Early April 2012

So, it’s Easter weekend, and you’re sitting around relaxing in your slippers and pajamas, watching an old western on TV, and the first thought that pops into your head is, “I think I’d like to put some things together!” Well, perhaps you didn’t think that, but at least one person did. Our Godly Play children will have the opportunity to paint with “big paints” as they work with the Bible stories in class. We are thankful for all the helping hands that do so many unseen things for St. Philip’s all week long. I wish I had more pictures of these unseen helping hands. I had the opportunity to be alone in the church on Holy Saturday in the late afternoon. The quiet, peaceful church was absolutely breathtaking with all the lilies and sunlight streaming through the windows. Please imagine that picture and give thanks for the people who make our worship space beautiful each week.

Other unseen hands spent time planning the First Annual Easter Egg Hunt at St. Philip’s! There were lots of gatherings to prepare for the event: an Egg Stuffing Party and a Playground Raking Party. On Easter Sunday everything was prepared and ready to go! Interested St. Philippians milled around the parking lot, watching the festivities. Before the Hunt started, Kate and Shannon laid out the ground rules and got the hunter/gatherers primed. And hunt they did! There were approximately 700 eggs to find in the “triangle yard” and the playground. One particular quirk of this Hunt was that the eggs had to be returned at the end (not to worry: our hunters were able to keep the consumable treats inside). Many thanks to Grant and Camp Gwynn Valley for loaning the eggs and helping us keep this event green!

Many thanks to Bonnie Jensen for the pictures of the Egg Hunt!

Late March 2012

There’s lots of small fry around the church, but sometimes they move so fast they’re hard to see. However, the St. Philip’s nursery is displaying some new artwork to help the caregivers in the nursery remember names and ages. Folks, there are TWENTY NAMES in that school of fish! And Chris tells me they have a few more fish to add to the display as soon as they check with the mothers and fathers.

You can read in The Messenger and in the Bulletins and have a good idea of some of the people who head this committee or that one. However, St. Philip’s is chock full of people who are willing to show up and get a job done. Recently, a group of men responded to the request to empty out Miller Hall so that the labyrinth could be put down. No committee, no fanfare – just showing up and getting the work done.

And not everyone may know that St. Philip’s has a full size labyrinth. The labyrinth was available for several days in Lent. While everyone loves the hustle and bustle of a good parish dinner, there is also the need to retire and replenish. The labyrinth is a quiet, calm, peaceful way to do that.

You might also be surprised to learn that the labyrinth is not popular just with the adults. The teens in EYC had the opportunity to walk it, as well – many of them are familiar with labyrinths from the diocesan retreats they attend. The children here also are familiar with them, as we have two in the Godly Play classrooms.

 Our Good Friday liturgy also has the Stations of the Cross – meditations on 9 scenes in the last week of Jesus’ life. Diane gave the children 5th grade and younger a wonderful gift  of Stations of the Cross suitable for that age group with a simple activity to fit each station.

After hearing that Jesus’s clothes were ripped, each participant wrote his or her name on a piece of ripped cloth and pinned it to the cross.

The final station describes the body of Jesus being taken from the cross and anointed with oil. WIth a thumb dipped in olive oil, each participant silently made the sign of the cross on the hand of the person next to him or her.

Winter 2012 – March

There is a new committee working at St. Philip’s with the acronym EPP (Episcopal Program Planning) – and those people have been PLANNING! Some pictures of these fellowship events from March show up in this post.

However, before we move to fellowship, there’s one little lost one we’d like to find a home for. This little red child’s coat was left at St. Philip’s during Advent/Christmas. It’s now hanging a hook outside Steve’s office. If you recognize it, drop by and pick it up: we’ll give it a few weeks more and then take it to the Shop of St. Philip’s if no one claims it.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you might have heard that parts of the new movie “The Hunger Games” were filmed in Transylvania County. There is no doubting the beautiful locations we have here! On March 3, several intrepid St. Philippians headed out to DuPont State Forest on a hike to see some of these beautiful parts of God’s creation.

And just a few weeks later, more gathered at the shelter at Sycamore Flats for a St. Patrick’s Day Picnic! Green was busting out all over – the unseasonably warm winter we’ve had made for a great day in the Forest.

Now, don’t think everyone spent all their time visiting and enjoying each other’s company. There was a whole lot of fun happening out on the grass!

And, of course, there was a lot of green happening after everyone finished their lunch. This important activity – decorating green shamrock cookies – required more concentration than you usually see at a picnic!

Until next time, top o’ the morning to you!

Winter 2012 – February

First, a big howdy and thank you to former parishioner Fran W, who photographed our signpost for this blog’s header (above). She then edited the picture, cropped it, and put it in the blog for me, and did a few other things I don’t even understand. She makes me look better than I am!

In other news, our nursery continues to be a hopping place on Sunday mornings. Our smallest St. Philippians are active in every sense of the word! Recently there were 10 children enjoying our nursery on a Sunday morning.

If  you never venture downstairs on a Sunday morning, give it a try. It’s an incredibly busy place with a lot of great people of ALL ages and sizes, and they will welcome you with outstretched arms!

It might appear that the babies spill out of the nursery into the high school Sunday School class, but these boys are babysitting their electronic babies – a weekend school assignment.

On February 8, parishioners filled Miller Hall for a covered-dish supper. We have three services at St. Philip’s, and sometimes you might not recognize those who regularly attend another service! Come to a parish dinner and grab a chair next to someone you don’t know.

On a February morning during Sunday School, these two boys work with the desert box and the blocks.

…while these two study the instruction booklet for origami. Often, creating is an active way to work with and wonder about the Bible stories the children hear each week.

February 21, 2012 Shrove Tuesday

Almost 100 St. Philippians of all ages gathered for the annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper, a fundraiser for the EYC. It was a great time to sit with old friends, meet with new friends, and consume every little fat molecule possible before the season of Lent begins!

Many thanks to Steve, who spent five hours cooking bacon and sausage in preparation for the event. Beth manned the pancake griddle, while the EYC helped with collecting money, clearing tables, etc.

A special thanks goes to Ellie, Official PhilippianPix Junior Photographer, and Deacon Annie for the photographs.

Winter 2011-2012 – Bits and Pieces

The children were preparing for the Traditional Christmas Pageant on Sunday, December 4. As they gather each year for rehearsals during the Sunday School hour, they begin with the Godly Play Advent stories on the chancel steps before they start the rehearsal.

The Christmas decorations in Miller Hall come down for the season after Epiphany. 

For the past two years, Steve’s office hasn’t been on the Elegant Tour of Office Spaces in Transylvania County. While St. Philip’s has organized The Christmas Project for the Boys and Girls Club and Rise & Shine, his office had become a storage facility for this huge event.

However, with some help from the moving department of the Buildings Committee and the designation of the office space upstairs, storage for this project and other outreach needs now has a new home!

And with the shelves (and their contents) gone, Steve’s office now is now a bit more welcoming for meetings!

January 25, 2012 All Parish Dinner

Under the direction of a new committee at St. Philip’s, St. Philippians met for an All Parish Dinner on January 25, 2012. There was one purpose: to enjoy sharing a meal together. Fellowship was the order of the day!

Almost 90 signed up, and we hope to see even more at the All Parish Covered Dish Dinner on February 8, 2012.

We have Steve and Beth to thank for the delicious dinner (and all the many, many people who helped with set up and clean up). Thanks are also in order to Veronica Morrow and Kate Shober for acting as the Official PhilippianPix Photographers! And most of all? We are VERY thankful for that cake!

One little one was celebrating a birthday on Wednesday night, and our church family sang Happy Birthday and presented her with a pink cake! (Note: Will you be celebrating a birthday on or near February 8 for the next covered dish dinner? Please let Beth and Steve  know!)