~ the e-SPIRE Newsletter ~
December 17, 2017: The Third Sunday of Advent
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For a complete schedule of special Advent and Christmas events and services at St. Philip's,
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The Rector's Letter to the Parish
Regarding Stewardship
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“Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other. And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built.”
(Nehemiah 4:17-18)
Dear St. Philip’s Family,
The Old Testament Book of Nehemiah describes the Jewish community struggling to maintain its identity as the people of the Lord in the midst of an unbelieving and hostile culture. Returning to their homeland after seventy years in Babylonian exile, the Jews found their once great city of Jerusalem in ruins and its impressive wall a heap of rubble. It was Nehemiah’s task, as governor, to oversee the rebuilding of the wall and the restoration of the city, and it was a challenging task to say the least. Not only had the buildings been completely destroyed, but there was such intense opposition to the work from the surrounding tribes and nations that Nehemiah and his companions had to go about the work with one hand on the trowel and the other on the sword.
Today, we find ourselves in a similar situation. As the legal battle between the Diocese and TEC continues, we the people of St. Philip’s must continue to be about the work of building the kingdom of God in Charleston. We must continue to have one hand on the sword, but we must also keep one hand on the trowel. Many wonderful things are happening in our parish. A spirit of joy and anticipation permeates Sunday morning worship, Bible studies and small group gatherings are plentiful and well-attended, our youth group and youth confirmation classes are reaching young people from all over Charleston, our missions committee is active and engaged in taking the Gospel to foreign lands, and the list goes on. The Holy Spirit is doing a great work in our midst and His presence is palpable!
Therefore, let me encourage you to continue supporting St. Philip’s throughout the remainder of this year and into 2018. Despite the uncertainty raised by the legal battle, I can assure you that the money that you give to St. Philip’s is used to carry on the Gospel work. The tithes and offerings of our parishioners pay the staff salaries, electric bills, maintenance costs, and mission work of the parish, and there is no excess. What comes in every month is used every month right here in the parish. The Vestry and I take seriously the stewardship of the financial resources you entrust to our care, and we promise to use them always for the glory of Christ and His kingdom.
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The deadline to submit Christmas Flower
dedication information is
THIS FRIDAY
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If you would like to make a contribution to the Christmas Flower Fund as a memorial or in thanksgiving for a loved one, please click the link below and submit your information by Friday, Dec. 15. You may pay online through the My St. Philip's portal of our website, stphilipschurchsc.org, or you may drop off a check payable to St. Philip's Church at the church office or mail it to:
St. Philip's Church
Attn: Juli Garland
142 Church St.
Charleston, SC 29401
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Second Annual Advent Drop-In With the Millers Tops the First
by St. Philip's Staff
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Although it was a tall order to beat the success of last year’s Advent Drop-In at the Rectory—after all, both events had high attendance numbers, beautifully festive decorations, and flowing egg nog (which led to flowing conversation)—this year’s event had an edge: the Miller family is now even more firmly embedded in the life of St. Philip’s, and the atmosphere this year was even more familiar, even more open.
Throughout the first two floors of the Rectory, parishioners mingled, sometimes putting names to faces and sometimes greeting each other with hugs and kisses. There was a little bit of tap dancing, a little bit of swordplay, and lots of laughter. In the dining room, the table was laden with baked brie, fruit, meatballs, puff pastries, and other goodies, and guests who ventured into the kitchen could find Connie Stahl’s signature ham biscuits.
Numerous guests enjoyed getting glimpses of the Miller family’s interests. In the living room were shelves of leather-bound books, not any particular collection like the Harvard Classics or any other group’s interpretation of the best books ever written, but rather the Miller family’s own favorites, everything from
Aesop’s Fables
and
Grimm’s Fairy Tales
to
The Great Gatsby
and
The Scarlet Letter
and on to
Lee’s Lieutenants: A Study in Command
and a 10-volume set of
The Photographic History of the Civil War
.
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Reflections on a Feast Day
“Mission of Presence” Trip to Haiti
by Crayton Walters
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My first trip to Haiti led by Gerry and Suzanne McCord was arguably a trip for me, and not for the people of our sister church, St. Jean Baptiste. It seemed what I needed was a mission trip to feel relevant in our church, a part of the team, more than just being a Sunday morning usher or churchgoer. Of course, after 24 hours in the town of Anse-á-Galets on the island of La Gonâve, any ideas I had of changing the world through my personal mission were quickly ruined. The first trip opened my eyes–and heart–to the struggles of a poor country and a joyful people who find comfort and care in the church.
Miles Barkley, veteran St. Philip’s missionary, was very poignant when expressing to me the blessings that await those who make a return trip to Haiti. I did indeed make the second trip this year, and I made it much more special by taking my 15-year-old daughter, Hope, with me. When I asked her about going, she did not hesitate to say yes, and it was then I realized that this time, I was not going for myself.
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Advent Devotional Recommendations
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In the Collect for the First Week of Advent, we pray that God would “... give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armor of light.” Preparing ourselves through Scripture and prayer and contemplation using an Advent devotional guide helps us to do just that.
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Tonight's Supper: Chicken Tacos
12/20 Supper: Chicken Pasta Casserole
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Amy Watson Smith, Director of Ministry to Children and Families, has selected resource materials for families to use throughout the seasons of Advent and Christmas. These free resources include a children’s Advent calendar, an Advent wreath table tent, an Advent devotional for children, and a pop-up window calendar for the 12 Days of Christmas. Located on the ground floor of the Parish House, supplies are limited and are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
For those families who want to delve deeper into the season of Advent, Amy has selected a gospel-centered, four-week family devotional,
Prepare Him Room: Celebrating the Birth of Jesus
by Marty Machowski, available from
New Growth Press
and
Amazon
.
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The Altar Guild Needs YOU!
The Altar Guild is looking for enthusiastic new members to help with altar preparations for all services of Holy Communion. Whether you attend the 8:15 or 10:30 services, the Altar Guild can use your help! This dedicated group of volunteers is scheduled in rotation, and the more members it has, the less often each person is needed to serve.
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If you'd like to sign up or if you have any questions, please call Betsy Harvey at 843-762-5030.
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Membership Directory
Are you looking for a fellow parishioner's contact information? Our directory is online! Click the "My St. Philip's" button on our homepage,
stphilipschurchsc.org
, to log in or sign up. And for easy access on your phone, download the Church Life app!
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Do you have a loved one you would like added to our prayer list?
Please provide his or her name by calling the church office,
843-722-7734
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We pray for the sick:
Debbie Anderson, Henry Dew, Sara Edwards, Sally Fine, Tracy Graudin, Ben Hagood, Bee Hamrick, Joe Livesay, Jacqui Luce, Felicia Morrison, Betty Owens, Ben Peters, Alfred Pinckney, Kathy Ravenel, Susan Renberg, Franklin Robson, Frank Rogers, Benjamin Schools, Elizabeth Williams, and Lindsay Wing.
We grieve with and pray for:
Thomas Anderson and family on the death of his sister, Elizabeth Anderson, on November 30.
We grieve with and pray for: Alfred Pinckney and family on the death of his brother, Lucian Pinckney, on December 7.
We pray for our expectant parents:
Zack and Larsen Spinelli, Ryan and Anna Streett.
We pray for protection for:
Becca, Janie, and Wills Baird, Graham Blunt, Colby Broadwater IV, Ellis Domenech, George Hoefer, Edward Pritchard, and Stephen Wathen, serving in our Armed Forces.
We pray for our home missions:
Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Lowcountry Pregnancy Center, Eagle Harbor.
We pray for our world missions:
For Suzy
McCall and LAMB, for the medical missions to Honduras, for Martha Vetter's mission to victims of genocide and AIDS in Rwanda, for Water Mission, and for St. Jean Baptiste, our sister church, and the schools in Haiti.
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St. Philip's Regular Weekly Worship Services
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The Third Sunday of Advent
Collect for the Day (12/17):
Stir up thy power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let thy bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be honor and glory, world without end.
Amen
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Lectionary Readings:
- Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
- Psalm 126
- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
- John 1:6-8, 19-28
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Sundays
8:15 a.m. – Holy Communion Rite I, in the Church
10:30 a.m. – Holy Communion Rite I, in the Church (on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Sundays)
10:30 a.m. – Morning Prayer Rite I, in the Church (on the 2nd and 4th Sundays)
Wednesdays
8:00 a.m. – Morning Prayer, 1928 Prayer Book, in the Chapel
5:30 p.m.
–
Wednesdays Alive! Holy Communion Rite II, in the Church
Lay server schedules are sent out quarterly, one month prior to the start of each quarter.
Click
HERE
to view the current winter schedule.
If you are unable to serve, please make an effort to find a substitute, and let
Felicia Lescow
in the church office know who will be substituting for you.
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to view this week's static calendar
as it appears in the printed version of the inSPIRE.
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S
T.
P
HILIP'S
C
HURCH
142 Church Street | Charleston, SC 29401
Church Office Hours
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday | 8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Friday
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