~ the eSPIRE Newsletter ~
May 31, 2020
The Day of Pentecost: Whitsunday
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No printed inSPIRE this week
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The church office is closed and all in-person church activities are cancelled through the duration of the present health crisis.
We will be offering worship online during this time.
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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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An email with printable Sunday bulletins will be coming later in the week.
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Spiritual Communion This Sunday: Pentecost
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St. Philip's celebrated the high feast day of Easter with the Holy Eucharist, offering
“spiritual communion
” to those worshipping from home, and we will be celebrating Pentecost, the day the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples, in the same way.
As the Reverend Jeffrey S. Miller, Rector, shared in a letter to the congregation last month, the Prayer Book makes this provision: “If a person desires to receive the Sacrament, but, by reason of extreme sickness or physical disability, is unable to eat and drink the Bread and Wine, the Celebrant is to assure that person that all the benefits of Communion are received, even though the Sacrament is not received with the mouth.”
The Rector continued, “The 1662 Book of Common Prayer, which remains the standard for many churches across the Anglican Communion, expands this restriction by allowing for spiritual communion in 'the time of plague, sweat or other like contagious times of sickness and disease.’ This rubric goes on to say, 'But if a man, either by reason of extremity of sickness or by any other just impediment, do not receive the Sacrament of Christ’s Body and Blood: the Curate shall instruct him that if he do truly repent him of his sins, and steadfastly believe that Jesus Christ hath suffered death upon the Cross for him, and shed his Blood for his redemption, earnestly remembering the benefits he hath thereby, and giving him hearty thanks therefore; he doth eat and drink the Body and Blood of our Savior Christ profitably to his soul’s health, although he do not receive the Sacrament with his mouth.’ Although written nearly four hundred years ago, this rubric accurately predicts the challenges we face in the present COVID-19 crisis and makes pastoral accommodation for those incapable of physical participation in the Eucharist ... I remain confident that the benefits and blessings of the Eucharistic liturgy will not be lost on us due to our unfortunate circumstances. Jesus promised, 'For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among
them.
’
”
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Canned Food Drive: Let's Stock the Shelves of Tricounty Family Ministries!
Tuesday, June 9, 9:00-11:00 a.m. at the Parish House
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Click the play button above to listen to a message from Home Missions Team member Amey Warder about the canned food drive.
The shelves at Tricounty Family Ministries are bare, and they need OUR help to fill them! Can you help in just three easy steps?
- Pick out some cans, jars, or boxes of food from your pantry or the grocery store. "Pop-top" cans are preferable so that Tricounty's homeless clients are able to open them without a can opener, but all donations are welcome and needed!
- Drop off your donations at the Parish House (on the corner of Church and Cumberland Streets) between 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 9. Members of the Home Missions Team will be available to assist with curbside contactless pickup.
- Spread the word! Call a friend, tell a neighbor, and share on social media.
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Zero Staff Birthdays Reported the Week of May 26
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Pictured above: Yesterday's non-musical staff meeting. Following last week's stellar "Happy Birthday" performance (you may recall that one reviewer gushed, "That was a lot better than I thought it was going to be!"), the clergy and staff gave their voices a welcome rest this week.
Our weekly staff meetings are a time for the clergy and staff to convey important messages and plans to everyone at once (food drive for Tricounty! preschool summer camp! youth outings!), but also to check in with each other on a personal level. This week, a few people had pet-health updates: one dog's biopsy came back negative, three senior dogs in one household visited the vet at the same time (and are doing well), and a year-long nail-trimming struggle with a very stubborn 80+-pound juvenile dog finally resulted in a win––thanks to the miracle of general anesthesia. Commenting on people's love for animals, someone (not the one you think) quoted C.S. Lewis: "To love at all is to be vulnerable." Two of us are navigating new types of love: one as a first-time "grandfather" to a 3-month-old Boykin Spaniel named Obi-Wan Kenobi, and another as a first-time grandmother to a 7 lb. 11 oz. human baby named Knox. The new grandmother is working on figuring out what her own new moniker will be, and while opinions were divided on "Granny," someone pointed out, "If it's good enough for the Queen of England, it's good enough for us!"
As some restrictions in our area are easing, though, many of us are struggling to filter all the information we're hearing and to balance our concerns for our own health and the health of loved ones and others in our community with our desire to return to what our lives used to be. Yesterday, Father Jeff encouraged the staff to "listen to the still small voice." Do you need help focusing on that voice? If you are struggling in any way, please reply to this email or fill out the questionnaire below to let us know. Our clergy and staff, along with many members of our parish, are available and eager to help you in any way you might need. You may also call one of the priests directly; they would love to hear from you!
The Rev. Jeff Miller: (843) 812-0556
The Rev. Andrew O'Dell: (843) 639-9084
The Rev. Marc Boutan: (843) 737-1277
The Rev. Brian McGreevy: (843) 793-9830
The Rev. Ryan Streett: (843) 601-1120
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Hurricane Season is ALMOST Here:
St. Philip's Disaster Relief Team is ALWAYS Here
Helping in times of hurricane, tornado, flooding, earthquake, fire, or any other disaster
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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!
Get Prepared
And Get in Touch
We have members throughout the tri-county area available to provide immediate assistance whenever a crisis occurs, whether it be a hurricane, tornado, flooding, earthquake, or fire. We're here to help you!
Click here if you believe you may require assistance before (preparation) or after a disaster (e.g. cleanup).
“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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Preschool Summer Camp Registration is Open!
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We are pleased to announce the return of Preschool Camp for babies through age three! Two sessions will be offered this summer: June 22-26 and July 13-17 (campers must have been born after September 1, 2015).
The fee per child is $250, and campers do not have to be St. Philip's Preschool students to attend. Space is limited, with preference given for church members and for full-week camp attendance.
A note about safety: Cleaning is something we have always taken very seriously at St. Philip’s Preschool. We will clean and sanitize daily during camp, and we will also be using air purifiers. We would be happy to share our cleaning protocol with you upon request.
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Congratulations, Graduates!
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O Eternal God, bless all schools, colleges, and universities, that they may be lively centers for sound learning, new discovery, and the pursuit of wisdom; and grant that those who teach and those who learn may find you to be the source of all truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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High School
Morgan Ravenel Anderson, James Island Charter High School,
attending Clemson University
Isabelle Naudain Boulware, The Asheville School,
attending Wofford College
Morgan Victoria Davis,
Ashley Hall,
attending the University of Georgia
Augusta Bevington Dixon,
James Island Charter High School,
attending Middlebury College
Frances Deas Folline,
Wando High School,
attending Clemson University
Jillian Rebecca Hethcox, Wando High School,
attending Wofford College
Nancy Cornelia Karen Kirkman, Ashley Hall,
attending the University of Virginia
Louisa Rivers Kuhn, Porter-Gaud School,
attending Texas Christian University Honors College
John (Edward) Frampton Maybank III, Episcopal High School,
attending Sewanee: The University of the South
Margaret O'Kelley,
Ashley Hall,
attending
the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Lyles Ravenel Parsell,
Porter-Gaud School,
attending Wake Forest University
Will Phillips, Porter-Gaud School,
attending Clemson University
Samantha Singleton, Ashley Ridge High School,
attending Claflin College
deRosset Thompson,
Ashley Hall,
attending the College of Charleston
Clarke Southall Wallace III,
Episcopal High School,
attending the University of Virginia
Hope Walters,
Virginia Episcopal School,
attending Wofford College
Joseph "Hubert" Wood, IV,
Episcopal High School,
attending
the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
College or Graduate School
Sarah Beth Clark, College of Charleston,
Bachelor of Arts in Arts Management
Margaret (Meg) Graham, Presbyterian College,
Bachelor of Science in Psychology, minor in Biology
Nancy Lilly Hagood,
Medical University of South Carolina,
Doctor of Medicine
George William Jilich, College of Charleston,
Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems
Caroline Hermena “Mena” Kerrison, Sewanee: The University of the South,
Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, minor in Spanish
Madeline Louise Ana Kuhn, New York University,
Bachelor of Music in Music Business
Richard Perrin Moore, Jr., Savannah College of Art and Design,
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film and Television
Jeff Owens,
Millsaps College,
Bachelor of Business Administration
Alida Sinkler,
University of Georgia,
Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion, minor in Global Health
Elizabeth Cameron Smith, College of Charleston,
Master of Arts in Teaching (Elementary Education)
Bel Thompson,
Clemson University,
Bachelor of Science in Management and Marketing
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Online Offering: The Rector's Bible Study TOMORROW
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All are invited to join the Rev. Jeffrey S. Miller for the Rector's Bible Study online! Fix yourself a sandwich, grab your Bible and a seat on your couch, and click the link below a few minutes before noon tomorrow to join!
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Online Offering: The Rev. Brian McGreevy's "Screwtape Letters" Class TONIGHT
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The Rev. Brian McGreevy continues with his exploration of C.S. Lewis's "The Screwtape Letters" Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m.! You may stream the 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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Daily Devotions from the St. Philip's Clergy
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These reflections are posted to the news section of our website (
stphilipschurchsc.org/news
) Monday through Friday at 7:00 a.m., but you may also receive direct links to the videos by subscribing below.
Last Thursday,
the Rev. Brian McGreevy
shared some unexpected facts about W. Chatterton Dix, who wrote the profoundly moving words of "Alleluia! Sing to Jesus" in 1866.
On Friday,
the Rev. Andrew O'Dell
took a closer look at the context of the familiar words of 1 Corinthians 13 so that we could learn what St. Paul is telling us about the building up of the Church.
On Monday,
the Rev. Marc Boutan
reflected on the song "Day by Day." Yesterday,
the Rev. Ryan Streett
helped us see the Ascension from a different point of view by guiding us through Psalm 24. Today, the Rev. Jeff Miller will be looking at Matthew chapter 18: what does it mean to be great in the sight of the Lord?
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Important News About VBS
A note from Amy Watson Smith, Director of Ministry to Children and Families
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It is with much disappointment that I announce the cancellation of St. Philip's Vacation Bible School for the summer of 2020. The Covid-19 crisis has forced so many changes to our regular lives, and, unfortunately, this annual event has succumbed. Much thought, discussion, and prayer went into this decision. Ultimately we determined it would not be prudent to proceed with VBS at this time.
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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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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: Kelsey Brockbank, Katie Burris, Gus Croome, Ed Dibble, Elizabeth Flowers, Robert Gould, Janet Hanger, Jonathan Hanger, Jane Jilich, Gene Lesesne, Joe Livesay, Kimbrough McEniry, Peter Moore, Sharon Nix, Benjamin Schools, and Lindsey Wing.
We pray for our expectant parents: Henslee and Van Elliott, Ralph and Anna Gray Baker, 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:
Almighty God, who on this day didst open the way of eternal life to every race and nation by the promised gift of thy Holy Spirit: Shed abroad this gift throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Readings for Sunday
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ST. PHILIP'S CHURCH
142 Church Street | Charleston, SC 29401
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