Dear St. Philip's Family, 

As I reflect on the transformative journey that has unfolded from my seminary graduation on May 17, 2018, to my ordination to the diaconate on June 9, 2018, and finally to my installation as Rector at St. Philip's on May 14, 2022, I am overwhelmed with a profound sense of gratitude and awe.

Graduating from seminary was not merely an academic achievement but a sacred milestone that marked the culmination of years of rigorous study, deep discernment, and profound spiritual growth. It was a season of jubilant celebration intertwined with a profound sense of anticipation and readiness to embark on the next chapter of my journey in ministry. As I stood amidst my peers, mentors, and loved ones, I couldn't help but feel the weight of responsibility and the boundless possibilities that lay ahead in service to God's kingdom.

The ordination to the diaconate that followed shortly after my graduation on June 9, 2018, was a deeply sacred and humbling experience. In that holy moment, I knelt before the altar, acutely aware of the solemn charge placed upon me to serve as a beacon of Christ's love and compassion in the world. It was a transformative rite of passage—a divine commissioning to embrace a new role within the Church, dedicated to the selfless service of others and the proclamation of the Gospel.

However, it was my installation as Rector at St. Philip's on May 14, 2022, that stands out as a pivotal moment in my vocation and ministry. Stepping into the leadership role within this cherished community was both an honor and a sacred responsibility—a calling to shepherd God's precious flock with unwavering integrity, boundless compassion, and steadfast faithfulness. As I knelt before the congregation, surrounded by the outpouring of love and support from my fellow clergy, family, friends, and the beloved members of the community, I was enveloped by a profound sense of purpose and divine calling. In that moment, I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I had been chosen, anointed, called and appointed by a God who equips and empowers His servants for the task at hand, the Assignment.

Since that sacred day, I have understood the assignment more and more each day. My journey as Rector has been a tapestry woven with threads of both challenge and blessing, moments of profound joy and moments of grappling with the weight of responsibility. Yet, through it all, I have been upheld by the unyielding grace of God and the unwavering support of you, my faith community. Each step along this sacred path has served to deepen my understanding of ministry, sharpen my spiritual discernment, and ignite an unquenchable passion for preaching God’s Word and serving God's people with boundless love and unwavering compassion.

As I look back upon these significant milestones in my life and ministry, I am reminded of the timeless words of the psalmist: "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul." (Psalm 23:1-3). In the midst of the journey's ebbs and flows, I find solace and strength in the unwavering presence and provision of the Good Shepherd, who leads me ever onward in the path of righteousness, guiding my steps with grace and filling my heart with boundless love.

As we continue this journey together it is my prayer that we will all recognize our need to be in deep relationship with God and each other. It is also my prayer that the words preached, the worship shared, the fellowship engaged in and the deep prayers that we pray will hold us up as we move to places that we could only dream of and we live fully in the God who choose each of us and knows us by name. 

In the tapestry of divine design, each of us is woven with purpose and intentionality. We are chosen, called, anointed, and appointed for a particular time and assignment—a sacred role entrusted to us by the hands of the Divine. Whether our journey leads us to the pulpit, the classroom, the boardroom, or the streets, we carry within us the imprint of a divine calling—a calling to shine the light of love, compassion, and justice in a world yearning for grace.

As we embrace our unique calling and lean into the guidance of the Divine, may we walk boldly and faithfully in the footsteps of those who have gone before us, knowing that we are vessels of divine purpose, destined to make a difference in the tapestry of creation.

Allow me to share one of my cherished songs with you—a piece that resonates deeply within me, reminding me of my identity and belonging. It's a lesser-known composition by the talented singer and songwriter Doris Akers, renowned for classics like "You Can't Beat God's Giving," "Lead Me, Guide Me," and "Sweet, Sweet Spirit." This particular song, titled "To Be Used of God," holds a special place in my heart. As you listen, I encourage you to reflect on how God is working through you and the unique gifts you offer to the world. May this song bring blessings to you as it continues to uplift and inspire me.

Easter Blessings,

Rev. Marlene

We are St. Philip's! Love Lives Here! We are Chosen and We Matter!

Worship Services & Formation

Sunday, May 12, The Seventh Sunday of Easter; Mother's Day

@8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist/ Rite II

@9:00 Bible Study

@10:3 a.m. Holy Eucharist/Rite II



This Sunday is a special day to celebrate all the wonderful mothers out there, and what better way to sweeten the day than with some delicious treats? We're calling on all the kind-hearted souls to bring in some cookies, chocolate, or your favorite desert to share during the fellowship hour after both services.

Let's make sure that every mother who walks through our doors feels extra appreciated and loved on this special day. So, come on and spread the love with some sweet treats!

EPISCOPAL CHURCH WOMEN

WOMEN'S DAY

Dear Sister in Christ,

The Episcopal Church Women (ECW) of St. Philip’s cordially invite you to join us for WOMEN’S DAY as we celebrate the ministry of the women in our congregation. The Women’s Day program will take place Sunday, May 19, 2024 at the 10:30 A.M. Service.

This year we celebrate Women’s Day and the Feast of the Pentecost on the same Sunday. We will wear RED and our theme is “ALIVE IN THE SPIRIT”, honoring the birthday of the church when the Holy Spirit was given to the apostles. This theme is inspired from 1 Peter 3:18: “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.”

We are fortunate to have as a guest preacher the Reverend Dr. Michelle McQueen-Williams. Rev. Dr. McQueen-Williams is regional educator and leader who currently serves as an Associate Minister at the First Baptist Church of South Richmond where Dr. Dwight C. Jones is senior pastor and Dr. Derik Jones serves as pastor.

With your help the ECW continues to support the “in-reach” and outreach ministries of our church. We give our time, talent and treasure by making financial contributions to St. Philip’s ministries, our parish youth, and our greater community. Your financial help ensures that we continue to achieve our mission to share the love of God. We prayerfully ask each woman of St. Philip’s to make a financial contribution to support the ongoing ministry of the ECW. While we ask that you contribute a minimum of $50, a greater contribution would be appreciated. You may make your contribution in the following ways:

In Person: Join us IN PERSON on May 19th and bring your contribution.

Online: Donate by clicking here. Be sure to select “Other” under “Purpose” and type Episcopal Church Women or ECW in the “Note” section

By Mail: St. Philip’s Episcopal Church ECW

Attention: Mrs. Phenie Golatt, ECW Financial Secretary

PO Box 27492

Richmond, Virginia 23261

*Make checks payable to St. Philip’s ECW or St. Philip’s Church and write ECW in the memo line.

Additionally, a patron’s list is provided to secure patrons for our special day. Please email your completed patron list to office@stphilipsrva.org with “ECW Patrons” as the subject. Submit associated funds to Mrs. Phenie Golatt, ECW Financial Secretary, in care of the church at 2900 Hanes Avenue, Richmond, VA, 23222. Forms must be received no later than Sunday, May 12, 2024 to ensure publication in our Women’s Day program.

ECW Woman of the Year

Nominations are being accepted for 2024 ECW Woman of the Year. Nominations can be submitted using the form at this link: https://forms.gle/hJ1KL6MR8beVMsrUA

Your presence on May 19th will make our hearts glad and is essential to our continued success. Please plan to attend and bring a guest!

With Joy and Gratitude,

The ECW Women’s Day Committee

Dear President John Williams and the Knights of St. Philip,

I hope you are doing well. On behalf of Barack Obama Elementary School, we thank you and the entire Knights of St. Philip organization for your generous donation of $100 towards our upcoming Donuts with Dads event.

Your support means the world to us and directly contributes to the success of our event. Donuts with Dads is not just a simple gathering; it's an opportunity for our students to bond with their fathers, grandfathers, uncles, or any significant male figure. It fosters community and strengthens family ties, essential pillars of our educational philosophy. Your thoughtful contribution enables us to provide a warm and welcoming environment for these

important interactions. It ensures that every child at Barack Obama Elementary School has the opportunity to create lasting memories with their loved ones.



We are deeply grateful for your commitment to our school community and dedication to positively impacting our students' lives. Your generosity exemplifies the spirit of compassion and service that defines the Knights of St. Philip.

Once again, thank you for your support. We are excited to continue our partnership with you.

Mahogany Poke, she/her

Site Coordinator

Barack Obama Elementary School

On behalf of the Knights of St. Philip's, it is our honor and privilege to support a program such as Donuts for Dads. We appreciate your initiative to have such a program to uplift our community. This is a critical time in the lives of young people and we feel this type of program is needed to assist in building the families and communities that support them. As long as you will have us, we will be there to support this effort as it is in line with our motto: To Pray - To Work - To Give!

John "Jay" Williams

President

Knights of St. Philip's 

It's always a pleasure to hear about achievements and recognitions of beloved members, and today we have the pleasure of congratulating Beblon G. Parks for the well-deserved Episcopal Church Women 51st Triennial Distinguished Award in Province III! Your hard work, dedication, and commitment to excellence have paid off, and we are proud to see you being recognized for your outstanding contributions. Your accomplishment serves as an inspiration to others, and we hope that it motivates more people to strive for excellence in their respective fields. Once again, congratulations on this fantastic achievement!

Mark your calendars because St. Philip's Spring Clean-Up is just around the corner, scheduled for Saturday, May 18th, from 9am-2pm. Get ready to roll up your sleeves as we tackle both indoor and outdoor tasks, so make sure to dress for the occasion. Stay tuned for the list of projects that will be shared next week - an opportunity for you, your friends, or family members to join forces and make a difference together. Your participation is greatly appreciated in advance. Let's make this clean-up day a memorable and impactful one!

We are celebrating all those who are graduating this Spring on Sunday, June 2nd. In order to honor everyone’s achievements, please send the following information to Diem Miller by Sunday, May 19th: your photo, your name, your parents’ names, from where you are graduating, and, if applicable, what you majored in. This is not restricted to only High School and College grads. If you are graduating from pre-k, elementary or middle school, we want to know! We want to honor them all and photos and info will be posted in the e-news prior to Youth Sunday.

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 a personal choice.

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, Henry Davis, Francis Dye, Francis Forrest Sr., Lewis Forrest, Ophelia Gabson, Blair Grant, William Harris, Jr., Yolanda Haynes, Ester Hyatt, Bill James, Ayana Malone, Christian Miller, Robinette Miller, Lela Morris, Robert Myers, Cynthia Robinson, Mary Saunders, Nancy Shadt, Barbara Forrest-Thompson, Clementine Washington, Asir White, 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