As we move into November, it is hard to escape the fact that a major election is just days away. I remember a time, not that long ago, when mid-term elections seemed much less consequential. Our current political climate has raised the stakes to a frightening level. From both left and right, we are bombarded with messages and ads about how the fate of America depends on the outcome of this election. Now, I do think that this election matters; I very much hope that you will go vote on Tuesday, and I pray that your decisions at the ballot box will be shaped by values like love, tolerance, generosity, and respect for the rule of law. But, at the same time, I am very concerned by the atmosphere of fear that is driving how so many Americans – including many Christians – engage with politics today.  

The same concern is explored in a fascinating book that I just finished reading, Cross Purposes: Christianity’s Broken Bargain with Democracy. The author, Jonathan Rauch, describes himself as an atheistic Jew – but that doesn’t stop him from arguing that a healthy democracy needs the influence of healthy churches. Throughout American history, churches have helped to sustain the belief that all people are created equal, and have regularly cared for those at the margins. It is, therefore, a deep problem when large numbers of churches grow fearful and start chasing political power in ways that don’t look anything like Jesus.

The good news, Rauch argues, is that a renewal of churches can contribute to renewal of our country. In a time of fear, we need to remember that Jesus so often tells us not to be afraid. Our world may be full of challenges, but God is not going to abandon us, and Jesus’ way of love offers hope even in the darkest times. In Rauch’s words, “We should never, ever, pass a law because someone thinks Jesus said to; yet our laws might be better if we more often asked what Jesus might have said about them.” So, as you head to the polls, reject the lure of fear and ask what Jesus might have to say about the candidates for whom you vote. And then, consider joining us for a brunch discussion next Friday, as we join with Root Quarterly to talk more about Cross Purposes and how we might work together for the good of both church and state.

Join us as we participate in the third annual Founder's Weekend, sponsored and organized by Root Quarterly (www.rootquarterly.com). Founder's Weekend is an opportunity to engage in an ongoing discussion about the values and ideals that must be (re-)established in order for our country to survive another 250 years. Root Quarterly intentionally invites a wide variety of perspectives and thought leaders, making use of art and story to deepen the conversation. To learn more about the full array of 2026 Founder's Weekend events, visit the RQ website. 

This year, Gloria Dei will be hosting a brunch discussion on the role of faith in a pluralistic society, and we will be drawing on some of the ideas in Jonathan Rausch's book Cross Purposes: Christianity's Broken Bargain with Democracy. The event is free to attend, but we ask that you register in advance. This can be done on the Founder's Weekend website (click the button below; registration includes the opportunity for an optional donation). 

The Spirit of Santa is upon Us! We have the joyous opportunity to select Christmas gifts for the  children from a refugee community at Snyder Avenue Congregational Church (https://saccphilly.org/)

3 ways you can participate:

• Choose a tag from the Angel Tree, located in the vestibule of the church.
• Email the office and we will send you a name.
• Make a donation on our website (https://www.old-swedes.org/give) & we will do the shopping. Please add "angel tree" to the memo when donating.

Beginning Date: November 8
Gifts due to the Church by: November 29
Suggested value: $25
Questions? Contact the Church Office at info@old-swedes.org or 215-389-1513

Praying together points us to Jesus. In Matthew, Jesus reminds us of the power of community prayer: "For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them."

We are currently using The Morning Prayer from the Northumbria Community Celtic Daily Prayer, which is available at this link. Prayers will be held on Zoom and led by Christine Pickup.

You can join the Zoom meeting by clicking the button below, or using the following meeting information. 

Meeting ID: 875 8998 7892       Passcode: 723011

Join us for our final week of reading and discussing God Has a Dream: A Vision of Hope for Our Time, by Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Bishop Tutu addresses the timeless and universal concerns all people share, envisioning a world transformed through hope and compassion, humility and kindness, understanding and forgiveness. 

We meet on Tuesday evening at 7pm, immediately following our Musical Meditation service. A guide to readings for each week is found below: 

October 13: Introduction and Chapters 1-2
October 20: Chapters 3-4
October 27: Chapters 5-6
November 3: Chapters 7-8 and Postscript

Join us for a refreshed version of our popular service.  Keep an eye out for some interesting guest guitarists, a drum circle, poems, and discussions that we hope will inspire you throughout the rest of the week. The program is led by our sextons, Jim & Paula Minacci, who work to create a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere that everyone will enjoy. 

Please note: Musical Meditation will be on hiatus from December 15 to February 2.

This is a multi-congregation book study exploring the origins,  basic tenets and implications of Christian Nationalism (CN), and the impact it has on the church and nation, as well as the role of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Episcopal Church in speaking out to clarify and reclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We are using Rev. Jimmy Hawkins' 300-page book, In God We Trust: The Origins of Christian Nationalism, and we will be reading 15-20 page excerpts for each class. Class members are welcome to read the rest of the book as they are interested.

The class is led by retired Presbyterian Pastor, Rev. Dr. Rob Erickson. The weekly sessions include a light supper and alternate locations between Old Pine Presbyterian, Gloria Dei Old Swedes' and St Peter’s Episcopal Churches. A full syllabus, with readings and host locations, is available to download on our website (click the button below). 

Our next Missions Committee meeting will be 9 AM on Wednesday November 4, 2026 via Zoom, Meeting ID: 831 8432 8558   Passcode: 683663. The Zoom link is available on the Church website/events tab. We have several initiatives going on: Angel Tree, Lunch for Prevention Point, collaboration with POWER Interfaith, etc. This month we will focus on St. Gabe's Meal Mission. 

St. Gabriel Episcopal Church is located in the Feltonville Area of Philadelphia in the lower Northeast. As part of their mission, St. Gabe's hosts a "Lunch with Our Neighbors" program every Saturday from 11 AM to 12:30 PM. The program provides care and conversation to about 100 attendees. Attendees get to eat a warm meal, collect some shelf stable pantry items, get some clothing/shoes and have some conversation with neighbors and volunteers. There are several parishes that help out St. Gabe's. In our neighborhood, St Luke's and the Epiphany (aka SLATE) and Gloria Dei help out by preparing a warm meal for 100 attendees. Gloria Dei is on the schedule to provide that meal the first Saturday every other month. The next date for serving will be December 5.

We need volunteers in two areas:
1.  Food preparation: we need a team of 5 or 6 people to prepare the casserole on Wednesday December 2nd at 6:30 pm. I will be in the Church hall by 5:00 pm organizing things so that meal prep will go quickly, We choose this time so that we can get some younger volunteers. Please contact me if you are interested in volunteering for this. So far, we have been blessed with volunteers for this. Generally it takes us about 90 to 120 minutes to chop, cook and assemble the casserole.

2. Food serving: We need a team of 3 people to deliver, warm up and serve the food on Saturday December 5th. I plan to be at Gloria Dei to collect the food at 9:00am. I am happy to drive up to St. Gabe's: they have free off-street parking. If you are interested in volunteering for this area of the Mission, please contact me. Expect to return to Gloria Dei between 1:00/1:30 pm. This is an area where we have needed to recruit volunteers.
Christine Pickup
email: cmpickup@gmail.com
mobile phone: 267-216-8332

This discussion examines the contributions of Charles Thomson and Timothy Matlack, whose administrative and intellectual work was essential to the American Revolution yet largely overlooked in traditional stories. By tracing their intertwined careers, Michael Teti will highlight how the Revolution depended not only on celebrated leaders but also on the steady, often invisible labor that made independence possible.

Admission is $12, which includes a drink ticket for a beverage of your choice (alcoholic or non-alcoholic). Advanced tickets are available at a discounted rate of $10 each until the day before the program.

This program will take place inside the church sanctuary, followed by a reception in Riverside Hall. For a modest donation, you can taste delicious gourmet desserts paired with wine, coffee or tea. 

This event is hosted by Preserve Old Swedes. 100% of the funds that we raise from this event will go toward the preservation of Gloria Dei (Old Swedes’) Church and its graveyard.

Please join us on a monthly basis to pack meals for people in need in Kensington. Lunches are packed in Riverside Hall immediately following Sunday services. The meals are then delivered to Prevention Point for distribution. To learn more about the work of Prevention Point, see their website at: https://ppponline.org

Future dates: December 27, January 31, February 28, March 21, April 25, May 23

Save the date and plan to come celebrate a beautiful Swedish tradition in it's 89th year!

Lucia Fest is a colorful, musical pageant, representative of St. Lucia, the bearer of light during the dark Swedish winters. It is a unique opportunity to witness this authentic holiday tradition, performed in a 300-year-old church built by Swedish settlers.

A Scandinavian Christmas bazaar - St. Eric's Fair - will be open throughout the weekend, with imported goods, food & drink available for purchase.

Tickets on sale now -Click here to buy tickets.

Mom was not much of a conversationalist. Her sister Jane more than made up for mom’s silence. Jane would tell me stories of my mom’s family. Jane often remarked on her mother's skill in needlework. Sewing, embroidery, needlepoint, knitting and crocheting, lacework: Nana transformed thread, fabric and yarn into beautiful things. When Nana’s first grandchild was born, she made vestments and altar linens for the Catholic Church where her grandson was baptized. I never saw these vestments or linens. Jane told me that they were beautiful. 

During my visit to Glasgow Scotland, I had the opportunity to visit St. Mungo’s crypt in Glasgow Cathedral. The altar in the crypt was covered with a beautiful patchwork frontal. Seeing this reminded me of Nana’s contribution to a Church more than seventy years ago. I wondered if I could help in making something beautiful to offer our church. I spoke with Reverend Chris about this. He suggested that the project make a set of green vestments and altar linens. He proposed the green theme of creation.

I need some help to create a legacy for our church. I am looking for creatives that could help in designing and sewing a set of vestments and altar linens. Please contact me if you are interested in participating. I will schedule meeting times once we form a team.

Christine Pickup
email: cmpickup@gmail.com
mobile phone: 267-216-8332

Sexton Sideshow presents a tribute to O Brother, Where Art Thou? This is the 8th year for this wildly popular show.  Two nights available - Friday Dec 18 & Saturday, Dec 19. Tickets are $20 in advance, or $25 at the door. 

Rev. Dr. John Craig Roak

John Craig Roak was the son of Amelia Kurtz and David E. Roak. He was born on April 19, 1900. He attended school in Philadelphia. Dr. Roak was trained as an architect, receiving his architectural degree in 1922 from the University of Pennsylvania. However, he worked briefly as an architect before  moving to Waco, Texas to study under Bishop Clinton S. Quinn. Returning to Philadelphia he entered Philadelphia Divinity School earning a bachelor's degree in sacred theology in 1929. Rev. Roak served at the Church of the Resurrection in Mayfair and St. Paul in Overbrook before being named Rector of Gloria Dei in 1932. In 1938 Dr. and Mrs. Roak revived an interest in the Swedish culture, and with the help of Astrid Perry began the Lucia celebration. Rev. Roak was successful in having Gloria Dei Church designated a National Historic Site in 1942 before Independence Hall's designation. During the 1960's Rev. Roak was unsuccessful in the local effort to stop the demolition of over one hundred historic houses near the church due to the construction of I 95. Dr. Roak fought the proposed routing of Interstate 95 along the west bank of the Delaware River which would have been at our front window, if the church would have been allowed to remain. In 1969 the old Guild House was razed and a new multi-use building was constructed. The building was named the Roak House in honor of Rev. Dr. John Craig Roak. Dr. Roak died on January22, 1989 and is buried in the graveyard.

November 1 - All Saints' Sunday
Collect: Almighty God, you have knit together your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of your Son Christ our Lord: Give us grace so to follow your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those ineffable joys that you have prepared for those who truly love you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

Joshua 3:7-4:3
Psalm 34:1-10, 22
1 John 3:1-3
Matthew 5:1-12

November 8 - Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost
Collect: O God, whose blessed Son came into the world that he might destroy the works of the devil and make us children of God and heirs of eternal life: Grant that, having this hope, we may purify ourselves as he is pure; that, when he comes again with power and great glory, we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25
Psalm 78:1-7
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Matthew 25:1-13

November 15 - Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost
Collect: Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Judges 4:1-7
Psalm 123
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
Matthew 25:14-30

November 22 - Last Sunday after Pentecost
Collect: Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24
Psalm 100
Ephesians 1:15-23
Matthew 25:31-46

November 29 - First Sunday of Advent
Collect: Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Isaiah 64:1-9
Psalm 80:1-7, 16-18
1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Mark 13:24-37

Sunday Services are held in-person at Gloria Dei Church every Sunday at 10:00 a.m. Afterwards, join us for coffee and conversation at our Fellowship hour inside Riverside Hall. If you cannot attend in-person, you are welcome to join us on Facebook for the live-stream.

Our service is comprised of uplifting music, Episcopal worship and spiritual/biblical teachings. While we are always a work in progress, Gloria Dei strives to be a place where all will feel welcome in faith and spirit.

As we draw near the end of 2026, the Finance Committee and Vestry are working hard to prepare a budget for 2027. To assist in this process, our stewardship season runs from October 18-November 22nd this year. During these weeks, the congregation is asked to consider how we might contribute (financially and otherwise) to sustaining the ministry of Gloria Dei in the year to come. A letter from Rev. Chris and a stewardship pamphlet are available as you consider. You can contact the church office to request hard copies of these resources; you can also download digital copies from our website. If you have questions about the budget, feel free to reach out to Rev. Chris or members of the Vestry. 

Please return your pledge card (part of the stewardship pamphlet) by the end of the campagin. Then, join us after the service on November 22nd for a communal meal, as we give thanks for the year that is ending and look forward to the year to come.