holyapostlespa A Note from the Rector

A Note from the Rector – 3/24/19

I love Lent.  I also love Spring.  I love watching early Spring flowers—crocuses, irises, tulips—as they begin to break through dirty snow, dark muddy soil, rotting leaves.  They are glimmers of hope cracking open the gloom of winter.  But, you can’t rush Spring.   It is easy for me to get impatient.  One beautiful Spring day may be followed by a week of storms and terrible weather.  It is hard for me to remember that all are part of the process of new life being birthed again in the world.  It is all part of an incredible miracle, but one that requires patience and attention in order to experience. 

Lent and Spring are both times of rebirth and growth, and this growth can be subtle.  You don’t always notice a crocus growing until one day your whole yard is full of beautiful purple flowers.  This is also true of spiritual growth.  God surprises us sometimes with our own spiritual growth, with the insights and joys, with uncomfortable realizations, and strange, unexpected consolations.  These all come to us, not from within ourselves or own intellect, but from God. They are arriving to us from God’s merciful excess.  So, this Spring and this Lent don’t forget to be surprised, to be taken aback by the wonder that God is bringing into this world, as gloomy, imperfect, or hopeless as it may seem.  God is in the business of surprises.  Let us keep our eyes open for wonder, even in this slog of early Spring and mid-Lent, lest the grace of God spring on us like a trap and catches us unprepared to give God thanks.   

In Christ,
James+

holyapostlespa Announcements

Announcements – 11/26/2017

Announcements for Sunday, November 26th, 2017

The Last Sunday after Pentecost/Christ the King

Worship

Welcome to Church of the Holy Apostles! This morning’s service is Holy Eucharist, Rite II, at 10:00 a.m..  Our Guest Celebrant is the Rev. Canon Shawn Wamsley. The Rev. James Stambaugh will serve as Deacon and Preacher.

Morning Prayer: This week, Tuesday through Friday in the church at 9:00 a.m.

Sunday, December 24th is both Advent IV (in the morning) and Christmas Eve (in the late afternoon and evening). There will be Holy Eucharist, Rite II, as usual at 10:00 a.m. (but without choir) on the 24th, observing Advent IV. Christmas Eve services are Holy Eucharist, Rite II, at both 4:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. There will be Holy Eucharist at 9:00 a.m. on Christmas Day, Monday, December 25th (without choir).

Children & Youth

Childcare is available during the 10:00 service for children ages 3 and younger in the Godly Play Room.

Sunday School classes (preschool – 2nd grade and 3rd – 8th grade) are held on the 1st, 3rd, and 4th Sundays of the month, beginning at 10:00 a.m., the same time as the church service starts; children join their parents in the church in time for communion. On 2nd Sundays children attend church with their parents, either the 10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist service or the 5:30 p.m. Family Worship Service. When there is a 5th Sunday, children attend church with their parents, with some of the children taking part in leading the service.

Education

Join us for our next Christian Education Mini-Series: Theological Liner Notes, Wednesdays at 6:30pm on December 6th, 13th, 20th.  Together we will listen to some great music and then discuss how the music relates to the person and work of God as well as questions of meaning and purpose for humans. Some of the artists we will listen to include Bob Dylan, Beyonce, Dave Matthews, Regina Spektor, and Oliver Mtukudzi.  James is open for other suggestions.

Outreach & Service

On Monday December 11th at 6pm the Holy Apostles will hold its annual holiday meal with the East Parkside Resident’s Association. The group will be celebrating members of their community who are cancer survivors.  We will be bringing side dishes and uncooked (frozen or defrosted) turkeys to distribute as gifts.  A sign-up sheet will be posted in the parish hall, and we can travel together from church leaving at 5:30 pm to the Christ Community Baptist Church, 1224 N 41st St , Philadelphia, PA 19104.  If anyone is interested in being part of their entertainment program, or if there are other questions, please contact Joe Zorc at zorc@email.chop.edu .

Parish Life

Seeking volunteers to help with our Pancakes with Santa extrava- ganza on December 2nd from 7:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. There is a sign-up sheet posted in the parish hall. Call or email Drew Meiers (610) 446-8340 or dkmeiers@verizon.net for more information.

Ordination to the Priesthood On December 9 at 4:00 p.m., our deacon-in-charge, James Stambaugh will be ordained to the priesthood by the Rt. Rev. Daniel Gutiérrez.  The special service will take place here at Holy Apostles.  A reception will follow.  An important part of the service is for people to formally present James to the bishop.  James would like to invite any and all willing members of CHA to be his presenters for the service. See BCP, pp. 526-7 to see what this entails.  Look for a sign-up sheet on the table across from the parish office.

The parish office will be open this week on Tuesday, November 28th, and Thursday, November 30th.

holyapostlespa Announcements

Announcements – 10/29/2017

Worship

This Sunday, Holy Eucharist, Rite II 10:00 a.m. Our guest celebrant is the Rev. Doris Rajagopal. The Rev. James Stambaugh will serve as deacon and preacher. Our guest organist is Robin Muse. This is Youth Sunday, and we thank all those children and teens who are serving in today’s service.

Morning Prayer: Tuesdays through Fridays in the church at 9:00 a.m.

Commemoration of the Faithful Departed Thursday, November 2nd at 6:00 p.m.

A special service of prayer including a procession to our columbarium where prayers will be said for all those interred there. The service also will include commemoration and prayers for all our loved ones who have passed.  If you have names of the departed you would like read aloud, please submit them to holyapostlespa@gmail.com or by hand/mail to the parish office before November 1st.

On November 5th we will have a baptism at Holy Apostles. Julie McLaughlin, daughter of Kate and Sean McLaughlin, will be baptized.  In the meantime, we will be praying for baby Julie and her family.

Evening Family Worship will take place on Sunday, November 12th at 5:30 p.m. An informal meal will follow the service.

Children & Youth

Childcare is available during the 10:00 service for children ages 3 and younger in the Godly Play Room.

Outreach & Service

After this Sunday’s service, Oct. 29th, there will be a brief meeting of those interested in Outreach to do some scheduling and organization for the rest of the year.  Topics will include Darby Mission meals and service projects, East Parkside Holiday Celebration (scheduled for Monday 12/11), and Connect by Night, as well as any other ideas from the church community. For any questions or more information, please contact Joe Zorc.

The Sunday School will once again be running a drive to collect Treats for Troops stationed overseas.  The collection will run through Veteran’s Day weekend, Sunday November 12th.  A list of needed items (Halloween candy, toiletries, sundries) is posted in the church hall or at this link: http://www.philatreatsfortroops.com/donate.

 Education

The Christian Year: The Strange and Wondrous Rhythms of the Church Calendar. Our first adult and older teen study group “mini-series” is swiftly approaching.  These exciting and interactive classes will be held on Wednesday Nov. 1st, 8th, and 15th at 6:30 p.m.  We will meet in our newly renovated and technologically advanced Memorial Room.  If anyone would like to help coordinate refreshments, please let Deacon James know.

Parish Life

We are in the midst of our annual Stewardship Season, Celebrating God’s Good Gifts! This is a time when we reflect on and celebrate the gifts that God has given us, and consider how we can offer thanksgiving back to God.

Flower Memorials: Each week flowers are placed on the altar for the 10:00 Sunday service in memory of loved ones who have died or in thanksgiving for a special occasion such as an anniversary or birthday. The cost for the donation of the flowers is $30. Altar Flower Memorials are open for the following 5 dates: November 13, 2017, and in 2018 February 25, May 13, July 8, and August 12. Please know that the flower memorials automatically renew annually unless you request otherwise, scheduled for the date on the Sunday closest to the original request. To take advantage of this opportunity to honor or remember loved ones with a flower memorial, please notify Patty Wertz of the Altar Guild or Margaret Helminska in the Parish Office.

Pancakes with Santa, Dec. 2nd: Anyone who is interested in helping with this family event, please contact Drew Meiers at (610) 446-8340 or dkmeiers@verizon.net.

New Committee: Family Friendly Holy Apostles

Please contact Beth Johnson if you are interested in being a part of a group to look at how we can make Holy Apostles more Family Friendly to visitors of Holy Apostles so they will want to visit us again!  The meeting will be held in mid-November date TBD.  bethjohnson514@gmail.com or 610-733-2055.

The Parish office will be open this week on Tuesday, October 31st and Friday, November 3rd from 10:00 to 2:00 p.m.