Beloved in Christ at St. Philip’s,
First and foremost, I’d like to provide an update regarding COVID-19. Anderson County has gone from flirting with the promise of “low” to “high” community transmission, like most of Texas and the majority of our country. If you’ve been following the news, you will know that this has much to do with low vaccination rates and the more virulent delta variant. The worsening state of affairs has indeed prompted the CDC to recommend masks indoors for vaccinated and unvaccinated alike. While our current guidance continues to allow fully vaccinated persons to remove their masks, please do so cautiously. And, by all means, encourage those you love and care for to receive their vaccine. And, know that changing conditions could very well necessitate more stringent guidance in the days ahead.
That aside, I’m excited to resume several of our typical church opportunities. I write this to encourage you to find a place for these in your life in Christ. Beginning August 18th, St. Philip’s will resume Wednesday Healing Eucharist at 5:30 pm in the church nave. This service is a smaller, spoken service with an emphasis on prayers for healing and incorporates anointing with healing oil for those who desire. Oftentimes, the brief sermons reflect upon a saint celebrated that particular week in our church calendar.
Christian Formation opportunities will resume on Sunday, August 22nd at 9:15 am. “Godly Play” is being planned for children in the Godly Play room. “Godly Play” incorporates aspects of story, wonder, and play in a Montessori-based approach to nurturing children’s spiritual lives in Christ. “Practicing our Faith” is being planned for interested adults and youth in the Parish Hall. This 26-week series “offers a survey of the basic beliefs and practices of the Episcopal Church.” Participants will learn more of what it means to live as a disciple of Jesus each and every day of the week while gaining a greater familiarity with how our prayer shapes our belief. “Practicing our Faith” is an extensive course and will benefit long--time Episcopalians and those interested in learning more about our long-standing and prayer-book-rooted life of faith in Christ. If you are considering Confirmation or Baptism in the year ahead, make this a part of your preparation.
I pray that these opportunities will enrich your own lives in Christ and help us all “to be an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual faith…” in and around Palestine, Texas (St. Philip’s Mission Statement).
Faithfully yours in Christ,
Fr. Justin Briggle
The next DOK meeting will be Sunday, September 5th at 11:45 a.m. in the Parish Hall.
There will be no SMG meeting for the month
of August. The next meeting will be Monday,
September 20th at 6:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall.
There will be no ECW meeting for the month
of August. The next meeting will be Tuesday,
September 14th at 9:45 a.m. in the Parish Hall.
August Birthdays
2 Curt Winkler
4 Cathy Summers
5 Beverly Beck
7 Jamie Ward
8 Nancy Lavinski
13 Cynthia Dickey
19 Tracy Culpepper
19 Mike Knippers
20 Jesus Garcia-Castillo
21 Leo Mizell
23 Wanda Grimes
25 Scott Nicholson
30 Ann Davis
31 Carla Cubstead
31 Pat Redding
August Anniversaries
6 James & Tracy Culpepper
7 Bob & Merry Blackwell
8 Sparky & Barbara Kolstad
13 Clinton & Susan Taylor
14 Jerry & Kathryn Fagalde
20 Norwood & Carol Brenneke
June 2021 Year to Date
Beginning Balance $95,500.96 $83,409.68
Income $10,120.05 $97,068.00
PPP Loan Funding $3,495.87 $23,050.00
Total Expenses $14,503.92 $108,914.72
Ending Balance $94,612.96 $94,612.96
Ushers - August 2021 Ushers - September 2021
Curt Winkler To be Announced.
Altar Guild Schedule:
August 2021
Aug 7 - Aug 13 Team 1 Nancy Waggoner, Sherry Snow
Linens: Joann Evans
Aug 14 - Aug 20 Team 2 Becky Myers, Cathy Summers, Julie Law
Linens: Kirsten Knippers
Aug 21 - Aug 27 Team 3 Alex Nemer, Vicki Winkler
Linens: Vicki Winkler
Aug 28 - Sept 3 Team 4 Sara Minton, Kathy Stites, Hilda Garcia-Castillo
Linens: Jeanette George
Lay Minister Schedule:
August 2021 Reader/Server
Sunday 8/1 10:30 a.m. Carol Ann Chidlaw
Sunday 8/8 10:30 a.m. Phillip Morton
Sunday 8/15 10:30 a.m. Barbara Kolstad
Wednesday 8/18 5:30 p.m. Sparky Kolstad
Sunday 8/22 10:30 a.m. Pat Redding
Wednesday 8/25 5:30 p.m. Phillip Morton
Sunday 8/29 10:30 a.m. Carol Ann Chidlaw
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.
The indoor parish luncheon on August 15th has been canceled.
Our plans are to continue with our Holy Eucharist for the Feast of St. Philip, not only celebrating 162 years of faithfulness in Palestine (our birthday) and our own patron saint, but also blessing students and educators as well as their backpacks/
briefcases as they embark on another year of school (with a small gift to take with them). As we are dismissed into the world at the conclusion of the Holy Eucharist, we’re planning to have individually packaged slices of cake for you to take with you.
Wednesday Evening Healing Eucharist will return in-person on August 18th. Mark your calendars! Live-streamed Wednesday Evening Prayer is taking a break. If you're interested in learning how to pray the Daily Office, contact Fr. Justin Briggle.
Our Daughters of the King chapter has elected Carol Ann Chidlaw as its new President and Debbie Tisdale as its Treasurer. Many thanks to the faithful years of service by outgoing President, Deborah Morton. Interested in prayer, service, and evangelism? Consider becoming a Daughter.
A Note from the Organist/Choirmaster:
As we enter into this time of transition and change within the music ministry of our parish I felt led to offer a few words on the role of congregational music in the development of the church. Here below is a brief primer on the history of sacred music in Christianity.
The lineage of sacred music according to Christian use can be traced back to the very earliest Christians whose worship practices were largely identical to Jewish tradition of the time. The earliest references in written text to hymnody and sung liturgy can be found in the letters written by St. Paul to the Corinthians and the Ephesians, circa AD 64. Later, these liturgical songs and hymns would be joined by the practices of Gregorian Chant as well as the polyphonic motets of the Medieval French Christians.
Hymnody in the “modern” sense (that is, a set of text sung in a strophic manner to a repeated tune) would develop in the Late Medieval period. During this time, churches were beginning to install large pipe organs for the purpose of supporting large congregational singing. Up to this point service music was generally performed by clergy and select groups of singers. This movement would reach its zenith in the Baroque when composers such as Dietrich Buxtehude, Johann Sebastian Bach, and Claudio Monteverdi began to compose chorale preludes for Lutheran and Catholic hymn chorales. These preludes would introduce the hymn tune and serve as a cue to the congregation as to when to start singing. As a result of these practices the congregations of Bach’s time and beyond were well-equipped and supported for the task of congregational singing.
Sacred music in the Anglican Communion is highly influenced by both the German Baroque (who were largely Lutheran) and the music of English church musicians like Henry Purcell, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and David Willcocks. The musical traditions of our own parish reflect the fine lineage of English choral music and the heavy use of the pipe organ. Our pipe instrument, a Roy Redman tracker organ of German disposition, is heavily influenced by the organs of the Baroque through its all-mechanical operation.
Music in the context of the church is a very powerful tool for communicating the teachings of God. The prevalence of music in both the Old and New Testaments speaks to the importance that God places on music in our spiritual lives. By lifting our praises in song each week at St. Philip’s we continue to uphold a two-thousand year heritage of sacred music. Whether you sing in St. Philip’s Choir or lift your voice from the congregation you are engaging in one of Christianity’s oldest and most reverent traditions.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Ethan Ainsworth
Organist and Choirmaster
July 2021 Junior Warden Report
Contacted Kim Keplar, contractor, to look at window seals on South and North stained glass windows. She will send plans on replacing and weather proofing.
Reviewed West Narthex doors again and revised plans. Need to contact another contractor for 2nd bid.
Called Haws roofing to look at overhang on west end of building which may be contributing to water damage to Narthex doors.
Peace of Mind Electrical Technician out to retrofit last of LED tubes in Parish Hall. Replaced “U” tubes in Sacristy and hallway outside library. Capped electrical line to old church sign on SW end of church. Replaced 4 LED flood lights in Nave and Altar area. Technician will find another emergency light to replace non-functioning one outside Parish Office.
Installed new warm air hand dryers in Men’s and Women’s restrooms in Parish Hall.
Reviewed plans for water heater in Paris Hall repair/replace. Gary Cooper, plumber, will move water heater out so work in cabinetry can be performed. Kim Keplar will send plans for review.
Phillip O. Morton, RN, Junior Warden St. Philip’s Episcopal Church
Rector: Fr. Justin Briggle jbriggle@stphilipspalestine.com Cell: (512) 799-9365
Parish Assistant: Malane Nix Treasurer: Melissa F. Cox
Sexton: Martín Rodríguez Organist/Choirmaster: Ethan Ainsworth
Vestry Members
2021
Bill Fraser
Phillip Morton, Jr. Warden
Tucker Royall
Bob Snow
2022
Barbara Kolstad, Sr. Warden
Pat Redding
Mike Tisdale
Nancy Waggoner
2023
Melissa Cox, Treasurer
Alex Nemer, Clerk
Vincent Salaz
Joan Strominger
Normal Office Hours: Monday–Thursday: 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
Closed Federal and Occasional Church Holidays
Phone: (903) 729-4214 Fax: (903) 729-8691
Facebook: www.fb.com/stphilipspalestine YouTube: bit.ly/stphilipsyt
Email: office@stphilipspalestine.com Website: www.stphilipspalestine.com
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