History

 

Church of the Holy Spirit is a growing and enthusiastic congregation of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania located approximately 35 miles northwest of Philadelphia in the exurban area known as the Indian Valley.

  • Portals, 1997 By Juanita Yoder

    The beautiful silk banners hanging in the sanctuary are called Portals, by local artist Juanita Yoder. Portals, two paintings on silk, are one of Juanita Yoder’s larger silk creations. These two pieces are 126″ x 56″ each, and reflect her thoughts as she imagines the various dialogues that might take place in a spiritual center, such as Church of the Holy Spirit. The geometric shapes within the paintings share and blur boundaries as they exchange color. Bright gold spills down over the pieces and seems to come from somewhere beyond the top edges, and swirling brushwork creates a sense of rhythm and motion.

    The pieces were originally designed for celebration and exhibition in the Chapel of the Interchurch Center, in New York City’s upper west side, during 1997.

    The banners were seen by Church of the Holy Spirit’s founding vicar, the Rev. Anne Ritchings, and were purchased and installed in our sanctuary in 1998. Visitors and members of the church often think that the paintings were designed specifically for our worship space due to the use of colors and shapes represented in our stained glass window.

    Juanita Yoder’s art can be viewed at http://juanitayoder.com/

  • In 1999, our beautiful stained glass window, designed by the Beyer Studio of Philadelphia won the “Best of Show” award by Ministry and Liturgy Magazine. To view the photo gallery, visit http://www.beyerstudio.com/portfoliomodern.php?jawn=HSHP

  • The labyrinth at the Church of the Holy Spirit is modeled after the labyrinth found at Chartres in France. It is painted on the Church’s patio and is available for use, weather permitting, at any time.

    The labyrinth is an ancient spiritual tool, a walking meditation, a path of prayer. Walking the labyrinth can reduce stress, quiet the mind, open the heart, and bring one closer to God. People walk the labyrinth to heal, to be enriched in the spiritual life, seeking peace, seeking insight. The labyrinth can be a transformational tool, opening us to change in our spirit, in our minds, seeking insight.

History: Church of the Holy Spirit is still a “young” church. It was planted as a mission by the Diocese in the early 1990s, although the planning had been ongoing for a number of years. In September 1992, with the support of Bishop Allen Bartlett and the leadership of the Diocese, Archdeacon John E. Midwood developed a Mission Statement which anticipated that the new congregation would draw people from Salford, Upper and Lower Salford, Lower Frederick and Franconia Townships. In September 1993, a group of 39 people, led by founding Vicar, the Rev. F. Anne Ritchings, met at Good Shepherd Church in Hilltown to prepare for the opening of the new mission church. Church of the Holy Spirit was the name decided upon, since it was felt that the Holy Spirit truly was instrumental in the formation of the church. The first service was held 3 months later in a rented storefront in Harleysville. By the end of the second year, a second store was rented to expand the sanctuary and provide some much needed classroom areas. Soon after, the property at Barndt Road and Sumneytown Pike was purchased, plans were drawn and building began.

The church building was designed by Lederach Associates to stylistically complement the many old barns in the rural community. It was built by Paul F. Detweiler & Sons Construction using state-of-the-art wall systems and including an environmentally-friendly geo-thermal heating and cooling system. The flexible interior space allows the sanctuary to be re-configured for worship and events; the adjacent parish hall encourages guests to understand that the hospitality of Jesus Christ extends from our worship to all of our gatherings. From its beginning, Church of the Holy Spirit has made a commitment to excellence in worship and music. The church purchased the magnificent Tracker/Dobson organ from Mrs. Richard (“Buncey”) Brooks of Doylestown, Pennsylvania, one of our parishioners. It was installed and dedicated in 1997.

On December 21, 1997, the first service was held in the new sanctuary. On April 26, 1998, the Dedication and Consecration of the church building took place. Church of the Holy Spirit had moved from conception to consecration in just five years!

Church of the Holy Spirit sits on a small portion of a nearly 30-acre property. In late 1998 a Bird Sanctuary was created in conjunction with the Unami chapter of the Audubon Society.

Following several years of growth, the mission encountered a time of uncertainty following the retirement of its founding vicar, the Rev. F. Anne Ritchings. Following a lengthy interim, Church of the Holy Spirit called a new rector, the Rev. Kathryn Andonian, in June 2004. Since that time, the parish has prayerfully and energetically engaged creative change with growth in the congregation, ministries and stewardship. COHS was admitted as a parish at the Diocesan Convention in 2010. In 2023, the church will celebrate its 30th Anniversary!

In 2018, we embarked upon a re-visioning and planning endeavor involving the entire congregation. The outcome was the decision to undertake a major capital campaign of $1.5 -$1.7million to add a 5000 square foot program wing that includes classrooms/meeting rooms, a new parish hall, a new kitchen, additional bathrooms, and more parking. Following delays related to the COVID-19 pandemic, we broke ground on the building expansion in September 2021 and celebrated the completion in June 2023. During this time, we have also refreshed the sanctuary with new paint, reupholstered the chairs, and upgraded the A/V system

COHS also has a strong commitment to the care of creation which we practice through the stewardship and preservation of our nearly 30-acre property. In 2021, we planted 50 new trees through a partnership with the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy and TreeVitalize; we hope to expand this replanting in 2023 and beyond. We are also embarking upon a project to renovate our planting beds with native species to provide a welcoming environment for the creatures of God’s earth!

COHS continues to be a thriving, active, faithful church community!