2003 ANNUAL REPORT
For
Parish Meeting - January
25, 2004
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Article IX, Section 3 of the Constitution of the Diocese of North Carolina
states: "In all parochial & mission elections only those shall be entitled
to vote who are enrolled confirmed adult communicants in good standing."
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Article II, Section 5.c. of the Parish by-laws states: "A majority of
those present & voting in the annual meeting at each ballot or vote which
is taken shall be necessary to elect a member of the Vestry. Nominees
receiving a majority shall be elected. If additional ballots are required,
the nominees to be voted on shall be limited to twice the number of
positions remaining to be filled and, within that number, shall be those
nominees not elected on the previous ballot who, on that ballot, received
the highest number of votes. However, should there be a tie vote for the
last position on any subsequent ballot, the number of nominees to be
placed on that ballot shall be increased to include the two more nominees
whose votes were tied."
Index
Financial Reports (Note: Each of
these opens a new browser window -- close to return here.)
The Rite of
Same Sex Blessings at St. Philip's Episcopal Church
Background
The Vestry's Work
Explanatory Notes
A Rite of Blessing for
Same Sex Couples
2003 has been a very interesting year, & certainly the events of General
Convention have had an impact on St. Philip's, which we saw particularly at
our Adult Forums & Front Porch events on Sunday morning.
Both during & after the July Convention, we held special forums at 10:00 in
the parish hall to discuss the impact of many of the resolutions passed at
Convention, & had some excellent exchanges around them. We also have spent
a good deal of time at the Front Porch, meeting in the parlor during the
10:00 hour, discussing the changes in our church & the media attention that
has come with the consecration of Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire.
The Front Porch, a chance to ask any question about church & discuss it with
your clergy, has continued to draw in new participants & foster stalwarts
who are always ready with a challenging topic.
The Sunday morning Adult Forum has been revitalized, & we have been blessed
by the presence of some wonderful guest speakers, especially Dick Busch &
Lauren Winner, whose visit turned into an event that combined the ECW, the
Book Group, & the Regulator Book Store, & was attended by well over 100 St.
Philippians overall. A special thanks also goes out to Maggie Silton, who
leads our Sunday morning Bible study with a small but very dedicated
membership.
The Adult Formation program in general continues to grow & become more
established. We welcome a new lay catechist - Alec Motten, who is currently
teaching alongside seasoned veterans Polly Mitchell-Guthrie & Duncan Smith
on Wednesday nights during Epiphany. All of the classes in the Wednesday
night cycle, as well as our regular Wednesday night Bible study, have been
well-attended & continue to be sources of information, fellowship, & genuine
discussion. We added a new class this fall - Weekday Christianity, which
was meant as more of a discussion group for those working on incorporating
their faith more into other facets of their lives. We hope to offer this
class again next September.
One of the best moments of 2003 was the Journey to Adulthood pilgrimage to
Costa Rica in June, made possible by the generosity & support of the whole
parish. Leaders Paul Jacobson, Sprague Cheshire, & Leto Copeley took 9
pilgrims through the major cities of the Diocese of Costa Rica, where they
shared the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd & enjoyed the hospitality of
several church & school groups. It was a wonderful experience, & one of
spiritual & emotional growth for the pilgrims. Sprague & Paul have stayed
on as YAC mentors as our returning pilgrims take part in various ministries
throughout St. Philip's.
A new Journey to Adulthood group has begun this year, led by Martin Fowler,
Rebekah Radisch, & Maureen Murray, & they look forward to an urban
orienteering event in Washington, DC this May. Along with their colleagues
in Rite-13, led by David Shumate, Amy Steelman, & Natalie Sommerville, they
made excellent servers & even had some fun at the Madrigal Dinners in early
January. Look for Rite-13 ceremonies to begin again as the participants
reach the age to become men & women in the church.
Several new events are under way for the spring, including our Lenten quiet
day on February 28th, our parish retreat at the beach, March 26-28th, & Reel
Religion, a look at some local films of a religious nature on February 13th.
These new events will hopefully draw in even more St. Philippians, & we have
had more than 100 new people worship with us in 2003 & fill out visitor
cards, which is approximately 20% more than last year. At our newcomer
dinners, we have consistently heard that the friendliness of our
congregation was a major reason why people stay at St. Philip's, so thank
you all for your warmth & generosity of spirit.
It continues to be my joy to serve as Associate Rector at St. Philip's. I
never stop being impressed by the dedication, warmth, & deep spirituality of
all of those in this parish. I feel absolutely blessed to work with such a
brilliant & lovely staff, & I feel I am growing daily by all the ways in
which the Holy Spirit moves us all to live more fully into the life we are
called to by God. Thank you.
Respectfully submitted, Cathie Caimano
As your deacon I want to express my thanks for the many ways you as a
congregation support me in my diaconal ministry in the community.
Increasingly my ministry is involved with environmental issues & in the life
of the Hispanic community here in Durham especially in the Colony Manor
Apartment complex off of Highway 98. The Hispanics who don't live there call
it el maldito, the cursed place because of its history of shootings,
robberies, & poverty. However, this is changing. Now there are mostly
families with small children; & while the poverty is still there, you also
see joy & hope. Thank you for the privilege of letting me stay here &
continue this ministry.
The children here at St. Philip's are incredible as are their parents. I'm
grateful to be with them. I'm responsible for overseeing the care of the
children from birth until they begin Rite 13. This includes the nursery &
toddler rooms for pre-school children & the three levels of the Catechesis
of the Good Shepherd. Fortunately I have many volunteers & other trained
catechists to help. At present Erica Getward, Tiffany Getward, & Maria
Medina are in charge of the nursery & toddler rooms respectively. They are
assisted by parent and/or teen volunteers each week. We formed a Parents'
Nursery Committee & are busy refurbishing the upstairs bathroom & Toddler
area. We now have the three levels for the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.
Elizabeth Newman, Louise Lavine, & I are trained catechists. We are
supported by Mike Burdick, Leigh Bordley, Joanne Belanger, David Hubbell,
Jamie Bell, Jesse Shumate, Annie Nashold, & Greg Rakauskas. I completed
training for Levels II & III this past summer. The 9-12 atrium is open on
Wednesdays from 4:30-5:30 as well. Our Vacation Bible School was held for a
week in June & was filled to capacity. There have been intergenerational
programs such as the Christmas pageant, St Nicholas, Our Lady of Guadalupe,
& Epiphany. We have begun inviting the Families from the Shelter to come &
eat with us on Wednesday nights & have games & other
offerings.
Respectfully submitted, Harriette Sturges
Every senior warden must dream of a year in which the budget stays balanced,
no search committees are at work, the number of baptisms exceeds the number
of funerals, bulldozers are notably absent from the church grounds, and the
only lawyers who call are friendly former senior wardens. Such a year it has
been, and for this ongoing Pax Benhasiana I am very grateful.
Our parish's membership, budget, and breadth of inreach and outreach
programs continue to grow despite trends to the contrary in other Episcopal
churches - a happy situation which is attributable both to the talents and
commitment of so many lay members and also to the leadership of our
remarkable clergy and staff. Any parish would be thrilled to have one or two
leaders like Scott, Cathie, Harriette, Kent, Anne, Cyndy, or Calvin. Imagine
having them all together in one place! It scarcely seems fair.
Your vestry has spent much of its time during this past year thinking about
some longer term opportunities facing our parish, and we expect to continue
to do so in the coming year. The most significant of these are:
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Discerning when the time will be right to undertake a capital campaign and
move forward with Phase II of our facilities master plan, which
encompasses the renovation of our aging Parish House and the improvement
of the grounds surrounding the church. Our parish house is about 50 years
old, and although it has served us well its basic mechanical, electrical
and plumbing systems are beginning to fail, its floor plan suits our
current needs poorly, and it is unfriendly to those with limited mobility.
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Planning to accommodate the continuing growth of our congregation, which
although slow is also steady and will ultimately require us to add worship
services and education programs. We are fortunate to have growth on our
list of "problems," and need to make certain that as we grow we continue
to be a parish that offers appealing worship and education opportunities
for everyone without losing the sense of community that makes St. Philip's
such a special place.
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Responding to issues of sexuality in the Episcopal Church. We have
discussed our varying opinions on the consecration of Bishop Robinson in a
spirit of mutual respect this past year. Our own Bishop Curry has
announced that parishes in our diocese may now conduct rites of blessing
for same-sex unions, and your vestry has spent much time in prayer and
reflection about whether it is appropriate for St. Philip's to adopt such
a rite. Included in this Annual Meeting package is an example, together
with some explanatory comments, and we commend this to the whole
congregation of St. Philips for consideration and discussion over the
coming months.
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Participating in the renaissance of downtown Durham. The next several
years will see sweeping changes in the landscape of our inner city,
ranging from the infusion of new business and residential developments to
the re-alignment of many of Durham County's social service facilities and
the building of new subsidized housing. As a downtown church our own
environment will be affected by these changes, and it is exciting to
consider the new ways that we may find to do the special work God has
given us here.
We live in interesting times indeed, and I am confident that together we
will help our parish grow in service to Christ and our neighbors in this
coming year.
Yours
in Christ, Wes Newman
New Year 2003 started out much as the old year had ended, with regular
maintenance of the church & parish house, but with a grave concern for the
church's old steam heating system. Repair & maintenance costs had exceeded
the budget allocated for the previous year by a bit more than a trifle,
largely because of repairs to the heating system. Some may recall awkward
moments during a few services when notes from the organ lingered much longer
than welcome. In January, an energy audit, performed by energy consultant
Bill Warren, found a number of problems that could be resolved to save money
in the future. The greatest problem & main focus of the survey was to
address the outdated heating system in the church. From previous & ongoing
steam leaks, floors & walls of the building were being damaged. Warren's
recommendations were utilized as a guide & a proposal that was used by local
contractors to design & to bid the work. The winning bid came in just under
the budgeted amount, & presented a unique plan to improve the existing
boiler & to use it for forced air heating, modernizing it & eliminating the
old steam heating system. The old dilapidated air-handling units were
replaced with larger & more efficient ones that could accommodate future
expansion of the church. Ductwork was re-insulated, & asbestos & mold were
removed in the process, providing a safer & more efficient power plant,
capable of doing the job for years to come.
A price to repair & replace the damaged flooring & walls in the church was
sent to our building insurance carrier, who responded faithfully by
providing funds necessary to complete that work during the year. Roofing
problems on the parish house brought our attention to a growing concern that
must be addressed in the future plans for the parish house & church
building.
Once again, we enter a new year with restored hope & faith, with greater
energy, excitement, & expectation. We can appreciate the beauty & majesty of
our facilities as they grow older gracefully, always reflecting our
attention & care for them.
Respectfully submitted, Dwight Emory
The duty of the Altar Guild is to prepare all the things necessary for the
celebration of the Eucharist or any of the other sacraments & offices of the
church. Our work is a thank offering of time & many talents, & a ministry
of love undertaken in the name of Christ. The preparations are done in a
manner so that any service may be conducted in decency, order & beauty for
the worship of God.
In addition to preparing for each service & cleaning up afterwards, members
of the Altar Guild also wash the altar linens, maintain supplies such as
bread, wine & candles, & manage flower requests or arrange flowers for the
altars. The Altar Guild is responsible for the three Sunday services,
weekday services, weddings, funerals, baptisms, confirmations, additional
services during Christmas & Easter, & any special services.
Being a member of the Altar Guild requires dedication of time, attention to
detail, a willingness to learn, cooperation with others, a cheerful heart, &
a desire to serve God in his sanctuary. The Altar Guild is composed of
teams of 4-5 members who serve once every fifth weekend. There are also 5-6
members who serve during the week for any weekday services.
Heavenly Father, accept & bless, we pray, our work for the care
Enlighten our minds & guide our hands to serve you
faithfully & well. Incline our hearts to one another, to all who
gather
at your table, & to all the world. In Jesus's name, Amen.
Respectfully submitted, Dianne Griffith
All women of the parish are considered members of the Episcopal Church
Women. Many choose not to be active members of an organized chapter but
still participate regularly in or contribute to activities sponsored by the
ECW of St Philip's.
The Mary Martha chapter, currently the active chapter at St Philip's, is
open to all women of the church. All are welcome to attend any of our
programs. We continue to meet from 10 to 11:45AM in the Parish Hall or
Parlor on the first Monday of most months. Childcare is provided.
Our "purpose as church women of St Philip's Parish, is to share more fully
in the mission of the whole Church through worship, study, fellowship,
stewardship, & service". The theme expressed in our programs & activities
continues to be "Strengthening our Foundation & Concern for Children at Risk
in our Community"
Officers for 2004 are, Diane Griffith, President; Sarah Burdick, Program
Chair; Pat Van Ess, Sec.; Lib Steel, Treas.; Molly Reingruber, Sec. of
Devotional Life; Dorothy Smith, Sec of Christian Social Ministries &
Missions; Susan James, United Thank Offering; & Betty Bass, Special
Correspondent. Linda Jennings & Mina Hampton are the past presidents.
At the Diocesan level, four members participated in the Annual ECW meeting.
At this meeting, the Rt. Reverends Michael Curry & Gary Gloster were the
Celebrants. "Hungry Hearts & Hectic Life Styles" was the subject of the
speaker, Mary M McGregor.
Under the leadership of Alice Petersen, many women volunteer to provide a
week of evening meals to new parents. The United Thank Offering is an
offering of thanks for blessings from women wherever our church is
established. Our spring & Fall UTO ingathering led by Susan James netted
$1256.00. Remember 100% of this money is offered in grants to support the
missions of the Church. The pansy sale brought in $600.00 thanks to many &
the leadership of Sarah Burdick & Penny Pleasants. Ann May is the contact
person for Rada cutlery, which is sold year round.
In May, we sponsored a luncheon in the Parish Hall & netted $713.00. The
Soup & Sandwich luncheon in November including a bake & cutlery sale chaired
by Ann May, netted another $500.00. The total gained in fellowship-beyond
counting. We were pleased to have a larger cadre of women participating in
this event. The fellowship generated helps to bind us together.
Our outreach extends to the Durham Community, the Diocese & the World
through the Presiding Bishop's Fund for Worldwide relief. We also support
the Thompson's Children's home, the Community Kitchen, St. Philip's House, &
Meals on Wheels, El Buen Pastor & many other charities. Also, we
participate in the Mile of Pennies & contribute to our Clergy's
discretionary funds.
Any funds received after meeting our Budget obligations are dispersed
according to needs perceived by the group. This year following the spring
luncheon, we made additional contributions to the discretionary funds of the
clergy.
In October, we sponsored a bus trip to the N.C. Mountains to visit three
Episcopal Churches containing frescoes by artist Ben Long. This was a
parish wide event that was very successful. We hope to make another journey
in 2004.
We are a group open to change & dedicated to serving our Lord through St
Philip's Church.
Respectfully submitted, Linda S. Jennings
This small Committee continues to maintain our garden & grounds. We invite
all who would be willing to share in our efforts to join us. One does not
have to be an experienced gardener in order to help with our assorted tasks.
Some persistent problems faced by the group this past year have been the
need for heavy-duty weeding & pruning. The Committee had eight scheduled
work days requesting a group of volunteer workers for each. And, several
members volunteered individual days of work.
The largest turn-out of workers made a concerted effort to clean the area by
the entry drive on Main Street & had to utilize numerous tools. Not only
were a number of pounds of weeds & limbs cleared but we also discovered at
least three nests of fire ants requiring attention.
Last spring, three work-days were initially required to bring the west side
(Queen Street) into shape. Weeds were rampant & the crape myrtles had grown
out of control. Again, individuals returned to complete the clean-up.
As ever, our front yard needed constant attention for clearing of debris as
well as weeds. Thankfully, Dr. Peete has provided the on-going effort to
re-shape the hollies. His most recent illness may make this task available
for another hardy soul. Unfortunately, not only are these shrubs large but
they are also in a very precipitous position, making it dangerous for most
to attempt.
Annuals were planted in the spring & fall. With a miniscule budget, the
Committee usually chooses impatiens for the spring & pansies for the fall.
Additionally, it is necessary that Committee members provide any necessary
tools & equipment.
Other issues the Committee would like to consider include the addition of
more perennials, re-design of the site for the wrought iron benches,
upgrading both the containers & their plants in the cloistered garden, &
adding two containers with evergreens in the labyrinth. We plan to
continue discussions for opportunities to cross pollinate with the
Environmental Stewardship Committee & hope to coordinate with the efforts of
the Dream Team regarding the Main/Dillard Street corner plan.
Annette Montgomery & Mina Hampton for the Committee
During the year, up to six communicants at the side altar at the 11:00
o'clock service are prayed for by 2 civilian ministers, out of a current
pool of six.
Respectfully
submitted, David Curtis
We have reorganized the library inventory - approximately 1800 books
including CD's, videos, & audiotapes. Electronic check-in is being
organized with all but audio tapes, using a donated computer. The original
programming was done by Ed Baptist, & Elizabeth Hayes is making alterations
to the program.
Respectfully submitted, David Curtis
We have an active Hispanic ministry here at St. Philip's which continues to
expand. We provide clothes, translators, transportation, advocacy, &
tutoring. Many of you have helped me with this ministry including rushing
mothers in labor to the hospital. It's hard to schedule emergencies & much
of the work involved needs to happen during the day which limits the
possibilities to help. This year we have not provided the tutoring at church
that we did last year. My hope is that we can have English classes for the
mothers during the day while their older children are in school & provide
child care for the pre-schoolers.
Respectfully submitted, Harriette Sturges
IHN (the Interfaith Hospitality Network) had a strong year at St. Philip's
in 2003. This outreach ministry serves homeless families in the Durham
community. Participating churches provide overnight lodging, meals, &
fellowship for one week at a time on a rotating basis & thus extend valuable
& much-needed assistance while families are seeking a permanent place to
live. During the past year St. Philip's hosted a total of 11 families in
March, May, August, & November. Volunteers contributed in many ways,
cooking meals, hosting dinners, spending the night at the church, &
providing transportation & logistical support. Families & parishioners of
all ages, & both newcomers & long-time St. Philippians alike, all helped
during this past year to make our guest families feel comfortable &
welcome. We look forward to continuing this effort in the coming year.
Respectfully submitted, Alec Motten
The jail ministry has continued to be blessed with energetic volunteers &
enthusiastic inmates working together to build faith both inside & outside
the Durham County Jail. Each Saturday morning, volunteers from St. Philip's
& nine area churches come to the downtown jail to minister to the inmates,
listen to their concerns, pray with them, & offer religious books & cards to
send to loved ones. Although St. Philip's funds most of these offerings,
Epworth United Methodist Church & individual members have provided critical
financial support to ensure that we meet the needs at the jail. Last year,
we continued to work on ways to economize our purchases, while still
ensuring that we do what we can to facilitate a deeper understanding of our
common Christian faith & mission. As one example of this partnership, Striva
Ministries is a group that has grown up within the jail this past year. It
has dedicated itself to Bible study & evangelism, starting among the inmates
but with the intent that the ministry continue lifelong once the inmate
leaves the jail. We have worked with Striva & helped to supply them with a
range of study materials & inspirational books this year.
In addition, Agape Ministry, based at White Rock Baptist Church, is a prison
ministry that joins us every Saturday & works closely with us. Agape was
started by a talented young professional who had to spend some time in jail
as the result of driving while intoxicated after being at Talk of the Town,
an excellent jazz club downtown. He is very open about his struggle &
remains thankful for the ministry of Martin Fowler during that difficult
time in his life. Instead of losing his faith, his prayer & reflection in
jail strengthened that faith. This year, he has gotten married & built Agape
Ministry. We are especially excited about our partnership with Agape,
because it is based in White Rock's excellent men's group. Most of them are
in the 20-35 age range, which has historically been underrepresented in the
ministry, even though many of the inmates are in that age range. So, White
Rock's work has further fleshed out the diversity of backgrounds &
evangelical styles that we offer. The jail ministry remains dedicated to an
ecumenical approach to ministry as we move forward & whole-heartedly invites
anyone who is interested in working with the ministry to contact us. For the
9:00 AM service attendees, I play violin at that service pretty regularly &
could introduce you to the ministry. If you attend the 11:00 AM service,
Martin Fowler would be happy to talk to you about what we do. If you attend
the 8:00 AM service, George Williams, when he is in town, would be able to
talk to you. Our volunteers range from a once-or-twice-a-year commitment to
weekly dedication.
In Christ, Robert Shaw
In the fall, our group, which constitutes adults & children in the parish,
created a painted bookcase & library for the family at the St. Philips
Habitat House. This bookcase was delivered & presented to the family during
the holidays by members of the group. In the spring, we gathered the
intermediate class & put together hygiene kits for children at the Urban
Ministries shelter. These were accompanied by personal drawings & cards made
by the children.
We have served four members of habitat family & 35-40 children at the
shelter this last year. Approximately 10 adults & 20 children from St.
Philip's have been involved in this ministry. We spent about $75 on the
bookcase project, which included an unfinished bookcase & paint. We also
spent about $50 on supplies for the hygiene kits, which included soap,
shampoo, brushes, combs, & small toys.
Respectfully Submitted, Annie Nashold
At St. Philip's we refer to those who go out on Sundays to take communion to
those who are sick or unable to get to church as Lay Eucharistic Ministers (LEMs).
In some churches the LEMs include both those who take communion out & the
chalice bearers. Other churches distinguish them by calling those who give
the chalice as Lay Eucharistic Ministers & those who go out as Lay
Eucharistic Visitors. Our LEMs are specially trained individuals who visit
on a rotation basis those who want communion. This is a reminder that you
may call if you or a member of your family can't get to church. Please
don't overlook the needs of your children if they are sick.
Respectfully submitted, Harriette Sturges
The mission of this ministry is to provide dinner nightly for one week to
new parents & their older children in the period shortly after the infant's
birth Serving this year were Sarah Ball-Damberg, Joanne Belanger, Kelly
Benhase, Leigh Bordley, Holley Broughton, Robin Butler, Terry Chamblis,
Celeste Copeland, Melissa Garrell, Dianne Griffith, Valerie Hendricks, Linda
Jennings, Michelle Keys, Elizabeth Newman, Alice Petersen, Lucia Powe, Donna
Rewalt, Catherine Szuch, Elizabeth Vigdor. In 2003, we provided a total of
21 meals for three sets of new parents & enrolled a number of new volunteers
in providing meals. I consistently receive positive comments about the
value of this ministry from both those families served & the individuals
providing the meals.
Respectfully submitted, Alice Petersen
The music program works in close association with the work & ministry of the
Director of Music (choirmaster-organist). The Adult Choir of twenty
volunteer singers continued to provide singing leadership & sung Anthems for
the 11:00 a.m. Sunday service (10:00 a.m. in the summer) & major liturgical
celebrations of the Church year. The volunteers offer their time for
rehearsals twice weekly; on Wednesday evenings (7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.) &
Sunday mornings (one hour before services).
The 9:00 a.m. Music Ensemble meets each Sunday during the program year at
8:30 a.m. in preparation for the music at the 9:00 Service. Vocalists join
with players of the violin, bass viol, flute, brass, (trombone, tuba) &
piano. On occasion music written expressly for this group was played as
preludes to the worship.
The "On Call" Choir was assembled six times in 2003 to provide a choir &
music leadership at Burial Office & Requiem Eucharist.
The Madrigal Dinners, a celebration of the Twelfth Night of Christmas with
music & banquet, returned after a four year hiatus in January (3,4,5) to a
sell out crown in the new Parish Hall. In September, the Madrigal Singers
began rehearsals for the 2004 dinners as well as recording their first CD,
"A Madrigal Dinner: Feast & much Singing."
Each Wednesday evening to conclude the "Wednesdays evening at St. Philip's"
a service of Compline (sung evening vespers) takes place at 7:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted, Kent A. Otto, Director of Music
St. Philip's is blessed with 25 parishioners (6 of these are 3 married
couples) who volunteer to assist with many duties in the church office.
These wonderful folk come weekly or substitute as requested to answer the
phone, answer the door, greet visitors, assist with mailings, count the
offering, record & thank memorial gifts, operate copy machine, operate
folding machine, post or record information in the computer, manage our web
site. Many come weekly & are so dedicated they arrange doctor, dentist,
beauty, etc. appointments around their assigned church office times. Many
have special tasks that they alone are responsible for. Martha Campbell
does a superb job of coordinating these volunteers by recruiting new ones,
finding substitutes as needed & training new ones. What a fantastic
ministry they provide!
Respectfully submitted, Anne Henrich
St. Philip's House is a transitional housing program operated by Durham
Episcopal Housing Ministries ("DEHM"). DEHM is a North Carolina non-profit
corporation established approximately twelve years ago by parishioners of
St. Philip's. It is governed by a board of directors, most of whom are
appointed by the Vestry of St. Philip's. Other directors come from St.
Titus, other Durham churches & the community. The current board is composed
of:
Don Corry Louise Lavine Alex Rota Dorothy Smith
Pat Valentine
Ed Embree Betsy Rollins Anders Hall Charles
Steel Janice Nicholson
St. Philip's House has three apartments, two of which are presently
available for occupancy by homeless families. The mission of St. Philip's
House is to provide safe & reasonably comfortable housing & supportive
services for families who are preparing themselves to move from homelessness
to independent living. Families are generally with us for twelve to
eighteen months. Referral & case management services are provided pursuant
to contracts which DEHM has with Genesis Home, Interfaith Hospitality
Network & the Urban Ministries of Durham. These agencies screen families
for referral to St. Philip's House & then provide case management supportive
services for the families during their residency at St. Philip's House.
That case management assists families with their needs for health care,
public assistance, mental health or similar services, job training,
financial & other counseling & schooling for children.
One family currently resides at St. Philip's House although for most of the
year both apartments which can be occupied were used. These families
included a single mother & her two young children & a mother, father & their
eight & twelve year-old sons.
Residents of St. Philip's House pay rent determined in accordance with their
disposable income. A portion of this rent is held in a savings account for
residents while the remainder is utilized to pay utilities & defer house
maintenance expenses. St. Philip's Church provides significant annual
financial assistance to St. Philip's House through contributions which are
budgeted as part of St. Philip's outreach mission. In addition to this
contribution, many parishioners make individual donations & contribute
furniture, linens, paper products, household supplies, kitchenware & their
time & talents to the maintenance & rehabilitation of the house & its
apartments. Our operating budget this fiscal year (ending 6/30/04) provides
for less than $10,000.00 in expenses. St. Philip's House is also in need of
some structural repairs which will require a small capital campaign later
this winter.
If you want more information about St. Philip's House or if you can
contribute your time, skills & energy in house maintenance, cleaning &
repair or have furniture or other household goods that you don't need,
please contact any of our Board Members. For all of you who have helped us
& our families already, thank you & God bless you.
Respectfully submitted, Ed Embree, Chair
When funds were donated by Richard & Harriette Gaillard in 2000, St.
Philip's Stephen Ministry began under the leadership of Martin Fowler & Meg
McCann. The first group of Stephen Ministers included current ministers
Richard Berkley, Lib Steel, & Mary Helen Watkins. The group expanded to
include Sue Guptill, Catherine Murphy, & Nancy Metzloff. Sarah Woodard
trained to become a Stephen Leader in the summer of 2002, sharing the
leadership role with Martin & Meg.
After receiving 50 hours of training under the direction of Martin Fowler,
Gail Albergo, Carolyn Blackburn, David Curtis, & Brandon Riggs were
commissioned as Stephen Ministers in 2003. [Brandon later resigned when he
moved to Raleigh.]
In the fall of 2003, Sarah Woodard became the primary leader when Martin &
Meg assumed other leadership roles in the parish. Catherine Murphy
enthusiastically agreed to share the leadership role with Sarah, but sadly
was unable to complete the training when her cancer recurred. Our parish
lost a great leader & friend when Catherine passed away in 2003.
St. Philip's will begin a collaborative ecumenical training effort with
three other churches later this month. Bob George will complete the training
& become our newest Stephen Minister.
With the support of our clergy & the dedication of our Stephen Ministers,
the ministry is strong at St. Philip's. If you, or anyone you know, is
interested in learning more about Stephen Ministry, please contact one of
our clergy or one of the Stephen Ministers.
Respectfully submitted, Sarah Woodard
The Outreach Commission reviews, evaluates, supports, & recommends budget
requests for the various Outreach ministries here at St. Philip's. We met on
December 7, 2003 to hear reports, concerns, & celebrations from the Prison
Ministry, Interfaith Hospitality Network, Kids Reaching Out, the Stuffed
Animal Committee, & Habitat for Humanity, the Hispanic Ministry, St. Philips
House, Share Your Christmas, Bread for the World, Urban Ministries, &
Episcopal Relief & Development. Each ministry submitted budget requests for
2004 that were shared with the Vestry. We meet as needed with people
interested in starting new ministries at St. Philips in order to help
organize & support them in their efforts. The Outreach Commission is chaired
by Polly Mitchell-Guthrie & includes Donna Hicks, David Hubbell, Steve Pike,
Molly Reingruber, Maggie Silton, & Harriette Sturges.
Respectfully submitted, Polly Mitchell-Guthrie
Purpose: To bring some happiness to underprivileged children, elderly
people, & nursing home patients.
"I did not find my friends, the good God gave them to me." - R.W. Emerson
And indeed we do have good friends - giving us this year 2000+ new & used
toys. The toys are counted, washed, sorted, & repaired. Batteries were
tested & when needed replaced. This year we gave 1320 toys, mainly at
Christmas. About 300 toys are put away for Easter & about 200 toys came too
late to be processed. Also, about 100 new unused toys are kept throughout
the year for emergencies (floods, fires, illnesses, etc.)
We have given toys to underprivileged children in many places: Durham;
Hurdle Mills; Migrant Farm Workers Ministry in Newton Grove; the Masonic
Children's Home in Oxford (orphanage); Cashwell Parish (which includes
shelters, abused/neglected children); low-income housing in Durham; an
Episcopal church in NC; to children of a Durham Baptist church; & to Native
American reservations (Navajos & Ho-Chunks). On the reservations toys are
given to healthy children, mentally handicapped children, hospitals,
schools, Catholic Mission, a Lutheran parish, & elderly & nursing home
residents. Non-member parishioners have given us a much-needed helping
hand.
Thank you posters will be made & given to participating churches & schools
for giving us hundreds of toys. We cannot count the hours spent by our
members to take on & finish our happy work.
Respectfully
submitted, Jacqueline C. Harris
This ministry provides gifts to 45 individuals in the Durham Department of
Social Services (DSS)- Share Your Christmas program. Parishioners purchase
gifts from the list provided by DSS. This year was a smashing success as
all gifts were purchased & dropped off at the church by the due date.
A new group of volunteers assisted with reminder phone calls & gift sorting.
Susan Natoli has stepped down from the coordinating role & Michelle Keys
has graciously accepted to coordinate in 2004. Many thanks to all the
people who made Share Your Christmas a success this year!
Respectfully submitted, Susan Natoli
The mission of this ministry is to promote fellowship.
There were 45 individuals/families who hosted/co-hosted one or more
Sunday/First Sunday Social Hours during calendar-year 2003: Gail Albergo,
Rich Ball-Damberg, Betty Bass, Holley Broughton, Sprague Cheshire, Lyn
Corry, Lisa Finley, Ethel Foote, Martin Fowler, Diane Griffith, Randy
Guptill, Sue Guptill, Elizabeth Hayes, Cindy Henry, Mike Henry, David
Hubbell, Sally Hubbell, Linda Jennings, Marjorie Miller, Susan Moore, Alec
Motten, Allen Murray, Maureen Murray, Beth Newton, Bruce Olive, Katherine
Olive, Dan Pearson, Judy Pearson, Rebecca Radisch, Sheilds Reh, Jim
Reingruber, Molly Reingruber, Hildegard Ryals, Kathy Schoeffler, Connie
Service, Cyndy Shumate, Henry Sommerville, Natalie Sommerville, David Smith,
Dorothy Smith, Lib Steel, Emmanuel Tucker, Freda Tucker, Gerty Ward, Fred
Ward, & Clyde Zuber.
There were 6 Ministry Groups who hosted one or more Sunday/First Sunday
Social Hours during calendar-year 2003: Altar Guild, Environmental Ministry,
J2A, Madrigal Group, Vestry, & YAC.
In 2003, we continued hosting a social hour every Sunday of the year & an
additional social hour the first Sunday of each month. The popularity &
attendance at social hours since the opening of the new Parish Hall has
continued to grow, however, it remains difficult to get commitments from
parishioners to host, & in fact there have been a handful of social hours
for which no one agreed to host. The reason(s) remain unclear. On a
positive note, we have nearly tripled the number of different individuals
who have served as hosts. Efforts to increase the "host pool" have included
notice on time & talent, notices on the web page, The Epistle, The Sunday
Epistle, mass emails, individual emails, announcements in church, a
clip-board sign up sheet outside of the volunteer office, multiple phone
calls, & direct one-on-on requests during social hours.
Respectfully submitted, Alice Petersen
Last summer, the Diocese of New Hampshire elected the
Reverend Canon Gene Robinson as their next bishop. Canon Robinson had served
that diocese for over 20 years, first as a parish priest and then as a Canon
on the diocesan staff. He also happens to be gay and in a monogamous
relationship with his partner of over 14 years.
The Episcopal Church's polity gives great freedom for
each diocese to choose the bishop that the lay and ordained elected
representatives have prayerfully elected. But since a bishop also serves the
catholic and apostolic church and not just a diocese, the Church also
requires the consent of a majority of bishops and diocesan representatives
of the larger church. That consent occurred at our General Convention
meeting in Minneapolis in August and Bishop Robinson was consecrated as the
next bishop of New Hampshire in November. To some people in the Episcopal
Church, this was a cause for rejoicing. To others, this action continues to
be a source of pain and disappointment.
What got less attention at General Convention was the
decision by both the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops to allow
each diocese to decide how it was going to move forward around the issue of
the blessing same sex relationships. This issue has been on the agenda of
General Convention for at least the last ten years or so. In 2000, a
resolution to authorize the development of a liturgical rite for the entire
Church was narrowly defeated. After last summer's General Convention, Bishop
Curry, meeting with the clergy of the diocese, informed those gathered of
his intention to allow such blessings in this diocese. But because there is
no rite that the Church has approved, it would be the responsibility of each
Rector & Vestry to decide if it were going to allow such blessings in their
parish and what that liturgical rite would look like.
St. Philip's Vestry has devoted part of each of Vestry
meeting over the last 5 months to a discussion and exploration of this
issue. It is fair to say that we, the members of St. Philip's Vestry, do not
all think alike on this issue. Over the months of discussion, some members
of the Vestry expressed discomfort about having any kind of liturgical rite,
while others felt quite comfortable from the beginning that this is what the
parish should do. Some of us felt the rite ought to look much like the
marriage liturgy in the Book of Common Prayer, while others of us disagreed
and held that it should only be a blessing and have no sacramental quality
to it.
We reached consensus on the rite that follows. As the
Vestry of this parish we recognize that our consensus does not mean that
everyone is now in the same place on this issue. We certainly know that is
true of the Vestry and believe it to be true of the parish as a whole. What
we are seeking to do in finding consensus on this rite is to honor the
diversity of theological positions we represent while also responding to the
current reality of where the Episcopal Church is in its common journey. To
do nothing or to pretend that this issue would simply go away would not be
honest and we would not be true to our calling as leaders of this parish.
Our consensus as a Vestry should not be mistaken for
certainty. As Louie Crew, a gay man who is on the Executive Council of the
Episcopal Church, has said: "Anyone who says anything about this issue ought
to begin with the words - `I may be wrong, but here is what I believe'."
Like all discernment of what is God's will, we recognize in humility that we
are not God and cannot know for sure what God would have us do. But that
cannot paralyze us into inaction. Historical circumstances have brought us
to this place. God is sovereign and Jesus is Lord. If we are in error, then
God will correct us in God's time. If what we are open to doing is in
accordance with God's purposes, then God will bless our life together.
We will present this at the Parish Annual Meeting on
January 25. Since parishioners will not have had a chance to read through
this on that day, we will only have it presented then. But that will not be
the last word. It only will be the beginning of what we hope will be a five
month parish-wide conversation that will culminate in June at our mid-year
parish meeting. We will also set aside the Front Porch at 10 a.m. on all the
Sundays in February for people to have conversation about this rite. We will
also create other venues in the parish in addition to the Front Porch not
the least of which will be time at the parish retreat in March for further
dialogue and education on this topic.
As your Vestry, we do not expect that everyone in the
parish will agree with us. Indeed, we would be surprised if that were the
case as this is such a difficult issue for many people. We want to be clear
that what we present here is not the final word. We are presenting this to
the people of St. Philip's Church and we invite your prayerful thoughts and
responses. What we seek here is not unanimity, but rather holy listening to
one another. That is how we, the members of St. Philip's Vestry, arrived at
this consensus. We listened to one another in the spirit of love and
acceptance for our various thoughts and concerns. So, as our conversation on
this subject widens to the entire parish, we ask you the members of this
parish to enter into the same spirit. Again, we are not insisting that
everyone agree with everyone else. What we are saying is that all of us are
bound by Christ and His love for us. It is His Spirit that we continue to
seek as we move forward together.
St. Philip's Church Vestry
January 18, 2004
The liturgical rite below asks God to bless the
relationship between two people who desire to share their life together. It
is a non-sacramental rite. The Church for 2000 years has asked God to bless
many people (e.g., soldiers going to war, sailors going to sea, newborn
babies, adopted children, etc.) and things (houses, animals, ships, a hunt,
etc.) apart from sacramental rites. This rite then is not a marriage rite.
It is merely a rite that asks God's blessing on the two people who
have come forth requesting it. The blessing is not declared as is in
the sacramental rites of the Church.
This rite has 3 parts: (1) A welcoming and reading of
Holy Scripture; (2) The Prayers of the People; and, (3) The Blessing. It may
include a fourth part if the Holy Communion is included as part of the
liturgy.
-
The rite begins with a welcome to those gathered and
then a question to each person about their intention to enter into a life
partnership. The Priest then offers a prayer asking God to look with favor
on them, grant them love and strength, and protect and lead them to God's
Kingdom. Following the readings from Holy Scripture, the couple declares
their desire to give themselves to one another and to have each other as
"a companion in body, mind, and spirit."
-
Prayers are then offered for the Church, for the
world, and the couple as they begin their life together with the Church's
blessing.
-
Following the prayers, the priest asks God's blessing
upon the couple; that the Holy Spirit may be upon them in their
relationship and that God may grant them everlasting joy together with all
of God's creation. The liturgy then either concludes with the Peace or
continues with the Peace and the Holy Communion.
The Priest welcomes the people in these or
similar words
Welcome to the celebration of N. and N.'s
commitment to each other as life partners. The Christian community
recognizes that the love between two people manifests God's love. Today we
celebrate N. and N.'s love as a gift from God to them and to all of
us.
The Priest addresses each partner
N., do you have the firm intention to
enter into this commitment with N. who stands here before you?
Response: I have.
The Priest then offers this prayer
Let us pray. O God who has made heaven and
earth, you have taught us to love each other as Christ loved us, to bear
each other's burdens, and to share each other's strengths. May you look with
favor on N. and N. May you grant them sincere love and unfailing
strength. Protect them in their life and work and lead them with us and all
creation into your Kingdom of love and peace. We ask this through Jesus
Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now
and for ever. Amen.
One or more of the following readings may be
used. If Holy Communion follows, a reading from the Gospel is included.
From the Old Testament
1 Samuel 18: 1b, 3, 20: 16-17, 42a (Jonathan
made a covenant with David...)
Ruth 1: 16-17 (Where you go I will go...)
Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12 (Two are better than one)
From the Psalms
67, 85, 111, 127, 133: 1-3, 149
From the New Testament
Romans 12: 9-21 (Let love be genuine)
Colossians 3: 12b-16a (Be clothed in sincere
compassion)
1 John 4: 7-12 (Beloved let us love one another)
From the Gospels
Matthew 7: 24-27 (The house built on the rock)
Luke 6: 20-23 (The Beatitudes)
John 15: 9-17 (This is my commandment: that you
love one another)
The Priest invites the couple to stand in
front of those gathered. The couple faces each other. Taking the other's
hand, each says to the other
N., I give myself to you and I take you
to be my companion in body, mind, and spirit.
The Priest then says
Praise and thanks to you, O God. You give
yourself to us in love and faithfulness. May you keep N. and N.
together in the bond of love through Christ our Savior. Amen.
The Prayers of the People
The Priest then says
Seeing how greatly God has loved us, let us lift
up before God this couple, this gathering, and the whole world, saying:
"Hear our prayer."
The Deacon or an appointed lay person leads
the people in prayer
I ask your prayers for the earth and all of
God's creation: for the rivers and oceans, for the forests and fields, for
the mountains and meadows, and for all creatures who live in them. Pray for
our planet. O God, source of all life, Hear our prayer.
I ask your prayers for the welfare of the world,
for peace and respect among nations, for all the leaders of the world, and
for all men and women and children everywhere. Pray for the world. O God,
source of all life, Hear our prayer.
I ask your prayers for our country, for those
who govern, and for all in authority. Pray for justice in our land. O God,
source of all life, Hear our prayer.
I ask your prayers for our community, for the
people of this city, and for the yearnings of our hearts which we now
present before God. Pray for our community. O God, source of all life,
Hear our prayer.
I ask your prayers for those who suffer; pray
for the sick and the poor, the destitute, the unemployed, the lonely, the
bereaved, the victims of addiction, and the victims of hatred and violence.
Pray for those who bear the pain of the world. O God, source of all life,
Hear our prayer.
I ask your prayers for the Christian community
everywhere: for our life and ministry, for our bishop(s), and for all
leaders, that we may be the Body of Christ in the world. Pray for the
Church. O God, source of all life, Hear our prayer.
I ask your prayers for N. and N.: for
their life together, that they may be filled with God's blessing and grow in
love for each other with faithfulness throughout their life together. Pray
for N. and N. O God, source of all life, Hear our prayer.
I ask your prayers for N. and N.: for the
courage to recognize and forgive each other's faults as they bear each
other's burdens. Pray for N. and N. O God, source of all life,
Hear our prayer.
I ask your prayers of gratitude for all those
who are bound to us in love: for our families, friends, neighbors, for all
who have gone before us in the faith, and for those whose faith is known to
God alone. Pray for those we love. O God, source of all life, Hear our
prayer.
The Priest adds this concluding collect
God of all, you have made us in your image and
you have filled us with your grace. You taught your disciples to be united
by love. Hear the prayers of your people and may you grant to N. and N.
the grace to love each other in joy all the days of their lives. We ask this
through Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit, to whom, with you, one God, be
praise for ever and ever. Amen.
The Blessing
The couple stands and the Priest offers this
blessing
Praise and thanks to you, O God, Creator of the
world. You spoke and the heavens came into being, the earth and everything
that lives. You looked and found it good. The world was charged with you
glory and mercy.
Praise and thanks to you, O God, Redeemer of the
world. You have broken down walls of division, calling us together in love.
For this, Christ died, giving birth to a new creation.
Praise and thanks to you, O God, Sanctifier of
the world. Through the Holy Spirit you renew the face of the earth and call
us to be your stewards.
Now may you pour your Holy Spirit upon N. and
N. May they love each other openly without fear, a joyful sign of your
new creation of love and peace. May the living God bless you.
N. and N., may you flourish together and
rejoice in your friends. May God grant you the goods that endure and bring
you everlasting joy. And may the blessing of God: Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit be upon you now and forever. Amen.
The liturgy continues immediately with the
Peace. The couple greets one another and the congregation welcomes them by
greeting them and each other.
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