About Church of the Holy Apostles, Episcopal/Catholic Church · Virginia Beach, Virginia
The Church of the Holy Apostles in Virginia Beach, Virginia is one of the most distinctive Christian communities in the United States: a fully shared Episcopal and Roman Catholic parish, jointly recognized by the Catholic Diocese of Richmond and the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia. Established in 1977, it gathers for one Sunday worship service at 10:30 a.m. that contains two liturgies — a Roman Catholic Mass and an Episcopal Holy Eucharist — so that interfaith and same-faith families can worship together. The parish describes itself as 'a visible sign of Christian unity' and 'a living sign of the Church's efforts toward organic unity,' drawing on more than two decades of ecumenical dialogue between the Anglican and Roman Catholic traditions.
- Established
- 1977
- Patron
- The Holy Apostles (tied to the parish's identity as an ecumenical sign of apostolic unity between the Anglican and Roman Catholic traditions)
- Rector
- Rev. Msgr. Raphael A. Owusu Peprah, V.F. (Roman Catholic Chaplain); Rev. Marie Kirk-Clunan (Episcopal Priest)
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Richmond (Roman Catholic side) and Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia (Episcopal side); the parish is in Deanery 2 of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond
Why belong here
Holy Apostles exists so that interfaith and same-faith families — especially Episcopal/Catholic households — can worship, serve, and grow together without having to divide themselves. The single Sunday service weaves a Roman Catholic Mass and an Episcopal Holy Eucharist into one cohesive liturgy, and the parish lives out its unity through a deep bench of practical outreach: utility and rent assistance, a Manna Pantry referred through Virginia Beach Human Services, and donations supporting homeless shelters, Edmarc Children's Hospice, NAMI, Catholic Relief Services, and Episcopal Relief and Development. Members also form an active Social Justice League working on nonviolence, racial equity, immigration, environmental justice, and caregiver support, and an Adult Christian Formation program that includes Bible study, Theology on Tap, JustFaith, and a Fire & Ice summer series. For anyone seeking a Christ-centered community that is 'eucharistically centered, intent on mission, involved in shared ministry, creative in the liturgy, and ecumenically optimistic,' this is a rare and welcoming home.
Mass times at Church of the Holy Apostles, Episcopal/Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
History of the Church of the Holy Apostles
The parish was conceived in 1974 in a conversation between Bishop Walter F. Sullivan of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond and Bishop David S. Rose of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia. After three years of work, the founding 'Summary Statement of Joint Committee for A/RC Parish' was published on All Saints Day, 1 November 1977, and the Rev. Donald W. Gross (Episcopalian) and the Rev. Raymond A. Barton (Roman Catholic) were installed as co-pastors. The first home was the school chapel at the James Barry Robinson Home for Boys in Norfolk; the community later shared space with St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Norfolk before moving to its present building in the Green Run section of Virginia Beach, made possible by $60,000 raised in four weeks and a joint two-thirds ownership gift from the two dioceses. The building has since been enlarged, and the parish continues to live out its founding vision of organic Christian unity.
- Conceived: 1974 (conversation between Bishop Sullivan and Bishop Rose)
- Founded: 1 November 1977 (All Saints Day)
- First co-pastors: Rev. Donald W. Gross (Episcopal) and Rev. Raymond A. Barton (Roman Catholic)
- First home: James Barry Robinson Home for Boys chapel, Norfolk
- Second home: St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Norfolk
- Current home: 1593 Lynnhaven Parkway, Green Run, Virginia Beach
Mission, Vision, and Identity
Holy Apostles describes itself as a Christ-centered community called to be 'a living sign of the Church's efforts toward organic unity.' The parish commits to sharing the gifts of ministry, building community through shared needs and gifts, nurturing members in faith and tradition, and celebrating renewed life together in worship and fellowship. Its 1977 Summary Statement principle — 'to do all things together which deep conviction does not require us to do separately' — still guides the parish today.
- Eucharistically centered
- Intent on mission
- Involved in shared ministry
- Creative in the liturgy
- Expressive in total stewardship
- Committed to Christian education and formation
- Ecumenically optimistic
Worship — One Service, Two Liturgies
Each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. the community gathers for a single worship service that contains two distinct liturgies: a Roman Catholic Mass and an Episcopal Holy Eucharist. This format is the heart of the parish's ecumenical identity, allowing interfaith and same-faith families to remain together at one altar. The service is livestreamed on the parish's Facebook page — no Facebook account is required to watch — and the parish is also listed among the online worship services of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia. Holy Day Mass is celebrated at 7:00 PM. A special welcome is extended to active-duty and retired military families seeking a new church home.
- Sunday Worship: 10:30 AM (one service, two liturgies)
- Holy Day Mass: 7:00 PM
- Livestream: Facebook (churchoftheholyapostles/videos)
- Welcome Military program for active duty and retired
Clergy and Leadership
The parish is jointly shepherded by clergy from both traditions. The Roman Catholic Chaplain is the Rev. Msgr. Raphael A. Owusu Peprah, V.F., who also serves as Pastor of St. Luke, Virginia Beach. The Episcopal Priest is the Rev. Marie Kirk-Clunan. Deacon Gary Harmeyer serves as the Roman Catholic Senior Pastoral Associate. The parish is governed by a Vestry Council — combining the Episcopal 'Vestry' and the Roman Catholic 'Council' — responsible for the oversight and management of the congregation.
- Rev. Msgr. Raphael A. Owusu Peprah, V.F. — Roman Catholic Chaplain
- Rev. Marie Kirk-Clunan — Episcopal Priest
- Deacon Gary Harmeyer — Roman Catholic Senior Pastoral Associate
- Vestry Council (joint governance)
Formation and Spiritual Life
Holy Apostles nurtures the faith of its members through Bible Study on Tuesdays from 10:00–11:00 AM (September through May) and Adult Christian Formation held after Sunday services from September through May. During the summer the community gathers for the Fire & Ice summer series, Theology on Tap, and JustFaith ministry programs.
- Bible Study — Tuesdays 10:00–11:00 AM (Sept–May)
- Adult Christian Formation — after Sunday services (Sept–May)
- Fire & Ice summer series
- Theology on Tap
- JustFaith ministry
Fellowship and Community Life
Hospitality is woven into Sunday mornings with a coffee hour after the service, and the parish meets on Thursday mornings from 9:00–11:00 AM for crafting fellowship — making PLARN (plastic yarn) mats for PiN Ministries while enjoying conversation and laughter. The parish also runs a Terra Cycle recycling program.
- Coffee hour after Sunday services
- Thursday PLARN mat crafting for PiN Ministries (9:00–11:00 AM)
- Terra Cycle recycling program
Outreach and Social Ministry
Holy Apostles reaches beyond its walls through a wide range of social ministry partnerships and direct aid. The Social Ministry channel directs donations to homeless shelters, Edmarc Children's Hospice, autism ministries, NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), Catholic Relief Services (CRS), and Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD). The Manna Pantry distributes food by referral from the Virginia Beach Department of Human Services, and the Utility & Rent Assistance program (2nd and 4th Wednesdays, 11:00 AM–1:00 PM as of February 12, 2025) pledges up to $50 per family per year for utility bills (water, electric, gas, HRSD) and up to $100 per family per year for rent, for Virginia Beach residents.
- Social Ministry: Homeless Shelters, Edmarc Children's Hospice, Autism, NAMI, Catholic Relief Services, Episcopal Relief and Development
- Manna Pantry (by referral from VB Dept. of Human Services)
- Utility & Rent Assistance: 2nd & 4th Wednesdays, 11:00 AM–1:00 PM
- $50/year/family utility assistance; $100/year/family rent assistance
Social Justice League
Formed in 2023, the Social Justice League (SJL) is the parish's structured response to six contemporary concerns: Nonviolence, Racial Equity and Justice, Mental Health, Immigration, Environmental Justice, and Caregiver Support. The SJL welcomes contact at its parish email and is one of the newer expressions of Holy Apostles' long-standing commitment to ecumenical and social witness.
- Nonviolence
- Racial Equity and Justice
- Mental Health
- Immigration
- Environmental Justice
- Caregiver Support
Christian Unity and Ecumenical Engagement
Beyond Sunday worship, Holy Apostles is institutionally engaged in Christian unity. The parish is a member of the Christian Ecumenical Network (CEN) and of Virginia LARCUM (Lutheran, Anglican, Roman Catholic, United Methodist). Over the decades, members and clergy have served on diocesan ecumenical commissions, the Virginia Council of Churches, and state and local planning committees for Lutheran–Anglican–Roman Catholic conferences, and have presented at workshops on Christian unity around the region.
- Christian Ecumenical Network (CEN)
- Virginia LARCUM (Lutheran, Anglican, Roman Catholic, United Methodist)
- Diocesan ecumenical commissions
- Virginia Council of Churches
Plan a Visit — Location, Hours, and Contact
The Church of the Holy Apostles is located at 1593 Lynnhaven Parkway in the Green Run section of Virginia Beach, VA 23453. The parish office is open Monday through Thursday, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, and can be reached at (757) 427-0963 (fax 757-427-9434) or by email. Sunday worship is at 10:30 AM, in person or via livestream on the parish's Facebook page. The parish belongs jointly to the Catholic Diocese of Richmond and the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia.
- Address: 1593 Lynnhaven Parkway, Virginia Beach, VA 23453
- Phone: (757) 427-0963
- Fax: (757) 427-9434
- Office Hours: Mon–Thurs 9:00 AM–3:00 PM
- Sunday Service: 10:30 AM
- Livestream: facebook.com/churchoftheholyapostles/videos
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Raymond A. Barton (Roman Catholic) and Rev. Donald W. Gross (Episcopalian)1977 (installed as first co-pastors on All Saints Day, 1 November 1977)
Installed as co-pastors at the founding of the parish. Within one year, the congregation presented a ratified constitution to the bishops.
- Rev. Msgr. Raphael A. Owusu Peprah, V.F.
Current Roman Catholic Chaplain; also serves as Pastor of St. Luke, Virginia Beach. Named chaplain in addition to his pastor role in a 2021 assignment.