Dear Friends in Christ, 

Alleluia! Christ is Risen! The Lord is Risen indeed Alleluia! 

Yes, Easter continues for 50 days and each year we hear the Resurrection lessons during our Sunday worship including when the disciples were locked behind the doors. Jesus, as we recall, appears among them, breathes on them, and says, “Peace be with you.” An early Pentecost moment in the midst of Easter reminds us that the Resurrection does not end on Easter morning but begins that day. 

Beyond our worship practices, how might we proclaim a Risen Lord in our lives? In what ways might we find ourselves locked behind the doors of modern anxieties and worries as a Bible study participant reminded us this morning? The power of the Resurrection comes through the doors of our life to save us, not only from the power of death in the life to come, but from the power of death in the form of fear in our earthly lives. 

I look forward to our continued celebration of Easter this weekend as we welcome St. Augustine University Interim President, Dr. Burgess, Faculty, Students, Raleigh and Richmond Alumni's and the SAU Chamber Singers.

Peace be with you!

Rev. Marlene

Worship Services & Formation

Sunday, April 14, The Third Sunday of Easter

@8:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist/ Rite II

@ 9:00 a.m. Bible Study

@10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist/ Rite II; Honoring St. Augustine's University Sunday

@11:45 a.m. Sunday Fellowship and Refreshments in Honor of St. Augustine's University

[Episcopal News Service] Episcopal and Anglican bishops, priests and deacons from across the African diaspora are gathered in Baltimore, Maryland, to discuss the conditions affecting Afro-Anglican ministry and witness at the triennial International Black Clergy Conference.

The Episcopal Church’s African Descent Ministries organized the April 8-11 conference, which is taking place at the Baltimore Marriott Inner Harbor at Camden Yards. Some 160 people are attending. This year’s theme is “Unshakeable Faith in Troubled Times,” which reflects on II Corinthians 5-7: “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

The Rev. Ronald C. Byrd, the church’s missioner for African Descent Ministries, told Episcopal News Service that this year’s theme was selected because “our churches of African descent are in crisis.” Read more

As Holy Week comes to a close and we wrap with the celebration of Easter, it’s a great time to stop and reflect on what we are grateful for. Easter reminded us to take a pause and embrace the profound significance of this sacred occasion in the life of our faith community. Thank you to all who helped prepare for the many services during Holy Week so we could celebrate together and remember the sacrifice and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Rev. Marlene, with the support of the St. Philip’s staff, worked hard to guide our worship while being assisted by the many volunteers who helped prepare the altar and flowers, guided us to our worship places, and transmitted the services to those who had to be away. Thank you to all of those who were able to lend a hand and also thank you to all of those who were able to join us in person or online for one or more of the beautiful services this past month.

As the first month of our new Vestry comes to a close, your Vestry has been hard at work learning their new commissions and mapping out what is in store for this year. As our church continues to grow, our Vestry is making changes to become the liaisons of commissions and seeking additional volunteers to help lead some sections of the commissions. Please be on the lookout for dates of the upcoming Commission/Ministry fair to learn more about where these teams are heading, and how you can support the different ministries.

Around the Vestry: We are looking for volunteers to lead the way forward for how we can best structure our youth ministry programs, parish life and welcome ministry, voted and approved the Parochial report, voted for our new Lay Delegate (Joy Lee) and Alternate (Kimion Walker), and finalizing our annual planning calendar with upcoming activities. We can’t wait to see you at Church! See you on Sunday!

Last Chance! Register Now for The Episcopal Church Women

of the Diocese of Virginia Spring Meeting

Welcome and Celebrant for Noon Day Prayer: Rev. Marlene E. Forrest,

Rector of St. Philip's Episcopal Church

Keynote speaker: The Rev. Canon Chanta Bhan, Canon for Discipleship

Guest Speaker: Tyler Wallace, Outreach and Prevention Coordinator, Safe Harbor; A nonprofit organization, Safe Harbor Shelter, helps survivors of sexual and domestic violence and human trafficking. Please see their wish list and bring items to our meeting.

When:  Saturday, April 20, 2024

Where: St. Philip’s, 2900 Hanes Avenue, Richmond, VA 23222

Time:  9:00 AM Registration & Continental Breakfast

10:00 AM Meeting begins 

12:00 PM Noonday Prayer Led by Rev. Marlene E. Forrest, St. Philip's Episcopal Church; followed by lunch & fellowship

Parking available on Essex Street at the Trinity Baptist Church lot.

Questions: Email ECW President, Ericka Masias

Please return registration form with $25 Registration fee checks payable to: ECW Diocese of VA. Mail check and registration to: ECW Treasurer - Kaaron Austin - 7319 Willson Road, Henrico, VA 23231  Treasurer email - Kaaron Austin

Download the ECW Spring Meeting 2024 Registration Form

Save the date: St. Philip's Spring Clean-Up will take place on Saturday, May 18th (rain date June 1st). We will be working both inside and out, so dress appropriately. More details to come.

Thank you for donating to St. Philip's!

Scan - QR Code Make your gift as the plate is passed, by scanning the QR code.

· Online Giving or PayPal - Go to our website and click GIVE

· Text - Text GIVE to (833) 959-2287

· Check - Send to PO Box 27492, Richmond VA 23261

· Online Banking & Electronic checks - Set up payment with our bank

Other Ways to Donate to St. Philip's

Check - Send to PO Box 27492, Richmond VA 23261

Credit Card or Bank Account - Click here

Sunday Services are held weekly at 8 and 10:30 am. 

The 10:30 service will continue to be livestreamed on Zoom, Facebook, and YouTube. Please note our new Zoom link for the 10:30 am service.

A few guidelines:

• Masks are recommended.

We ask if you are not feeling well, please stay home and follow along with our online service at 10:30 a.m.

If you have any further questions, please reach out to the office at (804) 321-1266 or office@stphilipsrva.org. We look forward to seeing you at St. Philip’s!

Prayer List

Please keep these members of our community in your prayers: 

Paul Adams, Ralph and Judy Anderson, Adrian Arnold, Cynthia Bentley, Vivienne Brown, Mary Carter, Yvonne Carter, Alex Corbett, Monte Carroll, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, Francis Dye, Francis Forrest Sr., Ophelia Gabson, Blair Grant, William Harris, Yolanda Haynes, Ester Hyatt, Bill James, Robinette Miller, Lela Morris, Robert Myers, Cynthia Robinson, Nancy Shadt, Mary Saunders, Harry Savage, Barbara Forrest-Thompson, Clementine Washington and Shirley Williams.

For those serving in the military, we ask you to bless the members of our armed forces. Give them courage, hope and strength.

Jasmin Buster and Isiah Seabrook

Prayer List Update Many names were added to our prayer list. While we are happy to continue praying for these people we want to check if they are still in a state of needing additional prayers. Names will remain on the prayer list for 3 weeks. If you would like a name to remain on the list longer, please notify Diem Miller.

Rev. Marlene works Monday-Thursday. She can be reached by phone

(804) 356-8216 or email revmarlene@stphilipsrva.org.

THE PHYSICAL CHURCH OFFICE

OPEN HOURS

Monday - Thursday, 9 am - 4 pm

Friday, 9 am - 1 pm

If you have a pastoral care need or an emergency and cannot reach Rev. Marlene directly, contact the Senior Warden, Melissa Greene

(804) 658-9250 or click here to Email Sr. Warden

To schedule a meeting with Rev. Marlene, please call Diem Miller in the office at 804-321-1266

Vestry Members, Staff, and Ministry Areas

Please see the roster at the beginning of the newsletter.

Rev. Marlene E. Forrest, Rector

revmarlene@stphilipsrva.org

Diem Miller, Parish Administrator

office@stphilipsrva.org

MINISTER OF MUSIC: Dr. Willis L. Barnett

PARISH ADMINISTRATOR: Diem Miller

VERGER: Nathaniel Lewis

SEXTON: Richard LeTang

St. Philip's Episcopal Church

(804) 321-1266

stphilipsrva.org