~ the eSPIRE Newsletter ~

December 4, 2022

The Second Sunday in Advent

Reminder: Vestry nominations are due December 16. Click here for more information.

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This Friday: The ECW Advent Luncheon

Let us know you're coming!

This Saturday: Advent Drop-In at the Rectory

Directions to 92 Church St.

Celebrating Advent at Home

by Dorothy H. Lancaster, Director of Ministry to Children and Families

Sometimes we as Anglicans overlook or neglect some of the best tools that we have in our faith-growing toolbox. The liturgical calendar that our forefathers had the wisdom and insight to establish so long ago can still be incredibly useful in our busy lives. Case in point: the Season of Advent, a built-in time to pause and reflect on the incredible gift that Jesus is and to look toward His eventual return.


Celebrating Advent at home—in addition to our time together in corporate worship—is a great way to instill this need for a pause and reflection in our children and to reinstate in ourselves. What does celebrating Advent at home look like? For some it might be lighting an Advent candle in the wreath they made on Sunday and reading through the Advent Wreath Liturgy as they gather for dinner around the table. For others it may be adding in an extra Advent-themed devotional or a dedicated time to pray and ask God to show us an area for growth.

Continue reading on our website

Pictured above: On Sunday, November 27, we brought back a long-standing tradition of Advent wreath-making to mark the beginning of the season of Advent. St. Philippians of all ages gathered together to enjoy breakfast treats, fellowship and laughter, and to try their hand at wreath-making. New members and longtime members alike wove evergreen clippings around the provided wire wreaths, and some chose to add holly berries and ribbon as well. We made over 60 wreaths, and the final results were as wonderful and varied as the folks making them! A special thank you to Sandra Anderson and Roberta O’Shea for helping to make this event happen.

Advent Wreath Fellowship pictures

Rector's Thursday Bible Study in Recess This Week

Catch up on past classes
Join the Rector's Bible Study Email List (cancellation notices, reminders, etc.)
About the service of Evensong

Welcome to the Team, Mims Weldon!

The clergy and vestry of St. Philip’s are pleased to announce that Mims Weldon has joined the St. Philip’s administrative team as Executive Assistant to the Senior Associate! In addition to serving as the Rev. Andrew O’Dell’s assistant, Mims will be overseeing the administrative aspects of weddings, baptisms, and funerals.


About Mims: Shortly after Mims was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, she lived in Charleston while her father, the Very Rev. Ken Weldon, served as the Porter-Gaud chaplain and as an associate at St. Philip’s, but Florence is where Mims made most of her childhood memories. Mims was a competitive gymnast growing up, and she graduated from West Florence High School in 2018. While attending Wofford College, Mims was an admissions ambassador and a Kappa Delta Sorority member, and she was a part of the Reformed University Fellowship (RUF), a campus ministry that gives students the hope of Jesus Christ and equips them to serve him. Mims earned her Bachelor of Arts in English literature and religious studies in May of 2022 and went straight to St. Christopher Camp and Conference Center, where she served as the assistant director of the summer camp.


Mims loves reading, spending time with her family and friends, being outside, traveling and going to concerts, and writing. She lives downtown with her best friend from high school, Caroline, and attends St. Philip’s Church.

Contact Mims Weldon

Friday, December 9: The Greening of the Church

All Hands on Deck!

Christmas flower dedication form

Make Someone’s Christmas This Year Through the St. Philip's Angel Trees!

Gift Card Angel Trees in the Narthex November 27–December 11

The day before Thanksgiving, the Home Missions Team got the angel trees set up and decorated in the narthex.  


Here’s how to make someone's Christmas:


1. Take an ornament home from one of the two angel trees in the narthex as a reminder (and as our gift to you!).


2. Purchase one or more $25 gift card(s) from a store listed on your ornament (Walmart, Target, Family Dollar)


3. Return the gift card at any church service or bring it to the church office by Monday, December 12, at 9:00 a.m. There will be volunteers collecting cards in the narthex at both our Sunday and Wednesday worship services. The church office is open Monday–Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. 


Click the link below for the complete details of this Home Missions project, which will offer support to clients and community members of two of our ministry partners, Lowcountry Pregnancy Center and Star Gospel Mission, while serving as a tangible reminder that God loves them and cares about them.

About the Angel Tree project

Christmas Pageant Registration

Christmas Eve ~ 4:30 p.m.

Children's Christmas Pageant Signup (participants and volunteers)

The Lord Looks on the Heart

by Martha Vetter, World Missions Committee

The mother of two-year-old Denise, who suffers from an autoimmune disease, sought help from the Dufatanye Organization.


My Bible study has been examining the life of David. My favorite chapter is 1 Samuel 16, where the Lord sends the prophet Samuel to anoint one of Jesse’s sons to be the future king of Israel. When Samuel meets Jesse’s tall and handsome oldest son, he thinks, “Surely this is the Lord’s anointed!” But God cautions, “Do not look on his appearance or the height of his stature ... man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 


It has been a great pleasure to serve at the Dufatanye Organization (DO) in Rwanda. While I have participated in many remarkable activities, I have been especially moved to see our people rally behind those who are struggling the most—whether from PTSD or AIDS or extreme poverty or just suffering the low blows with which life sometimes hits us. It is our heart at the DO that moves me the most. All of our people have had their moment when they were the ones who were down. But they, like Christ, who emptied Himself on behalf of others, have used their brokenness as the catalyst to raise others up with them. 

Continue reading on our website

Volunteer Opportunity: Star Gospel Mission

December 5-10, 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. (two shifts available per day)

Star Gospel Mission is seeking volunteers to help serve our neighbors in need next week. For each 2.5-hour shift (10:00 a.m. to 12: 30 p.m. or 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.), we will need four “caseworkers” and two “greeters.” Caseworkers will attend a brief training and then distribute assistance to those who have made an appointment. Greeters will assist in welcoming scheduled clients, serving coffee and/or cocoa, and ensuring every person is encouraged that day. Sign up at the link below!


Questions? Contact Swain Marion, St. Philip’s Home Missions Team liaison to Star Gospel Mission: (843) 709-8131 or sbmarion3@gmail.com.

Volunteer signup

Sunday, December 11: Lessons and Carols Followed by Our Annual Wassail Bowl and Poinsettia Delivery

Learn more about this special day
Get tickets

Mere Anglicanism Registration Continues

Telling a More Beautiful Story:

Lessons from C.S. Lewis on Reaching a Fractured World

January 26–28, 2023 ~ Charleston Music Hall

Click here to register
Conference Speakers
Hotel information

TONIGHT: Wednesdays Alive!

Tonight's supper: Creamy Chicken Penne Casserole

Next week's supper: Beef stew

Watch C.S. Lewis class live or catch up on past classes
June 7-18, 2023 ~ Waitlist available ~ Click here for information

This Week's Service Information

The Rev. Justin C. Hare will be preaching this Sunday at our services of Holy Communion at 8:15 and Holy Communion and Baptism at 10:30 a.m.

Livestream link (10:30)
Watch last Sunday's service

Office Perks: Thanksgiving Edition

There really is no greater place to work than St. Philip's, which you have probably picked up on if you've been following us on social media or making it to the bottom of your eSPIRE every week. We get lots of yummy leftovers from Wednesday night suppers and special events like retirement receptions or BBQs, we get to leave early on Fridays if all our work is done, and if we need help, we have several four-legged furry friends who are allowed to tap in.


Thanksgiving week (and the week after) has its own set of perks. We have a half day on Thanksgiving Eve, which gives us time for shopping and meal prep with our family and/or friends––but it also offers employees a safe little window to try out some of the bolder pieces of their wardrobe. Without office traffic caused by the inSPIRE, children's choirs, and Wednesdays' Alive!, the snarky comment risk is significantly reduced (although our fashionistas still need to watch out for snarky comments from their fellow clergy members).


And then there are the Thanksgiving leftovers. You may be thinking, "Well, we share Thanksgiving leftovers at our office, too!" But we're not talking about your standard fare like pumpkin pie or turkey (no matter how good your brine is). No, here at St. Philip's, we get treated to Denise Pickford's pumpkin dip, a sweet, heavenly concoction that you scoop up not with chips or crackers but with ginger snaps. YUM!

If you follow St. Philip's on Facebook and Instagram, then you already knew about our Thanksgiving office perks. But if you're just now hearing about them, don't you think you should take a moment to follow us so that you, too, can be among the first to hear about upcoming events, weather-related schedule updates, and all the reasons our office is #1 (without even using Gamecock/Tiger math)?

Like St. Philip's on Facebook!
Follow us on Instagram!

Would You Like Someone to Pray With You?

To pray WITH someone:
Prayer appointments are available with trained prayer ministers for personal needs related to healing for physical, emotional, or spiritual needs. All meetings are confidential and can be arranged by contacting Juanita Orvin (juanitaorvin@gmail.com) or Frenchie Richards frichards7@aol.com.

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:
suzanne1959@gmail.com or (843) 224-1630.

Both options are always confidential.

Important Dates

December 2 ~ ECW Advent Luncheon (12 noon)

December 3 ~ Advent Drop-In at the Rectory (3:00-6:00 p.m.)

December 4 ~ Choral Evensong (5:30 p.m.)

December 7 ~ Monthly Men’s Lunch with David Gilbert (12 noon)

December 9 ~ Greening of the Church (9:00 a.m.)

December 11 ~ Lessons and Carols (10:30 a.m. service), Wassail Bowl (about 12 noon), and Poinsettia Delivery

December 11 ~ Charleston Men’s Chorus Christmas concert (4:00 p.m.)

December 12 ~ Christmas Pageant signup deadline

December 14 ~ Final Wednesdays Alive! of 2022 (no nursery available)

December 16 ~ Vestry nominations due (5:00 p.m.) 

December 16 & 18 ~ Final youth group of 2022 

December 24 ~ Christmas Eve services (4:30, 7:30, 10:30 p.m.)

December 25 ~ Christmas Day service (10:00 a.m.)

December 26–January 2 ~ Church office closed

January 26–28, 2023 ~ Mere Anglicanism Conference

June 7–18 Holy Land Pilgrimage (waitlist available)

St. Philip's calendar
Winter Lay Ministry Schedule
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We pray for the sick: Arthur Applegate, Tim Bass, Elizabeth Bowles, Jean Carlton, Mimi Cathcart, Karen Collins, Mark Cumins, George Rawling Evans, Sally Fayard, Elizabeth Flowers, Mary Forbes, Zelphia Galantis, Robert Gould, Susan Hemminger, Molly Hughes, Susan Keenan, Robert Kizer, Rena Mack, John Murray, Bill Phillipps, Valerie Rouillard, Fran Sanders, Pete Sperr, Margaret Swanson, Judy Vandiford, Jenny White, Lindsey Wing, and Harrison Woods.


We grieve with and pray for the family of Gene Martini, who died on November 27.


We pray for our expectant parents: Boykin and Thomas Anderson, Kimbrell and Bruce Blackwood.


We pray for protection for Becca Baird, Graham Blunt, Henry Clayton, Ben Colyer, David Daughtridge, Eric Gaines, Morgan and Mason Herring, Andrew Kane, Quin Kane, Horry Kerrison, Frazier Kulze, John Mason, Zach McFadden, Philip Middleton III, Jackson Miller, Edward Pritchard, Nathaniel Rollings, and David Scott.


We pray for our home and world missions: Star Gospel Mission, Lowcountry Pregnancy Center, Suzy McCall and LAMB, for the medical missions to Honduras, for ministry to victims of genocide and AIDS in Rwanda, for the Persecuted Church, for Anglican Frontier Missions, for Uganda Christian University Partners, for Water Mission and the Global Water Center, and for St. Jean Baptiste, our sister church, and the schools in Haiti.

Sunday's Readings

Collect for Sunday:

Merciful God, who sent thy messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.


Readings for Sunday:

  • Isaiah 11:1-10
  • Psalm 72:1-15
  • Matthew 3:1-12

ST. PHILIP'S CHURCH

142 Church Street | Charleston, SC 29401

(843) 722-7734, www.stphilipschurchsc.org

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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