The church office will be closed tomorrow, August 15, so that clergy and staff may attend the funeral of Benjamin Singleton's mother, Rena Ladson Mack.

O God, who by the glorious resurrection of thy Son Jesus Christ didst destroy death and bring life and immortality to light: Grant that thy servant Rena, being raised with Christ, may know the strength of his presence and rejoice in his eternal glory; who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Rena's funeral information.

Come Further Up, Come Further In

Monday, August 19 ~ 7:00 p.m. in the Whiskey Room at Henry's on the Market

Men of all ages are invited for fellowship, prayer, teaching, and discussion next Monday at 7:00 p.m. at Henry’s on the Market. Questions? Contact Mark Finlay at markjfinlay@icloud.com.

Theology on Tuesdays

Tuesday, August 20 ~ 7:00 p.m. in the Whiskey Room at Henry's on the Market

Young adults, come enjoy pizza (provided), beverages of your choice (cash bar––water provided), and some conversation about life and God––ask any questions you'd like anonymously through a texting app. Park for free in the church lot on the corner of Cumberland and Church Streets––and bring a friend!

Parenting at St. Philip's: A Fellowship Event

Sunday, August 25 ~ 4:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall

Parents of children and youth 0-18 are invited for a time of encouragement, community, and mingling over heavy hors d’oeuvres, beer, wine, and sodas. We will also hear from Justin Hare, David Gilbert, Dorothy Lancaster, and Zippy Hood about ministry opportunities and ways to stay connected this year. Limited childcare will be available for children 5th grade and under. 

Rally Sunday

September 8 ~ Note: no 8:15 a.m. service on Rally Sunday

Join us for a celebratory day of fellowship and worship! We'll have Sunday school, adult offerings (including Rector's Forum), 10:30 a.m. worship, and lunch!

Sunday Morning Registration

Children and youth 0-18

Your one-stop shop for all things Sunday morning for your children and youth ages 0-18: nursery, Sunday school (including 7th-grade Confirmation class), and children's church! Sunday school begins Rally Sunday, September 8.

Youth Group

Middle school and high school groups

Youth group evenings start back up September 6 for the middle schoolers and September 8 for the high schoolers. All are welcome, whether members of our parish family or the surrounding community.

Children's Choirs

Ages 3–18

Rehearsals resume August 29 for 4th–12th graders and September 11 for those ages three through 3rd grade. All are welcome to join whether they are brand new to choral music or seasoned singers.

Foundations, A Journey of Faith

Sundays at 9:30 a.m. beginning Rally Sunday, September 8

Join the Rev. Andrew O'Dell for a 10-week journey that explores the fundamental questions of the Christian faith.

Chapel Breakfast Club

Sundays at 9:30 a.m. beginning Rally Sunday, September 8

Come enjoy a warm, welcoming environment where folks can grab a bite and explore the Christian faith within a relaxed community. There are no 'dumb' or off-limit questions, and there is no deadline to join or commitment to stay.

September Saturday Serve: Star Gospel Mission

Saturday, September 21 ~ 9:00–11:00 a.m. or 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.

Join the Home Missions Team for a day of service for our friends and mission partners at Star Gospel Mission! Volunteers will work together to clean, prep, and paint.

Fall Blood Drive

Tuesday, September 24 ~ 12 noon–6:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall

Come on down to St. Philip’s to give the gift of life––one unit of blood can save up to three lives!

Ezra and Nehemiah: Rebuilding and Restoring

by Frenchie Richards, St. Philip’s Prayer Ministry

“So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they were very angry. And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it. And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.” ––Nehemiah 4:6-9, 13

While I was praying for our Shine the Light campaign recently, Ezra and Nehemiah came to mind. In rereading many of the passages, I was specifically led to the rebuilding of the temple in Ezra and the restoring of Jerusalem’s walls and gates in Nehemiah.

Though Ezra and Nehemiah accomplished the assignments God gave them, both faced a lot of challenges and battles. I am reminded that the enemy is busy trying to steal, kill, and destroy God’s blessings and the things that we love and hold dear (John 10:10).

But Jesus said in Luke 10:19, “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.”

House of Prayer: August Prayer Points

“My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.” ––Isaiah 56:7

“The effective fervent prayers of a righteous man avails much.” ––James 5:16a

Answered Prayers (Thank You, Lord):

1. For the financial gifts that have brought us so close to completing the first phase of the Shine the Light campaign.

2. For the successful adult forum series on “ Life-Changing Prayer” by Jim Cymbala. Thank you, Guv and Steve, for leading.

3. For the new classical Christian school plans and the various subcommittees.

4. For our clergy, staff, and Vestry. For the new sexton, Stephen Casey, assisting Ben.

5. For the new parish nurse ministry that Susan Keller is leading.

6. For the successful pilgrimage to Ireland and the travelers’ safe return. For Jeff’s leadership.

7. For the zoning approval for Camp Jubilee’s property.

8. For the experience the children had at Camp Jubilee––many seeds planted for the Kingdom.

9. For the volunteers, leaders and children that attended VBS at St. Philip’s.

10. For the pop-up praise and worship service on a recent Wednesday––may there be another this summer!

The Rev. William K. Christian III is preaching at our services of Holy Eucharist at 8:15 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.  Sunday School and the Rector's Forum are in summer recess. Nursery and children's church during the 10:30 service are available year-round.

Debby kept most of the St. Philip's staff home a few days last week, but she did not keep us from working––and she even gave some of our follicly blessed part-timers an opportunity to lend a hand/paw!

On Tuesday, Finley very kindly supervised Miss Dorothy at home while she readied the backpack tags for last Sunday's blessing. Then on Thursday, when the office opened back up, Gus (whose school was closed that day) came by the office to make sure all was in order. He checked the graveyard and the Tea Garden courtyard, both of which had a lot of debris--but nothing major. In fact, there was only one little spot in the courtyard that he felt needed immediate attention, and he was happy to tend to it. And if you heard that weird rumor that he was actually burying a bully stick and not fixing anything––well, you couldn't possibly believe something as far-fetched and ridiculous as that, could you??

If you follow St. Philip's on social media, you already knew that Gus and Finley helped out last week. But if this is news to you, why not take a minute right now to give us a follow so that you, too, can be among the first to hear about schedule changes, special events, and all the latest office (and remote) helper news?

p.s. If you were disappointed by an incorrect Dwight Schrute link two weeks ago, click here--and please accept our most sincere apology for the oversight.

IMPORTANT DATES

August 25 ~ Parent Fellowship (parents of children/youth 0–18) ~ 4:00 p.m.

September 2 ~ Labor Day (church office closed)

September 8 ~ Rally Sunday (Sunday school, Rector's Forum and other adult formation, 10:30 a.m. service only, lunch to follow)

September 11 ~ Monthly Men's Lunch (noon in the Parish Hall)

September 11 ~ Wednesdays Alive! service, class, supper resumes (5:30 p.m.)

September 12 ~ Rector's Bible Study (noon in the Parish Hall)

September 21 ~ Saturday Serve: Star Gospel Mission

September 24 ~ Fall blood drive (registration open)

We pray for the sick: Lisa Allis, Harold Arnold, Judith Carr, Mary Forbes, Larry Fowler, Ricky Hanckel, Charles Kennedy, Marvin Kirkland, LaVonne Marshall, Sarah Marshall, Alice Stender Powell, Newton Quantz, Fran Sanders, and Bill Wallace. 

We pray for our expectant parents: Laura and Bucky Parks, Ruben and Katie Pérez-Phillips.

We grieve with and pray for McCoy Penninger and family on the death of his father, Chet Penninger, Jr., on August 1.

We grieve with and pray for the family of Libby Wright, who died on August 1.

We grieve with and pray for Benjamin Singleton and family on the death of his mother, Rena Mack, on August 7.

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, David Scott, and Asada Williams.

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

Keep, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy Church with thy perpetual mercy; and because the frailty of man without thee cannot but fall, keep us ever by thy help from all things hurtful, and lead us to all things profitable to our salvation; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Readings for Sunday:

• 2 Samuel 11:26–12:7a, 13-14
• Psalm 134
• John 6:53-59