Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew & Matthew (SsAM)

Seeking to know and love God in every person, here, now.

  • Welcome
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    • The use of Expansive (inclusive) Language at SsAM
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  • Who We Are
    • Clergy
      • Rev. David Andrews
      • Rev. Canon Lloyd S. Casson
      • Rev. Emily Gibson
      • Rev. Peter Huiner
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      • Vestry Statements, Photos
      • Bernard Fisher, Treasurer, CPA
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      • D-L Casson, Church Administrator
      • David Christopher, Music Director
    • Children’s Ministries
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      • David Christopher, Director of Music
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      • Jonathan Whitney, Director of Drumming Circle and Artist in Residence
      • Tina Betz, Director of Children’s Chapel Music
      • Berna Holcomb, Music Librarian
    • Artists in Residence
      • Jonathan Whitney
      • Delaware ChoralArts
    • Our Approach to Music and Liturgical Design at SsAM
  • Katherine Esterly Organ
    • Organ Events 2019-2020
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Many Gifts, Many Ministries

FATHER DAVID’S BLOG of 1/3/2020: A blessed New Year to everyone. This week I am sharing Richard Rohr’s daily meditation from New Year’s Eve.

Healing of a Bleeding Woman (detail), Catacombs of Marcellinus and Peter, Rome, Italy.An Evolving Faith: The Work of Healing.

Up to now, top-down religion has pretty much spoiled the show. We need trained experts, scholars, leaders, and teachers, but the truths of Christianity must be made much more accessible, available, localized, and pastoral. Most people do not need to have encyclopedic knowledge of theology or Scripture. To begin with, why not flatten out the huge and unbiblical distinction between clergy and laity? [1]

While Christian churches do much good, we have one huge pastoral problem that is making Christianity largely ineffective — and largely decorative. Solid orthodox theology is sorely needed (and yes, I am obsessed with it), yet we clearly need good and compassionate pastoral and healing practices ten times more!

It seems to me that we must begin to validate Paul’s original teaching on “many gifts and many ministries” (1 Corinthians 12:4-11). Together, these diverse gifts “make a unity in the work of service” (Ephesians 4:12-13, Jerusalem Bible). Individual communities may do this well, but on the whole we need Christian people who are trained in, validated for, and encouraged to make home and hospital visits; do hospice work and jail ministry; support immigrants and refugees; help with soup kitchens or food pantries; counsel couples before, during, and after marriage; share child development resources with families; offer ministries of emotional, sexual, and relational healing; help with financial counseling; build low-cost housing; take care of the elderly; run thrift centers-all of which put Christian people in immediate touch with other people and for which no ordination is needed. Ordination would probably even get in the way. Remember, healing was most of the work Jesus did. This fact is almost too obvious.

My vision of any future church is much flatter and much more inclusive. Either we see Christ in everyone, or we hardly see Christ in anyone. Frankly, my hope for Christianity is that it becomes less “churchy,” less patriarchal, and more concerned with living its mission statement than with endlessly reciting our heavenly vision and philosophy statement — the Nicene Creed — every Sunday. There seem to be very few actionable items in most Christians’ lives beyond attending worship services, which largely creates a closed and self-validating system.

Simply put, any notion of a future church must be a fully practical church that is concerned about getting the job of love done — and done better and better. Centuries emphasizing art and architecture, music, liturgy, and prescribed roles have their place, but their overemphasis has made us a very top-heavy and decorative church that is constantly concerned with its own in-house salvation.

Gateway to Presence: If you want to go deeper with today’s meditation, take note of what word or phrase stands out to you. Come back to that word or phrase throughout the day, being present to its impact and invitation.

Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditation from the Center for Action and Contemplation, first published on Tuesday, December 31, 2019.
Image credit: Healing of a Bleeding Woman (detail), Catacombs of Marcellinus and Peter, Rome, Italy.

[1] See Joe Holland, Roman Catholic Clericalism: Three Historical Stages in the Legislation of a Non-Evangelical, Now Dysfunctional, and Sometimes Pathological Institution (Pacem in Terris Press: 2018). Adapted from Richard Rohr, “Powering Down: The Future of Institutions,” “The Future of Christianity,” Oneing, vol. 7, no. 2 (Center for Action and Contemplation: 2019), 46-47.

Click here to see recent posts in Fr. David’s blog.

Worship Services Via Video

We are worshiping together using video over the Internet. Click here to learn more about Sunday and weekday services!

25th anniversary logo for the Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew and Matthew, Wilmington, Delaware

NEWS

SsAM 25th Anniversary

You are invited to our 25th Anniversary Launch Party on Sunday, January 31, 2021, 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. via video.  Fun for the entire … [Read More...]

Worship With Us Via Video

Use Facebook to join us for worship this Sunday at 10:00 a.m.! Coffee Hour follows using Zoom. On Sunday, January 3, we go back to … [Read More...]

Virtual Coffee Hour This Sunday

VIRTUAL COFFEE HOURS Sunday immediately following 10:00 a.m. worship. The Zoom code for Dec. 27 is 825 1254 7666. The passcode was emailed … [Read More...]

SsAM Presents: Upcoming Events at the Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew and Matthew

Our building is closed but we are busier than ever!   25th Anniversary Launch Party on Sunday, January 31, 2021, 3:00 to 4:00 … [Read More...]

Racism In America – The History We Did Not Learn In School

Sundays at 1:00 p.m., through January 24, 2021.  You are invited to develop a better understanding of how America’s race relations … [Read More...]

The Good Book Club

We are reading the Gospel of Mark! Fr. David is inviting all members of SsAM to join him reading the Gospel of Mark during the session of … [Read More...]

A Day that Will Live in Infamy

On Wednesday morning, January 6, 2021, I celebrated the Feast of the Epiphany with Morning Prayer on Facebook Live. That afternoon, the U.S. … [Read More...]

Pledge Campaign at 78% and 69%

121 pledges from families and individuals have been made to SsAM’s 2021 pledge campaign. That’s 78% of the 155 pledges we hope to receive — … [Read More...]

Pledge Form

If you want to make your pledge to SsAM for 2021, you can use this on-line form, which does NOT ask for bank account or credit card … [Read More...]

Feed The Hungry

Please make a donation to a local food pantry! Children and families in our community are going hungry. You can help! So says our church’s … [Read More...]

Monthly Walks for Justice and Peace

First Fridays at 5:30 p.m. Date of next march has yet to be confirmed. Since June 19, 2020, SsAM and other churches have been sponsoring … [Read More...]

Happy New Year 2021!

What a year 2020 was! Now we have so much to look forward to in 2021. The COVID vaccine is now available. In two and a half weeks, Joe Biden … [Read More...]

Member Photos by Sharon Bryant

Sharon Bryant loves to photograph the people she loves. She has such a big smile and, because her affection is so apparent, nearly everyone … [Read More...]

See all the News & Upcoming Events posts

Sunday Services

We are worshiping together using video over the Internet. Click here to learn more!

Sunday worship services are at 10:00 a.m. Morning and Evening Prayer are also offered, on other days.

Visit Us

Our church is closed at the moment, but when we can open, even partially, our address is

719 N. Shipley Street
Wilmington, DE 19801

with free parking weekends and evenings next to the church at 713 N. Shipley Street. Click here to learn more about parking and directions.

OUR MISSION

To be an inclusive Christian community which worships God, follows Christ in all aspects of our lives, and serves the Greater Wilmington area through actions and ministries which promote peace, justice, reconciliation and empowerment for all people.

Contact Us

PHONE: 302 656-6628

EMAIL: Click here to use our email form.

FACEBOOK: Click here to see our Facebook page. You don’t need a Facebook account to see it.

YOUTUBE: Click here to see our YouTube Channel. Some smart TV sets will allow you to stream YouTube, so you can watch in your den or living room. Search for “Saints Andrews and Matthew”.

Are You New to SsAM?

If you are new to SsAM, please click here to see the Welcome to SsAM booklet in PDF format. The Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew and Matthew is a dynamic and diverse congregation in downtown Wilmington, Delaware.

Our Vision

The Episcopal Church of Sts. Andrew and Matthew seeks to be a dynamic, spiritual center that is active in the pursuit of peace and justice in the community and a place where all God’s people are honored.

LINKS

  • Worship at SsAM: Sunday Documents, Church News, and More
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  • Vestry View
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  • Episcopal Church in Delaware
  • Episcopal Church USA
  • Michael Curry’s blog: the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church
  • Episcopal Digital Network
  • Forward Day By Day
  • Book of Common Prayer
  • Camp Arrowhead, Delaware
  • Order of the Ascension
  • Congregational Development
  • Father David’s Spiritual Journey
  • Calendar
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  • eNewsletter Sign-up
  • Vestry View

Donations Are Welcome, and a Necessity

Our ministries are dependent on financial donations. Click here to make a secure credit-card donation on-line or to learn more about making a pledge, texting a donation, special gifts and memorials, remembering SsAM in your will, setting up debit payments from your bank, and using United Way.

Make An On-Line Donation
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