~ the eSPIRE Newsletter ~
August 2, 2020
The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
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No printed inSPIRE this week
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Getting to Know Our Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
Home Missions Team and St. John's Chapel Bible Study
by Ben Hagood, Home Missions Team
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The Rev. Matthew Rivers of St. John's Chapel
Earlier this summer, members of the Home Missions Team reached out to the Rev. Matthew Rivers, Pastor of partner ministry St. John's Chapel, seeking a dialogue about race and justice in the light of biblical teaching. This led to two meetings by Zoom of members of the Home Missions Team and members of St. John's Chapel, a mission of our Diocese that is predominantly an African-American congregation.
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Last night's Bible study explored Simon and Cornelius's interaction in Acts chapter 10. Volunteers took turns reading the verses, and the discussion in between was lively, much to the delight of Pastor Rivers. "I'm just so proud of this entire group," he said.
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These first two meetings were extraordinary. We asked the members of St. John's for the personal stories that they have lived or seen and that we need to hear in order to have a better understanding of the issues of racism. The stories they shared were deeply moving and disturbing, revealing various acts of racism occurring in Charleston and in other parts of the country. Some stories went back to childhood and revealed how harsh incidences of racism can affect a person's entire life. We listened for several hours. All members of our Team were deeply moved by the stories, and desired to engage further to build relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ at St. John's.
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Final Screwtape Class TONIGHT at 7:00
~ Last Chance to Annoy the Devil By Attending Class ~
A note from the Rev. Brian McGreevy
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The Rev. Brian McGreevy has been offering tips to annoy the Devil in his exploration of C.S. Lewis's "The Screwtape Letters" Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m.! You may stream the final class on our streaming site,
saintphilips.online.church
, where you will be able to chat with others before and after class, or you may watch at your convenience
on YouTube
beginning at the same time.
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Dear fellow pilgrims,
Last week we had the pleasure and privilege of finishing up Lewis's provocative "Screwtape Proposes a Toast," a piece loaded with insights about what is going on in the culture around us and how Satan and his minions would like to render the Church powerless by spreading ways of thinking that are inimical to the Gospel and its witness. I would encourage you to spend some time re-reading the "Toast" and reflecting on the habits we discussed to annoy the Devil by refusing to adopt his point of view on these critical issues.
Also, if you didn't have a chance to listen to the music link from last week's class, "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" sung by the Mississippi Children's Choir, I commend that to you. The main text comes right out of the Sermon on the Mount, and the joy and faith that these singers evince in this rendition is contagious. Here is the link:
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Tonight at 7:00 p.m. we will have our final Screwtape class, in which we will review the habits from "Screwtape Proposes a Toast" and talk about what I believe to be some of the crucial themes in
The Screwtape Letters as a whole to which we would do well to pay attention. Come join us virtually for this final wrap-up, and invite a friend to join you!
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If you would like to receive Fr. Brian's emails, which include helpful links and notes about each class, click the link below to let him know by email.
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The church office remains closed and in-person Sunday worship is cancelled through the duration of the present health crisis.
We are offering worship online during this time.
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An email with printable Sunday bulletins will be coming later in the week.
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Click below to subscribe to our Vimeo and/or YouTube channel, where you may also go to join us for worship online.
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July Update on Tricounty's Volunteer Schedule and Donation Needs
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A letter from the Rev. Kara Joy Stewart, Executive Director of Tricounty Family Ministries
Hello, Tricounty Family Ministries family.
This week’s numbers continued to decline, if only by a little. We served 153 families which supported the lives of 503 family members. Thanks to our amazing volunteers in the kitchen, we were able to share 304 cooked meals to-go, in addition to 88 sandwiches we shared.
Our new method of clothing distribution is beginning to hum along. After many dedicated volunteers spent hours in the clothes room, we have finally been able to sort and bag almost all of the warm weather clothes so that we can share them with people in need. This Wednesday, we gave out 40 bags of either shirts or pants to both men and women, which amounts to 80 items of clothing! I’m very proud of the work we’ve done in this area to reimagine this part of our ministry. While clothing is not an essential item that we concentrated on at the start of the pandemic, we have had more and more neighbors request clothing. So thank you to everyone who has helped us transition this part of our ministry!
We had a record number of volunteers on Wednesday this week: 20 people showed up to help distribute food and clothing! We’re grateful for everyone’s assistance as we continue to provide for our neighbors. As we move into August and operate every other Wednesday, we will be taking on some deep-cleaning projects around the ministry center. If you are one who enjoys a good Spring Cleaning, please let us know!
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Coming Soon To a Screen Near You!
Concert featuring tenor Johnathan White
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Johnathan White, tenor, and Pat Gould, accompanist, will be presenting a concert via video in early August for your listening pleasure! Music will include some beautiful sacred solos as well as some of your favorite Broadway tunes. This is a gift to the parish from Johnathan and Pat, one we hope will bring you joy in this time of uncertainty and isolation. Watch your email for further details!
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It's been so long since we've had a staff birthday that the glory days of "The Church Street Singers" are starting to feel like a dream ...
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Numbers at staff meeting were up from last week as we welcomed back some folks who had been away. Our rector, home from Virginia, had missed us and declared us "a sight for sore eyes," while Rachel Murphy, who tried taking last week as a staycation, didn't really get a chance to miss us, as she somehow kept running into coworkers!
During the "Hollywood Squares" portion of the meeting, we heard about the music inventory, a leaky/squeaky air conditioner, and other office-related updates, but we also got to hear how folks were doing personally. A few staff members have children learning to drive––one is almost done with her behind-the-wheel lessons, and another was headed to the DMV yesterday to get his license! Other staff members have already had a couple of years to come to grips with their kids' driving and are now focused on their currently wobbly fall college plans. Amy Watson Smith, whose daughter Cameron is getting ready to start a new job as a 4th-grade teacher, shared a bittersweet realization from last week's annual getaway at Sullivan's Island with family friends: The first time the two families spent this week together, the friends' 19-year-old daughter was a 3-year-old, and Cameron lost a tooth on the beach! A lot has changed.
How are you coping with this strange passage of time as we remain mostly isolated, especially those of you who are experiencing major life changes, such as sending a child off to college or dealing with job changes? If you'd like someone to talk to, please let us know by replying to this email, filling out the questionnaire at the link below, or calling one of the priests directly. Your St. Philip's family is here for you and eager to help in any way you need!
The Rev. Jeff Miller: (843) 812-0556
The Rev. Marc Boutan: (843) 737-1277
The Rev. Brian McGreevy: (843) 793-9830
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Would You Like Someone to Pray With You?
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To pray WITH someone:
Call Juanita Orvin, who will connect you with a prayer minister who will pray for your concerns over the phone.
To ask for prayer FOR someone:
Call Suzanne McCord, head of the prayer chain, and she will pass your request on to members of the chain.
Both options are always confidential.
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Daily Devotions Remain on Tuesday/Thursday Schedule Through July
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This month, the Rev. Marc Boutan continues offering up his reflection and song of praise on Tuesdays, and each Thursday, the Rev. Brian McGreevy is taking a look at one of the great hymns of the church. If you haven't yet seen all of the offerings, or if you'd like to rewatch, click the top link below. And if you're not yet on the list to receive the video links by email, click the bottom link to sign up.
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Children's and Adult Choir Rehearsals to Resume––When It Is Safe!
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Look for exciting news coming soon about the upcoming choir season! If your children ages 3–18 are not already involved, now is the time to sign up for the St. Philip's choir program. All teenagers and adults are also invited to join the St. Philip's Choir. As soon as it is safe, we will resume choir rehearsals. Please call Pat Gould at (843) 364-9552 or email her at
pgould@stphilipschurchsc.org for more information.
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Attention, choir families: Some chorister vestments are still missing. Do you have choir vestments at home? If so, please return them (even if they still fit) to the office as soon as possible to be inventoried and repaired if needed so we will be prepared for when choirs resume rehearsals. Remember, the church office is closed for now. Please call Pat Gould at (843) 364-9552 or email her at
pgould@stphilipschurchsc.org to schedule a time for you to drop your vestments off at the church office.
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Above, members of the St. Philip's Choir sing the National Anthem at "The Joe" in August 2019.
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We Want To Hear Your Story!
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Looking for inspiration? Why don't you tell us about a time you saw God especially at work in your life, or about how worship has changed for you in the past few months, or about how you pray? Whatever you'd like to tell us about, we can't wait to hear it!
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Is Your Eye On Tropical Cyclone 9?
Your Disaster Relief Team Can Help You Get Prepared!
St. Philip's Disaster Relief Team helps in times of hurricane, tornado, flooding, earthquake, fire, or any other disaster
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Hurricane season is now, and now is the time to prepare. The Disaster Relief Team's mission is to provide help, assistance, and hope to our parishioners and neighbors in times of extreme crisis by offering comfort and minor emergency repairs.
We have a network of parishioners who are willing and able to respond when they are called via our phone tree. We have two points of the phone tree and geographic coordinators for most of the tri-county area already in place. We are always happy to welcome new volunteers!
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“And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
––Matthew 25:40.
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Never miss a sermon!
Click below to subscribe to our Sermons podcast.
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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 for an account. And for easy access on your phone, download the Church Life app!
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We pray for the sick: Harold Arnold, Jr., Kelsey Brockbank, Katie Burris, Hal Dyer, Elizabeth Flowers, Mary Forbes, Robert Gould, Janet Hanger, Jonathan Hanger, Amy Kittrell, Reed Kurtz, Joe Livesay, Alan McNeel, Rogers Moore, Benjamin Schools, Mike Walsh, Lindsey Wing, and Vereen Woodward.
We grieve with and pray for Benjamin Singleton and family on the recent deaths of his uncle, grandfather, and grandfather's wife.
We pray for our expectant parents: Torrey and Ryan Knapp.
We pray for protection for
Becca Baird, Chris and Julia Beasley, Graham Blunt, Henry Clayton, Ben Colyer, David Daughtridge, Hayes Fair, George Hoefer, Andrew Kane, Horry Kerrison,
Charles Kirkman, Frazier Kulze,
John Mason,
Ned Montgomery, Edward Pritchard, and David Scott serving in our Armed Forces.
We pray for our home missions:
Star Gospel Mission, Tricounty Family Ministries, Lowcountry Pregnancy Center, St. John's Chapel, and the Open Door Committee.
We pray for our world missions:
For Suzy McCall and LAMB, for the medical missions to Honduras, for ministry to victims of genocide and AIDS in Rwanda, for 10/40 Tribal Commission, for Water Mission, and for St. Jean Baptiste, our sister church, and the schools in Haiti.
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Collect for
Sunday:
O Lord, we beseech thee, let thy continual pity cleanse and defend thy Church; and, because it cannot continue in safety without thy succor, preserve it evermore by thy help and goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Readings for Sunday
:
- Nehemiah 9:16-21
- Matthew 14:13-21
- Psalm 78:14-26
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ST. PHILIP'S CHURCH
142 Church Street | Charleston, SC 29401
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HERE
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