St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Wayne, PA

Academy of Vocal Arts Comes to St. Mary’s!

StMarys — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 20:51:12 +0000

On Saturday, March 17 at 7:30 p.m., The Academy of Vocal Arts will present Jubilate!, a concert featuring three centuries of sacred vocal music, from Baroque to Gospel. The AVA soloists will be joined by the 100-voice New Jersey Master-Chorale and the AVA Opera Orchestra. This ticketed event is an AVA favorite, and St. Mary’s members get 50% off the regular adult ticket price. Call 215- 735-1685 or visit www.avaopera.org and use promo code CHURCH. (Pre-discount prices are $40 for full-price general, $35 for seniors, $30 for 30 and under, and $10 for students.)

Serious Perspectives on Hard Questions – Lenten Study

StMarys — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:48:13 +0000

Every Christian faces hard questions at times. These questions may cause us to doubt our faith. At the same time they can also be the occasion for deepening it. Six of these hard questions will addressed in this year’s Monday evening Lenten program. Each session will include a video presentation on the selected topic by a contemporary scholar. This will be followed by a time to share our own thoughts and perspectives. The topics and speakers will be:

Feb. 27 – “The God of the O.T” – Amy-Jill Levine
March 5 – “Jesus and Christianity” – Richard Hays
March 12 – “Evil” – R. Kendall Soulen
March 19 – “The Sins of the Church” – D. M. Strong
March 26 – “Forgiveness” – L. Gregory Jones
April 2 – “Resurrection” – N. T. Wright

The schedule for each evening will be:
5:30 p.m. – Evening Prayer
6:00 p.m. – Soup and Salad Supper
6:30 p.m. – Program
7:30 p.m. – Stations of the Cross

A simple soup and salad supper will be provided for all who attend at a cost of $5 per person. If you plan to come to dinner, please sign the reservation sheet on the parish bulletin board or call the parish office (610-688-1313). All are invited.

Ash Wednesday Services on February 22

StMarys — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:33:18 +0000

Ash Wednesday Services
February 22
The service for Ash Wednesday, February 22, will be as follows:

7:00 a.m. – Holy Eucharist
12:15 p.m. – Holy Eucharist
7:30 p.m. – Holy Eucharist

Each of the services will include the imposition of ashes.

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper – Tuesday, 2/21

StMarys — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:19:48 +0000

St. Mary’s Merrie Men will once again host this annual last chance to “carbo load” on Shrove Tuesday, February 21st, the day before Lent begins. Dinner will be from 6-7:30 p.m. in the Father Greene Room. You’ll also enjoy a “make your own waffles with toppings” table. Please join us. If you still have palms from last year’s Palm Sunday, bring them to the dinner. The clergy will burn these after supper to create ashes for Ash Wednesday.

Renewal Weekend Sign-Up

Mother Jane — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:49:50 +0000

To register for Renewal Weekend, please submit the following information by Monday, February 13:
[contact-form-7]

Festive Cabaret Night on Feb. 25

StMarys — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:15:50 +0000

All are invited to come enjoy this festive evening centered on friendship, delicious food, and live musical performances. While the details are still being finalized, the menu will be created by professionally trained Chef Douglas Cornman.

Diners will enjoy table service by the youth and be serenaded by St. Mary’s professional quartet, who will sing light-hearted dinner-theatre- and operetta-style music.

In addition to being a Fun-Raiser, this event will be a Fund-Raiser for this summer’s Youth Missions trip to CityCamp. Mark your calendar now and watch for upcoming details on sign-up, menu, price, and entertainment. The Youth will provide child-care and child-programming as well.

Forward Day by Day Available

StMarys — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:57:19 +0000

The next quarterly edition (February – April) of Forward Day by Day is available in the narthex of the church and in the parish house. The cost is $1.00. Forward Day by Day is an excellent tool to help you read the Bible on a daily basis. If you have never used this resource consider doing so this Lent.

March Chimes Deadline

StMarys — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:55:15 +0000

Please not that the deadline for submission of articles or announcements for the March Chimes is Wednesday, February 22. Please email your submission to stmaryadmin@comcast.net by that date. THANKS!

Come renew your spirit! Renewal Weekend, February 17-19

StMarys — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:53:37 +0000

Come renew your spirit with Sister B.J. Brown. This is an opportunity to spend some time taking care of yourself, seeing your faith in new ways, and gaining insight you didn’t have before. The only cost is a suggested $5 contribution toward dinner on Friday night. Free child care is provided. You don’t have to be a member of St. Mary’s – visitors are warmly welcomed!

To register, click here.
So we can plan adequately for food, you must register by Monday, February 13.

Topic:
“Musar” is a Jewish tradition of contemplative practices and exercises that have evolved over the past thousand years. Sr. B. J. sees parallels between this Jewish spiritual tradition and early Christian practices as reflected in the New Testament. Over the weekend, we will explore these Scriptural practices and how they can help people today in their daily lives and relationships.

Schedule:
Friday, Feb. 17
6:00 Dinner provided
7:00 Program
9:00 Closing prayers

Saturday, Feb. 18
8:30 Continental Breakfast provided
9:00 Program
Noon Closing prayers

Sunday, Feb. 19
Sr. B. J. will preach at each of the Sunday Eucharists: 7:45, 9:00, and 10:00.

Leader:
Sister B. J. Brown is abbess of the Anamchara Fellowship, a canonically recognized religous community of the Episcopal Church, whose primary ministries focus on catechesis, pastoral care, and spritiual direction. Known for her positive and refreshing approach to the life of faith, she is a popular retreat leader. In fact, she led our renewal weekend last year, and is returning because so many people requested that we invite her back.

St. Mary’s Anniversary – History Notes

StMarys — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:44:57 +0000

In 2012, St. Mary’s is celebrating 125 years of History! Each month we are featuring some interesting historical facts about our church and parish. Here is how our parish began:
• September 12, 1885 – First meeting to discuss “propriety and feasibility” of erecting a church was attended by 53 residents and sojourners.
• George W. Childs donated a lot and cash for the church.
• Rev. Keller from St. David’s Church conducted services at Wayne prior to the construction of St. Mary’s Church and drew up the application for St. Mary’s Charter (which was presented to the provisional vestry on July 9, 1887).
• St. Mary’s Church building was constructed in 1890.
The Rev. Thomas Conrad, the first rector of St. Mary’s, was a vigorous “salesman” for building and furnishing the church. He invested a small fortune of $25,000, and Mr. Anthony Drexel added $5,000 for the purpose of erecting the church, paying architect fees, and providing an organ and church furnishings.
• 1889: Dr. Thomas Conrad, rector of Old St. Paul’s on 3rd Street in Philadelphia (a declining parish he was trying to restore) accepted a call to St. Mary’s with the understanding that he would retain rectorship at St. Paul’s and that an assistant would perform some duties at St. Mary’s.
• 1890, Easter Day: St. Mary’s Church building was completed and consecrated. Vestry minutes stated that the church could not be consecrated so long as there was debt on the property. To hasten the consecration, Vestrymen canvassed the residents of Wayne for contributions. February minutes reported that the canvassers’ “kind reception was universal not only amongst our own faith but all denominations.”
• 1891: The Hook and Hastings organ had 839 pipes. The Vestry proposed purchasing the organ for $90, with $10 down and $5/month payments, but later notes show the organ was a gift from Dr. Conrad.
• The ten bells which still hang in St. Mary’s belfry bear the inscription Easter 1891.
• 1893: Dr. Conrad died suddenly on Trinity Sun-day, at age 58, having seen the Church built, a congregation established, and membership increased tenfold.