2022 Annual Report

2022 AnnuAl RepoRt

fRom the RectoR

Dear People and Friends of St. David’s Church,

Greetings in the name of the Risen One, Jesus Christ our Lord, Savior, and Friend in the life of faith that God offers to everyone.

I pray that you and yours are well at the time of our Annual Meeting this May. I pray, too, that in this year when we have been focusing on Growing in Grace, that you are experiencing the love and presence of God in every part of your life.

Over this past year, we have been focusing on grace and Growing in Grace as a community. We’ve been preaching about grace. We’ve been teaching and writing about what grace means. We’ve been practicing grace for ourselves and for others. We’ve been living into our mission of knowing God in Jesus Christ and making Christ known to others through the lens and power of grace.

For grace is the defining gift of the Christian life. It is the promise that we do not have to earn God’s love. God loves us just as we are – all of us. Grace is the gift of God’s love present in our lives to encourage us; to lift us above our struggles and failings; to open the way into God’s presence and to welcome others to come along. Grace is the mercy we are offered when we don’t deserve it. Grace is at the core of Jesus’ life and teaching, His death and resurrection. Grace is the power of love that raises us to a new life in God.

From my vantage point, we have been Growing in Grace over this past year as more of us are worshiping together in-person and online. Our 9:30 Family

Worship is growing and drawing young families into our community. We have been able to participate in more hands-on ministry through Pastoral Care and Outreach. We have welcomed new people and families into our community. We have taken good care of our buildings and grounds. We have seen growth in our choirs and in learning opportunities for all ages, our worship has been beautiful, and there’s a deeper joy I see in all areas of our common life.

I am deeply thankful for the faithful lay leadership of our Vestry and of everyone who is offering their gifts for our community and mission. I am thankful for our strong, committed clergy and staff. I am thankful that God has called us together to be a sign of grace in the world and for the prayerful, loving commitment all around us.

As I prepare to take my leave as Rector of St. David’s, I want to thank you all for your love and commitment to God, to our mission, and to my family and me. Serving as Rector of St. David’s has been one of the two greatest gifts of my life and I know that you will love the next Rector and offer your gifts so that St. David’s may continue to grow and prosper by the grace of God.

We are a blessed people. As you read this Annual Report, I hope that you will see just how powerfully and graciously God is working in our lives and the promise of more that is before us.

Grace and Peace,

“

Like good stewards of the grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.

—1 Peter 4:10

The Rev. W. Frank Allen

fRom the RectoR’S wARDen

Nearly every Sunday, during the period of “brief announcements,” we hear from our rector that “St. David’s is a Church on a mission to know God in Jesus Christ and make Christ known to others, and we do that in a lot of different ways …” This past church year, we have seen a return to many of the traditional ways in which we make Christ known to our community of faith and to the wider world, including the Fair, Fellowship gatherings, and full attendance at Christmas and Easter services. It has been great to see all of you again and to get back, in large part, to “the old St. David’s.” As you know, however, changes are afoot –The Rev. W. Frank Allen has announced that he will be retiring after 26 years as our rector following Christmas Eve services in 2023. We are profoundly grateful for Frank’s leadership, guidance, and love for us over the course of his ministry, and will miss him and his wife, Amy, deeply.

We have begun the process of searching for our next rector and have appointed Profile and Search Committees to lead that effort. The Profile Committee will develop a parish profile that outlines who we are, including descriptions of our ministries, finances, and demographics, what is important to us, and what we are looking for in our next rector. The Profile Committee will be seeking your feedback on these questions both through a series of listening sessions after the 9:15am service and through a survey sent to the members of the parish. Please be on the lookout for the survey in the coming weeks. The Vestry is grateful to Beth Beckett for serving as chair of the Profile Committee.

The Search Committee, led by Susan Scauzzo, will make the Parish Profile available to candidates, review their resumes, and conduct interviews. Members of the Search Committee will thereafter travel to the home parishes of the most exciting candidates to meet them in person and hear them preach. Finally, they will make a recommendation to the Vestry of the candidate they believe is called to be our next rector. Please pray for the members of these committees, for the candidates they meet, and for Frank and Amy Allen as we navigate this period of profound change at St. David’s.

Lastly, the Vestry is grateful for the service of our colleagues, Edie Lewis, Sarah Schoettle, Mike Tredinnick, and Julia Urwin, as members of the Vestry. We will miss their enthusiasm and good counsel.

Jim Dolan Rector’s Warden

SARAh Schoettle Outreach, Pastoral Care betSy SpieGel Family Ministries, Day School, Worship

mike tReDinnick Fellowship, Stewardship, Worship

leSlie lewiS Family Ministries, Outreach

tim RoAch Finance, Property

eDie lewiS Jr. Warden, Adult Christian Formation

JAy bAlDwin Financ Warden, Property, Stewardship

AliSon hAStinGS Secretary, Outreach

Jim DolAn Rector’s Warden, Finance, Property

Jeff RohRbeck Adult Christian Formation, Property

molly connell zonino Fellowship, Finance, Day School

DAviD GolD Property, Stewardship

JuliA uRwin Adult Christian Formation, Outreach

lizA whelAn Outreach, Pastoral Care iAn b wilcox Adult Christian Formation

thAnk you to ouR outGoinG veS tRy!

Edie Lewis

Edie Lewis brought great enthusiasm and thoughtfulness to her time on the Vestry. We thank her especially for her work in Adult Christian Formation and serving as a Warden. Edie’s work in Formation helped carry us through the pandemic, offering interesting Sunday and seasonal offerings, and establishing the Sacred Ground work that many of us have shared in. As a Warden, she has helped plan the overall work of the Vestry and has been a gracious and supportive voice and presence for the Rector, all our staff, and our entire community.

Sarah Schoettle

Sarah Schoettle brought her depth in Christian spirituality, organizational skill, and good humor to the Vestry and the Parish. She has served on several commissions including Family Ministries, Pastoral Care, and Outreach. Sarah has been a courageous leader through the pandemic in maintaining and growing our Outreach partnerships through these challenging times. She has helped us keep our outward focus as a community. Sarah and her family have been wonderful ambassadors to people of all ages, and especially for those attending the 11:30 Worship services.

Michael Tredinnick

Michael Tredinnick brought his deep love and commitment to God and to St. David’s in his four years on the Vestry. He has served faithfully on the Worship Commission, as head of our Usher ministry, and as an important voice in the development of our online worship. In addition, Michael has served on the Fellowship Commission and our Stewardship Commission. His longtime membership at St. David’s brought a depth of historical perspective to our shared work and ministry. Michael’s thoughtful, insightful voice, and willingness to join in the work have been gifts for our parish.

Julia Urwin

Julia Urwin brought a deep commitment of faith and her insightful thoughts to all the work of the Vestry. She has served on the Outreach Commission, the Worship Commission, and the Adult Christian Formation Commission. Her unique and gracious sense of humor has helped guide us through some difficult challenges these past few years, and we are so grateful for her commitment to God and to St. David’s. We wish Julia well in her return to her homeland, Australia.

woRShip

Worship is at the heart of all we do at St. David’s Church.

We come together to worship God on Sundays and Holy Days to give thanks; to seek God’s presence together; to offer our prayers and concerns; to sing; to learn; to be inspired; to share in the Holy Eucharist; to be blessed; and to be sent into the world as living signs of God’s grace and love.

Over this past year, we have continued to adapt and create new ways for us to worship together and via livestream. We continue to worship in the Church and the Chapel and also offer a Family Service for young children and their parents and grandparents in St. David’s Hall. We have weekly chapel for each age group in the St. David’s Episcopal Day School and share the Eucharist with individuals and small groups through our Eucharistic Visitors Ministry and Clergy visits. We have seen new growth and the participation at Christmas and Easter is very close to the participation we experienced before the pandemic.

All through the year we have been marrying couples. We have been baptizing children, young people, and adults. We have held many funerals and graveside services for our friends and loved ones who have entered into glory. We had two wonderful Christmas Pageants in the Chapel and have had small worship opportunities on retreats and in small groups at St. David’s and other sites.

The ministries that support our worship involve hundreds of parishioners as flower arrangers, altar guild ministers, vergers, ushers, lay readers and chalicists, choir members and bell ringers; prayers of the people writers, and sound, light, and livestream engineers, who produce our Sunday worship and

support weddings and funerals that want to share the liturgy with a larger community. We also have a gifted clergy staff who preside and preach with skill and grace.

Over this past year, the Worship Commission has been reading Welcome to Sunday by Christopher Webber to deepen our understanding of liturgy and worship and to consider new ways to worship together. The instructed Eucharists we held in April to deepen our knowledge of our worship came from our readings and conversations.

Thanks to all of you who have offered your time and gifts over the past year to make our worship of God so beautiful and meaningful. Everyone is invited to join in these ministries, and we believe that your personal participation will deepen your faith and help us make our worship joyful.

muSic

Music at St. David’s continued to thrive and enhance the spiritual beauty of our worship during the 2022-2023 program year. Under the leadership of Music Director, Dr. Clair Rozier, and Associate Music Director, Dr. Elaine Sonnenberg Whitelock, St. David’s choirs have continued to grow and enrich our worship as we continue to move beyond the pandemic years.

Special musical offerings included: the Mozart Requiem on All Saints Sunday performed by the St. David’s Adult Choir and full orchestra; a December Lessons and Carols service led by our Primary, Children’s, Youth, and Adult Chamber choirs; our annual Messiah concert presented by our Adult choir and orchestra; and two Evensong services in February and March. During March, St. David’s was again host to mid-day organ recitals presented by the American Guild of Organists. All our vocal choirs sang for Easter, and in May we will recognize all our musicians at All Choirs’ Sunday. The music ministry is not completely about worship – the youth and children’s choirs will present a Musical Revue in June highlighting the church’s overarching theme of grace for this year.

One of the keys to the success of our music ministry is our choir trip program, which inspires and galvanizes our choirs, bringing renewed energy into our parish’s worship. Under Elaine’s leadership, the St. David’s Youth Choir traveled to Orlando in January and sang at St. Richard’s Episcopal Church and in a Disney Park. The Adult Choir, under Clair’s direction, has been musically preparing and raising funds for upcoming choral residencies at Lichfield Cathedral in the UK, and St. David’s Cathedral in Wales in July 2023.

St. David’s music ministry has recently been blessed by the generosity of former choir member, the late Nancy Broll, whose bequest afforded us the purchase of new hand chimes, new handbells, and two commissioned musical works (one for

handbells and one for choir). These funds also made it possible to perform the Mozart Requiem with orchestra last fall and supported both the Youth and the Adult Choir singing trips.

St. David’s is blessed by professional staff singers Kim Robson, Kathy Wagner, and Ryan Colbert, choral scholars Stephen Christner, and Meredith Reid, as well as the Fairmount Brass Quartet and timpanist William Wozniak, who have performed for worship throughout this program year. The music department is also supported by our staff music assistant, Grace Kraybill, children’s choir accompanist, Jane Baumgardner, and Maria Leal, who helps lead the Christian education part of our primary choir program every week.

ADult foRmAtion

Adult Formation offered avenues to expand knowledge and deepen faith through small group learning communities, large group lectures, and resources for enriching one’s spiritual life.

Small Groups Learning Communities

A variety of groups centered on biblical study, theological engagement, and learning spiritual practices met throughout the year. With the intention to provide opportunities for adults at each point in their spiritual journey, offerings were identified by three commitment levels: plant (no preparation), water (minimal preparation), and grow (required preparation). One highlight was the continuation of Sacred Ground groups in partnership with Wayne Presbyterian and Villanova University. These groups meet for ten sessions to explore history, race, and faith. A whole host of Bible studies met weekly and were guided by a combination of lay and clergy leadership. Other small groups included Education for Ministry (EfM), a C.S. Lewis book study, and other focused areas of interest.

The Center for Spiritual Growth

The Center continued to support the community in forming and deepening spiritual practices. Technology has allowed us to extend St. David’s reach through in-person, hybrid, and virtual offerings for spiritual direction, centering prayer, mindfulness classes, and exercise.

Rector’s Forum

Guest speakers, clergy, and lay leadership of the church provided weekly topics for “Growing in Grace” in our daily lives. Speakers included local theologians Carey Walsh, Flora Keshgegian, Betty Wright-Riggins, and Crystal Hall. The Rev. W. Frank Allen offered a particularly popular series on discerning our spiritual gifts. A new and exciting relationship was forged with The Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania by helping to create content for their Servium online learning center.

Archives and History

We have the rare gift of having a long history of faith within the Philadelphia area. As a result, St. David’s has become a nationally known resource for celebrating the living history the church, its people, and our nation. A few highlights of the year include starting the hard work of making resources available digitally, published three resource booklets, reimagined the clergy hallway display spaces, restoring important books, and providing educational offerings. Topics included the early development of the land where the church stands, remembering African American church history, the significant historical moment of the 1956 church construction, and our connection to many local historical figures.

Above: RectoR’s FoRum PResenteRs 2022-2023 Dr. Carey Walsh, The Rev. Dr. Flora Keshgegian, The Rev. Betty Wright-Riggins, Amy Dolan, Endré Witthoeft, The Rev. Mary McCullough, Dr. Crystal Hall, Dr. Ilia Delio, OSF, The Rev. Canon Kirk Berlenbach, and St. David’s clergy, staff, and lay leaders.

fAmily miniS tRieS

Family Ministries lived into the theme of the year by “growing in grace” through creative formation opportunities, meaningful outreach, interactive worship, and joyful community building.

Formation

Godly Play, a Montessori-based program, continues to draw our youngest children into learning about our sacred stories through storytelling, prayer, collaborative play, and holy wondering. Our grade-school students were welcomed into a reimagined space on the lower level of the building as we began the use of StoryMakers NYC, a curriculum that uses imaginative resources to tap into the stories of God and God’s people through art, storytelling, and creative writing. The Sunday morning youth community has been revitalized through efforts like The Encouragement Project, led by Dale Power and Cyndi Hyatt during Lent. Confirmation returned to in-person gatherings twice a month, in preparation for Bishop Gutiérrez’s visit in June.

Formation also took the form of whole parish engagement through the Advent Wreath Making event that included a nativity set “adoption center” which provided over eighty new homes for donated sets. The new intergenerational Epiphany Celebration included learning centers, a mobile planetarium, and the return of the tradition of a tree burn in the fairgrounds.

Midweek formation continued to be part of our Wednesday night partnership with Music Ministries. One of the featured offerings was a series, led by Maria Leal, that paired Dr. Seuss books with themes from scripture to make the stories come alive in new ways.

The summer of 2022 kicked off with a return to in-person Vacation Bible School with an immersion into a bustling firstcentury marketplace experience. Many thanks to our teen and adult volunteers who made it a spectacular week!

Outreach

The St. John’s feeding ministry blossomed from a youth ministry into a whole family ministry over the course of the year. Monthly engagement with our siblings in Christ throughout Norristown proved to be a powerful way to be of service and live into our baptismal call to “seek and serve Christ in all persons.” Another growing edge of service took place with the second through fifth grades in our monthly service opportunities with Family Promise and other St. David’s outreach partners. Confirmation learned more about the ministries St. Gabriel’s, Project Ensonga/ Days for Girls, and the essential pantry at Christ Church, Pottstown through their hands-on experiences on Sunday mornings.

Youth Ministry returned to the tradition of taking a summer trip. The journey to Kentucky in July 2022, led by Elliot VanHoy and Emily Given, was equal parts pilgrimage, retreat, and service.

Worship

The Family Service continued to grow and serve a new population of our young families each week. It is a space for each member of the family to draw nearer to God and one another through worship participation, storytelling, music, prayer, and the celebration of the Eucharist. Children worshiping in the Chapel are also enriched by the experience of the interactive children’s sermon, offered by a rotation of clergy and lay leaders.

Community Building

Youth Group for our middle school and high school students grew under the leadership and guidance of Elliot VanHoy, the new Director of Youth Ministry. By creating a space where questions are encouraged and friends are always welcome, the youth groups have grown in size and deepened in relationship. The Edge Ministry (Grades 4-5), led by Maria Leal, found community together in their monthly events and trips. Families also found connection through gatherings like the summer picnic, fall hayride at Linvilla, and the Easter Egg Hunt.

outReAch

In living out our faith to know God in Jesus Christ and to make Christ known to others, the Outreach Commission is dedicated to supporting and developing partnerships with those in need.

The 2023 St. David’s Outreach Grant Program awarded $127,989 to 15 ministry partners. The funds were the direct result of money from the St. David’s Fair, the Gift Shop & Art Gallery, and the World Gifts Program. Grants addressed an array of needs including feeding, clothing, emotional support, and fellowship programs. Many of our partners continue to feel the effects of Covid-19, as well as the economic down turn that many are facing. These partners are working hard to bring back a sense of community. The support from St. David’s has brought this closer to a reality for hundreds of people in both our local and international communities. The grants are awarded after much prayerful discussion, analysis, and parishioner support.

As the pandemic slowed during 2022, we listened carefully to our partners as to what they required to continue the good work they do in their communities. We worked hard to give money, time, support, clothing, Days for Girls kits, and other necessities as often as possible. In addition to the grant program, we used money from the Outreach Endowment to help purchase food, assist with hurricane relief, offer refugee support, legal aid, and court costs, building repairs, and education, among other projects. The numbers of those who were in need has grown, but we were fortunate that God continues to find a way to help us help others.

As we start to feel as though life is more normal, we ask for continued support. We welcome more volunteers to help with small and large projects, as every little bit helps. We continue to have a presence all along the Main Line, Philadelphia, Chester, Norristown, Uganda, Guatemala, Cuba, and Iraq. Please come join us and experience the amazing gift of giving back.

pAS toRAl cARe

The vision and mission for Pastoral Care is to celebrate life’s joys and bear one another’s burdens and sorrows in fulfillment of God’s command to love one another as God loves us. Working across approximately 17 committees, we seek to connect and provide a network of care in times of need.

Our trained Stephen Ministers provide one-on-one support. The Prayer Companions receive requests via our website from all over the world and pray daily for those seeking God’s help. The Bereavement Group is a faith-based group meeting online, exploring God’s role in our grief and Journeying Forward is for our young adults, also meeting online. Caring Meals, Monday Morning Flowers, and Holiday Flowers deliver a home-cooked meal or flowers to our parishioners needing comfort or support. This past year, volunteer drivers from the Holiday Flower Ministry delivered flowers to over ninety people living in their own homes or Continuing Care Communities.

Seeking Hope is a support group comprised of parents sharing their children’s experiences with drug and/or alcohol addiction. The prayer squares our Needleworks Guild knits were in high demand this year, being distributed in hospital rooms to friends and relatives who joined in praying for healing with these tangible reminders. In the fall, they contributed squares in the

colors of the flag of Ukraine to go with the medical supplies that were collected through the Outreach commission. The Needleworks Guild also makes prayer shawls and baby hats. Baptismal Gifts, which are sent to each newly baptized child, and Birthday Cards are other ways we connect with our parishioners, being sent to the youngest and oldest among us.

Walking the Mourner’s Path is a Christian program that seeks to help us transform grief into joyful living. Coming out of COVID, we were able to have two groups move through this program. The Churchyard Neighbors, a group of women whose dear ones are buried close to one another in our churchyard, gathered for a festive tea last July. Out of this came plans to connect with one another socially to attend events both within and outside St. David’s. Our other ministries, Driving Angels, Career Transition, and the Sermon Ministry also provide support. One of our St. David’s Friends regularly visits a parishioner and shares the livestream service and fellowship. Our dedicated Eucharistic Visitors shared the sacrament and fellowship with parishioners who can’t be with us Sundays, in a faithful round of weekly visits. There are many different ministries, each a unique form of pastoral care. Please, consider giving your time and talent to help others through our Pastoral Care Ministry.

fellowShip

This has been an exciting year for the Fellowship Commission. By the Grace of God, we returned to normalcy this year and gathered in person with energy and excitement. Our groups have been very active.

Men’s Fellowship and Women’s Fellowship have been meeting regularly with breakfasts and speakers, retreats, outreach projects, and special programs. The women continue to support our feeding ministries by meeting every month to cook and freeze meals. The men continued their long tradition of monthly breakfasts with engaging speakers, including local historians and our own fantastic clergy.

The St. David’s Country Fair and Auction was a resounding success this year with over $98,000 in net profit to be distributed to our partners through Outreach Grants. The fair is a herculean community effort, and we give special thanks to Hilary Dash and Jennifer Newhall, our chair and vice chair respectively, for their leadership and hard work. Well done on this record-breaking outcome!

Welcome and Connect continues to be the gracious and hospitable group to shepherd new members into our parish. Many smiling greeters are in the narthex every Sunday to say hello and help new friends find their way. The most recent Newcomers Class had the largest number of participants in recent history, and we welcomed them to the St. David’s family at a 9:15am service in front of a full chapel and livestream. We are so proud of the hospitality and love this group shows our newest friends.

The biggest change to the Fellowship Commission this year has been the merger with Family Ministries. Our partnership will encourage events that are multigenerational and allow thematic programing between the ages. Family Ministries has been engaging in fellowship for years, as a separate group. We will now act as one and are excited about the sense of community this merger will foster and the welcoming effect it will have on our entire community.

pRopeRty

The Property Commission of St. David’s oversees the operation of our buildings and grounds, including an array of activities, maintenance, and support services. With just over 40 acres, the areas of focus include six buildings, the graveyard, an arboretum, gardens, beehives, parking lots and roadways, and all the underlying systems and utilities that keep our campus humming!

Leslie Robertshaw, Parish Administrator, and her staff, manage the ongoing maintenance and care of this beautiful property. Our wonderful campus hosts everything from virtual and in-person worship and hosts the country’s longest running church fair (Our 172nd is coming up on October 7, 2023). We are slowly returning to our pre-COVID rate of activities, events, meetings, and space rentals as the church booked over 3,000 room reservations this program year.

During the past year, the property commission acquired a third of an acre on the north side of the property adjacent to an acre purchased in 2012. We have contracted with the architectural firm, SALT, to design this new portion of the graveyard with different burial plots, such as body burial, ash plot burial, communal burial, and memorial plaques.

A new 180 nominal ton chiller system was installed in March, and a cell tower is slated to be installed in the chapel in August. In getting ready for the arrival of The Rev. Thomas Szczerba and his wife, Marissa, the Parish House received fresh coats of interior paint (thank you volunteers!) and new carpeting. Thank you to all the volunteers who participate in the quarterly All-Parish workdays – your help is invaluable! The Riley Mausoleum and the holding vault received new wrought iron doors and they are gorgeous! Finally, the Day School had mini splits installed for much needed air conditioning in the school.

As the weather gets nicer, please take the time to walk around the building and the grounds and see the many projects that have been completed. Please thank the property team staff when you see them; they are often behind the scenes making things happen and they work so hard to keep our campus looking beautiful. If you are interested in being a part of this Commission, please let Tim Roach know, and he will sign you up!

finAnce

The financial report provides a snapshot of St. David’s financial health and insight into the ability to navigate the coming year.

The Church fiscal year ended on December 31, 2022. Inflationary trends hit our budget hard last year. We ended with a deficit of $115,856. The deficit resulted from: lower than anticipated revenues to offset operating expenses; unanticipated large increases in utilities, technology, and some areas of general expenses. The Finance Committee and the Vestry have undertaken increased budget oversight.

BB&D, an independent accounting firm, has completed their audit of the 2022 financials and presented the Financial Statements at the April 18th Finance Meeting. All recordings were in compliance. Cash flow is strong and will cover the 2022 deficit without a transfer from the general endowment.

Considering the deficit, the 2023 budget was created anticipating the continued inflationary environment and its impact on both revenues and expenses. However, we did anticipate higher levels of “non-pledge” giving in celebration of Frank’s final year of ministry with us. A budget of $3,260,000 has been presented and unanimously approved by the Vestry. This budget includes appropriate cost-of-living increases for the clergy and staff, aggressively reducing expenses where possible, and thoughtful projections of the impact of inflation on goods and services.

The Finance Commission works closely with the Stewardship Commission to ensure that the pledge numbers are realized. Approximately 68% of the revenue of the budget is based on the pledge number. In 2023, the pledge number is $2,225,000. Collected pledge revenue has been essentially flat, increasing 4% total over the years 2019 through 2022.

The Finance Commission also works in conjunction with various other commissions, notably the Property Commission and the Investment Committee.

The Investment Committee oversees the Church endowments (the General Endowment, Graveyard Endowment, Outreach

Endowment, Newlin Trust Endowment) with The Vanguard Group. The market experienced some difficulties in 2022 that were reflected in our endowment’s balances. Our endowment accounts had a -13% return which is slightly better than benchmark standards. The current asset allocations in each endowment are 65% Equities, 30% Fixed Income, and 5% Real Estate.

A three-year rolling average percentage draw from each of the Newlin Trust, Graveyard and General Endowments are also booked as revenue into the annual operating budget each year. The Investment Committee recommends a percent to the Finance Commission, usually between 3.5% and 4.5%, to use in the budget. This revenue is used to offset a property staff salary, graveyard maintenance costs, and the general operations and maintenance of the campus.

St. David’s Episcopal Day School has become a net positive to our budget through the hard work of its staff and the expert management of Margaret Biester, Head of School.

Overall, St. David’s remains a strong and vibrant church community in sound financial condition. A special thank you to Leslie Robertshaw and Jo-Ann Funkhouser for their diligence and leadership through a difficult year.

We are uniquely blessed with our historic and beautiful campus, sacred worship spaces, talented staff, and inspiring clergy. We are grateful for your commitment to support the ministries and mission of St. David’s Episcopal Church.

StewARDShip

Planned Giving

bounty. Caretakers. time, energy and gifts ultimately and the depth of

The Stewardship Commission would like to thank the parish for its contributions to our Church community! The gifts of your time, talents, and treasure allow us to support small group ministries, Sunday services, formation, pastoral care, maintenance of our grounds, as well as many outreach programs. We are grateful for the generosity of our parishioners. Together we have built a wonderful community at St. David’s.

Each year, a major focus of the Stewardship Commission is the Annual Pledge Drive. Fiscal Year 2022 was not a strong year for Stewardship, with over $84,000 of pledges unfulfilled. It is important that the Church community not only pledges but commits to an amount that they are able to fulfill. This helps us with the important task of creating a realistic budget. Over The Rev. W. Frank Allen’s tenure, pledging has grown. However, for the past four years growth has been stagnant, straining a tightening budget.

of the wise use has entrusted to giving and making ministry to the of thoughtfully generation) and church to gather the and ministry). in many ways.

the church’s daily from members’ the church in the designating gifts gifts, and through comprised of church or financial the oversight The committee accordance with an they monitor the members of this good stewards of

The History of St. David’s Church

For 2023, we chose the theme “Giving with Grace” and so far, this year, we are very close to our modestly increased goal of raising $2,225,000! As of Easter week, we are happy to announce that our total pledges to date are $2,189,271 from 521 families. Several new families have pledged, but we still need participation from households that have never pledged, or who pledged last year, but not this year. Under Frank’s leadership, we have grown the mission of St. David’s together – but more work still needs to be done. The 2023 pledge goal represents 68% of the operating budget, so if you have yet to pledge for this year, we prayerfully ask that you do so. Every pledge matters!

Parishioners may also include St. David’s in their wills by joining our 1715 Society. This legacy giving program honors the year of our founding as a Church in 1715 and in 2023 the Society will recognize members who have made lifetime or testamentary gifts to St. David’s Church in their estate plans. Please visit the website or contact David Gold if you would like to learn more about legacy giving at St. David’s.

At St. David’s we are living in God’s Grace, and we hope to continue to share that blessing with others by knowing God in Jesus Christ and making Christ known to others.

Toward the close of the seventeenth century a hardy group of Welsh colonists settled in an area which became known as Radnor. In 1704 a 100-signature petition for Welsh prayer books and a Bible, but more particularly for a Welsh-speaking missionary, was dispatched to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in London. Ten years later, in return for this long-awaited recognition, the settlers “heartily engaged themselves to build a handsome stone church,” to be named after the Patron Saint of Wales. The cornerstone was laid on May 9, 1715, and thus, our St. David’s Church was officially founded.

This beautiful small church served the St. David’s congregation until 1956 when, after heated discussion of whether the parish should accommodate a burgeoning membership or retain its early character, a new chapel was constructed. In 2006, a larger chapel was needed once again, to accommodate an evergrowing church body. Today, as the largest of the 157 parishes in the Diocese of Pennsylvania, St. David’s stands on the threshold of a new era of service to God.

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a Legacy to St. David’s Church

St. DAviD’S epiScopAl DAy School

This year St. David’s Episcopal Day School (SDEDS) celebrates our fifth year of operation. We continue to grow our student population each year with 97 students this year ranging in age from 18 months to 6 years old.

Our fearless school leaders, Margaret Biester, Head of School, and Amy Darst, Assistant Head of School continue to usher the school through another joyful school year. This year the faculty have enjoyed bringing back more in-person special guests and adding new programs such as visiting farm animals to be cared for by the students. For the first time since COVID, the whole school gathered for the annual Christmas concert in St. David’s Hall.

One of our Pre-K teachers, Michele Waters, has taken on the role of Summer Camp Director this year, transforming the way we look at our summer programs. Students will enjoy lots of outdoor time during our 4-week summer program during the month of June.

We welcomed three new staff members during the 2023-24 school year. Susan Forshaw, assistant teacher, joins us with nine years of experience. Kyra McClelland has joined the team as our new Young Fours teacher, getting our students immersed in purposeful play. Finally, our newest team member, Donna Brinser, assistant teacher in our Twos classroom, brings a wealth of lifetime experience working with children.

Parishioner Jessica Guercio took over the role of SDEDS Parent Committee President this year. She was joined by returning members Ashley Zervalis, Ryan DePaul, and Billy Ripley as well as

newcomers Julie Liberi and Meghan Neary. The committee has brought back several wonderful events such as a special visit from Mrs. Claus. Additionally, they worked together to plan a hugely successful annual auction raising over $50,000.

The Day School’s 2022-23 Advisory Commission included: Amy Darst, Margaret Biester, Sandy Arnold, Jessica Guercio, The Rev. W. Frank Allen, Dr. Amy Allen, Ginny Spofford, Joe Rollins, Jeff Waldron, Jane Fisher, The Rev. Elizabeth W. Colton, Libby Hipp, Deb Kurucz, Laney Vogt, Molly Zonino, and Susan Barber.

The 2022-23 school year has brought life back into the halls of St. David’s as the students learn, love, and lead.

the Gift Shop & ARt GAlleRy

For 24 years, the Gift Shop has generated funding for international outreach humanitarian aid and education programs in Cuba, Guatemala, Haiti, and Uganda. Life-giving support has been provided in many forms including meals; school tuition, uniforms, and supplies; medicines and healthcare; shelter and building repairs; and clean water. We continue this mission and are grateful that we increased our contribution to international outreach by nearly 20% (year to year) in 2022. A total of $25,800 from shop and art gallery proceeds was distributed to international outreach through St. David’s grant process in support of these programs:

• Cuba - water purification maintenance supplies, food, medicine, and healthcare supplies

• Guatemala - scholarships, road repairs, painting, Christian education, phones, masks, and Days for Girls kits

• Uganda – meals for 1,200 primary school students at Trinity Children’s Center

In addition, we sponsored a special medical relief fundraiser for Ukraine, raising $2,350 through the sale of Ukrainian-made Christmas ornaments.

The Gift Shop continues to be a convenient source of religious and secular gifts for St. David’s church, parishioners, and the community. In addition, we are a valued resource for Christian

and spiritual items needed for church programs.

In 2022, we expanded our Art Gallery offerings to include pottery, wood carvings, and hand turned wood bowls. The gallery continues to attract both customers and talented local artists.

Our online bookstore, running on the Bookshop platform, is gaining traction, and helps raise money without the cost of holding inventory. The shop earns 30% commission on every sale.

The shop is also a fellowship ministry, welcoming people from both the church and local area, facilitating countless friendly encounters and conversations. Volunteers greet and help customers and keep operations running smoothly behind the scenes. We are dedicated and passionate about our mission and always ready to welcome new volunteers.

The Gift Shop is open Monday-Thursday 10 am-4 pm, Fridays till 1 pm, and Sundays following the 9:15am service. The Art Gallery hallway is available during all church hours with new exhibits each month. Our online Bookshop is always open, visit stdavidschurch.org/bookshop

You can also follow us on Instagram @giftshop_stdavids and Facebook @GiftShopatStDavidsChurch

Baptisms

Caroline Crowley Armstrong

August Web Beach

Mia Claire Bisson

Madeline Brooke Boettjer

Catherine Dorothy Craparo

Harper Hathaway Eisele

Winnie June Ford

Madelyn Carole Fry

Caleb Douglas Garvin

Blair Elizabeth Gorman

Georgia Davidson Hahn

Kelly May Ineson

Harris Darcy Jacobs

Grace Emma Jarrett

Brinley Kathryn Keim

Eliska Noella Khan

Madeline Elizabeth Lipton

Theodore Boyce Madeira

Cameron Magnanini

Mark Thomas McCabe III

Leo Claiborne Morse

Elizabeth Douven Murdoch

Madelyn Phillips

Brooke Phillips

Isla Ruth Podganjny

Belle Mabel Salvitti

Sloane Elena Saunders

Kyler John David Schock

Henry Woodward Seaver

Giuliana Leigh Silvestre

Vincent Anthony Silvestre

Lucy Ophelia Sjostrom

Lillian Farrah Sjostrom

Bode James Snyder

Sonica Somesh

John (Jack) David Struwe

Harrison Culpepper Turner

Grant Torrence Turner

Evelyn Hope Whitelock

Isaac Benjamin Windle Jr

Eve Marie Woods

Youth Confirmands

John Alexander Bauer

Ryan Todd Bauer

Henry Thomas Biddison

Sadie Briggs Boulden

Warner Lucius Consolino

Donald Anderson Cooney

Frank Leroy Coulson

Jacob Edward Diederich

Reilly Dawne Dolan

Charlotte Grace Gearhart

William Kipp Gearhart

Ava Linda Gurski

Brooks Jonathan Havey

Sydney Henderson

Roger Luke Herrell

Katherine Hubschmidt

Gardner McCalla Huston

Ryann Marie Jennings

Julia Kathryn Kamf

Courtney Hope Kearns

Lilah Grace Kenny

Mark Stanley Kotapka

Richard Jones Thompson Lerch

Aubrey Jordan Lewis

John Jackson Lewis

Hope Alessia Macaione

James Horst Madonia

Emily Rhoads McCarthy

Garrett Owen Myers

Charles Henry Nevins

Catherine Grace Oblack

MacLeod Alexander Oehler

Molly Poate Ott

Ian Scott Palmer

Amanda Anne Parkinson

Gavin Samuel Payne

Harper Lohr Payne

Tristan Michael Roibu

Mitchell Reed Shin

Matthew Higgins Sloan

Henry Reese Vandiver

Sophia Veronica Venneri

Ella Katherine Wagner

Sophie May Wernsing

William Hugh Walker

Justin Daniel Zebro

Sarah Anne Zebro

adult Confirmands

Brian Andrew Bernhardt

Stephen Dall

Jeffrey Scott Harth

Wendy Ellen Higgins

adults reCeived

Christine Ann Boruff

Sean Gallagher Higgins

Joseph William Romano

Nancy Butler Romano

Wendy Margaret Romano

marriages

Meaghan Laura Aylward to Christopher

Nelson Dewey

Pamela Ashley Cutler to Richard Andrew

Barefoot

Eliza Hughes Hastings to Henry Hall

Jeadrick

Elizabeth Catharine Hepburn to Christian

Thomas Miller

Kristi L. Keczely to Haus Herrick Jensen

Diana Lee Lansinger to Matthew

Swayback

Alexandra Elizabeth McLoughlin to

Derek Moore McAvoy

Jessica Taylor Norris to Cole McCormack

Steidle

Catherine W. Pemberton to Thomas A.J

McInerney III

Caitlin Marie Petrakia to Charles Anthony

Stephens IV

Abigal Leigh Wilson to Matthew

Lawrence Wagner

transfers into st. david’s

Jane Baumgardner

Kathleen Beyer

Kathleen & Michael Beyer

Nancy Collins

Nanette Dormans

Bill Jones

Connie Jones

Frederica F. O’Brien

Dan Reagle

Kristin Reagle

Megan Reagle

Sean Reagle

John Scullin

William D. Stroud, II

David Nelson Wren

transfers out of st. david’s

Leslie B. Potter

Gary & Patricia Kesling

graduating seniors

Douglas Bray (Doug) Andreuzzi

Claudia Glynn Ball

Wyatt James Ballard

Jon Campbell Simms Basralian

Robert Michael Biondi

Christopher James Boulden

William Richard Burt

Aidan Anderson Carew

Caroline Lee Constable

Bridget Morgan Davidson

Ava Caroline Del Viscio

Sophie Koerting Driscoll

Helen St. John Farnham

Willard P. Graham IV

Joyce Pepper (Pepper) Green

Zachary Annesley (Zach) Hoyt

Alexander Clay Gregory (Anders) Ingle

Colden William Kearns

Olivia Carolyn Kelley

Ryan Houston Kraut

Cooper Anthony Lewis

Colby Eileen Macaione

Caroline Clark Maseria

Paige Elizabeth Munroe

Justin Nourian

Connor Curran O’Sullivan

Ainsley McKee Payne

Jack Hamilton Payne

Quinn Thomas Ressler

Katelyn Ann Rhatican

Tyler Francis Rhatican

Lillia Grace (Lily) Rosenberg

Ethan Thomas Sague

Daniel Thornton Scavilla

Ryan Matthew Schappell

Farrah Dolores Sheffer

Caroline Patterson Simpson

Charles Andres (Charlie) Smith

Jane Nicole (Janie) Stuber

Emma Elizabeth Twitmyer

Carol Alexandra Ulichney

William Gillespie Vandiver

Stephen Todd Walker Jr.

Aislinn Maire Kennedy Wiedman

Hilary James Witthoeft

memorials and Burials

John Eastwick Arndt

Jean Barclay

Joseph Barclay

Martha Bardossy

Suzanne Frances Barton

William T. Black

Elisabeth C. Bolster

Christine Boruff

George T. Boyce

Robert Alexander Dea

Herman Francis DeLone, Jr.

Alexandra O’Neill Davies Dewey

Robert Seery Feimster

Dr. Joan Freimuth

Frederick Livingston Funk

Michael Ruland Gardner

James Eugene Gerry

Anne Clark Godfrey

Judith Jayne Hamilton

Harry Thorndike Hare

Andrew Harris

Thomas Harrison

Frances Stokes Hoekstra

Sharon Eileen Johnson

Lois Kistler

Anita Wood Kneass

Mark Wickwire Knight

Jean Swihart Lehner

StAff fARewellS

William Marker

Hedden Miller

Henry Miller, Jr

David Manning Monahan

Michael Newbold

Carlton O’Neil

Barbara S. Porter

Eleanor Rose Rettew

Roderic Henry Ross

Bonnie Blakely Schmidt

Ann Smythe

Betty Jean Ballhorn Sultzer

Margaretta Thayer

Pamela Thompson

Georgianna Marvin Webber

& StAff welcomeS

the Rev mAuRice A. DyeR, ii Associate Rector

ShAnnon GARlAnD Communications Associate

holly vicki Music Administration/ Librarian

the Rev emily zimbRick-RoGeRS Associate Rector

pAul Smith Parish Custodian

GRAce oh kRAybill Music Administration/ Librarian

cARRie methven Parish Receptionist (M, W, F)

ShARon ShuttlewoRth Communications Associate bill wAtSon Parish Custodian elliot vAnhoy Director of Youth Ministry

the Rev. thomAS SzczeRbA, JR. Associate Rector

the Rev. DR. peteR Stube Priest Associate

the Rev. nAncy webb StRouD Priest Associate

In LovIng memoRy