Our June 27 blood drive collection goal is 44 pints. With each pint potentially saving three lives, think about how big our impact can be! A typical donation takes less than one hour, but if you can’t give, you can still help by volunteering to support the drive and encouraging others to sign up using your social media channels and network.

Sign up to donate or volunteer and learn all about what to expect if you’re a first-time donor at the links below!

Please share the appointment link with three friends!

What is the church? Even when you are fortunate enough to worship in a beautiful, 19th-century stucco building with stunning stained glass and expansive marble floors, the church is not the building; it is the people. Nothing makes that more evident to me than when I am pulling together volunteers from all age groups of our parish to help with Vacation Bible School.

It is the people who give up their time on Friday afternoon and all day Saturday to turn the Parish Hall into an airport terminal, the stairwell into a train station, and the hallway into a race track. It’s the people that dangerously dangle from ladders and step stools while hanging decorations. It is the people who smile when they take on the tedious task of labeling or cutting out 100 tiny little suitcases and then ask, “What else can I do?” The people that have been working for weeks to create skits and crafts and flannel board Bible stories and so much more!

Because of the hard work and dedication of at least 40 of these wonderful people, VBS is off to a great start! The children are boarding planes, trains, and automobiles as they learn to Follow Jesus––Here, There and Everywhere! Each group leader, game leader, snack helper, lesson leader, worship leader and craft helper is weaving Gospel truth into all their interactions with the kids, and trust me––it is a beautiful thing to witness. It is such a joy and a privilege to come alongside this wonderful team to share the love of Jesus with the children this week. Keep both the volunteers and children in your prayers as we finish up the week and as they continue to follow Jesus here, there, and everywhere on their journey of faith.

Thank you, Lord, for guiding our pilgrims safely to the Holy Land and back, and for blessing them with beautiful fellowship and unforgettable experiences along the way. Pictured above: Penn Hagood rides a camel at Petra in Jordan; Connie Rink, Jeff Rink, Cam Stuhr, and Johnny Stuhr enjoy dinner al fresco in Tiberius; the Rev. Justin C. Hare and the Rev. Jeffrey S. Miller with Theodosios (“Attalah Hanna”), Archbishop of Sebastia from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem; worship on the Mount of Beatitudes (photo by Elizabeth Gay).

While many members of our St. Philip's family were in the Holy Land, youth minister David Gilbert led some of our younger St. Philippians on a mission to Honduras to volunteer with Water Mission and enjoy the gorgeous landscape and fellowship in their downtime.

Above: The Most Reverend Dr. Foley Beach, Archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America (seventh from right) with ACNA and REC delegates before the

opening service of the REC General Council. Photo by Joy Hunter. Below: Members of the St. Andrew’s Choir. Phot by the Rev. Brian Foos.

During the first week of June, Charleston was fortunate to host the 57th triennial gathering of the General Council of the Reformed Episcopal Church, one of the oldest jurisdictions of the Anglican Church in North America. Clergy and lay delegates from around the world–– including the Rt. Rev. John Fenwick, primate of the Free Church of England, and other delegates from as far as Croatia, Germany, and Serbia––celebrated the REC’s 150th anniversary as they committed to their work of planting and revitalizing churches to testify and spread the gospel.

I was honored to have been asked by the Presiding Bishop of the REC, the Most Rev. Ray Sutton, to provide the music at the opening Eucharist service held at the Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. Paul on the morning of June 7. The Rev. Brian Foos, rector, headmaster, and choir director of St. Andrew’s College in Lake Almanor, CA, was tapped to provide the choir, and while we were planning for the service together, he and I quickly became friends. The St. Andrew’s Choir, which is made up of nine young men and women from high school to undergraduate levels of education, incorporated a cross-country tour on their way to the REC General Council, and Brian and I arranged a final stop for them at St. Philip’s on Tuesday, June 6th.

As a school and college in the classical tradition, St. Andrew’s choir students sing the daily office twice daily in addition to a sung Sunday service along with the demands of a rigorous academic course load, and we invited them to sing a brief evensong and concert in our nave. A significant number of Spoleto-goers were in attendance, and afterwards, all were invited to a reception, where they could learn about the first new Anglican post-secondary institution in North America in over 100 years and browse CDs and books, as well as cottage goods such as incense and candles. Once the crowd had cleared, members of St. Philip’s Choir graciously served a hearty meal to the choir students.  

It was such a joy to welcome these wayfaring cross-country singers to St. Philip’s and to play a part in the REC General Council, and I pray that the relationships we formed will blossom with fruit in the years to come.

We officially kicked off the Shine the Light Campaign on April 30th during the Rector’s Forum. Since then, we have been blessed with additional pledges. Each parishioner should have picked up a packet that day or received one in the mail.



We have an ambitious goal and are encouraged by the results up to now. We have pledges and contributions that amount to 56% of the goal of $20.5 million. To date, we have 21% of our parishioners participating, but our goal is for 100% participation. If you have not pledged, we are asking that you do so soon. We are allowing up to a three-year pledge (2023 through 2025). If you have any questions, please contact our co-chairs, Maybank Hagood or Karen Phillips: mhagood@sddholdings.com or phillipskj10@gmail.com.

Martha Vetter is visiting the Dufatanye Organization, one of St. Philip’s World Missions ministry partners in Rwanda, through June 30. Please continue praying for her as she visits with friends and former students, and pray that the Lord’s Spirit would order her steps and guide her conversations.

A Prayer for Travelers

O God, our heavenly Father, whose glory fills the whole creation, and whose presence we find wherever we go: Preserve those who travel, especially Martha Vetter in Rwanda; surround her with your loving care; protect her from every danger; and bring her in safety to her journey’s end; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Looking for a way to keep your brain engaged and fellowship with other St. Philippians this summer? Come join Jane McGreevy and Joanna Macmurphy on Wednesday evenings for a summer book club. We are going to read Rosaria Butterfield’s “The Gospel Comes With a House Key.” If you would like to participate, please email Jane at janemcgreevy@yahoo.com. We will begin meeting Wednesday, June 21, at 6:30 p.m. at Joanna’s house (284 Coinbow Circle in Mt. Pleasant).

Questions? Call Joanna at (843) 607-6763 or Jane at (843) 793-9832. 

Doug Ringer, who is training to become a deacon, was chosen to assist the Rt. Rev. Chip Edgar, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina, at the service of Confirmation last Sunday at St. John's, Johns Island, and it was a very special blessing indeed––Doug's granddaughter Grace was one of the confirmands!

Please keep our friends at St. Jean-Baptiste, one of our world mission partners on the island of La Gonâve in Haiti, in your prayers this weekend as they celebrate St. Jean-Baptiste Feast Day on June 24.

July 22: St. Philip’s Day at Water Mission (10:00 a.m. to noon)

Tour, scavenger hunt, and empathy exercise––learn about the global water crisis to be a part of the solution!

August 5: St. Philip’s Day at Hope to Home (8:45–11:45 a.m.)

Opportunities include delivering furniture to previously homeless people moving into their first apartment, organizing donations in the H2H warehouse in North Charleston, putting together kitchen and linen kits, repairing/refinishing furniture, decorating Bible verses to go in frames, and more!

Young adults (20s-30s-ish), join Justin Hare and Brian McGreevy Tuesday, June 27, at 7:00 p.m. at Henry's on the Market for Theology on Tap! Next week's topic will be “Christian Faithfulness in Our Brave New World: Lessons from Huxley, Orwell and Lewis.” We will provide the pizza and water––cash bar is available for any other beverages. As always, you may submit your questions anonymously through a texting app. Park for free in the church parking lot (corner of Church and Cumberland)––see you Tuesday!

The Rev. Justin C. Hare is preaching at our services of Holy Eucharist: Rite I at 8:15 a.m. and Morning Prayer: Rite I at 10:30 a.m.

What Else Would a Trash Panda Do?

The summertime, when so many of our classes and activities are in recess, is the perfect time to welcome new staff members because they have time to wade in instead of getting thrown straight into the deep end. And while we weren't necessarily looking to hire anyone new, we did not want to turn away the young raccoon mother who came looking for some part-time work last week.

It was unclear at first what her job was going to be, though. We already have a guard cat, a roving smile ambassador, a sexton-in-training, and a general office helper, so...what could we have her do? We hemmed and hawed for a while, but then Irene Rowe suggested trash duty––well, of COURSE! Just as various companies and government entities hire hackers to expose flaws in their cyber security, so shall we hire this young mother to show us how to keep our garbage safe and sound in receptacles and not strewn across the Tea Garden or Parish House courtyard.

If you follow St. Philip's on social media, you already knew about the new addition to the staff. But if this is the first you're hearing of her, don't you think you should take a moment right now to give us a follow so that you, too, can be among the first to hear about upcoming events, schedule changes, and new hires?

Important Dates

June 26–30 ~ GrandCamp 2023

June 27 ~ Red Cross Blood Drive

July 15 ~ Generations Ministry Summer Party (Anderson residence on Sullivan’s)

July 22 ~ St. Philip’s at Water Mission (10:00 a.m. to noon)

August 5 ~ Hope to Home Workday

September 1 ~ ADOSC Night at the Riverdogs

We pray for the sick: Johnny Anderson, Sallie Barrera, Tim Bass, Mimi Cathcart, Diane Christensen, Karen Collins, Silas Cressman, Cullen Crowley, Sally Fayard, Mary Forbes, Dana Heikes III, Susan Hemminger, Marvin Kirkland, Robert Kizer, Wes Lewis, Rena Mack, Alan McNeel, Rene Meyer, Mike Mullins, Elaine Pendarvis, Eli Penn, Bill Phillipps, Meredith Repik, Sally Rhett, Fran Sanders, Joanna Sparks, Pete Sperr, Margaret Swanson, Jenny White, and Lindsey Wing.

We grieve with and pray for Erika Picca and family on the death of her grandmother, Helen MacLean, on May 18.

We grieve with and pray for the family of Emily Kirkland Grimball, who died on June 3. 



We grieve with and pray for Cheryl Huggins and family on the death of her father, Joseph Franklin Floyd, on June 11.

We pray for our expectant parents: Sallie and Sam Barrera, Kimbrell and Bruce Blackwood; Elizabeth and William Bryan; Ainsley and Dominic Monda. 

We pray for protection for Becca Baird, Graham Blunt, Robert Cale III, Henry Clayton, David Daughtridge, Noah Flowe, 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, David Scott, and Joey Villeneuve.

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 Sunday:

O Lord, we beseech thee, make us to have a perpetual fear and love of thy holy Name, for thou never failest to help and govern those whom thou hast set upon the sure foundation of thy loving-kindness; 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:

• Romans 5:15b-19
• Psalm 69:1-15
• Matthew 10:16-33