October 27, 2014

Book lovers, the wait is over! It's time for the Renouf-Nelson Library's popular annual Used Book Sale, November 1 and 2 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Murphey Gallery. Offerings include a huge selection of gently used books, including fiction, history, memoir & biography, cooking, travel, philosophy, religion, children's books, art, science, as well as recent best-sellers. Prices are not marked, but a free-will offering is requested. Proceeds from the sale are used to purchase new books and supplies for the Library.



St. Philip's will honor All Saints' Sunday with the majestic Requiem by W. A. Mozart at the 9 and 11:15 a.m. services. Known as one of the most famous requiem settings for its grandeur and drama, this piece will elevate one of the more solemn Sundays of our liturgical year with our choirs and the orchestra. This noble work, Mozart's unfinished masterpiece, has inspired choirs, soloists, and listeners alike for over 200 years with its sublime beauty and power. The supposed mystery surrounding its composition and the fact that Mozart died before the piece was completed have been the stuff of legend, brought most vividly to life in the play "Amadeus." The music which he did complete leaves us a masterpiece of the cliassical era, with the delicate lyricism of "Lacrimosa" alternating with the fierce and terrifying, in portraying the last days "Dies irae." Because the "Introit and Kyrie" will be used as the prelude, it's suggested that you arrive about 10 minutes before service time.

On Sunday, November 2, at 5:30 p.m., we will celebrate All Souls' Day with a special Memorial Eucharist. In the Anglican Communion, All Souls' Day is the traditional time to remember loved ones who have died. Particular attention will be given to remembering those who have died within the past two years, but we will celebrate all of our loved ones enjoying eternal life in the nearer presence of God. We invite families to remember their loved ones by lighting one of the votive candles found outside the church door prior to the service and placing it on the altar. The service concludes with a candlelit procession into the Columbarium Garden for prayers around the ofrenda.



An ofrenda is a shrine or altar constructed to present offerings to the spirits, used in conjunction with El Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. This event is celebrated in many Latin American countries, particularly in Mexico, and is a time to remember and honor the deceased. Since Dia de los Muertos is considered to be a celebration of eternal life rather than a sad event, ofrendas usually reflect whimsical portrayals of the dead as they were when they were living. St. Philip's invites you to remember your departed loved ones by contributing to an ofrenda, which will be set up in the Columbarium Garden at St. Philip's through November 2. Photographs, meaningful objects, and memorabilia are all suitable offerings. Objects may be placed on the ofrenda any time the office is open (Mondays through Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.).

After the All Souls' Memorial Service, the celebration of life continues with a festive reception in the Perry Garden.

On Sunday, November 2, at 2 p.m. in the Church, Friends of Music presents an unforgettable depiction, through music and letters, of the real-life love and drama between Richard Strauss and his muse, soprano Pauline De Ahna. In song and in the Strausses' own words, the distinguished Welsh baritone Jeremy Huw Williams, with Paula Fan on the piano, tells the story of these two towering temperaments in celebration of the 150th Anniversary of the composer's birth. De Ahna was the formidable soprano who caught the eye of the young conductor Strauss in 1887. After she threw a score at him in rehearsal, he announced their engagement. His ear was captivated as well. "No one sang my songs in such a touching way as she did," he wrote, and it was she who helped him understand the female voice as he created operatic roles. Suggested admission $20.

For more information about Friends of Music events see the Friends of Music web site.

Plans are underway to continue our tradition of an All-Night Reading of Dante's Inferno from the evening of Maundy Thursday, April 2, to Good Friday, April 3, 2015. We are currently forming a Core Team to coordinate and lead this effort. If you have been inspired by the All-Night Reading at St. Philip's, we ask you to considering to joining this team to ensure that this inspiring tradition will continue for a seventh year next Holy Week. If you are interested in learning more about this remarkable event, plan to attend a planning meeting on Tuesday, November 4, at 7 p.m. in the Library. Please contact Kevin Justus, Barbara Kiernan at 299-2559, or Anne Cotten to RSVP.

Bring your pet to be blessed at 9 a.m. on Sunday, November 9, as we celebrate the loving relationship shared by humans and their pets, with opportunities to give thanks for the blessings animals give to us. Readings and prayers focus on the wonders of our world and our responsibility as humans to be good stewards of God's creation. All types of animals are welcome at this service. Participants are asked to keep their pets appropriately restrained.  This service does not include communion. The usual 9 a.m. Eucharist will be held in the Church on November 9.



Join the Rev. Greg Foraker for our next parish pilgrimage for adults May 4-18, 2015, to walk the pilgrimage road to Santiago, Spain. This journey to follow the Way of St. James has been a path taken by pilgrims for centuries across the northern region of Spain. After beginning our pilgrimage in Avila at the 500th anniversary of St. Teresa's birth, our group will travel north to make the journey from Roncesvalles to Santiago. Along the way villages, towns, and cities including Burgos will inspire our journey. Sacred places will stir our spirits including the Santo Domingo de Silos Monastery.  Information Sessions have been scheduled for Tuesday, November 11, at 5:30 p.m. in the West Gallery, and Sunday, November 23, at 10:15 a.m. in the East Gallery. This active walking pilgrimage involves vigorous physical activity including the ability to walk 5-7 miles, climb steep hills, and be "on one's feet" for several hours on many days. Attend any information meeting to learn about this inspiring journey. All presentations will include the same material, so please choose the day and time that is best for you.

Sanders Road at Early Light 12" X 9", soft pastel, Becky Neideffer

The November show in the Murphey Gallery is entitled "For the Love of Art," featuring Virginia Carroll and Becky Neideffer, award-winning artists, each with a unique
style, representing wonderful drawings showcasing colored pencils and soft pastels. The show runs from from November 7 through December 3. You are invited to meet the artists at
a reception on Sunday, November 16, from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.

Una Tienda de Colorido En Santa Fe 17" X 11", Colored Pencil, Virginia Carroll

Join Bishop Kirk Smith, Fr. Phil Jackson, Fr. Bruce Jackson, Fr. Jim Clark, and men's group lay leaders at Chapel Rock in Prescott for an event geared to strengthen men in their spiritual journey. The weekend includes prayer, insightful presentations, lay-led group discussions, and personal time. As a springboard into the discussions, presentations will be given by several lay leaders, including our own Richard Kuns, about the promise and shape of their lives. The works of Richard Rohr will be featured. If you have questions you may contact Richard. Friday, November 21, through Sunday, November 23. Cost (depending on accommodation) ranges from $50-$190. Click here to learn more.


Gobble, gobble, gobble! Join your St.Philip's family and friends for our annual Thanksgiving dinner in the Murphey Gallery following the 11 a.m. Thanksgiving  Eucharist, on Thursday, November 27. Parish Life will provide the turkeys and wine. Please come and bring one of the following dishes for 8 to 10 guests, based on your last name: A-B breads, C-H vegetables or salad, I-M potatoes or stuffing, N-T desserts, U-Z sauces including cranberry. And, mindful of those less fortunate, please also bring a nonperishable food item for the St. Philip's Food Pantry.  You can let us know how many are in your party and what you will bring by signing up at the hospitality table during coffee hour. Bring your friends and come share delicious food and good company!

Not for us alone are we born; our country, our community, our faith commnity, our friends, and our families all have a share in us as we have a share in them.

My wife Linda and I have been touched in many ways by the many "somethings" that we have experienced, been exposed to, or been involved with in this Community Oasis in the Desert, known to most as St. Philip's In The Hills.

We have been nurtured and grown spiritually, we have been challenged and grown intellectually, and we have been loved and accepted by strangers who became friends. Offerings of our God-given talents have been graciously received and we take joy and give gratitude in being members of this community of faith.

We are pleased to be able to give of our material gifts to support the opportunity St. Philip's offers -- to Come and See, to Grow with God, and to Go and Do.
When I look back at what St. Philip's has done for me and my family, I cannot help but support it. It has transformed me (and my family) in ways that I never anticipated; it has given me a new view of my life and how I should live it.

Without St. Philip's, I would have never had the courage to apply in late 2011 for an open school board seat for the Tucson Unified School District. Fifty-four members of the community wound up applying, and in the end, I was the one who was appointed by the Pima County School Superintendent.
 
It was a difficult time for the district as there were tensions and protests at board meetings about the future of Mexican/American studies in the district. The public was made to walk through metal detectors to make sure that weapons weren't brought to meetings. There were civil rights desegregation lawsuits and schools needed to be closed due to shrinking enrollment in the district.
 
So I tried to listen with compassion to everyone, even those who were angry when they showed up at board meetings. I often prayed that I was making the right decision as I could be casting the deciding vote making something 3-2 or 2-3.

St. Philip's had prepared me for this moment in my life by encouraging me to think about my talents and to encourage me to make the world a better place. It taught me that we are all different and helped me to realize how I could contribute to the world at large. Now as a member of the Vestry, I work to help St. Philip's transform the lives of others. No matter where you are on your spritual journey, I want us to be there with you and to support you.
Why we support St. Philip's with our annual pledge: St. Philips's has meant a great deal to us over this past year as a result of Beth's diagnosis, surgery, and ongoing treatment for brain cancer. Visits by clergy with in-home communion have been hugely uplifting for both of us. Notes, calls, cards and prayers from many friends have been wonderful.  Cards and calls from friends in the Altar Guild have encouraged Beth on an almost daily basis, and I especially appreciate the prayers for both of us by my fellow choir members.

This outpouring of support has been truly inspiring for us. Were it not for the spiritual reinforcement and expressions of love and concern from many of you, this would have been a difficult year for us, indeed.

So why do we support St. Philip's?  Even before this year, it has been there for us in so many important ways: It is a huge part of our community of friends in Tucson, we take great joy every Sunday in the worship services, the music and the fellowship of our Church. We rejoice in the fact that our pledge helps make possible so many ministries that make St. Philip's not only important to us as its members, but also do God's work in the world around us. Our generous annual pledge affirms our annual membership in this special place, and we are proud and grateful to be among you all as members of the body of Christ at St. Philip's.