A dramatic headline or stirring soundbite on the evening news can never do justice to the arduous path that a refugee family must travel enroute to a safe, new home. After spending what can sometimes be a decade or more in a refugee camp, a family must be vetted and approved for resettlement by the UN High Commission for Refugees; travel to an unfamiliar country under the auspices of that nation’s government; and be matched with a local agency that […]

The 2020 Annual Report will be posted as a series of Tenth Press articles over the coming weeks. This is one of those articles. Consisting of both Teaching and Ruling Elders, the Session of Tenth rejoices in the Lord for his continued faithfulness to the congregation throughout 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The elders continue to seek to fulfill their responsibility to provide for the spiritual and administrative concerns of the congregation, and they praise the Lord for the ways […]

I’d like to introduce you to four significant international women. They came from Asia, Europe, and South America and have lived here for thirteen to 30 years. Three were married when they arrived. Two have raised high-needs children. One was not yet a believer when she came. In these past years, they have become vital members of Tenth, ministering with Internationals Outreach. These women have served us with the diaconate, youth group, outreach activities, and as prayer warriors for all […]

For years, my family participated in Mercy Ministries through the second Sunday Community Dinner. Our children are grown and gone, and life has changed. So, when I heard about Tenth’s ministry at the Federal Detention Center at Seventh and Arch Streets and that they needed volunteers, I joined. Of course, I still did not know exactly what I was signing on for. When I took the necessary training to be a participant, it sounded like I might have made a […]

. . . [B]eing no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. James 1:25 Discipleship means becoming Christ-like. But let’s refine that a bit: discipleship is becoming a competent citizen of the gospel within the spiritual kingdom of Christ, until “we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ” (Eph. 4:25). Dr. Kevin Vanhoozer, who will be our guest during the Discipleship Conference June 18-20, describes discipleship as […]

When new contractors and vendors come to visit the Tenth campus, as we show them the way to their work spaces, we often include the sanctuary along the way. Even if it means a more circuitous route, much can be communicated to an outsider about the church simply by standing on the tile and gazing about. Anyone, regardless of their faith background, feels a sense of grandeur, glory, and wonder. In some ways, the room represents the mission of the church, with […]

Desiring to advance the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, we practice responsible stewardship through budgeting priorities in our finances. At the same time, we realize some special interests warrant designated giving, such as our children and youth. Beyond our prayers, beyond our promises at their baptism, funds fuel programs. In the past, these non-budget funds were raised by word-of-mouth to protect special offerings celebrated throughout the year, such as the Easter Sacrificial Offering. This year, the Trustees are opening […]

When you think about your church family, who do you think of? When I answer this question my thoughts drift to our pastors, the people sitting beside me (six feet away) in the pews, those serving alongside me in the nursery, my small group, and my Sunday school class. My mind quickly goes to those I see and talk to regularly. Rarely do I grasp the reality of just how big my Church family is. Every Sunday at Tenth, we […]

The outreach to immigrants, South Philadelphia English at Kirkbride (SPEAK), serves its adults utilizing ESL strategies to teach digital English lessons, verses, and stories from the Bible. Over the past year, we have experienced quite a journey. Since the original ESL program for adults at the Kirkbride School (February 2019-March 2020) was taking place during school hours, we were not permitted to share our Christian faith. We couldn’t pray with our adults or include Bible stories in the curriculum. March […]