Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew & Matthew (SsAM)

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

  • Welcome To SsAM
    • Guiding Principles, Statements of Mission and Vision
    • News & Upcoming Events
    • Online Calendar
    • Visit SsAM on Facebook
    • eMail Sign Up
    • Worship at SsAM
    • Sunday Documents: Leaflet, Bulletin, Weekly Vision, Readings
  • Who We Are
    • Diversity
    • Clergy
      • Clergy Transition
      • Rev. Patrick Burke, Rector
      • Rev. Canon Lloyd S. Casson
    • Vestry
    • Staff
      • D-L Casson, Church Administrator
      • David Christopher, Music Director
    • Children’s Ministries
    • ECW: Episcopal Church Women at SsAM
    • History of the Parish
    • Visit the SsAM Photo Archive on Flickr
    • Member Photos
      • Photo & Video Archive
    • People Who Pray
  • What We Do
    • Services of Worship
      • Sunday Documents: Bulletin, Weekly Vision, Readings
      • Prayer Services at SsAM
      • Baptisms
      • Weddings
        • Wedding Guidelines
        • Wedding Fees
      • Funerals
    • Children’s Chapel
    • Adult Education
    • Reflection Essays
    • List of Health / Wellness Posts
    • Season of Creation
    • Sacred Jazz at SsAM
    • Annual Reports
  • Get Involved
    • eNewsletter Sign Up
    • Volunteer for Community Outreach!
    • Volunteer at Worship!
    • Volunteer Behind The Scenes!
    • Health / Wellness Posts
    • Invite Welcome Connect
    • Financial Contributions and Stewardship
    • Stewardship Posts
    • Pledge Form 2024
    • Member Resources
  • Music
    • Our Unique Approach to Music and Liturgical Design
    • Choral Music at SsAM
    • Katherine Esterly Organ
    • Music Staff
      • David Christopher, Organist, Director of Music and Associate for Liturgy
      • The SsAM Staff Singers
      • Jonathan Whitney
      • Berna Holcomb, Music Librarian
    • Artists in Residence
      • Jonathan Whitney
      • Delaware ChoralArts
    • Sacred Jazz at SsAM
    • Upcoming Musical Events at SsAM
    • Make a contribution to support SsAM’s Music Ministry and the Friends of the Katherine Esterly Organ
    • SsAM Choir Resource Page
  • Contribute
  • Contact Us
    • Contact Us
    • Directions

We Never Know, a reflection by Mary Lou EdgarA reflection by Mary Lou Edgar for May 21, 2023.

Mother’s Day is a day when I am incredibly grateful but also aware of all the mothers who have suffered extreme losses.

The day after Mother’s Day, I woke up to realize that a dear friend, the former President of Neumann University, a person for whom I am most grateful, had died.

Rosalie Miranda was my first professor when I returned to academia at the age of thirty-five. At that time, Neumann was a school known for working with women who had dropped out of college (most of us to get married) and didn’t return. Rosalie made it her mission to assure us that we could make a difference in the world because we had a great deal of experience and were more knowledgeable than we ever thought possible. What a gift she was to so many!

I am so grateful for everything I learned from this wonderful woman.

Not only academically, but also watching her live her life devoted to her family and devoted to the mission of Neumann College. She knew her students well. She never focused on the past, rather she was persistent in making us look at how we were moving forward. She taught me how to truly value people. When the college was smaller, she knew all our names. She would always greet me with a smile. When I graduated, she was there to give me my diploma and say, “I knew you would do it.” She knew I was going to graduate school and she was happy for me, and all the lives she believed I would touch. She never took credit for herself.

For so long I thought of her a great deal. But as time passed, I began working, and she retired. We emailed before the pandemic saying we would get together because she wanted to see the agency I started. That never happened. So here I am thinking about how much I valued her, and if that was so, why didn’t I do more to spend time with her.

We just never know.

We just never know how much time we have. We think fleetingly about people who give us so much. We remember the joy; we plan to do something.

It is also this way for us with God. When we are struggling, we are quick to ask for help and support. But do we always share our gratitude when things change? Do we come back to say, “thank you.” Or do we let time pass without acknowledging what has happened. We just never know how much time we have to express our gratitude.

A friend sent me a beautiful quote by Suzanne Farnham, Founder of the Listening Ministries in Baltimore:

“Gratitude is thankfulness that we feel deep within. It is reverential. It is a wordless prayer.”

Rosalie’s life was a gift, and I was able to ponder not only what she did for me but for so many. It felt very reverential. As I consider the apostles during this time after Easter, I think of how it must have been for them, watching Jesus lovingly prepare to leave them and return to His Father. He left them with much to do; he had taught them well, but they were frightened and confused. It is no different for us. We are often called to do things that are frightening, but with God’s grace and love together with the power of the Spirit, we tentatively move forward.

I believe that Rosalie lived just that way. She knew love and she continuously shared it. I live in gratitude for what she gave me, knowing that it truly came from a holy place. I believe she knew she impacted others but that is not what she was about. She was about doing what God asked her to do. She knew how to pay it forward. I am grateful to God for Rosalie’s influence in my life and I’m going to try to emulate the way she helped others. That was her gift to me, and I think that is what she – and God – would want from each of us.

_____________________

Mary Lou Edgar, 130x190pxABOUT THE AUTHOR: Mary Lou Edgar, MSS, is a clinical social worker who founded A Better Chance for Our Children, an adoption and foster care agency that works to find permanent homes for children in the foster care system.  Mary Lou was the Executive Director of ABCFOC, but she is now retired.  She graduated from Neumann University and Bryn Mawr School of Social Work and Social Research. She and her husband joined SsAM in 2021.

Click here to see all the Adult Education posts on this website.

 

WORSHIP GOD BUTTONWe usually worship God on Sundays at 8:00 and 10:30am, Click here to learn more.

VISITOR CARD BUTTONLet us know you visited!

REQUEST PRAYER BUTTONUse our Prayer Request form.

VOLUNTEER BUTTONMinister to others in worship services, behind the scenes, and in the community.

PLEDGE BUTTONWe are looking for 100% participation this year rather than a financial goal.

DONATION BUTTONMake a secure on-line contrabution..

NEWS

SsAM Presents: Upcoming Events

Worship God with us this Sunday at 8:00 and 10:30am. Our 10:30 a.m. services are broadcast live on YouTube and Facebook, and are available … [Read More...]

Advent and Christmas – Our Liturgy Unfolded

We prepare for the birth of Jesus during the Season of Advent and celebrate it during the twelve days of Christmas. The seasons of the … [Read More...]

Welcome To SsAM. You are invited!

SsAM, the Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew & Matthew in downtown Wilmington, Delaware, welcomes you. Come to God’s Table! Come, you … [Read More...]

Children’s Chapel

Children’s Chapel continues Sunday, December 10 and 24 at 10:30am. Children have several activities before rejoining their families during … [Read More...]

Chris White Art Gallery and Shipley Artist Lofts.

Sunday, December 10, Noon to 4pm — Coffee Hour at the Gallery followed by an Open Figure Drawing opportunity. Coffee, tea, and … [Read More...]

A Feast of Carols

Tuesday, December 19, 2023 at 7pm — A Feast of Carols The choir of Grace United Methodist Church joins our choir in a festive … [Read More...]

First Friday Walks for Justice and Peace in Wilmington, Delaware

The next walks are on first Fridays, December 1 and January 5, 5:30pm and begin in the SsAM parking lot, 713 N. Shipley Street. Join us for … [Read More...]

Offspring of Inspiration

A reflection by Danny Schweers for December 10, 2023. In my wife’s studio, geometry and color catch my eye. A glance is all it takes. Out … [Read More...]

Wonderful Time of the Year?

Reflection by Mary Lou Edgar for November 26, 2023. Thursday was Thanksgiving and for most of us that is the beginning of the holiday … [Read More...]

Stewardship Means Invite Welcome Connect

Invite-Welcome-Connect: The Body of Christ consolidated at SsAM. A stewardship witness by Pat Hampton for November 26, 2023. The … [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 this Sunday. 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 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
  • YouTube Service Videos
  • SsAM on Facebook
  • Recent Announcements at SsAM
  • On-Line Calendar
  • Annual Reports
  • Clergy Transition
  • 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
  • Congregational Development
  • Calendar
  • Visit SsAM on Facebook
  • eNewsletter Sign-up

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.

SsAM Logo

[footer_backtotop]

Copyright © 2023 The Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew & Matthew · Log in