Since 1922, Episcopalians have supported the ministries of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East through the Good Friday Offering. Through the work of the Episcopal dioceses in the Middle East, Christians maintain a peacemaking and stabilizing presence in the region, serving their neighbors regardless of faith background. The Church covers Jerusalem, Iran, Egypt, Cyprus, and the Persian Gulf. As a tiny minority in the region, Christians embody peace and reconciliation. In spite of the ever present threat of violence, Christians work tirelessly to cross political divides and provide health care to people in need. In underserved cities and towns, Christian hospitals and clinics are beacons of hope for those who have no other access to medical care. Amidst great hardship, Christians focus on increasing cooperation and goodwill, even to the point of risking their lives, as they insist on weapons-free campuses where all people are treated as children of God. Through the Good Friday Offering, we express solidarity with Christians in the Middle East. Offering baskets will be available on Good Friday, or you may bring a check to the office (Lois Britton's box) -- make the check payable to St. Philip's with "Jerusalem" in the memo line. For more information about the Diocese of Jerusalem, click here.

--On Easter morning, our campus will be full of both parishioners and visitors. This is a great opportunity to extend St. Philip's hospitality by greeting those whom you don't know.

--The services will likely be crowded on Easter Sunday. To be ensured of a seat (not to mention a parking spot) please plan to arrive earlier than you normally would, or attend the sunrise (6 a.m.), 7:45 a.m., 4 p.m., or 5:30 p.m. services, which are less heavily attended than those at 9:15 and 11:15.

--Donations of nonperishable food for St. Philip's Food Pantry will be gratefully accepted. Most needed items are canned fruits and vegetables, then meat, and pasta and pasta sauce. We have a glut of soup right now, so please donate other items!

--It is likely that with the crowds the temperature will be elevated in the Church despite the chiller; please dress accordingly.

--Even though our parking lot is patrolled, please do not leave valuables in your car.

--The 11:15 a.m. service will include incense (hypoallergenic charcoal).

--Church School and Youth Groups will not meet on Easter Sunday.

--Breakfast will not be served on Easter Sunday (resumes April 12).

Your purchases of more than 365 bricks in the labyrinth has allowed the committee to donate $8,000 to the After School Music and Homework Program (ASMP), the Children and Youth Programs, and the Episcopal Church's Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund. We encourage all of you to walk the labyrinth, and to consider ordering a brick in memory of a loved one, a special event, or a spiritual sentiment. The labyrinth is located in the Plaza opposite the main doors of the church. The cost of a brick is tax deductible. In order to take advantage of free shipping, and to maintain the current pricing, we may need to delay placing an order, so if you are contemplating ordering a brick in the near future please do so to help fill out our order (or you have the option of paying a supplement for individual shipment). Members of the Labyrinth Committee will be in the Labyrinth on Sunday, April 5, to answer questions and to discuss your brick needs. Order forms are also available on the St. Philip's web site, in the church office, or by contacting Nina Bell Allen or call 797-6577.

The Church, office, and campus will be closed on Monday, April 6, and Tuesday, April 7, for Easter holidays. Alarms will be activated. The office will reopen on Wednesday, April 8, at 8:30 a.m.

On Thursday, April 9, "Seasoned" Singles have the opportunity to have a one-hour guided tour of the rare exhibit at the Tucson Museum of Art, "The Figure Examined," with original works by Renoir, Rodin, Picasso and others. The exhibit will leave Tucson after April 12 so we are getting in just under the wire. The tour will begin at 10:30 a.m. and we can stay for lunch at the cafe on the museum grounds. Please RSVP or 529-7421 by Good Friday, April 3.

Laundry Love, a new Outreach Ministry of St. Philip's, begins on Wednesday, April 8, and will take place on the second Wednesday of each month. Members of our Come and See community have partnered with the national Laundry Love initiative to lead this new ministry, which helps to wash the clothes and bedding of individuals and/or families living in poverty while offering compassion, conversation and connections with community resources. The Laundry Love ministry seeks to nurture the well-being of each person through intentional networking and friendship one night a month at a local Laundromat, and we welcome you to join us. We are actively seeking volunteers and donations. Please contact Patty Hamburger 
to volunteer for an evening of Laundry Love. To make a financial donation, please make your check payable to St. Philip's, with "Laundry Love" on the memo line.

On Saturday, April 11, at 7 p.m. in the Church, Friends of Music presents a concert by the pheonomenal Woods family - UA Professor of Music Rex Woods, piano, Aubrey Woods, violin, Alexander Woods, viola, and Garrick Woods, cello. Suggested admission is $20. Enjoy chamber music at its best, including a new work for strings and horn featuring Daniel Katzen. Read more here.


The response for the photo directory has been tremendous. LifeTouch is sending photographers to St. Philip's for an additional day, April 16, from 11:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. These appointments can be booked online. It is also possible for St. Philippians to be photographed at another Tucson church on April 17 or 18. These appointments can be scheduled by calling LifeTouch at 866-756-0281, Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. (St. Philip's site number is 355792.)
 
Parishioners also have the option of submitting a photo rather than being photographed by LifeTouch, and many have chosen to do so. There is a $10 fee for submitting a photo, but it does get you a free directory. If you would like to submit your own photo, email it to lois.britton@stphilipstucson.org. Your $10 check, made out to LifeTouch can mailed to the church (attn: Lois) or left in Lois Britton's mailbox in the church office. If need be, we can arrange for someone to take a digital photo for submission.

If you wish to make your phone number unlisted in this or future directories from the church database, please contact Lois in the church office, 299-6421, ext. 39.

The J2A Youth Group rummage sale is Saturday, April 18, from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., to raise money for their Pilgrimage. Treasures galore will be found in the Children's Center Courtyard, near the north parking lot. Cool stuff in all sizes and price ranges will be available--furniture, household items, tools, decorative accessories, professional clothes, kids' toys/clothes/games, musical instruments, small appliances, sporting goods, kitchen items, pottery/dishes, artwork, books, DVDs, and much more! Proceeds from the rummage sale go to support the J2A Pilgrimage in summer 2017. Cash only will be accepted at the rummage sale. Don't miss it!

We are still accepting your gently used rummage sale donations. You can drop off items in the Palo Verde Room in the Youth Center on Sundays between 8 and 11 a.m. (Due to limited storage, please call if you have large furniture.) Contact Lori Harwood or call 979-5126 with any questions. Thank you for your support.

Tickets are now on sale in the Perry Garden for the first ever fundraiser dinner for St. Philip's After-School Music Program. The dinner is on Sunday, April 19, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. in the Murphey Gallery, with musical interludes during dinner. Cost is $65 per person, of which $50 is a charitable donation to the ASMP.  Payment by check, cash, and now we can also do credit cards! Menu: Hors d'oeuvres of smoked salmon mousse, duck rillettes, tonnato crostini, three lemon hummus, and more, served with sparkling and still wines; first course of roast salmon on lentil ragout Provençal with Italian green sauce, served with a dry French rosé wine; main course of beef tenderloin with a marchand de vin sauce, green bean bundles, and mixed herbed roasted potatoes, served with a Rhone red wine; a green salad and cheese course follows. Dessert is a gelato and sorbet terrine with chocolate and berry sauces and fresh berries.  Contact Jean Cooper for more information, to be a volunteer, or to buy tickets: email or call 529-4961.
 
There's still time to demonstrate your commitment to educating Arizona's most vulnerable children -- at no cost to you. The Arizona Private School Tuition Tax Credit Program allows you to put your tax dollars to work changing lives through education at Tucson's Imago Dei Middle School, offering an Episcopal private-school education to low-income middle school children. Unlike tuition-driven private schools, Imago Dei serves only children living in poverty, so all of our students receive full scholarships. We meet our students where they are and offer the structure and resources to help them grow into all that they can be. Imago Dei relies on the support of people like you to fulfill our mission. Learn more about helping through the Tax Credit Program or pick up an information brochure in the office. Your contribution before April 15 can be credited to your 2014 state taxes.