The Campanile
October 17, 2017
Pastor’s Perspective
Volume 22, Issue 22
St. Philip’s United Methodist Church
The Campanile
November 14, 2017
Newest Member
Please welcome Tim
Ausburn, who joined
St. Philip’s UMC on
November 12, 2017!
Be sure to greet him
the next time you
see him!
Not so long ago famous people all over the world were polled by a magazine which asked
them the question - "if you could be granted one wish that will come true right now - what
would that be?" There were some very interesting responses - but one response im-
pressed the magazine's editors so much that they commented on. That response was
this - I wish that I could be given an even greater ability to appreciate all that I already
have.
This ability to give thanks for all situations in life was the source of joy in the early
church and it had incredible results in the lives of those disciples and apostles, and in the
lives of all those around them. They lived happy and triumphant lives, they rejoiced even
when they were being afflicted and persecuted, and their fellowship continually grew until
it reached the ends of the earth.
What do you think would happen if each one of us suddenly became a more thankful person? I know for
sure that as more thankful people we become more appreciative people – especially of the people we love
and far too often take for granted. And as more thankful and more appreciative people, we become more
content, less envious of others, and we live a more joy filled life. So as we come, once again, to the sea-
son of Thanksgiving, where is your sense of thankfulness? This year let us make a commitment to give
thanks. Give thanks in all circumstances. Give thanks for everything. Give thanks at all times.
Central South District Charge Conference
November 29, 6:30-8:30pm
Clusters will be at Westbury United Methodist
Church, 5200 Willowbend, 713-723-0175. We will be
meeting with Disciples, Bethany, St. Philip’s and
Westbury. Meeting will begin with Worship,
followed by Charge Conference Business, and end
with witness by leadership on “working through
congregational conflict” and “ creating multicultural
congregations”.
Glamour and Romance Next Senior Trip on Tuesday, November 28, 10 am—2 pm
Our next Senior Day Trip is to the Museum of Fine Arts to see Oscar de la
Renta ensembles, Tuesday, November 28. Bus leaves the St. Philip’s parking lot
(5501 Beechnut) at 10 am, returns about 2 pm. It is a self-guided tour of the ex-
hibit is $18. Arrangements for payment should be made at the time you sign up
for the trip. There will be no lunch stop, but food is available for purchase at the
museum. Due to a Precinct 3 regulation, this trip is only open to those age 50+.
If you want more information or would like to sign up, contact Tom or Tana
Wilkinson at [email protected] or 832-588-4783. Deadline to sign
up is Nov. 21 or whenever all tickets are sold.
P a g e 2 T h e C a m p a n i l e
Prayer Requests:
Please remember these persons in your prayers:
Lori Weiss, Royal McMullium, Myrtle Dawkins, Ann
Bevers, Richard & Barbara Drozd, Gilbert McFarllen,
Norman & Carmen Molina, Pennie Butler, Trish Car-
roll, Bax Shelby, Robert Duncan, Ann Evans, Gary &
Diane Seagle, Gladys Coleman, Hurley Criner II, Anita
Robinson, Roni Allison, Jon Ann Andrews, Joe Little,
Peggy McGowan, Phil McGowan, Walter Boyd, Marc
Barentine, Ximena Townsend, Steve Frazier, Joyce &
Gary Wright, Mary Linn, Philip Alexander, Gladys
White, Wava Jane Pritchett, Sam Garrett, Ken Szeto,
Jose Benavidez, Sally Jo Gifford, Ronnie Cortez, Terry
Shaw, Sybil Gruetzmacher, Bobby Curtis, Maryanne
Flory, Merlyn Bruce, Mike Frisco, Mona Adams, Jerry
Ray and Kevin & Kristi Lang. Members affected by
the flood: Martha Alexander, Ellie Auflick, Merlyn &
Lora Bruce, JoAnn & Mike Donovan, Marianne Drabek,
Brian Drozd, Ava Duncan, Julie Fessler, Kris Fields,
Jacob Greene, Bill Groves, Roy & Diane Hollingsworth,
Kinglan Hung, Barbara & Ed Kile, Marilyn Lacour, Jess
& Edith Pryor, Kim & Kevin Swan, Sally Waheed, Jay &
Lori Weiss, Lula & Eldean Williams, and Trina Williams.
Members of the Armed Forces: Andy Greenhill,
Thomas Tomaini, Austin Meyer, Ron Schoonover, Jef-
fery Wells, Dalton Dottie, Walter Coffee, Rochelle
Fuller, Iris Vance & Robert Rueter.
For Our Homebound Members: Cliff Ater, Walter
Boyd, Lora Bruce, Pennie Butler, Marilyn Curtis, Ava
Duncan, Leanna Ellis, Marshall Hatch, Lee Hartwell,
Ruby Jurden, Ruth King, Ann Link, Peggy McGowan,
Vivian Oliver, Lee & Ann Schrock, Betty Spargo, and
Gladys White.
First Responders: Christopher Szkody, J. D. Norman,
Ruben Johnson, Barry Curtis, Bryan Curtis, Seth Cap-
pen, Roslie Hutchison, Joanna Abad, Anthony Vale,
Matthew & Laurie White, and Rick Buckner.
Have a prayer request? Please call Prayer Ministry
Chairperson June Kitchens at (832) 767-1926 or call
the church office with your request at 713-666-2175.
Annual Christmas Dinner
December 1, 6 pm in Fellowship Hall
Hosted by the United Methodist Men & Women
with Traditional Turkey & Dressing with all the
Trimmings. Program is presented by gospel trio
featuring our own Braxton Ed-
wards. Dinner Cost is $15.00.
Children 12 and under free.
Please contact Allen Grant, Marcie
Gruetzmacher, Bill Gruetzmacher,
and Gary Wright or the church of-
fice for tickets. Deadline Nov. 26.
Church Sunday Schedule
Sunday School for all ages at 9:15am
Worship Service -10:30am
Youth Fellowship SPYRIT-11:30am
Community Thanksgiving Service
Sunday, November 19th, 4:00 p.m. Willow Meadows Baptist Church
4300 West Bellfort Ave.
A collection will be taken to benefit
Braes Interfaith Ministries.
A Reception will follow so that you may
visit with your neighbors.
November Sermon Series:
Theme: The Christian Life
Nov. 19 “Thanksgiving-More Than a Feeling”
Deuteronomy 8:7-18
Nov. 26 “The Last Word”
Ephesians 1:15-23
The Crossroads Class
Sunday School Advent Study:
Nov. 19 - Dec. 17
“Faithful-Christmas Through
the Eyes of Joseph”
We meet at 9:15 AM in Room 107.
Nov. 19 - A Carpenter Named Joseph
Nov. 26 - Whose Child Is This?
Dec. 3 - Raising a Child Not Your Own
Dec. 10 - The Journey to Bethlehem
Dec. 17 -The Rest of the Story
Save the date! Sat., Dec 9, 6-8:30pm.
An Evening in Bethlehem
Mary Pena will have Volunteer sign up
sheets in the narthex each Sunday.
Fellowship Sunday School Class New Winter Study
December-February “Faith in Action”
Unit 1: Faith in Christ Unit 2: A Living Faith in God Unit 3: Godly Faith
From Christian Life Series
We meet at 9:30 am in Room 101. Join us!
P a g e 3 V o l u m e 2 2 , I s s u e 2 2
The first Sunday in November is an important day in the life of our Church. We are asked to bring to the altar our pledge for giving in the year ahead. This past Sunday, thirty-three (33) pledge cards were submitted. Last year, on the same first Sunday in No-vember, fifty-one pledge (51) cards were submitted. This is not a hopeful trend. I hope and pray that we are just a forgetful lot, and I pray you will remember to bring your 2018 pledge next Sunday or as soon as you can. In 2017, this year, our identified giving is expected to be just over $310,000. Pledges made in 2016 to support 2017 totaled $244,000. We promised almost eighty percent of what is given to support St. Philips. That promise supports about fifty percent of the total budget of our Church. If our pledges go down in support of 2018, we will not be able to sustain or grow the ministry of our Church for each other, for our community, and in service to our Lord. Pledging is an important component to supporting a successful church. I received blind data regarding the 2016 pledge amounts. I do not know who pledged any amount (except my own pledge). The graph below uses a logarithmic scale to display the pledge amounts. Logarithmic scaling can be confusing, but its value is in its ability to more precisely measure the individual pledge amounts. In the graph, the median pledge, the pledge made at the fiftieth percentile is read from the y-axis as approximately $2,800 for the year. (The actual mid-point pledge is $2,780.)
This means that half of the pledgers gave less than $2,800 per year and half gave more than that amount. Twenty five per-cent of pledgers promised just over $6,000 per year ($6,210). Ten percent of pledgers promised $11,000 per year ($11,100). The highest pledge was $16,900; one pledge card was for zero, but the next lowest pledge was $300. Your pledge is between you and God. I hope you will be generous by whatever standard you hold dear. You and I are the hands and feet of Jesus Christ. We bring Christ to our community. As Methodists, we are called upon to participate in the ministries of our Church with our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service, and our witness. Pledging is a significant part of that commit-ment.
Blessings to you all. John Guest Chairman, Finance Committee
Promises for Giving to St. Philip’s United Methodist
Upcoming Events
Nov 19, 4pm Community Thanksgiving Service
Willow Meadows Baptist, 4300 W.Bellfort
Nov 20, 7pm UMM Meeting (107)
Nov 28, 10am-2pm Senior Trip to MFAH
Nov 29, 6:30-8:30pm Charge Conference -
Westbury UMC. 5200 Willowbend
Dec 1, 6pm UMM/UMW Christmas Dinner and
Program. Tickets $15 are on sale now!
Join us for Hanging
of the Greens
Worship Service
December 3, 10:30am
Celebrate the beginning of the
Advent Season with carols, scrip-
ture and decorating the Chrismon
Tree.
9:15 am Sunday School
DATED MATERIAL– November 14, 2017
St. Philip’s United Methodist Church
5501 Beechnut Street
Houston, Texas 77096
Voice 713.666.2175
Fax: 713.666.2349
Email: [email protected]
Church Staff
Lisa Callaway, Pastor
Braxton Edwards, Director of Music Ministries
Ryan Pennington, Organist/Accompanist
Shelley Foreman, Administrative Assistant
Marc DeRome, Youth Director
Deanna White, Treasurer
Theresa Burnett, Day School Director
Find us at www.spumc.com
Non-Profit Org.
U. S. Postage Paid
Permit No. 65
Bellaire, Texas
FAMILY FUN DAY was a success!
Our first second Saturday Family Fun Day was
held on November 11. The families who attend-
ed had a great time painting pumpkins, playing
turkey tail tag, competing in a pumpkin roll re-
lay, making marshmallow turkeys and many oth-
er games. We hope to grow our attendance and
outreach in the community throughout the year.
The next event will be “An Evening in Bethlehem”
on December 9.
Day School Fireman Puppet Show and Halloween Parade
On Wednesday, October 25th
the Houston Fire Department Community
Relations Department came to our school to perform a puppet show on
fire safety. The Pre-K, Preschool and Toddler II Class attended the pup-
pet show. The children and the staff really enjoyed the puppets, the
songs and the stories. After the show ended the fire fighters invited any
of the children that wanted, to put on a genuine fire fighters’ coat and
helmet and be photographed with the fire fighter. Many of the children
participated in trying on the coat and helmet . One of our Toddler II chil-
dren wanted to do it at least three times. She really enjoyed the experi-
ence.
On Tuesday, October 31st
we held our annual Halloween Parade. The
children dressed in their Hallo-ween costumes and paraded through the
classrooms, the music room, the director’s office and the church of-
fice. They “trick or treated’ and received a lot of goodies. The families
were invited to take photos of their child’s class in their costumes as well as take individual photos of their
child/children in the pumpkin patch. It was a fun time for all. Theresa Burnett, Day School Director