Clergy & Staff
At Holy Apostles, we believe in the priesthood of all believers. This means that all baptized members of Christ’s Church have an active role to play in the community of faith.
The leadership of this church includes the bishop, the Rt. Rev. Daniel G. P. Gutiérrez, who leads the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania (which includes Philadelphia & the surrounding region). Our rector, the Rev. James Stambaugh, is the bishop’s sacramental delegate, and the person who has been chosen to be a sign of the worship and ministry that is shared by all members of the parish. Further, the parish is led by a council of baptized Christians called the vestry. Visit the Bishop’s Page on the Episcopal Diocese of PA Website.
Rector
The Reverend James R. Stambaugh is the 5th Rector of Church of the Holy Apostles, and the congregation’s 6th lead clergy person. (Rector a name given to a priest who is in charge of a congregation).
James graduated with a degree of Master of Divinity from the Virginia Theological Seminary. Before seminary, he taught 9th grade at a Christian high school, worked for a nonprofit Christian mission organization, and was a stay-at-home dad. James is passionate about spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ, and helping to foster a joyous community of love, forgiveness, faith, and prayer.
James is married and is the proud father of two children. He enjoys reading, writing, contemporary art, and cooking with his family and friends. His writing and research interests include Christian mission, systematic theology, poetry, and the intersection of faith with literature, the visual arts, and music.
Connect with Fr. James: rector@holyapostlespa.org
Vestry
The vestry of Church of the Holy Apostles consists of leaders elected from the congregation to help guide the parish, work with the rector to facilitate worship, outreach, and mission, as well as administrate parish business, finances and building maintenance. Vestry elections are held during the annual meeting each January to fill vacating terms.
Vestry 2025
Drew Meiers
Jean Gentile, Senior Warden
Nancy Haas, Clerk of the Vestry
Judy Jervis
Suzanne Lees
Hu Peck
Patty Wertz
Susanne Wherry, Accounting Warden
Joe Zorc
To contact a member of vestry please send a request to the church email: office@holyapostlespa.org
Staff
Minister of Music - Jake Leonowitz
Jacob Leonowitz has been a church musician since 2010, having started his career at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Morgantown. Since then, he has also served Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Pittsburgh, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Honey Brook, Frieden’s United Church of Christ in Oley, and, most recently, St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church in Douglassville. In these endeavors, Jake has enjoyed not only providing organ and piano music for worship, but directing choirs, working with youth, arranging special musicians and music offerings, and participating in committees to improve the worship experience of parishioners.
In addition to his work in church music, Jake is a music educator. Since 2016, he has served as the 7-12 Strings/Orchestra Director for the Governor Mifflin School District in Shillington. In his time there, he has established two new honors level string ensembles and presided over an increase in the number of students involved in the program. Jake also teaches performing arts electives at the high school level, including courses in music theory, music history, piano, and theater arts. Further, Jake is an advisor to the theater program at Governor Mifflin, having conducted, music directed, and stage directed several of their shows over the last 9 years.
Jake has had involvement in over 40 theater productions in various stage, behind-the-scenes, and directorial roles. These productions have been in both school programs and community theaters. Most recently, he has had involvement with Steel River Playhouse in Pottstown. Jake also frequently plays viola with the Chester County Pops and Berks Sinfonietta, and is often contracted as a piano accompanist.
He holds a B.S. in Music Education from Duquesne University and an M.M. in Music Education from West Chester University with a research concentration. As part of his Masters program, he produced a research study on the effects of learned practice regulatory behaviors on practice time and effectiveness.
Connect with Jake: music@holyapostlespa.org
Parish Administrator - Katie Gentile
Born in the Philadelphia area, Katie met her husband Jean-Laurent at The Church of St John Lower Merion while singing in the choir together and they were married at St John’s in 1992. Katie & Jean spent much of their married life in Northern Virginia and Central Florida (by way of Ohio) before returning to Pennsylvania in the Fall of 2019. They are known throughout Holy Apostles for their love of pet-sitting other people’s dogs, and now have their own dog as well - Lula.
Katie filled the role of Parish Admin as a volunteer beginning in March 2020. She accepted the official part-time position in August 2021.
Connect with Katie: office@holyapostlespa.org
