The Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe
Bishop of the Diocese of Bethlehem
and the people of Church of the Redeemer (Episcopal)
invite your prayers and presence at
The celebration of a new ministry
they share with The Rev. Glenn Mahaffey
as Rector of Church of the Redeemer
Sunday, August 24th at 4pm
201 S. Wilbur Ave.
Sayre, PA
Reception to follow Clergy: White Stoles
Visiting Clergy please email rsvp to
[email protected]
After 30-something years of attending or leading services just like this one, I have concluded that the preacher at such events is very much like the corpse at an old-fashioned wake. You need him to have the party, but nobody expects him to say much.
I think that is true because the service of new ministry is a part of a honeymoon, where the level of infatuation and delight is usually pretty high. Anyone who’s tried to give serious advice to couples who are still batting their eyes at each other knows it’s a waste of time.
But tonight seems different, and I believe that the lessons carry a word from the Lord that can be heard. I believe that because the journey St. Andrew’s has been on for the last fifteen years has intensified your spirituality, challenged you personally and corporately, and left you with very few illusions—a gift very few people are given.
The most common illusion in churches is a belief that all of our difficulties are somebody else’s fault, and if only we could find the right somebody, our church would return to its golden age and we would all get along…again.
Continue reading "Function over Feelings" »
Bishop Paul installed the Reverend Frank S. St. Amour, III, SSC, as
rector at St. Stephen’s Whitehall on November 1. Father St. Amour had
been rector of St. Stephen’s Church in Hurst, TX, a suburb of Fort
Worth, for the past 6 ½ years. He served also as associate rector of
All Saints', Lakeland, Florida; rector of Christ Church, Joliet,
Illinois; and as rector of St. John the Baptist, Dunkirk, with St.
Alban's, Silver Creek, New York. He was born in Philadelphia in 1958,
lived in the D.C. area for some time and attended St. John’s College,
Annapolis. After receiving his theological degree at St. Michael’s
College, Llandaff, Wales, he was ordained in the Church in Wales. While
serving his curacy, he met his wife Susan. They married in 1985 and
came to the U.S. later that year. Sue has a law degree from the
University of Wales and has worked extensively in banking, most
recently as the IRA Specialist at EECU, a community-based credit union
in Fort Worth. Father Frank, Susan and their two cats live in
Catasauqua.