Parish Office
- May 27, 2021
- 5 min read

"The Curate" June 2021

Beloved in Christ at St. Philip’s,

As students finish up the school year, summer approaches, and more people begin to vacation, especially now that COVID guidance eases with increasing vaccination rates and decreasing community spread, we enter a season when many focus on recreation. Recreation means enjoying yourself when you are not working, doing something for pleasure or to relax. Really what it’s about is making good use of your free time, your leisure. That word “recreation” comes from “re-creation,” meaning to create again. When we think about it like that, we very well might focus on what it means ourselves to be created in the image of God. We look around at the beautiful and magnificence of creation and can’t help but see the handiwork of our Lord, the creative genius at work. But, when we consider ourselves as made in God’s image, it means we have certain characteristics within ourselves that are like God. God Almighty was a creator, and we are creative individuals, it’s written into us.

When you seek time away from the tasks that always need doing, to find time to rejuvenate, consider those as times to live into who you’re created to be—a child of God who has it in themselves to create and re-create. These times offer us the opportunity to “rebuild our bodies and renew our minds” (BCP 825). These times offer us the rest we all need to make a right beginning of things again, to see things like we’ve forgotten how to see them.

This time of re-creation is cyclical, we don’t finish re-creating and are done, but we have the ability at our disposal when it is most needed, like a weekly sabbath, a weekend away from some job. The summer offers us a natural place to carve out space for re-creation. For my family and I that takes the form of Camp Allen Chaplain and a vacation on most summers. For you it might be a cruise, a long-awaited vacation, picking up a new hobby, getting back to something you loved doing but didn’t make time for again, diving into a book you’ve been putting off, writing some, extra time meditating with Scripture, spending time resting in God through Centering Prayer, taking hikes, sitting in silence on your porch sipping coffee and appreciating the beauty of creation, etc. If traveling is part of your re-creation process, do what Episcopalians do, attend Holy Eucharist at an Episcopal Church near you, it’s always lovely to worship with other Anglicans around the world!

It is my sincere hope that after this much needed time of re-creation on the heels of a historic pandemic, that we will return to a fall that looks more like many are hoping for. Can we be at a point in our community then that makes it safe to gather for meals together without burdensome restrictions? Will we be to a place where anyone who wants to receive a vaccine can? I pray that it is so! I know many of you are thrilled with how our new guidance has eased restrictions. I pray that things in Anderson County continue to keep us on that trajectory.

Faithfully yours in Christ,

Fr. Justin Briggle

For the Good Use of Leisure (BCP 825)

O God, in the course of this busy life, give us times of refreshment and peace; and grant that we may so use our leisure to rebuild our bodies and renew our minds, that our spirits may be opened to the goodness of your creation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The next DOK meeting will be on Sunday, June 6th, at

11:45 a.m. in the Parish Hall. Social distancing is required and masks are available and should be worn by unvaccinated and immunocompromised persons. The meeting will also be available

via Zoom, with details to follow.

There will be no SMG meeting for the months of June, July, and August. Meetings will resume in September with details to be announced.

The next ECW meeting will be on Tuesday,

May 8th, at 10:00 a.m. in the Parish Hall. Social distancing is required and masks are available and should be worn by unvaccinated and immunocompromised persons. Also available via Zoom with details to follow.

June Birthdays

3 Mary Kolstad

8 Mark Davis

10 Joann Evans

10 Don Summers

15 Nancy Waggoner

16 Jane McConnell

16 Jon Weaver

18 Kathy Thomas

18 Roman Weaver

26 Marie Mills

27 Muriel Mizell

June Anniversaries

6 John & Tome’ Nell Gregg

8 Frank & Martha Polasek

10 Alec & Julia Law

15 Allen & Marie Mills

18 Don & Cathy Summers

20 Linney & Tammy Patton

April 2021

Beginning Balance $92,713.63

Income $14,370.50

PPP Loan Funding $ 7,707.71

Total Expenses $21,340.91

Ending Balance $93,450.93

Ushers - June 2021

Curt Winkler

Ushers - July 2021

To be announced.

Altar Guild Schedule:

June 2021

May 29 – Jun 4-------Team 3 Alex Nemer, Vicki Winkler

Linens: Vicki Winkler

Jun 5 – Jun 11 -------Team 4 Sara Minton, Kathy Stites, Hilda Garcia-Castillo

Linens: Jeanette George

Jun 12 – Jun 18------Team 1 Nancy Waggoner, Sherry Snow

Linens: Joann Evans

Jun 19 – Jun 25------Team 2 Becky Myers, Cathy Summers, Julie Law

Linens: Kirsten Knippers

Jun 26 – Jul 2---------Team 3 Alex Nemer, Vicki Winkler

Linens: Vicki Winkler

Lay Minister Schedule:

June 2021 Reader/Server

Sunday 6/6 10:30 a.m. Carol Ann Chidlaw

Sunday 6/13 10:30 a.m. Scott Nicholson

Sunday 6/20 10:30 a.m. Phillip Morton

Sunday 6/27 10:30 a.m. Barbara Kolstad

Please consider contributing for

Altar Flowers on a Sunday morning in Thanksgiving for an anniversary, birthday, or other blessing or in memory of someone. Contact the church office to sign up for your Sunday.

Regular patterns of worship are starting to return to St. Philip’s.

St. Philip’s now has a space for the

younger ones who worship with us.

We are readying the Parish Hall for future Christian Formation use.

You may also notice, we now have new welcome cards in the pews.

We would like to establish a “ Card Ministry” at St. Philip’s Church. Our first meeting will be Wednesday, June 23rd at 11:00 a.m. Cards and needed information for recipients will be provided. If you have any interest in participating or questions please call the church office at 903-729-4214 or Marian Raney at 903-922-1606. Thanks so much for your support. - Marian Raney

May 2021 Junior Warden Report

Received quote for water damage repair and venetian blinds. Planned to start in June 2021.

Met with plumber regarding removing water heater from Parish Hall kitchen for water damage repair.

Awaiting Music Store technician to finish amplifier repair.

Contacted pest control vendor to service church for report of insect sighting.

Rain penetrating west Narthex double doors. Caulked some potentialdefects. Next heavy western rain more leakage identified and caulk applied. Doors are in poor shape. Discussed with Fr. Justin and will contact resource person to discuss strategies.

Phillip O. Morton, RN

Junior Warden