On February 1, the Rev. Sarah Gordy, becomes vicar of the Episcopal Church of the Holy Apostles at Brighton & Fries Roads in Tonawanda.

A small congregation has been worshipping there weekly since last December when former the clergy and congregation, known as St. Batholomew’s Episcopal Church, chose to depart from the Episcopal Church.

With Bishop Garrison's blessing, Sarah's intent is to grow "an inclusive and challenging Christian community at Holy Apostles, firmly rooted in an atmosphere of openness and safety…"

On February 1, Sarah Gordy will step through a set of familiar doors—the doors of the church located at Brighton and Fries Roads, Tonawanda. The doors are familiar to her because the building is the one in which she spent Sunday mornings for the first thirteen years of her life. But beyond those familiar doors now lies new, largely uncharted territory.

The now Rev. Sarah Gordy will be vicar of the newly forming faith community called Holy Apostles.

She will live in the neighboring vicarage. Since her 2006 graduation from Virginia Theological Seminary, Sarah has served as curate at Trinity, Buffalo. Holy Apostles is her first independent assignment.

When the clergy and the majority of members of St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church vacated the building at Brighton and Fries,“ says Bishop J. Michael Garrison, “the diocese decided to maintain a presence in Tonawanda. Because the former congregation took the St. Bart’s name to their new affiliation, it was determined that we wanted to begin fresh with a new name.” 

Episcopal Church of the Holy Apostles is named for the sanctuary’s twelve stained glass windows that depict Jesus’ disciples. The name was chosen by Bishop Garrison with the consent of the temporary advisory council, established in December after the former congregation departed from the Episcopal Church. The diocese has committed to supporting Holy Apostles for six months, and an evaluation of progress is scheduled for May.

"We’re treating this as a church plant,” reports the Bishop.

“The prospect of leading my own church is one part exciting, one part daunting. The fact that Holy Apostles is, for all intents and purposes, a church plant just seems to up the ante in each category. There are opportunities that I never expected to be faced with—a tabula rasa when it comes to liturgical style, community gatherings and all of the quirky traditions that come with each parish. Some of the issues and potential drawbacks of leading a small, well-established congregation do not exist, and yet there are other issues I could never have dreamed up myself.
 
“Perhaps because Holy Apostles is the first new Episcopal community in our diocese in some time, the outpouring of goodwill and assistance has been notable, and I’d like to say, gratefully accepted.”
 
Sarah says, “Holy Apostles is like a new family in an old house; there may be friends and neighbors who know how it had been, but the reality is that something new is happening.”

Canon Tori Duncan, in her role as Canon for the Development of Mission & Ministry, has arranged for the Rev. Thomas Brackett to come to Buffalo later this month to provide Sarah an intensive day of training. Brackett serves as The Episcopal Church’s program officer for church planting and redevelopment. After their meeting, he’ll continue mentoring Sarah and connect her with others around the country pursuing similar ministries.
 
“I am grateful for my many mentors who are going to be walking this road with me, advising me in everything from administration to emergent church growth,” says Sarah. “It is my hope to grow an inclusive and challenging Christian community at Holy Apostles, firmly rooted in an atmosphere of openness and safety where people are invited to explore their personal relationship to God even as they encounter God within community to the purpose of living lives of ever increasing integrity and stewardship to self, other, creation, and God.”

To those who may once have attended St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, Sarah says, “Me Too! And welcome to Holy Apostles—for you are welcome. This isn’t the church you knew. Holy Apostles is something new, something different, so be ready for it!”