St. Philip Presbyterian Church

Hurst, Texas www.stphil.org

(817) 282-9181 (817) 282-6690 (fax)

Rev. Dr. Greg Garis, Pastor

Rev. Alissa Conner, Assoc. Pastor

December, 2016

“Joyfully Growing and Moving with the Spirit”

Epiphany Sunday – January 8, 2017 Do you remember your Epiphany Star you received last January?

How has God guided you this year? Has the word on your star brought you closer to Christ?

On Sunday January 8, 2017, during the worship services (8:30 and 11:00)

there will be a few moments that people can share their journey with their star in 2016. Please consider sharing your faith on this Sunday.

New stars with new words will be given out on January 8th.

If you would like a star and cannot attend please contact Rev. Garis or Rev. Conner.

Moms Group Sunday, July 24th

Team Building TBD

Childcare provided at the church. Drop off your children at the church, and join us to bond as a team in Motherhood!

Be on the look-out for more event details to follow!

St. Philip Presbyterian Women December

20th Tuesday 6:30 p.m.. Christmas Dinner Fellowship Hall

Note: Please continue to bring non-perishable food items (canned goods and dry goods) throughout the year and place them in the NEED bin on the Oak Terrace. Thank you!

January 3rd Tuesday 10:00 a.m. Coordinating Team Parlor 5th Thursday 1:30 p.m. PW Bible Leaders Parlor 9th Monday 5:30 p.m. Night Circle (Life) Panera Bread on Precinct 10th Tuesday 9:30 a.m. Grace Circle Room 11 10th Tuesday 10:00 a.m. Sheila Bradley Circle Parlor 24th Tuesday 10:00 a.m. PW Fellowship Parlor

The 2017 Worship Flower Arrangement Calendar

is now available on the Oak Terrace.

Providing flowers for worship is a unique opportunity to serve and glorify God. The Worship Committee would like this opportunity to be

made available to as many families as possible.

The cost of the flowers is $56.00.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23rd - MONDAY, JANUARY 2nd

Due to staff vacations, volunteer holiday schedules, and building security concerns, the Church Office will be closed December 23rd through January 2nd. Reverend Alissa Conner will be available in the case of a pastoral emergency, and can be reached by calling the church office and following the system prompts.

End-of-year contributions will be accepted and posted as usual when the staff returns and begins the end-of-year closing process.

Thanks to the congregation for your generosity!

The apple tree was a great success.

The women had more than enough items to fill 40 bags for the women at the night shelter. We also collected enough money to fill 24 Christmas bags for the children at Itasca as well as sending them a sizable year end donation.

You also chose all of the angels from the angel tree and we were able to fulfill those wishes for the night shelter children. Thanks to you, a lot of folks will have a very happy holiday! Your love and caring for others continues to amaze us. We hope every one of you will have a Merry Christmas and a wonderful and peaceful New Year. Blessings, The Women of St. Philip

Christmas Joy Offering

Don’t forget about the Christmas Joy Offering! This final of the four annual offerings of our Presbyterian Church is coming up on Sunday, December 18th, and it is divided equally between two important areas of service. The first is the Presbyterian Board of Pensions, which aids past and present

leaders of the church and their spouses and families by providing financial assistance to support them through life’s challenging circumstances. The other helps deserving students at racial ethnic Presbyterian-related colleges and schools, finan-cially assisting these potential future leaders of the church. Many of these students are the first in their families to enroll in higher education.

The official day of collecting the Christmas Joy Offering is December 18th this year, but you can donate any time!

Year End Contributions and Check Requests

This is the time of year when tax considerations are especially important. All contributions to be included for 2016 must be postmarked no later than midnight, December 31. Also, please designate donations for Poinsettias or Emergency Aid in the memo section of your check.

Check requests for bills to be paid out of 2016 funds must be received in the church office absolutely no later than Monday morning, December 19th. It would be better to turn in check requests prior to that date to avoid the end of year rush. No checks will be written the first week of January due to year end closing, and no checks will be paid out of the 2016 budget after December 31, 2016.

End-of-year contributions will be accepted and posted as usual when the staff returns and begins the end-of-year closing process.

Online Contributions

You also have the option of giving online. The link below will take you to the St. Philip web-site online giving page.

Online Giving

The "Donate" button will let you select the type of contribution you wish to make.

Automatic Monthly Contribution

Please call the church finance office if you are interested in setting up recurring payments for your monthly offering. We will set up your account and you have the option of having your credit card charged on the 5th or the 25th of each month.

St. Philip is collecting new or gently used books for the children and women

at the Presbyterian Night Shelter, the new center.

Please put them in the box located on the Oak Terrace.

We will be collecting books until January 1st.

Thank you! Thank you!

YOUTH CALENDAR

December 4th Mission Work at Presbyterian Night Shelter 11th Gift Wrapping Fundraiser 17th Youth Christmas Party (Bring ≤ $20) 25th Christmas! (No Youth)

St. Philip Sunday School children and youth will be studying the following during classes starting at 9:45 A.M. during the month of December

Birth-Age 2: will hear Bible stories that are designed for young learners. Room 18

Ages 2 - Pre K: are studying “Jesus’ Birth” from the Hands on Bible curriculum. Room 4

Ages K - 2nd Grade: begin in Room 10 and move to Room 7

Ages 3rd - 5th Grade: will begin in Room 10 and move to Room 8

Jr. High & Sr. High will be using Feasting on the Word, which provides opportunities for this age group to explore their personal and communal identity in Jesus Christ through meaningful community-building experiences, engaging Bible study, and relevant learning activities. Biblical stories will come alive in new and creative ways. In response to God’s amazing, unconditional love, youth will be challenged to put their faith into action as they grow to understand themselves as Christ’s disciples.

News!

St. Philip Presbyterian Church Adult Education

Sunday School Hour 9:45-10:45 a.m.

The Joy Class is for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We combine

instruction, music and crafts to teach adults the basics of the Christian faith. This class uses shared leadership and is studying “compassion.” Parlor

In December the Alpha Class is using the Present Word and will study in

Room A

In December the Feasting on the Word Class will be studying the following topics: December

4, will express visions of the peaceable kingdom following Isaiah’s radical vision of peace. Isaiah 11:1-10; December 11, adults will examine God’s promise of joyous transformation in Isaiah 35 and look for signs of the now and not-yet realm of God; December 18, will examine how Joseph displayed a new kind of righteousness and name ways to apply this in their lives; December 25, No Sunday School Room 11

GUESTS ARE WELCOME!

Committee Reports for the Annual Meeting January 2017

According to the Bylaws of St. Philip an annual meeting is to be held in

January each year. At this meeting the at large members of the Nominating Committee will be elected by the congregation and also annual reports will be received as well. All Committees should write and email their reports to Rev. Garis or Mitzi Cimino by January 15th.

New Emergency & Safety Procedures

A special task force has worked for months on special procedures for medical, weather or fire emergencies. These procedures are for times of worship or special events that take place in the church.

If there is a weather-related emergency while a worship service is taking

place in the sanctuary a pastor will be informed by an usher and then direct the active elders and ushers to help with an orderly evacuation. The first group to be evacuated will be those members and guests needing assistance. They will move carefully and as quickly as possible to the Parlor. Then members and guests with children will be evac-uated to the restrooms near the church office. All other members and guests will be evacuated to the interior classrooms and restrooms in the education wing. All of these places will have signs above the doors which read “Severe weather – Shelter Area.” When evacuated, people should not leave the church facility, but move to these shelter areas with the assistance of an elder or usher. People should stay in these shelter areas until a pastor, elder, or usher begins an orderly return to the sanctuary.

If there is a medical emergency, a pastor or a person designated by a pastor

will be informed of the emergency. The pastor or designated person will quickly assess the situation and direct the next steps. Ushers and active elders will help to clear the area around the person with a medical issue.

If there is a fire emergency people should remain calm and the pastor(s), ush-

ers and active elders will help direct an orderly evacuation from the sanctuary. Assis-tance will be provided for those needing assistance.

The task force that worked on these procedures also were concerned with other

possible threats to the members and guests that have gathered in the church. As one precaution, the task force has suggested re-instating the Parking Lot patrol. Members will be recruited to observe and report any suspicious activities outside the church in our parking lot.

The task force has also reviewed the door opening procedure for Sundays and

have suggested some changes that will keep our facility safe. Please note that not all the doors of the church will be open during a worship service in the sanctuary. However, the doors leading into the church near the sanctuary will be open for the entire worship service.

If you have any questions regarding these procedures, please ask Rev. Greg Garis

or Rev. Alissa Conner or one of the task force members. Special thanks to the task force members: Steve Noakes, Mike Ellis, Walt Mitchel, Sharon Curry and Rev. Garis.

SESSION APPROVED the following items at its NOVEMBER 20, 2016 MEETING: Having one worship service at 10:00 am on both Christmas Day and New Years Day.

2017 Communion dates, including the first Sunday of each month, plus special services including

Maundy Thursday, Easter, Pentecost (first Sunday in May), Christ the King, first Sunday of Advent (also

first Sunday of December, Christmas Eve, Session Retreat, Women's’ Retreat and every fifth Sunday.

Communion served on Easter by passing of trays instead of by intinction.

Using a pool of volunteers to serve as a second worker in the nursery on Sundays when children are

present.

Presbyterian Women holding a church-wide book drive for new/good condition books for the women at

the Presbyterian Night Shelter. The drive will run from December 1, 2016 – January 1, 2017.

Electing Bitsie Welch, Fran Noakes and Jim Houston as Commissioners, and Sherri Siler as an alternate,

to the Presbytery meeting on December 10, 2016 at Fort Worth, Westminster.

Continuing our staffing pattern of having two pastors.

Assigning primary responsibility for leading and developing the youth ministry to the Associate Pastor,

understanding that this will mean redistribution of some of the Associate Pastor’s responsibilities,

perhaps having to prioritize and delay or eliminate some responsibilities.

Adjusting the Associate Pastor job description to reflect the changes in responsibility.

Maintaining excellent music for Sunday worship by having one or two persons working part-time as

director and organist for about $50,000 per year. In the meantime, we will use an Interim Music

Director for up to six months.

As an expression of pastoral concern, developing a process whereby the financial secretary will notify

the pastor(s) of unusual changes in patterns of giving when that pattern lasts for at least three months.

No dollar amounts will be revealed.

Jim and Will contacting the people who gave money to hire a Youth Director and inquire about

redirecting those moneys. Suggestions were Capital Repair and Replacement, signage and the website.

A congregational meeting on Dec 11th to vote on a change in Alissa King Conner’s terms of call.

Remove from membership the following names: Wanda Collings, Tim and Lisa Cox, Kelsey Jowell,

Patrick and Carol Lally, Archie and Martha Moore, Bruce and Debbie Patton, Fred and Trish Kidd.

Joanne McMillon will also be removed because we were informed that she has died. A second letter will

be sent to those who did not respond to the first one.

New unlocking/locking procedures

Accepting Pam Cochrane’s resignation as Director of Music effective at the end of the day on December

31, 2016.

A $3,500 payment to Pam on or before December 31, 2016, in addition to her normal compensation, in

recognition of vacation pay foregone and potential additional pension benefits foregone by her not

working on January 1, 2016, and in recognition of her dedicated service to St. Philip

Session’s expression of its heartfelt thanks to Pam for her dedicated service to St. Philip and its music

program, as well as Session’s prayers and best wishes for Pam and her family for a blessed retirement.

Session also ratified one e –mail vote as follows: One e-vote was ratified: Boy Scouts using the hallway inside the lower door off the east parking lot for publicity and recognition. This will include painting a mural and hanging a bulletin board.

Financial Report

November Year to date Income $39,474.62 $450,075.51 Expenses $51,838.93 $518,772.73 ($12,364.31) ($68,697.22)

Thanks to everyone for their contributions. If you are not current on your pledge, please attempt to catch up as soon as possible.

N.E.E.D

This month the following requests have been made:

Dish Soap Spaghetti Toothpaste Razors Deodorant/Soap

Hamburger Helper

Coffee

Thank you for your continued support, Your Mission Outreach Committee

Men’s Coffee Fellowship

All men of the church, no age limits or requirements, all

are welcome to join us every

Wednesday Morning At 8:30 a.m. in the Parlor

Join us for coffee, donuts, and fellowship!

Please Note:

The men WILL NOT meet Wednesday, December 21st or December 28th

Inclement Weather Closing

The Church Office will follow the HEB School District inclement weather closings. The office will send an announcement to the congregation through our mass email. Local TV and radio stations will also broadcast information regarding clos-ings and delays should your internet go down.

Join the Mariners for a Christmas Dinner Catfish & Company Saturday, Dec. 17th,

6:00 pm. Everyone is welcome.

RSVP to Joe or Paula Flores at 817-284-2771

if you plan to attend so that the restaurant can prepare for the number of people attending.

Pam Cochrane’s Retirement

Farewell Celebration

Come and wish Pam Happy Retirement and thank her for her

years of music ministry at St. Philip

The celebration will be December 18th after the 11:00 am service. Finger sandwiches, snacks and sweets will be provided and musical numbers will be performed

Bring a card or note to wish Pam Happy Retirement!

Note of the Week from Pam Cochrane……

Well, the day has arrived, and I must say goodbye to all of you! I am retiring on December 31st and have mixed emotions of sadness to leave all you wonderful people and joy of starting new things at my own church at First United Methodist Church of Hurst just down the street. I will get to see my two grandsons acolyte at the 11:00 a.m. worship service on Sunday mornings. I will get to see a grandson and granddaughter’s confirmation service and a granddaughter’s graduation service. I might even sing in the choir! (Well, maybe.) I might join a cooking class or sew again….travel? Of course! (I haven’t seen Australia or the Panama Canal yet!) Well, as you see, there are a lot of possibilities including doing nothing! (I don’t think that would last too long.) But, before I leave, I must say thank you to all of you for hiring me and giving me the opportunity to do what I dearly love….“make beautiful music to bring God’s message to God’s people!” Thank you to Rob Rippe who, nine and a half years ago, asked me if I would “sub” as Music Director until one was found, and thanks to Steve Jester for saying, “Would you like the job?” Thanks to the Chancel Choir for following me from choir rehearsal to cantatas, requiems, tours and the Meyerson Symphony Hall! Thanks to the youth who followed me from the Praise Band to a Youth Chime Choir and the Hand Bell Choir for playing 3-octave music and beyond! My job was made so much easier with the assistance of Marcey Mullins, Jennifer Stark, Ann Treleven and Mike Ellis. You were “awesome” assistants. And thanks to Paul, Melanie and Tom Demer and Mike and Brian Ellis for always giving your wonderfully talented musical gifts freely whenever I asked! I applaud and thank all of you! It was great to work with you! And lastly, thanks to Mitzi Cimino for being such a great help and friend. (We were the last two standing.) Thanks for the memories! I hope you will come to my reception on December 18th after the 11:00 a.m. worship service. I would like to say goodbye personally. I hear there may be some musical event as well! (Hmm…what are they up to?) On Christmas Day I will joyously be singing “Heaven and Earth Rejoice and Sing” by Charles Banks. Some of the words are: Heaven and earth rejoice and sing, born to us a lovely King. Born so low in stable bare, Prince of peace, the infant fair. Child so fair with crown of light, born in God’s most holy sight. See you in church on Sunday. Joyfully Singing in Christ, Pam Cochrane

I want to thank a group of wonderful people for being available and getting me to church each week. I want to thank Hal Shane for working up the list each Sunday to pick me up and take me home. They are: Beverly Dobesh, Cheryl Stewart & Charles Clayton, Paula Overton, Linda Elliott, Karen & Randy Luper I really appreciate their willingness to help this way. God bless each one of them. Thanks to everyone, Frankie Head The following thank you is from a recipient of St. Philip Financial Assistance in March 2014. This family came to our door last week with this thank you card and $400 cash in it.

Thank you for helping my family. We hope that we can be a blessing for others. I’m thankful for many things, but mostly God. Without Him, I would have nothing else to be thankful for.

Cedric and Andrea Jackson and Family St. Philip Church Family, thank you for your thoughts, prayers, cards and notes during the sickness and passing of my mother. Doug Sanders and Family

2nd Carolyn Jester 3rd Easton Trevino 5th George Cox 5th Nancy Daffern 7th Beverly Dobesh 8th Tallulah Koenig 12th Molly Hunter 14th Teri Perez 15th Marilyn McKinney 16th Bill Fuller 16th Bob Baker 18th Kathryn Webb 18th Christy Anderson 21st Mary Roddy 22nd Helene Kiser 22nd Anne Agee 23rd Tom Mercer 24th Charlie Mecaskey 24th Emily Chu 26th Walt Mitchell 27th Paul Demer 28th Jo Holt 28th Kit McConnico 28th Dave Riley 28th Jessica Grose 30th Carol Byrne 30th Carol Zimmerman 31st Chuck Lucas

1st Bob Cook 1st Joe Sogan 2nd Julie Norton 3rd Patty O’Brien 3rd Courtney Mullins 5th Bobbie Wied 5th Jennifer Stark 8th Sherry Smith 8th Susan Billings 9th Joe Flores 9th Madison McLain 10th Doris Clark 11th Imogene Mecaskey 11th Randy Welch 11th Lindsay Zimmer 13th John Minor 13th Hope Garis 17th Louise Scheuchl 17th Donna MacLeod 20th Esther Johnson 20th Elma Lee Mulkey 25th Bobby Rippe 28th Pat Swanzy 29th Susan Neal 30th Jake Skodak 30th Greg Garis 31st JW Shaunty 31st Jackie Berry

1st Bob Urban 3rd Michelle Agee 4th Barb Lambert 7th George Staples 8th Ellis Rogers 8th Steve Noakes 9th Godwin Senagbe 10th Ben Skodak 11th Pat Kee 12th Bruce Cleveland 12th Sherri Siler 12th Sharon Curry 14th Scott Forester 15th Betsy Smith 15th Steve Koenig 20th Betty Laehr 21st Ashley Hansen 22nd Bruce Johnson 22nd Lynette Mercer 26th Doris Wilk 26th Diane Keller

Join the New Nursey Team – The Personnel Committee is establishing a team of adults who wish to help in the nursery during the Sunday morning worship services.

These adults will take turns on Sunday mornings helping our paid nursery worker with infants. Any adult working on this team must have a background check according to our Child protection policy. Please call Lee Larkin if you wish to join this team (817) 268-0398.

ST. PHILIP PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 745 W PIPELINE ROAD HURST, TEXAS 76053-4999 DECEMBER, 2016

St. Philip on Social Media Calling all Facebook Friends: come join our SPPC Facebook and Twitter community! Stay updated on all the latest events and news in our church community. Do you have information or pictures that you want to share with the rest of the congregation? You can now email all your details to socialmedia@stphil.org! Like us, follow us, join us!

facebook.com/stphilhursttx

@stphiliphurst

CONTINUE IN PRAYER FOR: Betty Little...Jonathon Ferguson...Ron Matovcik…Joy McClasky...Marie Borland...Gary Saylors...Lucy Morely…Doris Clark...Roger Smith…Gene Clark...Jim Wood...Rosie Olivas...Charlie Grisham...John and Carrie Sue Woods…Klaus Krahl…Bailey Atchley...Jennifer Hunter…Shelly Blevins...Jimmy Taylor…Don Williams…John Dietz...Andrew Dietz...Randy Welch…Jim Toler…Cindy Simmons...Mary Ann Nicholson…Mary Jo Wood…Pat Carlson…Kelly Frazure…Ellis Rogers…Lu and Sara Brewer…Elma Lee Mulkey…Ben Cross…Colby Steddum…Sally Starr

REMEMBER IN PRAYER THOSE IN THE MILITARY: Matthew Stokes, son of Glenn and Elaine Stokes...Ryan Erwin, grandson of Sue Ora...Michael Simmons, grandson of Ann Simmons...Joshua Bosworth, son of Curt & Grace Bosworth…Jesse Dean Swanzy, Grandson of Wayne & Pat Swanzy…Tanner Sprinkel, grandson of Linda Sprinkel…Zach Saunders, Tom & Lynette Mercer’s son…John Calhoun Miller, Ruth Calhoun’s grandson & Elaine Stokes’ nephew…Matt Kiser & David Kiser, sons of Helene Kiser…Josh Peck, son of Sherri Siler…Jennifer Reynolds, daughter of Margaret Reynolds…Matt & Cosmo Romo, great-nephews of Liz Hailey…Andrew Norman, grandson of Stella & Bob Urban…Sarah Willett, granddaughter-in-law of Bob & Stella Urban…Ben Temple, grandson of Tal & Jaylon Buie…Austin MacLeod, grandson of Lillian MacLeod