christ,

James +

Dan McKeon A Note from the Rector

A Note from the Rector – 9/29/2019

This Fall, I am using the metaphor of a tapestry to talk about Christian formation and discipleship at Holy Apostles.  Like a tapestry that is made up of many intertwined threads, our formation as Christians needs to be multi-threaded. Our life with and in Christ affects every aspect of who we are, so growing in our faith and becoming better disciples of Jesus has to include all aspects of life as well. The metaphor beyond the individual level.  Our communal life, too, is like a tapestry, as individuals are woven together by our involvement in the sacramental life of the church into something bigger than the sum of our parts. We are all threads in God’s great-big sacramental tapestry, which extends beyond just our parish and neighborhood, and finally covers the entire earth: “Praise be God’s glorious Name for ever, and may all the earth be filled with his glory” (Psalm 72:19).  

On the parish level, we are weaving our life of faith using five “threads”: learning, personal devotion, fellowship, worship, and service.  I am going to talk about all these threads in due time, starting with learning.

Learning is what we have commonly called Christian education.  It is just one piece of our overall, holistic formation as disciples.  As Jesus commands in Matthew 22:37, we are to love the God with all our hearts, souls, and minds.  Learning, in the context of the Christian life, is the act loving God with our minds.  

We have many opportunities to do this at Holy Apostles.  I want to make you aware of two new ways to learn and love God that are starting in October.  

As many of you know, we have a weekly Bible Study that meets in the Memorial Room on Thursdays from 11am-12pm.  Starting this week, we are adding an online Bible Study called FacePsalm. FacePsalm is a Facebook group that will be devoted the Psalms. Each week on Monday or Tuesday, we will post the Psalm for the following Sunday on our Facebook group.  Throughout the week we will discuss the psalm, think about it, and meditate on it. You’ll have opportunities to post your thoughts and to read each others ideas and comments. This is a way to be very intentional in preparing for the act of singing and praying the Psalm during the Sunday Eucharist service.  By the time we get to Sunday morning, those of you in the FacePsalm group will have read and mediated on the Psalm beforehand, which I think will change the way the Psalm affects in worship, and the way that we pray and sing it. There is something special about the Psalms. If given half a chance, they settle into your bones and have a way of bubbling up within us when we need them most. Any extra time you spend reading and meditating on the Psalms will be repaid to you in times of trouble and difficulty. These days, Facebook is not known for its ability to provide any of us with peace of mind. The hope is that the FacePsalm group can add little drops of peace, serenity and joy to your newsfeed throughout the week. So, if you have a Facebook account, join FacePsalm!

The other new opportunity for learning this Fall is a series of “Basics” classes.  This series comprises of four classes, offered on the third Sundays of the month at 9am.  The classes will repeat throughout the year so that I will teach each class three times a year. So, if you’re in choir for part of the year, or you can’t make it to a class on a given Sunday, there will always be another opportunity!  The classes are on four foundational topics: Bible, Church, Sacraments, and Liturgy. These classes are meant for anyone who is curious. They will be especially helpful to those who may be newer to Holy Apostles or to the Christian faith.  They will provide an excellent opportunity to invite someone along who you know might have questions about faith, or who are seeking. The first class will be October 20th and will be “Sacraments: what they are and what they do.”   I hope to see you there!

In Christ,

James +

Dan McKeon This Week at Holy Apostles

This Week at Holy Apostles – 9/29/2019

Sunday, September 29
Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Celebrant and Preacher: The Rev. James Stambaugh

8:30a Morning Prayer
10:00a Holy Eucharist


Monday, September 30

Parish Offices closed

Tuesday, October 1

9:15a Morning Prayer
3:30-6:00p Choir School

Wednesday, October 2

9:15a Morning Prayer

12p Noonday Prayer
w/ Bishop Daniel

Thursday, October 3

9:15a Morning Prayer
11:00a Bible Study
3:30-6:00p Choir School

Friday, October 4

9:15a Morning Prayer

Sunday, October 6
Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
Celebrant and Preacher: The Rev. James Stambaugh

10:00a Holy Eucharist

Dan McKeon Announcements

Announcements – 9/29/2019

Worship

† Noon day prayer with Bishop Daniel on Wednesday, October 2 at 12PM. 

† October 6 will be a special day.  It is the Feast of St. Faith and this year we are celebrating with the inauguration of the St. Faith Preachers Series.  Our inaugural preacher will be the Rev. Dr. A. Katherine Grieb, Meade Professor of Biblical Interpretation and New Testament at Virginia Theological Seminary.  This Sunday is not to be missed!

† Healing Prayer will now be offered on the first Sunday of the Month, beginning October 6.

† We will host a special shared Eucharist with Holy Apostles and the Mediator in Philadelphia on October 13 at 10AM. This will be a special service of healing and joy, as we welcome members of the parish who founded our parish and sustained us financially and spiritually for 2 decades before we became a parish. Don’t miss this special Sunday!

† There will be an Altar Guild Meeting on Sunday, October 20th immediately following the 10AM service.

† Are you friendly?  We need you! Our greeter ministry is one of the key ministries of our church.  Greeters welcome visitors, make people comfortable, hand out service leaflets and take up offering.  They make sure the service runs smoothly. Starting in October we will be organizing a monthly Greeters breakfast with the Rector, probably at a local restaurant.  If you’re interested in serving God in this way, talk to Jim Jervis or Fr. James.

† Morning Prayer is offered at 8:30AM on Sunday mornings and at 9:15AM Tuesdays through Fridays.  Anyone can pray the service privately using the Book of Common Prayer or one of a number of smartphone apps!  See the last section of the digital edition of the “Acts of the Apostles” for details.

Outreach

† There are lots of opportunities to participate in Holy Apostles Outreach through our various programs:

–     Delivering items to a food pantry in Northeast Philadelphia

–     Organizing supplies or gifts for our own Connect by Night shelter program coming for the month of December

–     Meals at Darby Mission (3/17) or our annual holiday meal with the East Parkside Community Association (12/9). Other ideas are welcome. Please contact Joe Zorc (zorc@email.chop.edu) or see the sign-up sheet in the parish hall.

Children and Youth

† The national acolyte festival at the National Cathedral in Washington DC will be held on Saturday, October 19. Any acolyte or any child who wants to be an acolyte, ages 7-18, is eligible to attend.  Talk to Fr. James before September 27 if you are interested.

† Nursery childcare is available during the 10:00AM Sunday service for children ages 3 and younger in the Godly Play Room.

† The Holy Apostles Choir School is off and running for the Fall of 2019.  If you have a potential student, apply today.  More information is available at holyapostlespa.org/choir-school/. Please forward this information to friends and neighbors who may be interested. Contact Deb Stambaugh if you have any questions.   

Parish Life

† Year-to-date statements for 2019 Stewardship pledges will be sent out the week after September 30th, the end of the third quarter.  Continued thanks to all for their generosity and faithfulness in giving.  

† We are getting ready to refresh the hallway outside the church offices including some new paint, new furniture, and eventually new flooring.  As a result we have been moving some things around. The Lost & Found box is now located in the church office.

† We will host a blood drive for the American Red Cross on Saturday, October 5th.  If you would like to help, let James know.

† If you have an announcement to be included in Acts of the Apostles, please send it to holyapostlescomm@gmail.com before Thursday at noon of each week.

† Don’t forget to enter the church through the Parish office door and grab a “Church Member” badge from the office during Daycare hours (7:00AM – 6:00PM Mon-Fri)!

† The Cash for Causes Program at Giant Supermarket:

· Purchase through JT Wertz

· 5% of card value is given to Holy Apostles operating fund.

· Can be used in store or when ordering Giant groceries through Peapod online delivery service.

Education

† This Thursday, October 24, the 11AM Bible Study begins our study of the book of Deuteronomy!  It is going to be a fascinating and eye opening study. Anytime is good time to come Bible study even if you can’t make it every week.  But now is a particularly good time if you’ve been thinking of joining! Bring yourself and your Bible. If you need a Bible or you’d like to talk about best translations of the Bible to use–let Fr. James know!   

We are offering a new way to engage with Scripture: FacePsalm is our new Facebook group devoted to reading, studying, meditating on, and even memorizing the Psalms that we sing and pray every Sunday during our 10AM service.  Join the Facebook group and get involved in the (online) conversation! If you don’t have Facebook, you can still join us in the study of each upcoming Sunday’s Psalm–look for it on the back of the Acts of the Apostles.  Here is the link: bit.ly/2ndKq9o