New Sunday worship times, starting Sept. 11:
- 8:15, 9:30* and 10:45 a.m. (*9:30 a.m. livestreamed)
- Faith Creek Sunday School at 9:30 and 10:45 a.m.
- Saturday worship time (5:30 p.m. ) remains the same
Dear Friends of St. Philip the Deacon,
Summer blessings to you! I hope this letter finds you healthy and well, and that you are enjoying these precious months of warmth and sun. Though I’m not trying to rush the end of the season, I wanted to share a few thoughts and some news with you as we look toward fall.
I’ll start with an obvious point: the last few years have been challenging and difficult. And yet, despite this, there is much to celebrate: We have not only survived this disruptive period, but have thrived. For that, I thank God, and I thank you.
I also look forward to where God is calling us in the next chapter of our life together. Among other things, this fall will feature new programming, new opportunities for learning and service, a new Director of Music Ministry, and a new Director of High School Ministry.
As a church, I also believe we are uniquely positioned to respond to a critical challenge of our time. This is what Harvard professor Arthur Brooks calls “the single most dangerous social contagion we are facing today”—namely, the epidemic of loneliness. Brooks—who will be our first Faith & Life speaker on Oct. 13—writes that this “epidemic stems from a decrease in faith, family life, and in-person friendship, as well as the catastrophe of pandemic-induced remote work.”
Our response to this is for us to do what churches have always done: to gather together as members of a family to be reminded of who we are, and to be encouraged to live out our lives alongside of one another.
When we come together—when we gather, and worship, and serve and grow with each other—we become a living antidote to this contagion of loneliness. And this antidote spills out beyond the walls of the church to the community and the world—blessing not just us, but also our neighbors. So this fall, I encourage those of you who live in the Twin Cities region to make an effort to return to our in-person worship services and other activities—and invite a friend or neighbor to join you.
To encourage more robust participation at our Sunday morning services, one important change I want you to know about is that, starting on September 11, our three Sunday services will each shift 15 minutes earlier—to 8:15, 9:30 and 10:45 a.m. Part of the goal with this change is to make our third service more accessible, especially for our young families. Starting this fall, Faith Creek will also be offered at both the 9:30 and 10:45 a.m. services.
We invite you to take a look at our website to learn more about the new service, learning and fellowship opportunities at St. Philip the Deacon this fall. God bless you, enjoy the remainder of the summer, and see you this fall!
Peace,
Tim Westermeyer
Senior Pastor