Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew & Matthew (SsAM)

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

  • Welcome
    • News & Upcoming Events
    • Online Calendar
    • Visit SsAM on Facebook
    • eMail Sign Up
    • Welcome to SsAM Booklet
    • Worship at SsAM
    • Sunday Documents: Leaflet, Bulletin, Weekly Vision, Readings
    • Our Unique Approach to Music and Liturgical Design
    • The use of Expansive (inclusive) Language at SsAM
    • News of Our City, Wilmington, Delaware
  • Who We Are
    • Clergy
      • Rev. David Andrews
      • Rev. Canon Lloyd S. Casson
      • Rev. Emily Gibson
      • Rev. Peter Huiner
      • Rabbi in Residence Douglas E. Krantz
      • Sermons
    • Father David’s Blog
    • Vestry
      • Vestry Statements, Photos
      • Bernard Fisher, Treasurer, CPA
    • Vestry View
    • Staff
      • D-L Casson, Church Administrator
      • David Christopher, Music Director
    • Children’s Ministries
    • Youth & Young Families at SsAM
      • YYF Blog
    • Episcopal Church Women
    • Finance Committee
    • History of the Parish
      • History, Diocese of Delaware
      • History of Slavery in Delaware
      • History of Wilmington Garden Day
    • Member Photos
      • Photo & Video Archive
    • People Who Pray
  • What We Do
    • Services of Worship
      • Sunday Documents: Bulletin, Weekly Vision, Readings
      • Baptisms
      • Weddings
        • Wedding Guidelines
        • Wedding Fees
      • Funerals
    • Children’s Chapel
    • Adult Education
    • Season of Creation
    • Sacred Jazz at SsAM
    • Volunteer in the Community!
    • Art Slam at SsAM
    • Annual Reports
    • Website Maintenance
  • Get Involved
    • eNewsletter Sign Up
    • Volunteer in the Community!
    • Volunteer at Worship!
    • Volunteer Behind The Scenes!
    • Caring For Creation
      • Local Food, Local Institutions
    • Invite Welcome Connect
    • Financial Contributions
    • Stewardship Posts
    • Pledge Form
    • Member Resources
  • Music
    • Choirs at SsAM
      • Choir Member Resources
    • Chorister Training Program
      • Chorister Advancement Levels
    • Sacred Jazz at SsAM
    • Drumming Circle
    • Music Staff
      • David Christopher, Director of Music
      • The SsAM Staff Singers
      • 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
    • Friends of the KEO
    • DONATE and become a FRIEND of the Katherine Esterly Organ
    • Tonal Specifications
    • About the Organ Renovation Project
  • Contribute
  • Contact Us
    • Directions

The Artist’s Way

FATHER DAVID’S BLOG of 12/22/2019: While on retreat a couple of weeks ago I began the program, The Artist’s Way. This innovative and creative program has been around for over twenty five years and was created by Julie Cameron. Its primary purpose is to help individuals unlock the creative spirit that is in in each one of us but has remained hidden. It is a twelve week program that consists of three components:

1) Read a chapter of the book each week.

2) Write three pages a day in a journal known as the Morning Pages. These pages are not to be shared and they are to be written before you doing anything else including that first cup of coffee.

3) Follow the exercises at the end of each chapter to help get in touch with the inner artist that has not been heard from for quite some time. I have just begun this process and I have no doubt it will lead me to unlocking that place of creativity that has been buried for many years.

What does this have to do with Advent and Christmas? I think a lot actually.

For the last two Sunday mornings our focus in the Gospel of Matthew has been John the Baptist and his message of repentance. This Sunday our attention transitions to Mary, the mother of Jesus. Both John and Mary are examples as to how we might unlock the creative spirit that is in each one of us. At first this might seem hard to see but stay with me for a moment. The person and message of John the Baptist may appear to have nothing to do with creativity, but it does. His message was so counter to the one that had been delivered by the temple priests in Jerusalem.

What made John so attractive to so many was his authenticity. People would travel miles to hear and see him because they were drawn to the way he looked, what he ate and his message of repentance before the coming Kingdom of God. I think what John wanted to accomplish was to disrupt a person’s life so much so that the person would have to take a serious look at their lives. John’s message might have struck a chord in people, but they followed him because they were attracted to what he stood for — that change was coming. In a way I think you can say that John was giving permission to the people who traveled to hear him (and for us today) to let go of what we think we know and to try to live into the creative source that is in each one us.

Mary accomplishes the same thing but in a very different way. She encourages us to hold what happens to us lightly without judgement or reproach towards ourselves or others. I love the Gospel reading for Christmas Eve after Jesus is born, Mary ponders all that has happened to her in her heart. This posture of Mary is very creative as she is open to what God has planned for her. At first she was a scared teenage girl but she gradually consents to what God has in mind for her.

As we approach our yearly celebration of the birth of Christ where do you feel blocked in your relationship with God? What might you do in the coming year to allow your creative side to shine? Christmas is a time of new birth for each one of us and my prayer for 2020 is that we might be a parish that encourages and supports our creativity to shine just as the star that announced the birth of Christ over two thousand years ago.

Peace and a Blessed Christmas,
Fr. David, December 20, 2019

Click here to see recent posts on 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
  • eNewsletter Sign Up
  • SsAM on Facebook
  • Recent Announcements at SsAM
  • Vestry View
  • Invite Welcome Connect
  • 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
  • Visit SsAM on Facebook
  • 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
SsAM Logo

[footer_backtotop]

Copyright © 2021 The Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew & Matthew · Log in