Church of St. Philip the Apostle est. 1898 Diocese of Charlotte

P.O. Box 882 525 Camden Drive

Statesville, North Carolina 28677

Office/Fax Phone (704) 872-2579 Rectory Phone (704) 681-4860

E-mail: stphilipapostle@bellsouth.net

Website: http://stphilipapostle.com

Rev. Fr. Thomas J. Kessler, Pastor

Rev. Mr. Charles Brantley, Deacon Ms. Regina McCollum, Secretary

Mr. & Mrs. Jim Kermes, Food Closet

Mrs. Mary Brown, Faith Formation Director Mrs. Norma Echevarria, Faith Formation

Mrs. Raquel Swierczewski, R.C.I.A Mrs. Anita Lund, Youth Director

Marriage - Baptism Call the church office. Marriages, call at least 6 months in advance. Reconciliation

Pastoral Council Meetings are 2nd Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. September thru June except National Holidays.

Religious Education Children, grades 1-Confirmation, are required to attend religious education classes. Call the office to register your children. Adult classes also available. Parish Registration We welcome new parishioners to the parish and we ask them to register as soon as possible. Parish registration is important and necessary. Also, if you move away from the Parish please notify the office. Thank you.

COME AND SEE

From the pastor.. Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Let it Go! – Last Sunday’s readings spoke to us about Fraternal Correction, which is difficult. It is difficult to challenge some-one; to approach them and try to bring something to their atten-tion. We might feel uneasy and afraid how they are going to re-spond. Today’s readings speak to us about forgiveness which is often times even more difficult and yet obviously necessary for salvation. The Book of Sirach says “Wrath and anger are hate-ful things, yet the sinner hugs them tight.” To harbor anger or hatred can destroy us spiritually. To let something go can be so liberating. We may be in the best of moods, but if we are harboring some-thing against someone and they come into our presence or even just come into the thoughts of our mind – things change. Just the thought of them or their presence, conjures up some kind of anger and hatred which can kill our good mood or joy. This sentiment threatens our very happiness as well it should, because it is not Christian. Yet we can get a sick satisfaction from this spiritually unhealthy scenario. “The vengeful will suffer the Lord’s vengeance, for he remembers their sins in detail. Forgive your neighbor’s injustice; then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven.” (Sirach 28: 1&2) In the Lord’s Prayer we pray “Forgive us our trespasses, as we for-give those who trespass against us.” We also sing – “They will know we our Christians by our love…” Give yourself a break and Let it Go! Next Sunday is the Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. The readings at Mass will be taken from Isaiah 55:6-9, Philippi-ans 1:20-24, 27 and Matthew 20: 1-16. October 7th Auction at 6:30 p.m. promises to be a great time and we pray that you will join us. This is a fundraiser for our Forward With Christ building campaign. The committee has done a lot of work to enhance the Social Hall and the dinner will be fantastic, including an open bar and much more. The Auction has lots of interesting items. For my part, I’ll have four guests for dinner that I will prepare and serve in the rectory. It is a fundrais-er and we sure hope that you’ll support our building effort and come join in the fun. See this bulletin for further information. The Annual Priest Retirement Collection – will be taken up this weekend and will continue until we meet this year’s goal of $14,103. Happily, this goal is almost $2000 less than last year’s goal. The amount is figured from 3.5% of last year ’s regular collection amount from each parish. The amount from our For-ward With Christ building campaign is not included in this as-sessment. The retired priests have given up families and homes, and the least we can do is provide for their years of retirement. Retirement age for a priest in the Diocese of Charlotte is 70 years old. Most of the “officially retired priests” continue in active ministry, helping out throughout the Diocese. Please continue to be generous. The Village Inn Restaurant is this month’s fundraiser located at 1503 Cinema Drive in Statesville, near the movie theatre. This Thursday, September 21st, from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m., our Church will receive 10% of your dinner check for our Forward With Christ campaign.

Saturday, Sept 16th 5:00 p.m. Rebecca Eisele † by M/M Keith Rainwater Sunday, Sept 17th 8:00 a.m. All Volunteers by the Catholic Daughters

10:30 a.m. Albert Kruft † by M/M Michael Rash

12:30 p.m. Bolivar Romera † by Violeta Romera Monday, Sept 18th 9:00 a.m. Stefania Rogalny † by M/M Jan Klecha Wednesday, Sept 20th 6:00 p.m. Josefina Curiel † by Swierczewski Family

Thursday, Sept 21st 9:00 a.m. Nancy Pekarek by M/M Herman Pekarek

Friday, Sept 22nd 9:00 a.m. Frank Baran † by M/M John Massey

Saturday, Sept 23rd 5:00 p.m. Antonia Bertuccio † by M/M Mark Vaglica Sunday, Sept 24th 8:00 a.m. Leonard & Sue Altavilla † by M/M Ralph Altavilla 10:30 a.m. Larry & Anne Martini † by Stickle Family

12:30 p.m. Teresa Mendez † by Sarah Mendez READERS Sept 23 5:00 p.m. Linda Fitzgerald Sept 24 8:00 a.m Annie McGuire 10:30 a.m. Jason Wodecki EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS OF HOLY COMMUNION

Sept 23 5:00 p.m. A. Simons (H), P. Daly, A. Eisele, B. Myers, R. Reed Sept 24 8:00 a.m. S. Staples (H), R. Swierczewski, J. Archibald 10:30 a.m. M. Freese (HM), L. Hardig (HA), S. McMurry (HC), K. Parker, J. Phillips, J. Rafols, A. Sadowski ALTAR SERVER Sept 23 5:00 p.m. Kailey L., Reagan L. Sept 24 8:00 a.m. Evie S., Jasmine D. 10:30 a.m. Hunter J., Alyssa J. Happy Birthday 9/17/2017-9/23/2017 9/17 Jacob Carlin, Jonathan Posso Carmen, Michelle Rosenblum 9/18 Jesse Grubbs, Lisa Hardig, Eliette Seme 9/19 Andrea Faw, Maria Guerrero 9/20 James Bumgarner, Anaberica Estrada, Louise Klvana, Judith Ruia Hernandez, Felix Wilfredo Suclupe, Cynthia Vanderveer 9/21 Jose Cabrera Torres, Anthony Meluch, Donovan Ramirez Peral-ta, Jocelyn Rivera Hernandez 9/22 Heather Bradford, Luis Castillo Jimenez, Alexander Giannini, Philip Helderlein, Ken Onley 9/23 Christian Alva

Happy Anniversary 9/17/2017-9/23/2017 9/17 Paul & April Cotton, Wilson & Teresa Mejia 9/21 William & Maria Stanley 9/22 Fabio & Mabel Feijoo

Mrs. Mary Brown: If you need to contact Mrs. Brown, Faith Formation Director, please call or text 704-929-0152 or email her at faithformationdir@att.net or if you need to contact Mrs. Norma Echevarria please call the office at 704-872-2579 or email her at echevarria_norma@yahoo.com. There will be a Protecting God’s Children workshop on Saturday, Sept. 30 at 9:30 a.m. This workshop is for anyone working with or supervising children in any capacity at St. Philip’s. Please contact Mary Brown of the parish office to sign up. There will be a parent meeting for only First Communion parents on Wednesday, September 13th at 6:45 p.m. or Sunday, September 17th at 9:15 a.m. There will be a parent meeting for only Confirmation parents on Wednesday, September 20th at 6:45 p.m. or Sunday, September 24th at 9:15 p.m.

Collections last week Regular 5:00 p.m…..….………….……...…………………..……$.00 8:00 a.m…......…..………………….…….………....……...00 10:30 a.m…….….....………………………………....……...00 12:30 p.m…..………...……..…………......................……...00 Total…..….……...…………………….....………...……$.00 Food Closet Total.…...…....…….………...........................................$.00 Forward With Christ. Total...………..…....….…...…...…………………....…$.00 Spanish Food Fundraiser Total.…..………………...….…….…………….………..$0 Total to date…….………………….…………….$9,231.95 Priest Retirement Total…………………………………………………....$.00 Due to the hurricane in Florida this bulletin needed to be transmitted early, the contributions collected for Septem-ber 10th will be in the next bulletin. Thank you.

Collections Year to Date as of 9/3/17 Last year This Year Regular $71,595.20………...............$71,720.97 Forward With Christ ………................……..1,141,362.78 Food Closet 3,118.00…….......…….…..2,688.00 Thank you for returning some of God’s gift to you to His Church. In case you missed it: So far from our Restaurant Fund-raisers we have made from Wendy’s -$437.49, McDonald’s-$271.79, Broad St. Burgers -$124.56, And Sorrento’s-$200.00. Thank you!

Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time September 17, 2017

PARISH SUPPORT CHURCH YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2018

THE WEEK AHEAD

Monday Bible Study will resume on Monday, September 18th at 6:30 p.m. If you have any questions please contact Ann McGuire at 980-829-3620 At home.. Lillian Alvey, Paul and Ber tha Summerville, Anna Eisele Shingleton, David Eisele, Jessica Allison, Jessica Crosso, Andrew Gulley, Jackie Mejia, Angela Moreno, Howard Stewart, Rick Stoup, Robinette Tilley, Alan Eisele, Joe Stallings, Arthur & Marion Weber, Martha Wall, Frank Bollero...Statesville Manor - Brenda Kelley. Please pray for the intentions on Our Prayer Tree. To place a name on the Prayer Tree, please sign the Prayer Book in the Lobby or e-mail; Jean Danckert - danckert5851@roadrunner.com. St. Philip’s Book Group will be meeting on Tuesday, Sept 19th at 7 p.m. for snacks and book discussion. Our book will be “The Invention of Wings” by Sue Monk Kidd. ALL PARISHIONERS WELCOMED!! Call Norma Gassett @ 704-380-4125 or Joyce Marquez @ 704-290-9755 for directions and book availability. Our next restaurant Forward With Christ fundraiser will be at Village Inn Pizza near the movie theatre at 1503 Cinema Drive Statesville on Thursday, September 21st from 5-8 p.m.

Sunday, Sept 17th Knights Of Columbus Bake Sale 9:00 a.m. Faith Formation 11:00 a.m. Spanish Faith Formation Monday, Sept 18th 9:30 a.m. Rosary 6:30 p.m. Bible Study Tuesday, September 19th 9:00 a.m. CDA Quilting Project 7:00 p.m. Book Group Wednesday, Sept 20th 11:15 a.m. Bible Study 6:30 p.m. Faith Formation /Parent Confirmation meeting 6:45 p.m. RCIA Thursday, Sept 21st 5:00 p.m. Village Inn Pizza until 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept 23rd 8:00 a.m. Food Closet Distribution Sunday, Sept 24th 9:00 a.m. Faith Formation / Parent Confirmation meeting 11:00 a.m. Spanish Faith Formation 5:00 p.m. Adult Dinner Group St. Philip’s Adult Dinner Group will be next Sunday, September 24th at 5 p.m. Would you be willing to open up your home? No theme for September just a “Pot Luck” . Bring your favorite food to share. The hosts do not have to do any cooking or provide beverages other than water. Those attending will bring their own special bever-age, entrée’s salads, etc., I will help coordinate. Please consider host-ing and give Norma Gassett a call at 704-380-4125 or 843-339-1956. Auction News: The St. Philip “Forward with Christ” Auction set for October 7th @ 6:30 PM has tickets available now. Ticket in-cludes a sit down dinner, music & open bar for $75 per person or buy a table of 8 for $600. Sneak preview - one auction item is a special dinner for four prepared by Father Kessler. What a special night that will be! A few other items include lodging for 3 nights in Myrtle Beach, one week in a mountain cabin in Blowing Rock & a beautiful piano. Call Dawn McGinn to place your reservations @ (980)-223-9400. Credit cards accepted. Call Dawn if you have an item or service to donate. There will be both Silent & Live Auction items.