T H E N E W S L E T T E R o f S t. P h i l i p P r e s by t e r i a n C h u r c h U. S. A.

T H E N E W S L E T T E R o f S t. P h i l i p P r e s by t e r i a n C h u r c h U. S. A. Volume 59, Number 6 Houston, Texas March 24, 2015 Rev. Dr. John W. Wurster Pastor, Head of Staff Rev. Keatan King Associate Pastor Rev. Dr. Samuel Lanham III Pastor Emeritus Dr. Thomas Goetz Director of Music Dr. Matthew Dirst Organist Laurie Fortenbery Office Manager Denise Ferrell Bookkeeper Micah Meyers Communications Assistant Wilbert Parada Facilities Supervisor Dimas Parada Custodian Peter Ramadan Custodian Laurie Fortenbery Newsletter Editor philip-eye@saintphilip.net St. Philip s

Philip-Eye Page 2 March 24, 2015 Thank You! Dear Friends To the close to one hundred St. Philip members and friends who made the recent presbytery meeting such a resounding success, thank you. Thank you to the guys who, under the leadership of John Lindsay, worked in the rain and parked cars even when there were no more places to put them Tom and Matthew and the choir who showed the rest of the presbytery what good music should sound like Elizabeth Duerr and her group who solved the complexities of registration and lunch ticket sales the ushers, under Gary and Molly Boren Whitney, who crammed more people into St. Philip pews than there have ever been before the greeters and guides, organized by Ellen MacDonald with her charts and maps, always smiling, always helpful... those of you who baked mountains of muffins and other goodies and helped Nan Schissler staff the hospitality room Chuck Johnson, Jerre Douglas, and the lunch workers organized by Skip Britton who somehow fed over 300 people in slightly under 15 minutes, serving, as we heard from many people, the best lasagna I ve ever eaten Roderick James and James Cooper, photographers extraordinaire Sandra Truxillo and Laurie Fontenbery, staying on the phones and delivering messages Wilbert, Dimas, and an army of their church members without whom we could not have pulled it all off As one pastor of a small church said to us as he was leaving, You have more volunteers that I have church members! We are eternally grateful, Jane and Jeanie Congregational Concerns Nita Davis and family upon the death of Bill Davis Louise Porter - Hospice Care Jack Fox - Methodist Winston Crowder - Methodist Carolyn Keeble - back pain Joe Harwood - recuperating at home Rusty Howard - MD Anderson Al Atkinson - recuperating at home Jan Connor - recuperating at home Jo Jones - recuperating at home Frank Donnelly - hospice care Larry Dean- Seven Acres T.E. Joe Keever- Hallmark Tom Mike Tomforde, Jr.- Hallmark HC Linda Joullian,Wayne and Sandra Truxillo s sister - lung and stomach cancer. Anna Michalka, Lorraine Scott s mother - recuperating Baker Fullerton -Walker Fair's uncle - complications from heart surgery. I am looking forward to my fourth Holy Week and Easter at St. Philip. Palm Sunday is March 29. We will worship as usual at 8:30 and 11:00. The 11:00 service includes a children s procession of palms, plus music from Jubilate! and the St. Philip Choir. Keatan is preaching that day. On Maundy Thursday, we worship at 7:00. We remember Jesus final night with his disciples and his last meal with them. My sermon considers the verbs of that meal, the way Jesus takes, blesses, breaks, and shares the bread. Worship leaders include the St. Philip Choir. After communion, the chancel is stripped of decoration, symbolizing the abandonment of Jesus by his disciples and friends. We leave the sanctuary that night in silence. On Good Friday we have two worship services. At 12 noon we commemorate the death of Jesus with scripture and song and in the presence of the veiled cross. At 8:00 we are holding a Service of Tenebrae. In this dramatic service, shadows slowly gather in the room as we encounter again the Passion of Jesus. With each reading, a candle is extinguished. The service concludes in darkness. We are also offering a worship opportunity on Holy Saturday at 5:00 p.m. Matthew Dirst and friends lead us in a musical meditation for Holy Week, exploring the depth and power of these days through music. Easter Sunday is April 5. Our first service of Easter at 8:30 has us gather in the narthex and then proceed by candlelight into the dark sanctuary, which is then bathed in the light of the proclamation of resurrection. We then attend to key passages of the Bible, remembering God s saving acts, from the beginning of creation to the promise of a new creation. After the service of readings, we have a reaffirmation of baptism, and all are invited to come forward to the fount. There we mark our foreheads with water, hearing again the promise that in Jesus Christ we belong to God forever. In between services, there is breakfast in Fellowship Hall along with Easter crafts for children. Around 10:30, we will have a new and improved egg hunt, vividly teaching all of us about the significance of Holy Week. Our 11:00 festival service of Easter includes music from The St. Philip Choir and a brass quintet. We celebrate with joy as we take the bread and share the cup and bear witness to God s love, a love stronger than death. We will also celebrate the confirmation of four of our youth. In a variety of styles and through a range of emotions, Holy Week invites us to experience the fullness of the gospel. I urge you to seek the spiritual benefits of these days and these services through your participation in all that is before us. Faithfully yours,

Philip-Eye Page 3 Welcome Newest Members of St. Philip! Tom and Barbara Cavanaugh Tom and Barbara have just transferred to us from Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church. Tom grew up in Pittsburgh, PA, and attended Duquesne University and University of Iowa. He has lived in Houston since 1975 and is now retired. He is trying to decide how to spend his precious retirement time. He enjoys volunteer work and reading. Tom is already an active member of our Welcoming and Membership committee, which we are very excited about! Barbara grew up in Newkirk and Moore, Oklahoma. She attended Oklahoma State and University of Houston, and is a psychotherapist. She has lived in Houston for 38 years, beating Tom by 13 years! They have 3 children and 6 grandchildren. Two of their children live here in Houston, the third lives in Boulder, Colorado. Barbara enjoys reading, gardening, crafts and her family and numerous friends. Welcome to St. Philip, Tom and Barbara! Sarah Fish Sarah comes to us from Westminster Presbyterian in Montgomery, AL. She attended Auburn University, and is currently working toward a doctorate at U of Houston. She stays busy by also instructing in HCC, and enjoys reading, visiting the theatre, and watching movies. St Philip was recommended to Sarah by her minister in Montgomery and a friend in the synod. She visited and was impressed by our worship service, our ministerial staff, and the variety of programs offered here. She is interested in being involved in Education and church school teaching, as well as Welcoming and Membership, and Fellowship and Caring at St. Philip. Please welcome Sarah to our church family. David J. and Suzanne H. Kerr David and Suzanne come to us from First Presbyterian Church in Houston. He is from the Detroit area and attended both Alma College in Michigan and Indiana University. Currently retired, David was in Management Development and Human Resources. Now he sings bass in the Saint Philip Choir, plays golf, and enjoys photography. David is a lifelong Presbyterian. His father was a Presbyterian pastor. Suzanne grew up in Victoria, Texas, and attended University of Texas at Austin, and then got her law degree from UT. She is currently retired, and enjoys writing, reading, art galleries and museums, movies, and keeping up with old friends. She also sings Soprano in the choir. Suzanne was very involved at First Presbyterian, and worked as a member of the For Uniti group to keep the church in the PC(USA). She and David share many friends here at St Philip; and have known of St. Philip for years. When they visited they were impressed with the worship service, friendliness, our staff, music program, and the variety of programs and activities hosted here. Please give a big welcome to David and Suzanne. Taylor Williams Lawson Taylor comes to us from Greensboro, NC, where he was a member of First Presbyterian church. He attended school at UNC, then BSBA and Emory University for graduate work. He spent some time in New York City after earning his graduate degrees. Maybe this explains his current hobby of exploring Houston and getting to know his new home. Currently he works as a Compensation Manager for a human resources consulting firm. Taylor read about St Philip on our website, and when he visited he liked our friendly congregation and Staff. He is interested in the Missions, Welcoming and Membership, and Fellowship and Caring committees. Welcome to St. Philip, Taylor! Nathan Lee Nathan has come to us from South Main Baptist Church here in Houston. He grew up in a very mobile family, as his dad was in the Air Force. Nathan attended Wheaton College in Illinois. He is a medical resident and spends most of his free time studying, cooking, and spending time with his 2 cats. Nathan was invited by a friend to visit St. Philip. He knows Keatan King, and is an organist, so he appreciates our music program. In addition to our friendly congregation, he is interested in our Youth Program, Welcoming and Membership and Fellowship and Caring. Please welcome Taylor to St. Philip. Melanie White Melanie comes to us from Trinity Episcopal Church in the Woodlands. She has 3 sons: George (12), Zack (13), and Luke (15). Melanie grew up in Oklahoma City, and attended Casady School, and then UVA. She works as an Analyst and in a supervisory capacity at Oxy, and in her spare time she loves to run and read. Melanie grew up in the Presbyterian Church, and is Bruce Johnson s sister. Bruce and McNair Johnson have been members here for many years, so it is a natural connection for Melanie. Melanie and her family are interested in our Youth Program, Worship, Missions, and Fellowship and Caring. Please extend a warm welcome to Melanie and the boys. Jennifer Wilson and Rhonda Sands Jennifer comes to us from Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church. She was born in Eagle Lake, TX, but grew up mainly in Houston, with some time spent in Arabia, Brazil, Louisiana, and California. She finished high school in San Fernando, CA and then did her undergraduate and law degrees at the University of Houston. She is currently an attorney, practicing business litigation. She and her partner Rhonda Sands have 3 grown children: Vicky (31), Billy (30), and Kim (29).They are close to their families and always look for opportunities to spend time together. Rhonda also grew up in Houston and attended MDPC. She is a Presbyterian Elder. She attended UT at Austin, and is currently a banker at Patriot Bank. She and Jennifer met at church, and have been together for 11 years. Rhonda actually new Jennifer s children before she knew Jennifer, as she was a youth leader for the teenager s group. Both Rhonda and Jennifer are looking for opportunities for Community Outreach at St Philip. They were invited by a friend, and enjoy the worship service, friendliness, location, and ministerial staff. They are also interested in continuing work with the Youth Program, Fellowship and Caring, and Peacemaking and Social Justice. Please extend a welcome to Jennifer, Rhonda, and their family.

Philip-Eye Page 4 Get Your picture taken for the 2015 church directory James Cooper will be taking pictures for the 2015 Church Directory every Sunday, TODAY through April 5 before and after the 11:00 a.m. worship service. Please come and smile for the camera. We d love to update everyone s picture. SIGN UP FOR CHANCEL GUILD It is time to sign up for Chancel Guild for April through September. Sign up sheet will be in Gathering Area each Sunday in March. For more information, contact Jane Larkin 713-621-1222 or l.larkin6561@att.net. BE A PART OF AN USHER TEAM. Ushers, along with greeters, are truly the face of our church. Join one of the four usher teams and greet and seat three months (not consecutive) of the year. You will be serving the Lord and St. Philip in a meaningful and important way. Please call or email Jo Helland at 713-621-1168; jo.helland@sbcglobal.net. She looks forward to hearing from you!! WORK DAY IN THE GARDEN SATURDAY, MARCH 28 We will gather at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 28 to plant our spring garden. Bring your gloves and your tools and help us prepare for a new growing season. Food from our garden is shared with hungry people in our community. KIDS AGAINST HUNGer packing session Kids Against Hunger will be hosting Rice University MBA students Saturday, April 4, from 10:00 a.m. until noon. Come help us welcome these guests and share in a valuable Easter season mission project. Come join us the first Saturday of each month in the Arts & Crafts Studio for scrapbooking and card making! A free make and take will be offered each month to add to your albums or cards. Just bring your supplies. Lorrie Castle will provide the Cricut cutting system, paper punches, tools, and know-how with you. If you re experienced, just come for the company. Please bring a snack to share with everyone, plus your own beverage. Bottled water will be provided. Everyone is welcome! Questions? Contact Lorrie Castle at lahayes69@aol.com or 832-262-1244. SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES FOR ALL Nursery and Preschool Infants and children through 3 years old 8:30 am to 12:30pm - Room 106 Staffed by professional childcare providers Preschool 3 through 1st Grade Godly Play Class - Room 104 Elementary 2nd-5th Grade Grades 2 and 3 meet in Room 105 Grades 4 and 5 meet in Room 103 Music - with Music Director, Tom Goetz 1st through 5th grades 9:30 am 10:00 am Children join teachers in their classrooms at 10:00 Youth in Bible Study St. Philip youth, 6th through 12th grades Rooms 204 and 206 Supported by sponsors and Sunday School teachers Adult Classes March 24, 2015 Sunday School for Adults Lenten hymns SINGING THE FAITH - Dining Room Join Keatan King & John Wurster at 9:30am on Sundays. You do not have to be a great singer! CHURCH & SOCIETY - Room 201 March 29: Passion Week in the Fine Arts - Presented by Professor Linda Neagley, Department chair and Associate Professor of Art History, Rice University. April 5: Class will not meet on Easter. SPa CLASS - Room 200 The SPa (Saint Philip Adults) class is a fellowship of adults from all walks of life who gather for learning and prayer. We value fellowship, conversation, and group-oriented learning style that welcomes dialogue. Each Sunday, we discuss a specific topic at the intersection of faith and life. Email spa@spafellowship.org to learn more about what we are doing each week. BIBLE STUDY - Room 204 Currently the class is engaged in a study of Joshua, a rich, complex and often troubling book in the Old Testament that follows the Hebrew nation from wandering in the wilderness into the conquests of the Promised Land. The Bible study class utilizes the insights of a variety of scholars and texts to expand our understanding of God s message of faithfulness to His people. Nancy Cook and Al Waldrop lead the discussions. All are welcome. ARTS & CRAFT STUDIO Room 9 (old classroom wing) Please see our schedule on the St. Philip website!

Philip-Eye Page 5 March 24, 2015 Session Highlights January, 2015 Jeanette Wennenweser was elected to serve a three-year term on the Central Mission Endowment Council. Larraine Lyter-Reed was elected as a Session representative on the Central Mission Endowment Council. Session approved granting Laureen Suba s request to include both wine and grape juice in the celebration of the Lord s Supper during her Service of Ordination at St. Philip on February 1, 2015. Session approved calling an Annual Meeting of the Congregation on Sunday, February 8, 2015, following lunch after the 11:00 Service of Worship, for the purpose of electing a slate of nominees to the Congregational Nominating Committee, approving the Pastors Terms of Call, holding a Review of 2014, and receiving a presentation of the 2015 operating budget. Session approved the celebration of the Sacrament of the Lord s Supper at the Presbyterian Women s retreat at the Cenacle on January 24, 2015, with the Rev. Katie Cummings presiding. Committee Actions: Property Committee has approved plumbing and electrical expenses to install the three-well sink and begin the shuffling process of impacted equipment in the main kitchen this month. Once main kitchen work is complete then the old two-well sink will be moved to the Kids Against Hunger kitchen. Property Committee has declined approval of allowing a Salvation Army collection bin to be placed on SPPC campus. February, 2015 Session approved the St. Philip Presbyterian Church submission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Annual Statistical Report for 2014 and the Clerk s Annual Questionnaire for the Year Ending December 31, 2014. Session approved removing Kassandra Egleston (member #5553) from the St. Philip roll upon her request Presbyterian Women 2015 Spring Gathering April 18 at 9:30 a.m. at St. Philip Presbyterian Church Keynote Speaker: Rev. Dr. Rose Niles Worship Leader: Rev. Keatan King Demonstration and information on Kids Against Hunger (mission project supported by St. Philip) Mission Opportunities such as seed packets for the St. Philip Community Garden; Kids Free Clothing Exchange in Onalaska, Texas; and Peru Seminary Benefit Drawings!! Go to www.pbyofnewcovenant for complete information and registration form. since she had moved and joined another church. Session approved the following recipients of Communion Offerings: March 1 - Institute for Civility; April 2 (Maundy Thursday), April 5 (Easter), April 12 (Jazz Communion, April 19 and April 26 - One Great Hour of Sharing; May 3, 10, 17 International Seafarer s Ministries; May 24 Pentecost Offering. Session elected Ginny Camfield, Julia Fox, Mickey Meyers, and William Howard Elder Commissioners to Stated Meeting of Presbytery of New Covenant on March 21, 2015 at St. Philip Presbyterian Church and elected Chuck Johnson as an alternate. Session approved submitting a membership list to enroll St. Philip in the Presbyterian Panel. Session approved the celebration of the Sacrament of the Lord s Supper at the Presbyterian Women s retreat on April 18, 2015, with the Rev. Keatan King presiding. Committee Actions: Property Committee has approved a building use request for St. Luke s UMC to use the Fellowship Hall on 4/14/15. Education Committee has approved the schedule and budget for the Summer Lecture Series 2015 - $2,550.00 including honorarium, pulpit fee, flights, lodging and rental car. Worship and Music Committee has approved inviting the Stillman College choir to sing at St. Philip during the 11:00 AM service of worship on Sunday, March 22, 2015. * (See footnote below) *On February 13, Tom Goetz received word from Stillman College that they have canceled their planned tour of Texas in March; therefore, they will not be singing at St. Philip on March 22. Tom invited them to contact St. Philip in the future, should they plan a concert tour in the Houston area. Freeman Scholarship The Mark and Velma Freeman Memorial Scholarship was established to provide scholarships for undergraduates and graduate education to the children members of Saint Philip Presbyterian Church. Application forms are available on the church web site or in the church office. All applications must be postmarked by May 1st or hand-delivered to the church office by that date. Handyman Available Governor Frazier, a member of St. Philip, is looking for handyman work and/or light labor. If you can benefit from his assistance, please call 832-512-3648 or email him at governorfrazier@gmail.com.

Philip-Eye Page 6 St. Philip Mission COmmittee Report 2015 Mission Allocations Acting on the recommendation of the Mission Committee, the Session has approved the following mission allocations for 2015: Feeding the hungry, helping people build-up their own livelihoods, responding to disasters these are all ways that your gift to One Great Hour of Sharing will change lives, change communities and change the world. When you give to One Great Hour of Sharing you are assisting in the empowerment of others as they move past emotional, physical and spiritual misfortune through the Presbyterian Hunger Program, Self-Development of People and Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. Your gift provides hope. You will have an opportunity to contribute to the One Great Hour of Sharing offerings throughout the month of April. Please give generously to support these Presbyterian Mission Agency ministries as they strive to help all of God s people find resilience, hope, and faith in the face of challenging circumstances. Thank you! February Communion Offering The recipient of the February communion offering, Houston Interfaith Disaster Response Alliance (HIDRA), received $2,549 due to your generosity. Amazing Place $ 4,000 Austin College $ 2,500 Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary $ 5,000 Bering/Omega House $ 1,000 CanCare $ 1,000 Christian Community Service Center $ 8,000 Good Neighbor HC Center $ 5,000 Good Shepherd D. R. Congo $ 2,000 Interface Samaritan $ 7,000 Interfaith Ministries $ 7,000 Kid s Meals $ 4,000 Kids Against Hunger $ 1,000 Living Waters $ 6,000 Lord of the Streets $ 1,000 Medical Benevolence Foundation $ 5,000 Mexico Mission Bethesda Clinic $ 2,000 Mexico Mission Bethesda Clinic Nurses $ 2,500 Aid Fund Mo Ranch (operations) $2,000 Montreat $ 500 Morgans for Bangladesh $ 4,000 Presbyterian Pan American School $ 4,000 Presbyterian Outreach to Patients (POP) $ 2,000 Presbyterian Children s Homes & Services $ 6,000 Presbytery of New Covenant $45,000 The Piecemaking Project- Quilts for $ 200 House of Tiny Treasures Seafarer s International $ 5,000 SEARCH $ 4,000 The Beacon $ 2,000 (formerly Community of the Streets) The Women s Home $ 3,000 Theological Education Fund $ 1,000 Unexpected Needs - Mission Committee $ 2,068 United Campus Ministries $ 3,000 TOTAL $147,768 Thank you! Duerr Lecture Series This year s speaker, Dr. Douglas F. Ottati, Craig Family Distinguished Professor of Reformed Theology and Justice at Davidson College, lectured on Exploring the Teaching of Jesus. Several people who attended the lectures commented that he gave me a lot to think about. His deep knowledge and very energetic style of lecturing prompted more than one to say they wished they could take a class from him. Next year s speaker is Joshua Ralston, Assistant Professor of Theology at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, VA. Ralston has the MDiv degree from Candler School of Theology at Emory University and is a candidate for ordination in the PCUSA. He will receive his PhD in June from the Graduate Division of Religion at Emory University. His dissertation considers how Christians might bring [their] commitments concerning the Law, the Gospel, and the Kingdom of God into conversation and debate with Islamic perspectives on law (Shari a) and the political order. This commitment to Christian-Muslim dialogue has been shaped not only through study, but more profoundly through teaching theology and interfaith relations in Nigeria and Egypt and living in Israel/Palestine. He has presented numerous lectures on the subject of Christian-Muslim Relations and Dialogue. Mark your calendar now for the lectures: February 21, 22 and 23, 2016.

Philip-Eye Page 7 april Calendar

02 Dillon Junkin 03 Harold Dement 04 Russell Bahruth 04 Judy Barrish 04 James McKelvey 07 Richard Lee 08 Gary Whitney 08 Alan Johnson 09 Steve Carmichael 10 Bill Burns 11 Janis Ostendorf 11 Ginger McFarland 11 Stephen Paine 11 Ben Dees II 14 Bob Burns 15 Pam Taylor 15 Robert Bevill 17 Ian Pearce 17 Bob Skaggs 18 Mary Murphy 18 Ethan Lambright 19 Jack Lippincott 19 Douglas Duerr 19 Sara Shumbera 21 Greg Han 22 Penny Larkin 23 Kay Cash 24 Nancy Dring 24 Patrick Connor 25 Mary Sinderson 25 Jim Larkin 28 Kris Kelly 29 Dick Weber 29 Neely Atkinson 29 Dustin Rosen 30 Vada Woodall 30 Cameron Steele If you were married in April and do not see your names below it s because we don t know your wedding date. Please contact Laurie in the church office (713.622.4807 or laurie@saintphilip.net) to give her your information. We wish a Happy Anniversary to: 03 Olga & Tom Lewis 05 Janet & Donald Davis 07 Don & Cheryl Barker 10 John & Katherine Boone 13 Barbara & Van Rathgeber 15 Andrew & Kate Henderson 17 Ben & Cynthia Dees 18 Doug & Pam Lewis 19 Anne & Tyler Keever 25 Bebe & Lytle Burns 25 Donna & Malcolm Host PHILIP-EYE info. Articles should be sent to Laurie Fortenbery: philip-eye@saintphilip.net. Also, contact Laurie if you would like to receive the Philip-Eye online. You get the news faster, the church saves postage, and the impact on the environment is lightened just a bit. The deadline for turning in articles for the next edition of the Philip-EYE is Friday, April 3. Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage Paid Houston, TX Permit No. 2396 Philip-Eye THE NEWSLETTER of St. Philip Presbyterian Church U.S.A.