St. Matthew's Episcopal Church sits on a wooded ten-acre stretch of Tennis Avenue in Maple Glen, a quiet residential community in eastern Montgomery County, and draws members from Ambler, Maple Glen, Horsham, Hatboro, Dresher, Fort Washington, Willow Grove, Montgomeryville, Lansdale, Blue Bell, and Warrington. About 300 active members make up the parish, with an average of 150 attending each Sunday. The congregation worships in three very different Sunday liturgies under the leadership of the Rev. Rodney Roehner, who became rector in December 2020, and it has run an ecclesiastically sponsored preschool on its grounds for more than three decades. A tradition of lay-led outreach, from a 24-hour Little Food Pantry on the main drive to scholarship support for an Anglican school in Kenya, sits alongside an unusually wide range of musical styles in the sanctuary.
Three Sunday Mornings at St. Matthew's
The Sunday schedule is built to span the breadth of the Anglican tradition without leaving the parish. The day begins at 7:45 a.m. with a spoken Rite I Holy Eucharist in the sanctuary. There is no music at this service; the congregation follows the historic prayer book language of the Episcopal tradition in quiet and unhurried form, and the liturgy runs about forty-five minutes.
At 9 a.m. the pews fill for the parish's most-attended service, a Rite II Holy Eucharist in modern English from the Book of Common Prayer. The contemporary music is led by the Arise Music Team, whose instruments and voices have shaped this liturgy since 1999. The service is also livestreamed, and recordings remain in an archive.
At 10:30 a.m. the same prayer book shape returns, this time with organ and the parish choir, and during the summer months the organ alone carries the music. Between the 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services the parish hall hosts Coffee Hour, a long-standing weekly gathering of newcomers and regulars over light refreshments. All three Sunday liturgies are anchored around the proclamation of God's Word in Scripture and in the Holy Eucharist.
The Music: From Arise Band to Choral Tradition
Music is one of the ways St. Matthew's makes Anglican worship feel both rooted and current. The Arise Music Ministry leads the 9 a.m. contemporary service and rehearses on Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m. Complete with keyboards, guitar, bass, drums, flute, and vocals, the band has been a fixture of the parish since the late 1990s, when rector David Robinson helped launch it alongside a more traditional service that highlights organ and choral music.
The adult choir sings at the 10:30 a.m. service from the Sunday after Labor Day through Trinity Sunday in mid-June, with rehearsals on Thursday evenings at 7 p.m. A handchime ensemble rehearses in the sanctuary on Tuesday mornings. Together with the Arise Band, the choir gives St. Matthew's a musical range not commonly found in many Episcopal churches.
A Midweek Eucharist and Thursday Morning Prayer
Beyond Sunday morning, the parish gathers twice more during the week. On Wednesdays at noon, a Holy Eucharist with Healing Prayers is offered in the sanctuary, a quiet communion service that pairs the Eucharist with the laying on of hands and prayers for those in need of healing. On Thursdays at 9 a.m., a virtual Morning Prayer group meets over Zoom and welcomes newcomers; the link is shared through the parish calendar. A book group gathers in the parish hall on select Wednesday evenings for shared reading and conversation.
Children, Youth, and the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Christian formation for children runs through the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, which St. Matthew's has used for more than thirty years. Rooted in the educational philosophy of Maria Montessori, the program nurtures each child's relationship with God through specially chosen materials, prayer, song, Bible stories, and spiritual self-exploration; one of its phrases sums up the method: "Help me come closer to God by myself." Children from age 3 through Grade 5 meet on Sunday mornings from 9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. during the school year, in three levels: Level 1 (ages 3 to pre-K) in the last room on the left in the office hallway, Level 2 (Kindergarten through 2nd grade) behind partitions in the parish hall, and Level 3 (3rd through 5th grade) in the last room on the right in the office hallway. Newcomers can start at any point during the program year by reaching out to Linda Baier.
For middle-schoolers, the parish offers Decision Point at 9 a.m. on most Sunday mornings during the school year. The curriculum, Weaving God's Promises, is a three-year Episcopal program that weaves Episcopal history and theology into engaging activities, with special sessions for the seasons of the church year and a focus on social justice and life in community. Confirmation preparation, both for adults and for youth in 8th grade or older, includes sessions with clergy and mentors and a service component of ten or more hours. Vacation Bible School is a vibrant weeklong offering during the summer for children in the wider community, and middle-schoolers are invited to a Summer Service Camp that pairs VBS mornings with afternoon activities in the neighborhood.
St. Matthew's Preschool
St. Matthew's Preschool (also called the Nursery School) has been part of the church's ministry for more than thirty years. Sponsored by the parish but open to the public, the fee-based, non-profit school serves children from age 2½ through 5 in classes that run September through June. Enrollment sits at about 120 children with more than twenty teachers, enrichment teachers, and aides, and every class is staffed by a certified teacher and an aide.
Programs are organized by age: a 2½-Year-Old Class, a 3-Year-Old Class, and a Pre-Kindergarten Class, with two-, three-, four-, and five-day options and morning, afternoon, and full-day schedules. Every class participates in weekly Music (taught by Mrs. Martha Reynolds), twice-monthly Gym Class, monthly Chapel in the church with the rector, and, for the 4-year-old and Pre-K classes, weekly Library time with student library cards. Optional enrichment classes include Mathemagic, Kids in Motion, Science, Reading Writing & Fun, Kreative Kids, STEAM, and Sense-ational Art, and an optional Lunch Bunch program keeps children until 3 p.m. for an extra fee. A 20% sibling discount applies to the second child's tuition, and the school prides itself on welcoming children with individualized education plans, working closely with county agencies including the MCIU's Office of Early Childhood Services. The preschool was licensed by the state during Fr. Rodney's tenure.
Reaching Out Across Eastern Montgomery County
The Outreach Committee organizes much of the parish's response to needs nearby and far away, working in tandem with the rector. On the main drive of the campus, the Little Food Pantry offers 24-hour access to non-perishable food and toiletry items for anyone in the community who stops by. On the third Sunday of each month, the Feed the Hungry offering benefits the Cecil and Grace Bean Soup Kitchen at St. John's Episcopal Church in nearby Norristown. Parishioners also give ongoing help to the Mattie Dixon Community Cupboard, based in Ambler.
Broader drives happen in partnership with other congregations. Clothing Drives are held with member congregations of the Horsham Interfaith Coalition, including emergency collections such as the one for Afghan refugees in 2021. School Supply Drives each summer gather supplies for elementary schools in Norristown and Philadelphia. After storms and wildfires, the parish collects resources to send to affected areas. In December, Operation Bear Hug collects, packages, and personally delivers stuffed bears to people in local hospitals, nursing homes, and shut-ins.
St. Matthew's is also a primary supporter of scholarship opportunities for an Anglican school in the Diocese of Kitali in Kenya, helping many students, mostly teen girls, graduate high school. Closer to home, parishioners volunteer and tutor aid St. James School, a private Episcopal middle school in an underserved section of Philadelphia. The parish contributes to the United Thank Offering, a bi-annual Episcopal Church-wide program that supports worthy projects throughout the national church, and runs a Lenten Fundraiser each year for a specific cause. Project Roadmap, hosted on the parish's grounds, is a monthly meeting sponsored by the Horsham Interfaith Coalition that offers information on healthcare, PECO, the Horsham Library, Montgomery County programs, and pharmacy help.
Pastoral Care, Fellowship, and Getting Involved
An Inreach Committee and a Pastoral Care Visitation Team keep close tabs on members who are sick, shut-in, or recovering from surgery, visiting, calling, sending messages, and delivering meals, and several team members bring Holy Communion to those unable to attend church. A Memorial Garden on the east side of the parish hall, consecrated in 1990, holds the cremated remains of more than eighty parishioners; a Memorial Garden Committee tends the grounds, and ashes are buried without a container in one-foot-square plots.
Beyond Sunday Coffee Hour, the Fellowship Committee plans gatherings that bring the parish and preschool families together. Recurring favorites include a Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper, an Easter Egg Hunt, Spring Fest, Trunk or Treat in the fall, and the annual St. Matthew's Day celebration in September. Men of the parish meet for breakfast on the second Saturday of each month (excluding July and August) for food, fellowship, and conversation on a Christian topic; Knit Wits gathers for crafting and company; and the ECW (Episcopal Church Women) meets regularly in the parish hall.
Children and adults alike find places to serve. Acolytes assist the clergy at the altar. Altar Guild prepares the church for worship, readying the altar, flowers, linens, vestments, and vessels. Lectors read the Scripture lessons and lead the Prayers of the People during services. The Arise Music Ministry, the choir, and the handchime ensemble all welcome new participants. A Welcome Committee greets newcomers, answers questions, and follows up with newcomer and new-member dinners and courses. The Stewardship Committee plans the annual pledge drive, and the Property Committee maintains the buildings and grounds. Cub Scout Pack 405 and the Baden-Powell District also meet on the campus during the week.
What Episcopalians at St. Matthew's Believe
As Episcopalians, members of St. Matthew's hold that the Old and New Testaments contain all things necessary for Christian life and practice. They worship one God in three Persons, praying to the Father through the Son by the Holy Spirit, and they take part in the two sacraments ordained by Christ, Baptism and the Eucharist, through the ministry of the apostolic orders. The parish understands itself as part of the one Body of Christ composed of Churches that, united under the headship of Jesus, are in the fellowship of the one holy catholic and apostolic Church throughout the ages, and it affirms the apostolic succession of bishops.
St. Matthew's holds the one Faith revealed in Holy Scripture and defined in the creeds as established by the seven Great Ecumenical Councils. The parish belongs to the worldwide Anglican Communion under the leadership of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and its members pray for the healing of the Church's divisions and for the reunification of the Body of Christ.
Sacraments and Life Events
St. Matthew's walks alongside members and neighbors at every major threshold. Holy Baptism, the full incorporation by water and the Holy Spirit into Christ's Body, the Church, is especially encouraged on the Baptism of our Lord, during the Easter season, on Pentecost, and on All Saints' Sunday, though baptisms may be celebrated at other times outside of Advent and Lent. The parish prepares adults and youth for Confirmation, in which the Bishop lays hands on the candidate and prays for strength and guidance.
Marriage is understood as a sacramental lifelong union, and pre-marital counseling with the clergy is required. The funeral liturgy draws on the Burial of the Dead from the Book of Common Prayer, with Holy Eucharist and the Committal at the graveside. Cremation is fully accepted; ashes may be placed in the Memorial Garden on the parish grounds, or the family may choose another resting place. There are no fees to use the church for a funeral, though honoraria for clergy and fees for musicians are customary, and a donation is appreciated if the parish hall is used for a reception. The parish encourages members to plan ahead, both for the body's disposition and through the making of a will.
Planning a Visit
The parish campus sits at 919 Tennis Avenue in Maple Glen, with two parking lots on the main drive. The upper lot, visible from Tennis Avenue on the right as you enter, is the closest access to the sanctuary and parish hall and is the easiest path for those needing handicapped access. The lower lot, at the bottom of the drive, also reaches the sanctuary and the preschool.
Sunday services typically last about an hour. There is no dress code, and visitors are welcome to wear whatever is comfortable. Children ages 3 through Grade 5 may attend the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Sunday School from 9 to 10:15 a.m. during the school year, and Grades 6-8 are invited to Decision Point at the same hour. A hearing loop system transmits sound directly to hearing aids and cochlear implants, and wheelchair access is available throughout the sanctuary.
The parish office is open Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and can be reached at 215-646-4092 or by email. The 9 a.m. Sunday service is livestreamed for those at home or traveling, and recordings remain in the archive. Coffee Hour in the parish hall at 10 a.m. is a friendly way to meet people between services, and newcomers are always warmly welcomed.