News from St. Philip's

St. Philip's In The Hills Episcopal Church
Parish News: Connecting Electronically North Campbell Avenue at River Road, Tucson

June 26, 2012

In This Issue

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Service Schedule

Sundays
7:45 a.m.
Holy Eucharist Rite I

9:00 a.m.
Sung Eucharist Rite II
Third Sundays: All-Generations Service (Sept. through May)
Fifth Sundays: Morning Prayer and Eucharist

11:15 a.m.
Sung Eucharist Rite II
Fifth Sundays: Morning Prayer and Eucharist

4:00 p.m.
"Come & See" Service

5:30 p.m.
Holy Eucharist Rite II
Third Sundays: Choral Evensong with Eucharist (Sept. through May)

Tuesdays
10:00 a.m.
Holy Eucharist Rite II and Healing

6:00 p.m.
Evening Prayer (seasonally)

Thursdays (Sept. through May)
11:00 a.m.
Holy Eucharist Rite I

Worship services at St. Philip's

Click to Connect

Latest News on St. Philip's web site contains the Sunday bulletin, upcoming events, and links to Episcopal sites of interest

St. Philip's has a group on Facebook, the popular social networking Web site, where you can share reflections with our online community

St. Philip's Green Team has published Green Tips, suggestions for things you can do to help save our planet!

Various ministries at St. Philip's offer e-letters:

To sign up for the Adult Formation Ministries e-letter, contact Greg Foraker.

To receive the Music Ministry e-newsletter, contact music@stphilipstucson.org

St. Philip's Border & Immigration Ministry has a weekly e-letter, posted on the Outreach page of St. Philip's web site. Subscribe.

Greetings!

For 6 months of the liturgical year we retrace the story of Jesus--from anticipating his arrival to celebrating his birth and ministry to making sense of his death, resurrection, and ascension. During the season after Pentecost, we ponder the question: If Jesus is the Christ, then who are we? We invite you to seek answers through the many spiritual, educational, musical, and ministry opportunities at St. Philip's.

If you know of someone who might like to receive these e-updates, whether they're a parishioner or someone interested in St. Philip's, feel free to use the "forward to a friend" link to share the newsletter with them! That doesn't add them to any lists but gives them the opportunity to choose to subscribe.

We hope this e-letter is a useful tool in connecting and staying connected with our St. Philip's community!

What's Going On

Celebrate Independence Day
On Sunday, July 1, St. Philip's will celebrate Independence Day with patriotic hymns and choral music at the 9 and 11:15 a.m. services. Good ol' fashioned ice cream socials will be hosted by the Parish Life Ministry at 10:15 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. in the Murphey Gallery. Enjoy a wide array of flavors of ice cream and toppings. Patriotic music will be provided by the Tucson Flute Club. You are invited to wear red, white, and blue and join the festivities!

New Staff Members

Sunday, July 1, will be our opportunity to meet two new members of our staff!

Woosug Kang, our new Director of Music, comes originally from South Korea, where his father taught at various universities and conducted several choirs, and his mother taught middle school. In 1994, Woosug, his parents, and two older sisters moved to Auckland, New Zealand, where the family still resides. Woosug received his Bachelor of Music from Auckland University. Between 2003 and 2005, he earned his Master's Degree in Organ Performance at Yale University. He is currently working toward his Doctorate of Music in Organ Performance at the University of Indiana, with minors in Music History and Church Music. Woosug is excited about coming to St. Philip's and being part of a community that "cherishes great music, especially sacred music in the context of worship." Besides the new job, new city, new climate, and new friends, Woosug is looking forward to his role as a new husband. He and Elise Swinford will be married October 5 at St. John's Episcopal Church in Northampton, Massachusetts. Elise is a doctoral student in English literature, specializing in British modernism. She will join Woosug in Tucson next year, although we hope to see her before then! They both look forward to exploring the southwest with their dog, Charlie.

Woosug Kang

We are also pleased to welcome Sara Talley, who is joining St. Philip's staff as full-time Youth Ministry Apprentice. Sara comes to us from Texas. She has a bachelor's degree in communications with minors in public relations and theology, and a master's degree in non-profit management. While in college she served as a peer minister, and she has worked in youth ministry for more than six years. Her most recent position was three years as Assistant Youth Director at a parish with more than 300 youth in the roster, and she also served as Interim Youth Director for a church in a hiring transition period, in which she created and set up the youth program from the bottom up. She has experience in both conceptual and administrative aspects of youth work, including working with lay ministry volunteers, and she brings extra skills in social media and other innovative forms of communication. Sara spent some time in June at Chapel Rock participating in the Diocesan youth camps and is now getting settled in Tucson.

Be sure to welcome both Sara and Woosug when you see them on Sunday morning!

On the Horizon

Summer Concerts

Friends of Music's Summer Concert Series continues on Sunday, July 8, at 2 p.m. in the Church. Come join the Desert Mountain Brass as they present "A Summer Brass Bouquet." As monsoon approaches the Tucson area, the desert cacti and flowers will soon explode with magnificent colors ... so too will the sounds of the Desert Mountain Brass. For your enjoyment the group will perform a lovely variety of fresh musical arrangements featuring some of the finest brass classics to jazz, popular, and beyond ... it's a program sure to leave your musical senses feeling satisfied. Desert Mountain Brass, southern Arizona's premier brass quintet, is composed of Lorelei Conrad and Ray Conrad, trumpets, David Eckert, horn, Glenn Sprague, trombone, and Daniel Brown, tuba, with special guest Les Roberts, percussion. In addition to performing as a quintet, group members are active in many other Tucson musical groups of all genres. Admission is by donation ($15 suggested).

On Sunday, July 15, at 2 p.m. in the Church, summer romance is in the air as Mary Paul and Larry Alexander sing The Joys of Summer, accompanied by Bonnie Bird. Escape the blistering heat outdoors and spend a cool afternoon relaxing to romantic summer favorites from opera, operetta, and music theater. From the heat-driven passion of Italian opera to wistful songs of summer romance to the froth and bubble of operetta favorites, this program is like a tall glass of lemonade - cool, sweet, a little tangy and utterly refreshing. The program includes favorites from I Pagliacci and Porgy and Bess as well as selections from 110 in the Shade, All American, She Loves Me, The Chocolate Soldier, and The Desert Song. Hammock not included. Hailed for her flawless coloratura and impeccable phrasing, Mary Paul is a dynamic singing actress whose repertoire includes leading roles in the operas of Mozart, Verdi, Donizetti, Johann Strauss, and Richard Strauss. Baritone Larry Alexander has performed extensively across the United States, receiving critical acclaim for a wide range of operatic roles and concert repertoire. Juilliard-educated pianist Bonnie Bird is a staff vocal coach and accompanist at the University of Arizona.

The Friends of Music summer concert series continues through September 9. Concerts are usually on Sunday afternoons at 2 p.m. in the Church. The full schedule is posted on St. Philip's web site. The mission of Friends of Music is to enrich the musical experience of the parish and community through events such as concerts, outreach, education, scholarships, commissions, and support of special musical events.

Phixers "Phorum"

Got critters? Because of a request from a parishioner about what to do about pesky critters around the house, such as rock squirrels, nesting doves, packrats, woodpeckers, and such, a different sort of Phixers "Phorum" is scheduled for July 22. The Environmental Education Program of Pima County Natural Resources, Parks, and Recreation has agreed to present their popular program, "Living With Urban Wildlife," in which they discuss ways to design and manage your property to benefit both you and wildlife, with practical tips on discouraging nuisance critters. This includes the above-mentioned animals as well as others, such as javelinas or coyotes. It is a can't-miss program! 12:30 p.m. in the East Gallery. St. Philip's Phixers are volunteers who do maintenance tasks around the church and campus. They sponsor this series of home maintenance workshops on the fourth Sunday of each month.

Coming in the Fall

JustFaith

Our Christian faith and Biblical tradition invites each of us and our faith community to become agents of God in a wounded world. JustFaith offers a map and a guide for a spiritual journey into faith and compassion to open the door to your personal transformation and service. JustFaith is a lively, engaging and challenging 30-week program of readings, prayer, guest speakers, retreat, discussion, reflection, video and immersion that will inspire and energize us to further our commitment to relive human suffering. Participants will grow together and become prepared to go into their communities and the world to be the hands and feet of God. JustFaith begins with launch leaders the Rev. Leah Sandwell-Weiss and Suzanne Hesh, moving to shared peer leadership by the participants. Tuition for JustFaith is $100 per person for books and other program materials. Call the church office to register and send your check made payable to St. Philip's (memo line: JustFaith). Registration is not complete until tuition is paid; scholarship assistance is available. For more information, please contact Suzanne Hesh at BorderImmigrationMin@stphilipstucson.org. Wednesdays, beginning September 19 and continuing through May 2013, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in Room 10. Learn more about JustFaith at a preview forum, Sunday, July 15, at 10:15 a.m.

Survival School Coming to St. Philip's

At Survival School, learning is experiential

Are you leading a ministry effort at St. Philip's? Would you like to start a new ministry? Are you seeking new ways of living your faith and service? Consider participating in Survival School Church Leadership Training August 27-31, here at St. Philip's. This is a comprehensive week-long ministry training workshop that will draw clergy and lay leaders from across Southern Arizona. St. Philip's clergy, staff, and lay leaders have been trained in this program for 3 years and this model supports our ministry here at St. Philip's very well. St. Philip's clergy, staff and lay leaders have been trained in this program for 3 years and this model supports our ministry here at St. Philip's very well. For over thirty years, "Survival School" has earned a place at the forefront of leadership training for leaders and ministers in Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Washington, DC, Nevada and California. Learning is by doing, through hands-on, spiritually-based workshops that let you discover vital principles, techniques and methods of leadership. Registration fee is $295 per person (includes the program and materials). Scholarship assistance available. For more information and to register, contact the Rev. Greg Foraker at 299-6421.

Education for Ministry

On Sunday, May 29, we honored this year's graduate of the Education for Ministry (EfM) program: Lance Dickinson. Sponsored by the University of the South, EfM is a four-year program recommended for anyone who is seeking a deeper understanding of the Christian faith through directed Bible study, theological reflection, and stimulating discussion. During the first year, readings center on the Old Testament and historical commentary on how the books came to be written and chosen for inclusion in the Bible. The second year is devoted to reading the New Testament and a discussion of the lives of Jesus and Paul. Christian history from the first until the eighteenth century constitutes the third year, examining the theological discussions and schisms in the church. The fourth year is devoted to discussing the ideas of modern philosophers and theologians. Two other equally important components of the course are designed to bring the group members into closeness with each other and to help them grapple together with theological questions. For the first several weeks of each year, members take turns reading their autobiographies to the group. The format of the autobiographies changes each year, causing participants to examine life from a different perspective each time. The other component, "theological reflection," can take different forms but it is basically a group exercise that involves sharing anecdotes from daily life. Discussion centers on the theological, social, and cultural implications of the anecdotes. EfM is an exploration of the Bible, of church history, of personal lives, of what one's faith can mean. A lot is expected of the participants: weekly meetings and readings for 9 months each year, $350 a year for materials (some scholarships are available), an open mind to deal with religious issues, and an open heart toward fellow members. The outcome is a stronger faith; the outline of a theological education; and a changed perspective on the church, other people, and life. Classes begin in September and meet on Tuesday evenings. For more information, contact the Rev. Ralph Taylor at educationforministry@stphilipstucson.org or 229-9170.

Tacheria School for Spiritual Direction

Tacheria Interfaith Spirituality Center School for Spiritual Direction is accepting applications for the next interfaith course in the training of those called to a vocation of spiritual direction or for those who are yearning for answers to their spiritual questions and want to be able to do something with this yearning. This course encompasses the beliefs of the world's major religions and is open to ordained and non-ordained men and women. Spiritual leaders from many disciplines make up the faculty and share their insights, knowledge, wisdom and experience during the two years of the class. The School will begin in September; classes are held monthly on the second Saturday of each month from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. for two ten-month sessions (September - June). There is also a weekend retreat each year (January 11-12, 2013). Interviews for the course will be conducted by Linda Williams, co-director. A completed application and a $50.00 application fee are necessary for the interview to be held. Learning in the school is both didactic and experiential. Course members are asked to share their own experience and concerns as an important part of the learning process. Texts are selected for each class and an additional reading list is available for class members who are expected to read at their own pace and interest. One of the very important aspects of the school is the development of a community of participants and the sharing of support. Enrollment is limited and a genuine commitment to attending all of the sessions is important. Fees for the course are $500 per year not including the retreat cost. For information contact Linda or Frank Williams at 297-6098 or tacheriacenter@aol.com.

Food for Thought

St. Philippians in the News
Parishioner Suzanne Hesh and staff member Stella Lopez have been taking part in an exhibition at the University of Arizona Museum of Art. Their team, "Le Ladies of Witt," has been recreating a work by artist Sol LeWitt. You can see more about the show here.

End of Life Planning

"Final arrangements" is a topic many are reluctant to discuss or even think about, yet it is vital to make plans and have them in place where they can be accessed by loved ones. In the November 2009 issue of Loaves and Fishes, "Kicking Around Kicking the Bucket" detailed one family's effort to address this topic. As the anonymous author says, "Part of the motivation for doing this was a book titled Alive and Kicking: Legal Advice for Boomers by Kenney Hegland, a University of Arizona law professor. In his book Hegland says, 'End of life concerns are the elephant in the room. A whole lot of denial goes on about this topic.' One family member who had read the book proposed discussing Hegland's book, as a group, as a way to broach the subject of our personal end of life plans. ... St. Philip's has a good resource called At the end of life... A Planning Booklet that I could use to lead my family in a discussion about end of life issues/plans. The booklet is comprehensive and a very important gift to the entire parish and others who might use it." The End of Life Booklet is available at a link on the home page of St. Philip's web site.

Message from Bishop Smith

The General Convention of the Episcopal Church will begin in one week in Indianapolis. The deputies will be facing tough decisions in a number of areas. At the top of this list are efforts to restructure the larger church in way that will refocus our energy and money on the mission of spreading the Gospel. For those of you interested in learning more about this, I commend to you the series of articles written by one of your own elected deputies, the Rev. Susan Snook. Other issues to be dealt with include changes in insurance and pension benefits for lay employees, liturgical resources for the blessing of same-sex unions, and our relationship with the wider Anglican Communion. This will be a difficult convention. We are painfully aware of the decline in both membership and giving, and the failure of our current structures to adequately address these problems. There is a need for radical change and the abandonment of old programs and practices that no longer work. This will take both courage and sacrifice. Therefore, I especially ask you to remember the work of the General Convention in your personal prayers and in the public prayers of your parish these next two Sundays. More information is available at the General Convention site.

--The Rt. Rev. Kirk Stevan Smith, Bishop of Arizona

Vestry Strategic Planning

Beginning in March, the Vestry, Commissioners, Program Staff, and other church leaders have been engaged in a strategic planning process, facilitated by the Rev. Canon Timothy Dombek. Beginning with the questions "do we want to grow as a parish?" and "what does 'growing the parish' mean for St. Philip's?", the group has worked to answer those questions from four different perspectives: practical vision, underlying contradictions, strategic directions, and focused implementation. Plans are beginning to take shape ... more will become evident as summer merges into fall. Stay tuned!

Don't Forget to Tell Your Story!

Summer is thought of as being a "slow time" at St. Philip's -- but many of you are engaged in various forms of ministry here and wherever your summer takes you. As you go about your summer activities, think about sharing your story with your fellow parishioners -- what you did, and more important, why -- how did your activity transform you or others, whose lives did you touch, what kind of a difference did your ministry activities make in the world. (Why do we do what we do?) Part of our responsibility as Christians is witnessing to our faith, which means telling our stories of doing God's work in the world, whether here at St. Philip's, in the wider Tucson community, or elsewhere in the country or even outside of the country.

You do not need to consider yourself an accomplished writer to tell your story. As Wayne Fulton, retiring Loaves & Fishes editor, explains, "After all, it's like walking being putting one foot ahead of the other, only now you're writing one word after another. Simple." And while you're at it, don't forget to take photos!

So, while you are engaged in your summer ministries, think about the story you'll tell, take photos, and while it's fresh in your mind write it down! Send it to Sue.Agnew@stphilipstucson.org by the end of July.