Resuming In-Person Worship
“I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’” (Psalm 122:1) I don’t know the context for the psalmist saying those words, but I know his (or her) gladness at hearing them…
The Next Right Step: Extending Closure Through May 24
May 8, 2020 Dear Friends in Christ, For the sake of those who are our church family, and for the sake of our communities, I have decided to extend the closure of church facilities for in-person worship and other gatherings through Sunday,…
Planning For A Phased Reopening of St. Philip’s
To the people of St. Philip’s: Grace and peace to you. As I mentioned in my sermon last week, the question of reopening is before us. That question exists at the national, state, local, and personal levels. It is a…
Guidelines for the Phased Reopening of Churches in West Texas
On May 1 Bishop Reed sent the following: Dear Clergy and People of West Texas, We have traveled a long, strange road during the COVID-19 pandemic, and our journey is not over yet. Personally, congregationally, and nationally, our lives have…
Worshipping In The Easter Triduum
At this time when we are unable to gather and worship together in person, St. Philip's is adapting the liturgies to make them meaningful and relevant to those who are watching from home. In this video Fr. Mike explains how…
New Zoom Security Measures – What does this mean for St. Philip’s?
You probably won’t be surprised to learn that Zoom has experienced a sudden and unexpected increase in the number of Zoom users. We are all Zooming these days - to stay in touch with family and friends, to do our…
Holy Week: Preparing Amid Covid-19
Grace and peace be with you: About three months ago we chalked our houses with an Epiphany blessing. Before that they were decorated for Christmas, and before that for Thanksgiving, and before that for Halloween, and before that…. Well, you…
Outdoor Opportunities for Prayer and Contemplation
As this social distancing extends into a future for an unknown time, we will all become more anxious to be about our normal activities, especially as the weather warms up, the grass turns green, and the wildflowers begin to bloom. …
Our Bells will be Ringing – Our Prayers Ascending
John Thomas Buchanan has organized a group to ring our church bell three times a day beginning this Friday. The bells will call us to prayer at 8:00 a.m., noon, and 6:00 p.m. You will notice a pattern to the…
Finding Our Holy Spaces
Author: Sharron Carnes, Senior Warden Like many families, we had made plans months ago to go on a spring break skiing trip. Although we were well aware of the corona virus, its full impact on the United States was just beginning…