The Church, office, and campus will be closed on Monday, May 25, in observance of Memorial Day. Alarms will be activated. The office will reopen on Tuesday, May 26, at 8:30 a.m.



Lord God Almighty, we remember today the personal sacrifices made by many of our fellow citizens in the service of their country. On this day we pause, however briefly, to remember and recall those who gave the last measure of their lives for their faith, their country, and their fellow compatriots in arms. Grant that we and all the citizens of this land may have the grace to honor their good deeds as in righteousness we strive for peace among all the people of God's creation. Give us a deep sense of reverence for life that is tempered by a passionate desire for justice. This we pray in the name of the one God who creates, redeems, and sustains.    Amen.

Adapted from a prayer by the Rt. Rev. James Magness, Bishop Suffragan, Armed Services and Federal Ministries of The Episcopal Church



Time to register for summer puppet camp! Children and Family Ministries will present The Holy Moly! Parish People Puppet Camp June 1-5 from 8:30 a.m. to noon. Camp is offered for pre-school children ages 3 and over to those entering 5th grade. The cost will be $60 (scholarships or partial scholarships available), with discounts for multiple children from the same family. Participants will make their own puppet to take home, work with their own hand puppet that will be provided to them, learn how to use their voice to create a character, write their own show, and perform puppet shows! They will also enjoy puppet shows put on by the big people! For more information contact Sandralyn Pierce or call 299-6421, ext. 43.

On Sunday, April 12, our Rector, John Kitagawa, shared with us his good news of retiring. And now, all of us, individually and as a parish, are beginning an exciting and challenging journey, which will involve many tasks and goals. This pilgrimage, if you will, will involve learning more deeply about our parish and who we are as a community and as individuals. This is not simply a task list to complete, but a moving deeper into our faith as we witness the movement of God in our lives.

On Wednesday, May 13, the Vestry, in a special meeting, interviewed the candidate for Interim Rector recommended by Bishop Smith. The Vestry has issued a call and is negotiating and working on the details. We hope to have an announcement soon.

In the meantime, we ask for your prayers for the parish as we proceed through our transition and for the support and thanksgiving for John and Kathy Kitagawa during their time of transition.

Soon the Vestry will appoint the Nominating (or Search) Committee. If you wish to propose a parishioner who is a member in good standing for this important work, please submit the name to a Warden or Vestry member.

Sunday is the Bishop's Annual Visitation with us.  Bishop Smith will be meeting with the Children and Family Ministries at 10:15 a.m. in the Children's Chapel. All are welcome to attend. At 12:30 p.m., Bishop Smith will join us in the Galleries for the Pentecostal Lunch and Birthday Celebration, followed by a Question & Answer forum. We look forward to seeing you there.

If you have any questions or comments regarding the transition, please contact the Wardens at Vestry@stphilipstucson.org.

May the Holy Spirit guide us and keep us mindful that all things come from God, and that Christ has no body on earth but ours, no hands, no feet but ours. Ours are the eyes through which He looks with compassion on this world.   

With prayerful consideration and guidance, the Wardens and Vestry will form a Rector Search (Nominating) Committee of 8-12 members. The committee will include the Senior Warden and 2 or 3 members of the Vestry; the remaining 8 members will represent the entirety of the parish and not any particular ministry group.

Members of the committee must be members in good standing, and will need to commit 12-18 months of significant effort and time. Meetings will occur during the day and evening, and there will be many! The search committee members need to be computer-proficient, and willing to work digitally. Tasks involved will include designing and organizing the parish summits and survey to be held in the fall, creating the parish profile, and searching for, screening, and proposing candidates for the Vestry's final selection. Suggested parishioner committee candidates will need to be prayerfully mindful of whether they can honor these requirements.

The Holy Spirit will be moving and working through us and there will be many opportunities for parishioners to share their faith in action and talents throughout this process even if they are ultimately not called to be on the Search Committee.

If you would like to volunteer or propose a parishioner for the Search Committee, please contact a Warden or Vestry member or email vestry@stphilipstucson.org.

Plans are being made for festivities to celebrate the ministry of the Rev. Canon John Kitagawa among us. His last Sunday with us will be Sunday, June 21, and we will celebrate his ministry liturgically at the morning services and at Coffee Hour.

A party is planned for Friday, June 12, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Music Center and Children's Center Courtyard. It will be a potluck cold supper - you are invited to bring finger foods, salads, and cold dishes. Soft drinks will be provided, and beer and wine will be available for purchase (proceeds to benefit Habitat for Humanity). Childcare will be provided. Mark your calendars! For more information or to help, contact Mary Paul.


A gift committee is forming, headed by Raymond Dewey and Beth Brouillette. We hope to find something to send John into retirement that shows how much we appreciate all he has done for us. If you have suggestions, ideas, or just want to put your two cents in, please contact Beth or Raymond. If you are interested in joining the committee, we would be grateful for your help. Just let us know (Beth:  499-2297; Raymond: 860-917-9693).

A book of letters is being collected to be presented to John. If you would like to contribute a letter, please send or bring it to the church office attn. Stella Lopez. Note that it is important that your letter be on 8.5 x 11 paper and flat (not folded). Odd sizes of paper or cards do not work well in this type of presentation. Please send or bring your letter by Sunday, June 14. Thank you!


One of the instructions on the Diocesan list of to-dos during this time of transition is to pray. Ellen Duax, as president of the Faith Chapter of Daughters of the King, and Barby Goldschmid have agreed to coordinate a prayer chain to surround John and Kathy Kitagawa's celebration of ministry and departure, and the search process when it begins. All who want to participate actively in this ministry of prayer and get regular prayer requests may send their e-mails to Ellen Duax  or Barby Goldschmid.

The first prayer request for us all is:

We give thanks for the ministry of John and Kathy Kitagawa among us, and pray for them as they continue to grow in Christ and do God's work. We give thanks for all their many gifts and ministry among us. As a parish, we pray for patience and Grace during this time of transition, for discernment, and for the acceptance in the workings of the Holy Spirit among us. Amen.

Graduating high school senior acolytes and those in college who have not previously been chosen are eligible to apply for a Ben Day Acolyte Scholarship, in memory of former Parish Administrator, Verger, and Acolyte Coordinator Ben Day. If you are interested in applying and did not receive the application, please contact Arwen Newman. If any acolyte parents or former recipients are willing to sit on the selection committee, please contact Arwen. Committee members may not be related to anyone under consideration.

Donations to the Ben Day Acolyte Fund to continue these scholarships are always welcome. Checks may be made payable to St. Philip's with "Ben Day Fund" in the memo line.

American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters from U of A have teamed up to present interpretation at the 9 a.m. service this spring. They are Ellen Christine Catapano, Damaris Valeria Arias, Melissa Drake, Kylie Anne Mosell, and Jacob Falk. Ellen, Damaris, Melissa, and Kylie have just graduated from U of A. Jacob has one more semester and will graduate in December. Ellen and Jacob plan to continue interpreting for us, as well as other people studying ASL. Damaris plans to return home to Ecuador. Melissa will attend Western Oregon University this summer. Kylie will return to U of A in the MA-Teach Arizona Program this coming year and hopes to work as an interpreter after graduation next May.

We really appreciate U of A's assistance in providing their students to interpret for us and have been honored to have them offering their skills in the specialized craft of liturgical interpretation.

Each First Sunday, three volunteers (one at each morning service) receive food donations, present a basket for blessing during the Offertory, and transport the food to our pantry after the service.  Our ranks have thinned and we need help with this ministry. If you are willing to be available three or four times a year at one of the services, please contact Hal Schroeder or call 818-7982 for more information.


Interested in helping St. Philip's leverage social media in a more strategic way? We are going to start by studying the book The Social Media Gospel by Meredith Gould. Our inaugural meeting is at 4 p.m. on Thursday, June 4, in the Bride's Room. We will begin by defining our terms, so if you are interested in participating, please read through page 31 before the meeting. If you would like to participate but that date/time doesn't work for you, please contact Sue Agnew or Vicki Hesse to express your interest. If you'd like to facilitate discussion of one of the chapters (3, 4, and 5 are up for grabs), please let Sue or Vicki know.

Laundry Love, a new Outreach Ministry of St. Philip's, 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 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, and we welcome you to join us. We are actively seeking volunteers and donations. To volunteer for an evening of Laundry Love, contact Patty. To make a financial donation, make your check payable to St. Philip's ("Laundry Love" on the memo line).



This year is the centennial of Thomas Merton's birth. The renowned Trappist monk-mystic wrote over 70 books during his lifetime. Our Renouf-Nelson library has 22 books and one DVD by or about Merton. To celebrate the centennial, the library is creating displays that focus on some of his major themes. Our two current Merton display categories are Contemplation & Prayer, and Memoir/Journal/Bio. Come check them out on the back tables on each side of the library! You can also use the patron computer to search his other titles, or search the collection from the Library page on St. Philip's web site.

This fall, St. Philip's Breakfast Committee is offering the opportunity for other ministries to join the fun - and the fund raising. Every First Sunday one or more ministries can claim the net proceeds from breakfast that morning. Each ministry will work with Chef Thomas Valenzuela to plan its own menu. The suggested donation for breakfast will remain $5. Call Carmen at 299-5567 for more details if you think your ministry might like to participate.

The All St. Philip's Gallery show will be in OCTOBER this year.  You have time to finish your painting, hook your rug, stitch your cross-stitch ... or complete your favorite medium. This is an opportunity for all St. Philippians to showcase their artistic abilities (sorry, wall-hung work only). If you wish to participate please pick up an information package, available in the Church Office in June, or email Sue Cross.