On the recordJune 20, 2019
It is my great honor to welcome today's guest chaplain, who is from my district. Father Shaw is the rector of the historic African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas in Philadelphia. The church was founded in 1729 as the first black church in the Episcopal Church in the United States. It is also the oldest African American church in Philadelphia. I have known Father Shaw for many, many years. More recently, I had the pleasure of working closely with him in the Together for West Philadelphia initiative, which recently celebrated its first year of working to improve health and reduce poverty for the residents of West Philadelphia. That is just one example from his long record of working for social justice. I know Father Shaw has previously lived in Detroit and Chicago, but I am glad that he has chosen to live where America began, in the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection. ____________________
