Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew & Matthew (SsAM)

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

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Living into a New Normal

FATHER DAVID’S BLOG OF 4/3/2020 — We are still here! I don’t know about you but the first few days of being “sheltered in place” were not only difficult but disorientating as well. I was talking to a friend via Zoom.com yesterday and he compared it with school being cancelled because of snow. You remember that feeling? Listening for the radio to announce the closing of school because of the snow and that feeling or relief and excitement that we could go out and play in the snow with our friends? Well we have now had almost two weeks of snow days and it is getting weary and we have another month and a half of staying home. I am not minimizing the importance of this at all but for me it has challenged me to figure out what it means to work from the safe confines of my home, the church rectory. During the first couple of days, I would go to the church to check mail and meet with staff but since last Thursday I have limited my travel. I have not even been to the store as Emily is taking care of that part of our lives at the moment.

Homeless woman sheltering in place in a stair well at our church on Palm Sunday. Friendship House, as always, still offers beds inside our church to sixteen homeless men..
Photo of a homeless woman sheltering in place in a stair well at our church on Palm Sunday morning. Friendship House, as always, still offers beds inside our church to sixteen homeless men. Also, 24-hours a day, there is a port-a-potty in our parking lot available to all. Also, Friendship House offers early hospitality (Monday-Friday) 7.30 – 9:00 from the SsAM lobby (one person at a time). Please consider a donation to Friendship House to cover the cost of purchasing coffee, sugar, cups and snacks for the clients who come. They have been averaging 100 people a day! Click here to learn more.

A week ago I woke up feeling an overwhelming sense of dread and sadness which I believe I mentioned in last week’s post. My heart was heavy with despair. Despair for those who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and those who have died. Despair that we have a long way to go before we see the end of this. There is enough heartache in the world today for all of us. In our own parish this heartache was felt this week when a son of a parishioner, living in California, collapsed and died while on a run. There is no chance to say goodbye, no way to grieve with his other children who all live in California. Sadly these stories will only increase for a time. And yet we are still here, experimenting with new ways to connect with one another while we are apart. [In the photo above, we see “Palms To Go’ — people drove up to the church on Palm Sunday to receive their palms and to receive a blessing.]

Palms To Go on Video

Click here to see video of Fr. David and D-L Casson handing out palms to members as they drove up. The camera operator, John J. Jankowski, Jr., took a palm for himself and several more to hand out later in the day.

Holy Week and Easter: Tune In!

Holy Week this year will be celebrated virtually. I invite you to tune into Facebook to pray and listen to the scriptures and the psalms. Click here to learn more! I apologize for any confusion as to the times of certain worship opportunities.

Peace,
Fr. David

Update from Bishop Brown: Support and Guidance for Parishes

Bishop Brown wrote:

I strongly urge parishes to not make any immediate decisions around payroll, especially layoffs, at this moment. There is help on the way. The Episcopal Church in Delaware is committed to helping sustain the people doing faithful work for our parishes – the very folks who help keep our parishes strong and active throughout this crisis.

To this end, diocesan leaders and I have been working extensively to help parishes navigate the choppy financial waters caused by COVID-19.

First, recognizing that cash flow is becoming a serious immediate concern, Diocesan Council has authorized the immediate deferral, up to three months, of monthly acceptance payments until anytime before the end of 2020. No application is required; a parish’s rector, warden, or treasurer need only to inform Judith Gregory in the Mission Support Office that the parish wishes to defer payments.

Second, recognizing that longer-term financial needs and assistance will vary by parish, Diocesan Council also formed a Joint Team for Parish Financial Support to construct, as quickly as possible, a “trusting and graceful” process for how parishes can apply for and receive the long-term help they will need. The goal is to have the process crafted, approved by council and trustees, and made available to parishes the week after Easter – that is, only two weeks from now. Members of this fearless joint team are Arnold Morris, Advance & Development Fund; Roby Roberson, council treasurer; Kathy Van Devender, finance committee; Michael Wood, council member; the Rev. Marianne Ell, council member; Rick Harra, trustee; and Jim Bray, trustee emeritus. The group is led by Judith Gregory, Canon for Finance and Administration.

Third, the United States Congress passed the massive CARES Act late last week, and on Monday the Mission Support Office provided resources and direction to clergy and treasurers on how parishes can take advantage of this law. The CARES Act includes provisions to help churches and many other businesses and organizations to keep employees on the payroll, including:

  1. paycheck protection through a government-backed loan you apply for from your (qualifying!) bank
  2. payroll tax deferral (for parishes and clergy)
  3. expansion of unemployment benefits, even to churches (which normally cannot participate).

Fourth, the Church Pension Fund has offered relief to parishes in multiple forms, including waivers of clergy pension assessments (with no harm to a cleric’s eventual pension) and extensions up to 90 days for benefits and insurance payments.

These four points are significant, and point to real measures available to parishes to help sustain staff and operations in this pandemic. Again, I strongly urge parishes to not make any immediate decisions around payroll, especially layoffs, at this moment.

Go to SsAM’s Facebook page to see live streaming of services.

We will celebrate a virtual Holy Week.

All of Fr. David’s posts.


Prayer for People Critically Ill or Facing Great Uncertainty

God of the present moment,
God who in Jesus stills the storm
and soothes the frantic heart;
bring hope and courage to all
who wait or work in uncertainty.
Bring hope that you will make them the equal
of whatever lies ahead.
Bring them courage to endure what cannot be avoided,
for your will is health and wholeness;
you are God, and we need you.

-Adapted from New Zealand Prayer Book, p. 765

Worship services on Sundays are in-person and via video, at 8am and 10:30am. Prayer services via video are offered on other days.
Click here to learn more about Sunday and weekday services of worship and prayer.

Ask Others To Pray With You
Click here or the button above to use our Prayer Request form.

Volunteer for a Ministry
Be part of a worship service, work behind the scenes to make the church hum, or reach out to the local community.

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NEWS

Dr. Joseph E. Johnson Recognized by City of Wilmington, Delaware

Highlands Elementary School re-named for Joe Johnson Highlands Elementary School was re-dedicated and re-named for Joseph E. Johnson on … [Read More...]

Worship with us this Sunday!

You are invited to praise God with us in-person and via video on Sunday at 8:00 and 10:30 a.m. Sundays at 8:00 and 10:30 a.m. is when we … [Read More...]

Music Concerts in Wilmington, Delaware

Music of America Concert, Sunday, May 29, 3pm at SsAM A special tribute to Marian Anderson with soloists Tina Betz, Kim Doucette, Martin … [Read More...]

Scholarships Available for SsAM Members

Deadline: July 15, 2022 The Community Advocacy Committee is again sponsoring scholarships for students entering college in the fall of 2022 … [Read More...]

SsAM Presents: Upcoming Events

Here is a list of upcoming events at SsAM or recommended by our church. Worship This Sunday You are invited to praise God with us … [Read More...]

Reflection – We All Deserve A Chance

by Mary Lou Edgar. Many of you know that I worked in adoption and foster care for my entire career. May is Foster Care Month and I … [Read More...]

2022 Walk to End Epilepsy

Run with Team Johannes on June 4, 2022 at Glasgow Park. Valerie Chow shared the following: What is epilepsy? Is it contagious? What … [Read More...]

Johannes Chow wins Earth Day recognition

Johannes Chow, a 12-year-old seventh grader at Brandywine Springs School in Wilmington, was recognized for the video “We Have Only One … [Read More...]

Reflection: Pursue What You Love

When jazz pianist Rich Harney became a Christian, he was told he had to give up playing the devil’s music. He loved that music but he loved … [Read More...]

Support For Ukraine

Episcopal Migration Ministries Episcopal Migration Ministries welcomes refugees, educates communities, and mobilizes congregations to … [Read More...]

National Issues and the Episcopal Church

Women’s Health May 7, 2022 — Since 1967, The Episcopal Church has maintained its “unequivocal opposition to any legislation on the part of … [Read More...]

Reflection – Listen to the Word Proclaimed

Imagine yourself at the theater, you've settled into your seat, ready for the curtain to open. You have your script of the play open and … [Read More...]

Get The Vaccine!

If you are over 50 years old or immuno-compromised, SsAM'S Health and Wellness Ministry invites you to take the COVID-19 vaccine extra … [Read More...]

See all the News & Upcoming Events posts

Worship Services

We will be delighted if you worship with us in-person or via video on Sundays at 8:00 and 10:30 a.m. Click here to learn more!

Visit Us

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.
Office Hours
Monday – Thursday, 9:00 to 4:30
Friday, 9:00 to 1:00

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

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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

Our main focus is ministry, not money!
We offer a host of ministries for which you can volunteer. You can participate in worship services, help make the church hum, or offer your time and talent to the local community.

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