Arch Street Presbyterian Church

Around the Family Table

Archstreetadmin — Tue, 01 May 2012 21:21:35 +0000

For all those who care for and about children, we are gathering for a light meal and good conversation, Tuesday, May 15th, at 6:00pm. We’ll eat with kids from 6-6:30 and hear from them what matters. From 6:30-7:00, we’ll shift the discussion to focus on child-rearing and the joys and struggles of parenting. You are not alone in this parenting endeavor! There is a community who cares and commits to walk with you. And we believe God’s love, faith, and grace can help shape our families. Childcare is available. Let’s share a meal together! Questions or to RSVP, becky@archstreetpres.org or 215-563-3763.

Outreach Travels to Mill Creek Farm

Archstreetadmin — Tue, 01 May 2012 21:19:43 +0000

Join the ASPC Outreach Committee for a spring trip to Mill Creek Farm www.millcreekurbanfarm.org, on Saturday, May 19, 10 am – 1 pm. Mill Creek Farm is an urban farm in West Philadelphia committed to producing and distributing fresh food and providing educational opportunities to the community. The farm values the neighborhood in which they farm, experiential education, the environment, community and collaboration, urban food production without the use of chemicals, and equity and justice.

Our trip to the farm on May 19 will consist of a one-hour interactive tour of the farm and facilities where our group will explore many aspects of urban farming, including growing practices, composting, food access, fruit trees, bee-keeping, recycling of salvaged materials, solar electricity, and a found object mosaic. After the tour, we will participate in a two-hour workday on the farm. Anyone can volunteer, it’s a great hands-on learning opportunity, and Mill Creek Farm can really use our help! To sign up, please contact Sandi Richards srichards1011@gmail.com or Jim Ballengee jballengee@penncharter.com.

The New Presbytery Hymnal David Eicher Leads Hymn Sing

Archstreetadmin — Tue, 01 May 2012 21:16:49 +0000

On Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 7:30 PM, David Eicher, editor of the new Presbyterian Hymnal, will lead a hymn sing using wonderful hymns from the new hymnal.

David Eicher is a Presbyterian elder and a longtime member of the Presbyterian Association of Musicians (PAM). Prior to coming to the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation, David was the organist and handbell director of the First Presbyterian Church in Mishawaka, Indiana, and the interim executive director of the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians. Eicher was president of the Hymn Society in the United States and Canada until July 2008. David was editor of Holy Is the Lord: Music for Lord’s Day Worship, published by Geneva Press.

We ask you to invite your family and friends to join us as we learn more about the new hymnal and unite with a mighty voice singing songs of praise to God!

The Preschool is Now Open

Archstreetadmin — Tue, 01 May 2012 21:09:27 +0000

Arch Street Preschool was born out of Arch Street Presbyterian Church. Some members of the church, concerned about the lack of quality early education in the City of Philadelphia, dreamed of a school where children of different races and socioeconomic backgrounds could come together for excellent early education. Arch Street Preschool became incorporated as a nonprofit in October 2011 governed by a board of directors. On May 1st the Preschool opened its doors to young learners.

The Season of Easter

Archstreetadmin — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 17:29:07 +0000

Many people view Easter as one day, an event in time when the church celebrates the resurrection of Christ. Like Lent and Advent, Easter is not limited to one day, but it is a season. We have journeyed through these past forty days of Lent, a quiet reflection on the fragility of our own humanity and the recognition that God does not leave us alone in these moments but is present in the shadow places. The Easter season moves us from Lent to the most glorious time for the church. It is in this season made up of 50 days that we celebrate God’s grace given to us through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Easter season is a time for watching and listening for those things within us and in the world that have died and come to life again. If the joy of Easter seems absent in our lives it is a season to let ourselves be held tightly by our church community, allowing them to walk with us, until Easter becomes a reality in our individual world. As was true for Lent, there are resources to deepen our experience of the Easter season. The PCUSA website provides daily readings and can be found at http://gamc.pcusa.org/devotion.

Easter!

Archstreetadmin — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 15:04:43 +0000

Essence of Joy Shares Musical Gifts in Worship

Archstreetadmin — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 03:43:59 +0000

The Essence of Joy Choir, from Penn State University, under the direction of Dr. Tony Leach, sang at Arch Street on Sunday March 25, 2012, in the morning worship. Their musical gifts will provide blessed us with an inspiring worship experience.

Background of Essence of Joy Choir

Essence of Joy is one of twelve choral ensembles in the Penn State University School of Music. Organized in November, 1991, the choir performs sacred and secular music from the African/African American traditions. Annual campus events include Fall and Spring concerts, A Celebration of African American Spirituals (February) and Our Gift In Song (December). The choir involves undergraduate and graduate students from many academic programs at Penn State.

Essence has performed throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland as well as New York City, NY, Washington, DC, Atlanta, GA, Macomb, MS, Memphis, TN, Columbus, OH, Dayton, OH and Chicago, Illinois. Special musical presentations by Essence have occurred for The Pennsylvania Music Educators Association, The Eastern Division of The Music Educators National Conference, The Eastern Division of the American Choral Directors Association and The American Choral Directors Association national conventions in Chicago, IL.and New York City. Essence presented its first European Tour in June, 2001 with performances in Kracow, Poland and Prague, Czech Republic.

The choir has released five compact disc recordings, ‘The Soul of Essence and The Spirit of Essence which features settings of African American spirituals and traditional and contemporary gospel recorded between 1996 – 1998. ‘Essence Live’ was released in February, 2000 and features campus performances from April, 1998 through October, 1999. ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ and Our Gift in Song are special projects that commemorate the tenth anniversary of the choir and were released in December, 2002.

Come Play at Arch Street Preschool

Archstreetadmin — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 03:42:29 +0000

Open House Play Days are Friday mornings from 9-11 a.m. Start your day at Arch Street Preschool. Children get to play in the new classrooms while adults enjoy a morning coffee and visit. Children must be accompanied by a caregiver. Feel free to stop in for a little or stay a while. Bring a friend!

Holy Week

Archstreetadmin — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 13:29:36 +0000

Holy week is the final days of Lent, where we as a community will remember and meditate on the final days of Christ’s earthly ministry.

Palm Sunday, April 1^st Worship at 10:45am

Maundy Thursday, April 5^th, 7:00pm

Good Friday Service, April 6^th, 12:10pm

Easter Sunday, April 8^th Worship at 10:45am

We Welcome to the Pulpit Rev. Dr. John Galloway

Archstreetadmin — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 20:11:27 +0000

John Galloway recently retired after 41 years in the ministry, but for the past two+ years John has served as a part of the Arch Street Presbyterian Church’s Administrative Commission. John and others on the “AC” together with the ASPC session are entrusted with guiding ASPC into the future God has prepared for us. His latest calling was as head of staff at the Wayne Presbyterian Church in suburban Philadelphia. Prior to that he served the Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, the First Presbyterian Church in York, PA, the Ogden Presbyterian Church just outside Rochester,NY and was the assistant pastor for youth in the First Presbyterian Church of Greenwich, Connecticut. John is a 1963 graduate of Princeton University and a 1966 graduate of Princeton Theological seminary. He currently serves on the seminary’s Board of Trustees and is its secretary.

He is the author of three books, the most recent of which is Ministry Loves Company published by Westminster/John Knox Press.

In 2003 his wife of 37 years succumbed to ALS. In 2005 he and Nancy Maloney, widowed some years before, were married in the sanctuary of the Wayne Presbyterian Church. John’s three children and six grandchildren are joined by Nancy’s one daughter and two grandsons in the task of keeping the “Reverend” young without wearing him out.