Today: Men's Lunch

Noon in the Parish Hall

All men of the community are invited to enjoy a delicious meal prepared by Chef Connie Stahl and to hear the faith story of Ian Crosby, a member of St. Philip’s young adult ministry.

Tomorrow: Grandparents @ Prayer Drop-In

11:00 to 11:45 a.m. in the Chapel

Grandparents, drop by the chapel tomorrow to spend time quietly and individually praying for your grandchildren. You will be greeted at the door by a Generations Ministry team member and given a handout on prayer resources as well as suggested prayers.

Friday: ECW Advent Luncheon with Christine Donavan

Noon in the Parish Hall ~ Every Church Woman is invited!

Whether you're a mother, grandmother, aunt, or mentor, Christian parent coach Christine Donavan has words of wisdom you can use this Advent. Please join us!

All St. Philippians are cordially invited to join the Millers in their home for one of our favorite annual events full of festive fellowship and delicious food––and egg nog, of course! A golf cart shuttle will be available from the church's parking lot on the corner of Church and Cumberland Streets (about a five-minute walk from the Rectory). There is no need to bring anything but a festive spirit!

Anticipate the birth of our Lord and Savior by joining us for our service of Lessons and Carols, wherein God’s plan of salvation is traced in Scripture and song from the creation of the world through the wondrous incarnation of Jesus Christ at Christmas. Immediately following the service, join us in the Parish Hall for our annual Wassail Bowl reception, where you may mingle with St. Philippian friends, family, newcomers, and guests while munching on refreshments. And of course there will be plenty of hot mulled cider––otherwise known as wassail––to go around! And as you’re leaving the Wassail Bowl, please go by the downstairs entryway of the Parish House and pick up a poinsettia (or a few!) to deliver to someone who lives near you or on your route home. The poinsettias will be sorted by ZIP code and the cards will have complete addresses. Families who have lost loved ones this year are also welcome to pick up their own poinsettias.

Christmas Gift Ideas for Children and Grandchildren

Books to be displayed in the Parish House

Before and after services tonight and this Sunday, Generations Ministry will be displaying faith nurturing books for you to consider giving as Christmas gifts to your children or grandchildren.

Make Someone’s Christmas This Year!

Here’s how:

1. Take an ornament home from one of the Angel Trees in the narthex as a reminder (and as our gift to you!). 2. Purchase one or more $25 gift cards from Walmart or scan the QR code on the ornament tag to visit Lowcountry Pregnancy Center’s Amazon Wish List or Lowcountry FCA’s donation page (dedicate to "St. Philip’s Angel Tree").  3. Return the gift card at any church service or bring it to the office by Monday, December 18, at 9:00 a.m.

Charleston Men's Chorus Christmas Concert

Sunday, December 10,

4:00 p.m.

Celebrate the Christmas season with the Charleston Men’s Chorus at their annual Christmas concert, which features joyful and sacred music.

Volunteer Opportunities

Star Gospel Good Cheer Fund and Water Mission

Star Gospel Mission serves hundreds of families in need of encouragement, casework, and a grocery gift card with their annual Good Cheer Fund. Join the Home Missions Team for this special opportunity to serve your community! Water Mission will be shipping out a variety of materials next week to a large financial partner in Charlotte, who is making a donation to Water Mission in honor of 400 potential partners in the Charlotte area. If you can be there to lend a hand along with the Home Missions Team, please Jill Settle know!

Theology on Tuesdays

Tuesday, December 12, at 7:00 p.m. in the Whiskey Room at Henry's on the Market

The name has changed slightly, but everything else is the same! Young adults, join Justin Hare and Brian McGreevy for the final Theology on Tap Tuesdays of 2023, when they will discuss "Gratitude & Giving: Cultivating Christian Virtues This Holiday Season."

The Greening of the Church

Friday, December 15, at 9:00 a.m.

The whole parish is invited to help prepare the sanctuary for our celebration of the Nativity! Bring gloves and clippers for yourself if you have them! All helping hands are welcome––there will be tasks for all activity levels!

If possible, arrive by 9:00 for instructions and the clergy's blessing, and bring a breakfast treat to share! 

Christmas Flower Memorials and Thanksgivings

If you would like to make a contribution to the Christmas Flower Fund as a memorial or in thanksgiving for a loved one, please submit your loved ones' info at the link below. After you complete the form, you may pay online through the giving page of our website, or you may send a check payable to St. Philip’s Church to the church office (attn: Juli Garland, Christmas Flowers).

Christmas Pageant Sign-Up

Rehearsals: December 17 and 22. Pageant: 4:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve

We would love for your child to participate in the children's Christmas Eve pageant this year! We need readers, major character roles, angels, animals, and more. The cast does not have lines to memorize; they act out what the readers read from Scripture. Ages 3+. Registration deadline is December 11.

Mere Anglicanism Conference

January 18–20, 2024

Charleston Music Hall

In seeking to engage a hurting world, how can the Church share the Truth of God's Word that makes for human flourishing while speaking from a place of deep empathy and compassion and humility? World-class theologians and scholars will help us engage this challenge both philosophically and practically at this year's conference.

This Morning: Morning Prayer

Wednesdays at 8:00 a.m. in the Chapel

This Morning: Moms' Bible Study:

The Book of James

9:00 a.m. in the youth room ~ Final meeting of 2023

The Rev. Justin C. Hare is preaching at our service of Holy Eucharist at 8:15 a.m. Our annual Lessons and Carols service is at 10:30 a.m. Sunday school for children of all ages begins at 9:15 a.m., and adult classes, including the Rector's Forum, begin at 9:30 a.m.

St. Philip's Drama Department

At staff meeting yesterday, Zippy Hood, director of the children's choirs, expressed how blessed she felt for the privilege of being a part of the talented St. Philip's musical team, which continues week after week to provide beautiful music that complements the lectionary readings, glorifies God, and enhances worship for parishioners.

And yet, mere hours later, she was caught on camera sneaking up on a completely unsuspecting Chris Walchesky with two very scary-looking lime green weapons.

What had caused such a drastic turn of events? A dispute over the ownership of mini-fridge contents? Fish in the microwave? A meeting that should have been an email? Perhaps we'll never know, but we do hope they can resolve whatever it is before Sunday's Lessons and Carols service!

If this is the first you're hearing of Zippy's covert mission, why don't you take a minute to give us a follow on social media so that you, too, can be among the first to hear about schedule changes, special events, and music department drama?

Important Dates

December 6 ~ Monthly Men's Lunch (12 noon)

December 7 ~ Grandparents@Prayer Drop-In (11:00–11:45 a.m.)

December 8 ~ ECW Advent Luncheon (12 noon)

December 9 ~ Advent Drop-In at the Rectory (3:00-6:00 p.m.)

December 10 ~ Lessons and Carols (10:30 a.m.), Wassail Bowl (about noon)

December 10 ~ Final Sunday School, Rector’s Forum of 2023

December 10 ~ Charleston Men's Chorus Christmas Concert (4:00 p.m.)

December 13 ~ Final Wednesdays Alive! of 2023

December 14 ~ Final Rector’s Bible Study of 2023

December 15 ~ The Greening of the Church (9:00 a.m.)

December 15 & 17 ~ Final youth group meetings of 2023 

December 24 ~ Fourth Sunday in Advent worship service (10:30 only, no sermon) 

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

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

December 25–January 1 ~ Church office closed

January 18–20, 2024 ~ Mere Anglicanism Conference

We pray for the sick: Beau Brogdon, Diane Christensen, Karen Collins, Steve Darling, Mary Forbes, Pat Gould, Steve Graudin, Emily Meyer Hall, Jason Hamshaw, Myron Harrington, Ken King, Marvin Kirkland, Nancy Love, Rena Mack, Eric Panizza, Lou Parker, Becky Riggs, Fran Sanders, Ava Singleton, Pete Sperr, Ginny Townsend, and Lindsey Wing.  

We grieve with and pray for Connie Stahl and family on the death of her mother, Elizabeth Stahl, on November 29.

We pray for our expectant parents: Becca Baird and Louis Duffie, Katy and Andrew Brown, Liesl and Luke Cressman, Lexi Meyer and Pat Ozog, Amy and Michael Rabb.

We pray for protection for those serving in the armed forces: Becca Baird, Janie Baird, Henry Clayton, David Daughtridge, Eric Gaines, Andrew Kane, Quin Kane, Horry Kerrison, Frazier Kulze, John Mason, Philip Middleton III, Jackson Miller, Edward Pritchard, Nathaniel Rollings, and David Scott.

We pray for our home and world missions: Lowcountry Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Lowcountry Pregnancy Center, Star Gospel Mission, 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.

Collect for the Second Sunday in Advent:

Blessed Lord, who hast caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Readings for Sunday (8:15 a.m. service):

• Isaiah 64:1-9a
• Psalm 80:1-7
• Mark 13:24-37